Dr Richard Luecking is President of TransCen, a position he has held since 1987 when he was charged by the Board of Directors as the organization's first employee to create improved linkages between schools, service providing agencies, government, business, and families so that youth with disabilities experience improved post-school employment outcomes. During his tenure with the organization he has written, directed and/or overseen several dozen federal research and demonstration projects as well as a number of foundation-funded projects that address school to work transition and employment services for people with disabilities. He was an original consultant in the development of the “Bridges from school to work Program” of the Marriott Foundation for People with disabilities, which has since been replicated and established in several national locations with the help of TransCen. Dr. Luecking has maintained active participation and held leadership positions in numerous local, state and national initiatives, including workforce development boards, school-to-career systems, business/education associations, national non-profit organizations and national professional organizations. He has also served in the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor under a special joint appointment to promote the engagement of employers in school to work initiatives. Prior to his tenure with TransCen, Dr. Luecking held positions in rehabilitation, education and non-profit management. He is the author of numerous trade and academic publications on topics related to employment of people with disabilities, business partnerships, school-to-work transition, and career development. Poor post-school employment outcomes continue to be a problem of national significance for youth with significant or ongoing support needs. Dr Richard Luecking presents a successful service model that ensures that individuals with significant support needs leave school, fully included in their home communities with an integrated and individualised job and with a stable system for long-term job support. Two presentations will illustrate how this model integrates the resources, expertise and responsibilities of the systems responsible for transition: the family, the school system, The Disability Employment Services and other providers such as Day Services. Presentation 1 - The Day Session presentation is ideal for those involved in the delivery of service. However family members will also be able to identify strategies that may assist them in determining what their family members ‘ life may be like post school. It will highlight critical features of systems integration models and how they can be configured so that seamless transition from school to adult employment occurs, regardless of youths' disability labels or nature of their special education service. There are striking themes that within these models. They are -. A mutual belief that the culmination of publicly supported education for youth with disabilities should be a job or career path of choice.. Identifying points of success for all elements of the system.. Flexible applications of governing regulations of system; Dr Leucking will provide evidence of the effectiveness of these models where they have been implemented as well as present case studies of youth who have benefited from such collaboration. Presentation 2 - The Evening Session is aimed at family members, exploring the 'expectation of work' and how this may occur within systems that traditionally have not blended their work so people transition to work from school in a seamless manner. Dr Luecking will also show through presentation and discussion how this model allows people with significant ongoing support needs gain and remain in employment. The session will be structured to allow for discussion between the participants and Dr. Luecking. Who should attend? Any one who has an interest in assisting young people with disabilities make the transition to a post school life, either as family members, direct service providers, service managers, funders or policy formulators‘. Burnie – Devonport Launceston To register go to – and follow the linkswww.abilityemployment.com.au How to : Transition from School to Work Successfully... …with a disability