On Wednesday, November 18, Autism Speaks hosted an Adult Services Town Hall in Montclair, New Jersey. The event was part of an ongoing national series of Town Halls, and focused on transition planning. With 100 people in the audience, the discussion offered insights into the process of moving from adolescence into adulthood.
The Town Hall took place at Montclair State University, and started with a resource fair that featured many service providers from across the state. They included: Caregivers of New Jersey, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation at Rutgers, ECLC of New Jersey, Identifor, Morgan Stanley, New Beginnings for Tomorrow, Rangam Consultants, and Willowglen Academy. During this time, all who attended not only had the opportunity to access informational materials, but also to ask questions and connect with their local network.
To open the panel discussion, Heather Hays, Executive Director for Autism Speaks New Jersey Chapter, welcomed attendees and offered opening remarks. Next, an introduction to TheSpectrumCareers.com was provided by Rahul Srinivasan and Gerald Franklin from Rangam Consultants – an important partner in developing the jobs portal with Autism Speaks.
They spoke to the need for facilitating connections between individuals with autism and employment opportunities, along with the necessary supports to be successful in holding a position, and highlighted a few of the unique features the jobs portal offers to employees, employers, and service providers who offer job coaching and/or training services. Hays then introduced the evening’s moderator, Maria McGinley, a partner at Mayerson and Associates, who began the conversation by providing an introduction to transition planning and to each of the panelists, including:
- Cecilia Feeley, Transportation Autism Project Manager, Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation
- Steve Keisman, Vice President of Education and Transition Strategist, Identifor
- Dennis Morgan, Vice President of Educational Services and Adult Employment, Bancroft
- Ann Marie Sullivan, CEO, SpectrumWorks
- Debbie Schwartz, Parent-Advocate & Recruiting Director at MassMutual | Lee, Nolan & Koroghlian, LLC
- Kerry Magro, Self-Advocate & Producer of Social Media and Digital Content, Autism Speaks
The discussion started with a look more broadly at the transition process. Panelists discussed when to start and what resources to seek out as a young adult on the spectrum reaches different milestones. There was emphasis on the importance of planning, innovation, and partnerships with a combination of each of these required to break down barriers to success. The services needed are diverse and will be different for each individual; however, there’s a lot we can do together to create awareness and understanding within the community.
From there, the conversation shifted to the shared concerns parents of young adults with autism and how to ensure that they have the skills necessary to navigate their community in a way that ensures their safety. In many ways, this takes shape in helping to develop skills for self-advocacy and independence and in becoming more familiar with the people who live and work nearby, how to access local amenities, or using public transportation systems. Panelists discussed steps and helpful resources that can be used to identify interests, skills, and abilities, and encouraged that these conversations – especially ones about employment – should start early on.
Another theme that emerged through the evening’s panel discussion was the importance of mentorship. Whether at school or in the work place, it can be so helpful to have someone to look to for guidance and support. The audience was encouraged to seek out such connections and, especially, find role models who are on the spectrum. Simultaneously, we need to engage the community at-large in learning about accommodations that can be made to ensure success at all points of the transition process, and beyond.
The event closed with several questions from the audience, which furthered the thoughtful and informative discussion about transition planning and how to navigate the process.
Thank you to all who participated in the Town Hall, and a special thank you to our moderator, panelists, and resource providers for making the event a great success.
To learn more about TheSpectrumCareers and seek employment opportunities, click here.
To access Autism Speaks Transition Tool Kit, click here.
For more information about the Community-based Skills Assessment Tool Kit, click here.
For the Transition Timeline for New Jersey, click here.