Transition Tidbits

In October, the nation recognized National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrating the contributions of workers with disabilities and highlighting the importance of creating equitable opportunities for employment. The 2026 theme, “Celebrating Value and Talent,” emphasized the skills, talents, and contributions people with disabilities bring to the workplace. Although NDEAM has concluded, its message provides an opportunity to continue promoting career readiness, work-based learning, and employment opportunities throughout the year.

Explore NDEAM resources from the U.S. Department of Labor to find resources, ideas, and materials that can help schools, employers, and community partners continue the conversation and celebrate the value and talent of people with disabilities.

In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), PA ABLE hosted a series of webinars highlighting employment, financial wellness, and resources for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. The 2026 series included topics such as financial self-care, the neurodiversity employment landscape, and employment resources, building on the 2025 NDEAM webinar series.

Explore the 2026 and 2025 webinar recordings to learn more about these topics and access valuable resources.

Explore the PA ABLE NDEAM Webinar Recordings

The Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) helps individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, maintain, and advance in employment. OVR provides individualized counseling, career exploration, vocational services, job supports, and other resources, and can be an important partner in helping students connect transition planning with career development and work-based learning opportunities. Students, families, and school teams can connect with the OVR District Office serving their county to learn more about available services and eligibility.

Find Your OVR District Office — Use Pennsylvania's official OVR Office Directory to identify the district office serving your county and find contact information

The Work-Based Learning Experiences (WBLE) Toolkit, created through the Pathways 2 Partnership Disabiliity Innovation Fund Grant awared to PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, brings together practical tools to help students, educators, families, employers, VR staff, and community providers prepare for and support meaningful work-based learning experiences. The resources address readiness, logistical planning, preparation, communication, and collaboration across the WBLE process, with an emphasis on building student skills, confidence, self-advocacy, and independence.

• WBLE Best Practices for Providers — Provides guidance for Community Rehabilitation Providers implementing paid WBLEs, including job coaching, employer collaboration, student support, soft-skill development, problem-solving, communication, and promoting independence.
• WBLE Informal Readiness Assessment for Educators — Helps educators and paraeducators identify student strengths, support needs, motivation, family readiness, and areas for growth before a student begins a WBLE.
• WBLE Informal Readiness Assessment for Students — A student-friendly checklist that helps students reflect on their readiness related to job expectations, responsibility, communication, transportation, and managing feelings and energy at work.
• WBLE Logistical Checklist — Guides teams through the logistics of a WBLE from pre-placement planning and site identification through active participation and post-experience reflection, including transportation, accommodations, equipment, payment, safety, documentation, and next steps.
• WBLE Prep Guide for Educators and Paraeducators — Helps school staff connect classroom skills to workplace expectations and prepare students for workplace routines, self-advocacy, accommodations, and successful participation.
• WBLE Prep Guide for Employers — Introduces employers to the WBLE process and explains their role in providing a welcoming work environment, meaningful tasks, supervision, feedback, and collaboration with job coaches and VR staff.
• WBLE Template Communications for Providers — Offers ready-to-use communication templates for sharing student successes, addressing challenges, documenting incidents, and requesting coordinated team meetings.
• WBLE Readiness Checklist for Professionals — Provides professionals with a structured way to consider student interest, motivation, supports, workplace behavior, routines, transportation, and other indicators of WBLE readiness.
• WBLE Prep Guide for VR Staff — Supports VR counselors in preparing students through counseling and guidance, identifying interests and goals, addressing logistics and supports, and coordinating planning across pre-placement, placement, and post-placement activities.
• WBLE Prep Guide for Students — Provides students with practical guidance for starting a paid WBLE, including workplace expectations, soft skills, transportation, clothing, required documents, pay, and benefits-related considerations.
• WBLE Prep Guide for Families and Supports — Helps families understand how to support students before, during, and after a WBLE while promoting independence, self-advocacy, preparation, transportation, benefits awareness, and appropriate workplace communication.

For Bridgette, career exploration is about more than choosing a future job. It is about discovering her strengths, building confidence, developing leadership skills, and learning to use her voice. A student at Penn State Abington studying Recreational Park and Tourism Management (RPTM), Bridgette hopes to become a park ranger so she can help people, connect them with resources, and advocate for others. As she shared, “I want to be a park ranger… having that advocacy and also trying to help people in any way that I can.” She is also interested in working on a cruise ship, where she could meet people from different backgrounds.

Bridgette’s leadership journey began when her Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) caseworker connected her with a Youth Ambassador opportunity at the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL). The role aligned with her college major and offered hands-on opportunities to strengthen her leadership and advocacy skills.

As a Youth Ambassador, Bridgette worked alongside LVCIL staff, including Sara Worley, supporting the Seed program and front desk operations, assisting with housing intake forms, observing department meetings, participating in emergency preparedness and peer support activities, and attending a webinar on Connecting with the Autistic Experience. These experiences helped her better understand community resources and develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

Bridgette is already applying these skills as vice president of the RPTM Club at Penn State Abington. She credits her Youth Ambassador experience with giving her the confidence to pursue leadership opportunities. “Running this club is actually the first time I've stepped into a role outside of school,” she explained. Through this role, she is learning to take initiative, listen to others, and navigate challenges while working toward shared goals.

She also recognizes that career exploration means putting herself out there. After attending conferences related to her major, Bridgette wants to become more comfortable sharing her ideas, speaking up, and building professional connections. As she puts it, she is “just kind of putting myself out there” and trying to “get my name out there.”

Bridgette’s experiences demonstrate that work-based learning extends beyond a traditional job. Leadership, conferences, networking, advocacy, and community engagement all help young people practice skills, explore interests, and discover future possibilities.

Her story also highlights the importance of believing in young people and providing opportunities for them to recognize their potential. As a student with an IEP, Bridgette remembers adults, including teachers and caseworkers, suggesting that college might not be for her. Today, she is pursuing a degree in a field she enjoys, serving in a leadership role, and preparing for a career focused on helping others. Her Youth Ambassador experience helped her recognize her ability to lead and advocate for herself and others. “I feel like I didn't have the resources,” she shared, “but now I do feel I have the resources to become a leader.”

Bridgette knows she still has more to learn and wants to continue growing as a leader. Her advice to other young people considering becoming Youth Ambassadors is simple: do it. She encourages them to ask questions, get involved, meet supportive people, and remain open to new experiences that can build connections and open doors.

Bridgette’s journey illustrates how career exploration and work-based learning help young people build confidence, discover their strengths, and envision new possibilities. When young people have meaningful opportunities to lead, advocate, connect with others, and explore their interests, they learn not only about careers but also about what they can contribute to their communities.

What happens when students with disabilities have a seat at the table? They help build better transition services—not just for themselves, but for students across Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Special Education (BSE) partner to offer the Youth Ambassador Program, a paid leadership opportunity for high school and college students with disabilities. Youth Ambassadors build leadership, workplace readiness, and self-advocacy skills while helping improve transition services for their peers.

Youth Ambassadors work alongside educators, OVR staff, Intermediate Units, and community partners to:

· Share the youth perspective in meetings and events.

· Help create outreach materials and resources for students.

· Develop leadership, communication, and workplace skills.

· Support other students with disabilities through peer engagement and self-advocacy.

· Gain valuable paid work experience that prepares them for future employment.

Since launching as a pilot in 2022, Youth Ambassadors have presented at statewide conferences, served on advisory groups, created outreach materials, participated in community events, and helped shape programs that better meet the needs of students with disabilities. Along the way, they've developed confidence, expanded their professional networks, and gained skills that support success in college, careers, and community life.

The program is open to eligible OVR customers in their final years of high school or in post-secondary education. Positions are paid, typically average 5-10 hours per week, and can be completed in person, remotely, or through a combination of both.

Interested in bringing Youth Ambassadors to your school or organization—or becoming one? Contact your local OVR District Office or reach out to Kim Robinson, Transition Services Section Administrator, at kirobinson@pa.gov for more information.

The purpose of the Commission is to gather information regarding Next Generation Pennsylvanians’ experiences and needs; review, evaluate, and assess programs affecting them; provide the Governor with information and recommendations regarding how best to meet their needs; and provide information about programs and services that may be relevant to Next Generation Pennsylvanians’ needs. The Commission and its Executive Director also serve as an extension of the Governor’s office in their respective communities and are responsible for communicating the priorities and accomplishments of the Governor and his Administration. This effort seeks to spread awareness and increase access to programs and services provided by the Commonwealth that benefit every-day Pennsylvanians.

The Student Shoppe offers Pennsylvania students involved in secondary transition programs with an opportunity to expand their work skills and broaden their understanding of marketing, advertising, and sales.

Attend One or Both Days:

Wednesday, 2/24/2027

10:00 A.M.- 5:30 P.M.

Thursday, 2/25/2027

8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.

* Student Shoppe participants have flexiblity during these times.

Student Eligibility:

- currently receive transition services

- arrange travel to Hershey Lodge along with their teacher or job coach

- have ample product for sale

The PA Secondary Transition Career Exploration Resources page brings together tools to help students discover career possibilities, connect their interests and strengths to potential career paths, develop workplace skills, and plan next steps for education, training, and employment after high school. Featured resources include PA CareerLink, mySkills myFuture, and Khan Academy Career and Life Skills, along with examples of how community-based career exploration can lead to new employment interests and opportunities.

Explore Career Exploration Resources to find tools that can help students move from exploring possibilities to taking their next steps toward a career.

Developed through Pennsylvania’s Pathways to Partnerships (P2P) Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) grant, the Community-Based Instruction (CBI) Best Practices Guide provides educators, providers, and transition partners with practical guidance for designing meaningful, real-world learning experiences for students with disabilities. The guide emphasizes building independence and self-determination through authentic community experiences, while supporting collaboration among students, families, schools, providers, and other partners. It also includes supporting tools and resources to help teams plan, implement, document, and evaluate CBI experiences.

Explore the Community-Based Instruction Best Practices Guide with Supporting Documents.

Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning Experiences
A strong foundational resource describing the career preparation and WBL skills youth need, including career exploration, employability skills, career planning, and self-advocacy for accommodations.

A tool created by the Deparment of Labor, this quick guide could be especially useful for employers and transition teams. It provides practical strategies around accessible hiring and onboarding, accommodations, technical instruction, and connecting employers with VR and other disability workforce partners.

Finding the right supports for students and families can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be. The Pennsylvania Interactive State Resource Map is a free, searchable tool that helps educators, families, youth, and agency partners locate transition-related services and supports across the Commonwealth. Users can filter resources by region, service type, and audience to quickly identify local and statewide programs that support successful post-school outcomes.

Why it matters for transition planning: Meaningful transition planning extends beyond the IEP meeting and requires strong connections to community resources. The Interactive State Resource Map can help transition teams identify agencies to invite to IEP meetings, locate work-based learning and community-based instruction opportunities, connect families with advocacy and support organizations, and build partnerships that align with students' postsecondary goals. It's a practical tool for turning transition plans into action by linking students and families with the people, programs, and services that can support them before and after graduation.

Try It! During your next transition planning meeting, use the Interactive State Resource Map to identify at least one new community partner or service that aligns with the student's postsecondary goals. Exploring available resources together can help students and families build connections that continue long after high school.

The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University is offering individualized healthy relationship and sexuality education for adults 18 and up with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sessions are available in person or via Zoom. A trained sexuality educator will customize the lessons and learning experience to meet each client's needs. Topics covered may include online safety, healthy relationships, personal health, and more. All sessions are free of charge. Email iodhsp@temple.edu to learn more.

Looking for a place where you can Connect, Collect, & Contribute

to all things secondary transition?

Connect with people from across our state to collect

resources, share events and contribute stories about positive post-school outcomes!

Click here to create an account and login to join our PA Secondary Transition- Public Square.

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Build skills for the future: Families will learn about how their child’s blindness and academic and problem-solving skills develop over time. Through understanding how children develop, and with an understanding of how expectations change after high school, families will be able to advocate for opportunities to build their child’s skills and abilities with a deeper understanding of what expectations will look like after high school graduation or completion.

REGISTRATION

GRANT FUNDING

This training is funded through the Pathways to Partnership (P2P) Grant, a Disability Innovation

Fund grant awarded to the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. To participate the

student either must have an active OVR case (confirmed by OVR) or a completed OVR-244 Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Request Form must be submitted.

Date: 11/18/2026

Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Virtual Training: Once registration is verified as complete, participants will receive a ZOOM link at the email address(es) provided during registration to access the training session.

Description:

Your voice is one of your most powerful tools for self-advocacy! In Mic Check: Using Your Voice for Self-Advocacy, participants will hear directly from PaTTAN Youth Engagement Specialists as they share their personal disability journeys, experiences with self-advocacy, and how they learned to use their voices to communicate what they need, want, and value.

Participants will explore what self-advocacy means and learn practical strategies for developing self-advocacy skills in school, work, relationships, and everyday life. Through personal stories, discussion, and interactive activities, participants will have opportunities to reflect on their own strengths, practice communicating their needs, and identify ways to become more confident advocates for themselves.

Presenters:

Hunter Steintiz/Natasha Fletcher - PaTTAN Youth Engagement Specialists

Youth and Families/Caregivers Register Here

Professionals Register Here

Grant Acknowledgment:

These trainings are developed under Grant Number H421E230004 from the U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this training do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (Authority: 20 U.S.C §§ 1221e-3 and 3474).

Are you looking for transition events across PA?

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a group of various stakeholders from across Pennsylvania who work collaboratively to ensure appropriate transition outcomes for Pennsylvania youth and young adults.

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a state leadership team consisting of representative from: the State Departments of Education, Health, Labor and Industry, and Human Services; Various Serving Agencies, Young Adults, Parent Organizations, Advocates, Higher Education, and Employers.

The shared vision and common goals of the Pennsylvania Community on Transition is achieved when all PA youth and young adults with disabilities:

• Successfully transition to the role of productive and participating adult citizens
• Are empowered to recognize their talents, strengths, and voice
• Have equal access to resources that will promote their full participation in the communities of their choice.

Email: pasecondarytransition@gmail.com
Website: https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/
Phone: 4128266878
Twitter: @hmangiskuntz