Submission Date

8-12-2023

Document Type

Entry Level Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

First Mentor

Jynelle Armstrong, Program Director

Second Mentor

Gustavo Reinoso, Ph.D., OTR/L

Abstract

The transition from high school to any form of postsecondary education is often a challenging experience in and of itself. For individuals who are a part of the foster care system, it is increasingly difficult to traverse this transition due to decreased access to resources and support. Throughout this capstone experience at the group home, A Kid's Place, I created a career readiness program that focused on gauging what each individuals’ interests are, curating a realistic career pathway/plan that would aid in the accomplishment of their goals, and created resourceful materials that would prepare participants to begin their own postsecondary education journey. This program exposed them to various career options through career aptitude testing and career exploration activities. Resources that focused on different sources of financial support, the ins-and-outs of a healthy work/life balance, available social supports, peer-support structure, and job opportunities for individuals with varying disabilities were created as well. In doing so, participants would be educated on the utilization of these materials throughout the independent life skills program that is currently in place at this site. They would also be able to improve their readiness to explore different career options and begin taking the steps necessary towards pursuing their career-related goals.

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