I sat in the conference room as the dust settled from the recent presentation on Youth in Transition with Developmental Disabilities (DD) or ASD. It occurred to me that our professions were getting in the way of what is best for the persons we are trying to support.
The presentation was about youth with developmental disabilities (DD) struggling to transition from teenager life to adult life. Subjects like, after high school initiatives, work placement and mental health were the focus of the conversation.
The evidence was presented and statistic where shown, but what was not said, or who did not say it, was what was had the deepest impact on me.
Doctors, managers and some other professionals had their voices heard, but there was no one with ASD or a Developmental Disability (DD) within earshot of the conversation.
How am I to really know what they need? I do not have a label of DD or ASD.
People with needs, developmental, emotional, physical, whatever, certainly have a tough time transitioning from their rebellious, awkward teenage life, to the mature, full blown important and wise adults. Not unlike the general population right?
If you where not able to recognize my sarcasm in that last sentence then let me point it out to you clearly.
Youth of any ability, with any diagnosis, have a tough time transitioning from teenage life to adulthood.
Right now, in the general population, youth unemployment is high; youth underemployment is astronomically high.
Student debts, cost of living, low wages, are creating a massive gap in the transition from teenagers at home to adults with a healthy retirement fund.
If the financially realities where not tough enough on our youth, what about the fact that we have an eroded environment. Our climate is sick, pretty much terminal, with a limited life expectancy.
This all certainly does not encourage a lot of hope and inspire our youth to a “go get em” attitude.
What about the shift in technology and the speed of the change?
How can you ask an 18 year old to choose a career when they know that whatever they choose will most likely be obsolete before they’re done their education.
You need an education to get a job, but the education you get will burden you with a debt you probably will never repay. On top of that the education you get will most likely be worthless by the time you get out into the “real world” and use it.
Of course youth have trouble transitioning from teenage life to adulthood, what choice do we give them.
Now imagine for a second that you have a limitation, a disability of some sort. Imagine if you are autistic, or blind, or depressed… what do you think is in store for you?
There are very few programs to support you, to help you find work, help you with post secondary education, to help you with funding, or even how to live independently.
You still have the pressures that all youth have about debts; climate change, no work, and you have no help to support you with your needs.
That would be enough to make an average person pretty angry or depressed.
Unfortunately if you show your angry with a disability you can get another label and your choices are even more limited.
I can go on about the plight of our youth. I truly believe that the generation that are graduating high school or close to graduation, will be the brightest and strongest generation we have ever seen.
They have to be, nowhere to go but up. They are going to have to re-write the rules that dictate the economy, the environment, the future of their kids.
In the presentation, little was brought forward that has not already been thought of and tried. Day programs, more funding, training, were all recycled into the conversation.
Well I ask, what about if the answer is wrong change the question?
If youth with DD or ASD are having trouble finding work, or a palce in this world, then maybe we need to change the way we are looking at the problem.
Change the conversation.
First, let start by asking people with a DD or ASD to share what they need and think.
Second, lets start from a young age to support people with a DD and ASD to find their skills and talents. This could help them find work or create a job.
Next, lets focus on enterpreneurship. Help people create their own future and work, instead of depending upon fast food joints, entry level positions for work.
Maybe we could even stop looking at education as a prerequisite to a job and look at skill, talent and willingness.
I believe that the “adults” of today need to get out of the way of the youth of tomorrow and let them figure out what to do with their future.
We can not be in charge of their future, we can barely be in charge of our own present. We have left the youth with a horrible task, to clean up our mess.
Now lets let them.
Labelled or not, “special” or in need or limited or disabelled, we need to listen first, then we might know what we can do to help.
I am listening....
The presentation was about youth with developmental disabilities (DD) struggling to transition from teenager life to adult life. Subjects like, after high school initiatives, work placement and mental health were the focus of the conversation.
The evidence was presented and statistic where shown, but what was not said, or who did not say it, was what was had the deepest impact on me.
Doctors, managers and some other professionals had their voices heard, but there was no one with ASD or a Developmental Disability (DD) within earshot of the conversation.
How am I to really know what they need? I do not have a label of DD or ASD.
People with needs, developmental, emotional, physical, whatever, certainly have a tough time transitioning from their rebellious, awkward teenage life, to the mature, full blown important and wise adults. Not unlike the general population right?
If you where not able to recognize my sarcasm in that last sentence then let me point it out to you clearly.
Youth of any ability, with any diagnosis, have a tough time transitioning from teenage life to adulthood.
Right now, in the general population, youth unemployment is high; youth underemployment is astronomically high.
Student debts, cost of living, low wages, are creating a massive gap in the transition from teenagers at home to adults with a healthy retirement fund.
If the financially realities where not tough enough on our youth, what about the fact that we have an eroded environment. Our climate is sick, pretty much terminal, with a limited life expectancy.
This all certainly does not encourage a lot of hope and inspire our youth to a “go get em” attitude.
What about the shift in technology and the speed of the change?
How can you ask an 18 year old to choose a career when they know that whatever they choose will most likely be obsolete before they’re done their education.
You need an education to get a job, but the education you get will burden you with a debt you probably will never repay. On top of that the education you get will most likely be worthless by the time you get out into the “real world” and use it.
Of course youth have trouble transitioning from teenage life to adulthood, what choice do we give them.
Now imagine for a second that you have a limitation, a disability of some sort. Imagine if you are autistic, or blind, or depressed… what do you think is in store for you?
There are very few programs to support you, to help you find work, help you with post secondary education, to help you with funding, or even how to live independently.
You still have the pressures that all youth have about debts; climate change, no work, and you have no help to support you with your needs.
That would be enough to make an average person pretty angry or depressed.
Unfortunately if you show your angry with a disability you can get another label and your choices are even more limited.
I can go on about the plight of our youth. I truly believe that the generation that are graduating high school or close to graduation, will be the brightest and strongest generation we have ever seen.
They have to be, nowhere to go but up. They are going to have to re-write the rules that dictate the economy, the environment, the future of their kids.
In the presentation, little was brought forward that has not already been thought of and tried. Day programs, more funding, training, were all recycled into the conversation.
Well I ask, what about if the answer is wrong change the question?
If youth with DD or ASD are having trouble finding work, or a palce in this world, then maybe we need to change the way we are looking at the problem.
Change the conversation.
First, let start by asking people with a DD or ASD to share what they need and think.
Second, lets start from a young age to support people with a DD and ASD to find their skills and talents. This could help them find work or create a job.
Next, lets focus on enterpreneurship. Help people create their own future and work, instead of depending upon fast food joints, entry level positions for work.
Maybe we could even stop looking at education as a prerequisite to a job and look at skill, talent and willingness.
I believe that the “adults” of today need to get out of the way of the youth of tomorrow and let them figure out what to do with their future.
We can not be in charge of their future, we can barely be in charge of our own present. We have left the youth with a horrible task, to clean up our mess.
Now lets let them.
Labelled or not, “special” or in need or limited or disabelled, we need to listen first, then we might know what we can do to help.
I am listening....