Basic Information Transition service from School to Work

Transition from School to Work The transition service offers support and counseling for young people with disabilities and disadvantages at the transition from school into professional life.

Aims to show juveniles vocational prospects to provide a basis for decision making and a realistic approach for a vocational integration

Target Group Juveniles at the transition from school to work, at the age from 13 to 24 years, with special needs: learning disabilities (special school curriculum) and Intellectual/cognitive disabilities physically handicaps and multiple disabilities hearing and/or vision impairment social needs, emotionally disturbed and behavioral disorders mental illness and autism

Scale of Service Development of an aptitude and interest profile Analyses of strengths and weaknesses Clarification of the need for additional training Demonstration of vocational prospects based on the aptitude and interest profile Elaboration of a development and career-plan

Methods Counseling sessions with the juvenile Consultation of school-teachers and parents Assessment of strengths and interests Offering work experience Initiation of a circle of support Person centered planning with involvement of teachers, family members, friends… Collection of necessary information in a transition portfolio Writing a transition report and development plan with recommendations for the next

Staff Staff should have vocational background with … Social work (knowledge of legal system and labor market) Pedagogic/special education/inclusive education Psychology, particularly developmental psychology Ability to communicate and to work in a team Several years of professional experience, best with juveniles and in commercial area Project experience (organization of processes) and networking know how Knowledge of the regional infrastructure Knowledge of counseling techniques

Setting The counselor is one primary contact person The process should be completed within max. 6 months (for the vocational integration another 6 months can be added) One fulltime counselor (40h/w): 50 finished transition reports a year The service is mobile: The meetings can be held in the counseling center, at school, at home, at the firm of the internship – according to the current requirement The transition service is voluntary an free

The Process of Transition Getting started - first contact September/October Getting to know the juvenile – collection of information in a transition port folio October/November Building a circle of support – holding a person centered meeting November/December Arranging vocational training/internship December/January Developing a career plan – writing a transition report Final consultation February/March vocational life school

The Process of Transition: Step by Step: Step 1 Getting started - first contact September/October initial contact in collaboration with school teachers in the last grade of compulsory school building a relationship with the juvenile offering and collecting basic information concluding a written agreement

Getting to know the juvenile – collection of information in a transition port folio October/November talking and collecting information by means of material and worksheets assessing competences and interests with standardized and non-standardized tasks and psychometric procedures The Process of Transition: Step by Step: Step 2

Building a circle of support – holding a person centered meeting November/December Inviting teacher, relatives, friends… for a meeting to plan the next steps in the future of the juvenile with the help of the most important persons around him/her The Process of Transition: Step by Step: Step 3

Arranging vocational training/internship December/January Observation on workplace during the training, feedback of the company The Process of Transition: Step by Step: Step 4

Developing a career plan – writing a transition report Final consultation February/March handing over the transition report with an ability and interest profile and the career plan transfer to subsequent service The Process of Transition: Step by Step: Step 5 and 6

Benefits of transition service Results of the evaluation of the Clearing service in Austria made by L & R Sozialforschung on behalf of the Austrian Ministry for Social Affairs in cooperation with Prof. G. Wetzel, University of Salzburg (2006): 86% of the juveniles made a practical training in companies  positive effect on development of maturity 87% of the participants could realize their goals of their career plan 39% of the non-participants could reach their initial vocational goal 25% of the non-participants did nothing at first after their school- education

Results after the Clearing Service 28% of the participants are in an apprenticeship 25% of the participants are in are in a service of the AMS- Public Employment Service or the Federal Social Welfare Office 10% of the participants are mostly otherwise employed 13% of the participants are mostly unemployed 20% of the participants phases of school attendance or episodes of “distance of labor market”  high level of integration by Clearing service