Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers

💬Translation, sharing & accessibility tools available!

To access accessibility tools and improved viewing, Click Here.

💬Herramientas de traducción, intercambio y accesibilidad

Para acceder a herramientas de accesibilidad y una mejor visualización, haz clic aquí.

What are the top 2 challenges you face in providing inclusive career services?

We're collecting real-time input from career professionals like you to better understand the barriers and needs in our field. Your responses will appear in a live word cloud, helping us visualize common challenges and spark meaningful discussion.

📲 Click the link below to add your voice and see what others are saying!

The exclusion of neurodivergent people is bad for the workforce. Catherine Bouckley writes that neurodivergence makes an important contribution to cognitive diversity, which drives better performance and limits groupthink within organisations (Bouckley, 2022).

Click Here to Learn More

In response to the challenges you shared, here are a few adaptable strategies to support the career development of neurodivergent individuals:

• Executive functioning challenges — such as planning tasks and managing time
• Social communication — such as reading social cues and sustaining conversations
• Sensory sensitivities — such as reacting to noise or lighting
• Flexibility and adaptability — such as coping with change or unexpected situations
• Emotional regulation — such as managing stress and masking emotions

Assistive technologies can dramatically expand access to career exploration, job preparation, and workplace success for individuals with disabilities. Whether it’s through speech-to-text tools, noise-reducing headphones, or project management apps, these supports empower job seekers to navigate challenges and highlight their strengths.

Career practitioners play a vital role in identifying which tools may be most effective. Start by:

• Learning about your client’s strengths, needs, and goals.

• Exploring resources that offer tools that reduce specific barriers—such as sensory discomfort, memory, or communication.

• Training and adjusting based on real-time feedback from your client.

🧩 Our infographic offers a snapshot of assistive tech categories and examples to help you get started. Use it as a conversation tool or reference guide when supporting neurodiverse individuals on their employment journey.

Supporting clients who receive SSI? Many individuals fear that getting a job means losing their benefits—but that’s not entirely true.

Career practitioners play a critical role in helping clients understand that employment can often increase independence without ending benefits. The SSA uses work incentive programs and income exclusions that allow individuals to work while maintaining much-needed support like Medicaid.

🎯 Knowing how to guide your clients through this can be the key to unlocking long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

➡️ Learn more from the official SSA page:

1. Mixing up SSI and SSDI can result in incorrect career planning and advice and could unintentionally put a client’s benefits at risk.
2. Always confirm which program your client is on. If you're unsure which program your client receives, encourage them to review their benefit award letter or call the SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213.
3. Your guidance on employment goals, hours, and income expectations should be tailored based on the type of benefit the individual receives. Tailoring job development strategies appropriately can make a major difference in financial stability and health coverage continuity.

📹 Learn more from the National Council on Aging

A trusted nonprofit resource, the NCOA clearly outlines how SSI and SSDI differ and what each means for work and benefits planning.

👉 Read the Full Guide

This concise 5-minute video, produced in 2024, offers a clear explanation of how individuals can retain Medicaid coverage under Section 1619(b) even after their SSI payments stop due to increased income. It also discusses the annual income thresholds that apply.

📺 Watch here: vimeo.com

Downloadable Digital Navigation Guides
Click the button for a step-by-step tool including:

• How to register at AJC

• How to request accommodations

• Who to ask for help
  

• Quick Links

Register through this newsletter to receive a complimentary $150 fee adjustment on the $1395 published price.

The training fee covers:

• e-Student Manual
• Technology fee to access the LDW Group LMS (ldwgrouptraining.com)
• Fee for the CCSP Assessment (Certified Career Services Provider Certification)
• 1-year Free Membership for NCDA (National Career Development Association)

Click the buttons to access resources, tools, and knowledge to help support your clients effectively.

Comprehensive lists of regional and national organizations dedicated to protecting and advocating for individuals with disabilities.

A resource for career practitioners to start meaningful conversations on disability inclusion in the workplace.

📣 Share a story of inclusive success using #InclusiveCareersNCDA

Share your favorite solutions!