Ready to Work!

Youth economic advancement

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Young adults with disabilities face many barriers in their effort to join the workforce--including outright discrimination. The employment rate for youth with disabilities, ages 20-24, is about half that of their peers without disabilities, and just 40% of adults with disabilities (ages 25-54) have a job, compared to 79% of all prime-age adults. This inequity is present despite research documenting that people with disabilities have higher rates of staff retention, attendance and safety in the workplace (Disability in the Workplace: The Complete Guide, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Ready to Work! is changing equity barriers by preparing young people with disabilities to successfully compete for jobs through work-readiness and soft skills, access to higher education and vocational training, and supported, paid employment. RTW graduates have the opportunity to improve their own lives, as well as contribute to a society that needs a trained and eager workforce.

The RTW comprehensive employment and independent living skills continuum is comprised of four distinct components:
1) RTW Level I--prepares young adults for the world of work with a 15-week training curriculum in soft skills, workplace expectations and hands-on work experience in three on-site social enterprises (The Tack Shack, The Snack Shack and Ready to Grow).
2) RTW Level II--provides individualized coaching to help participants secure paid employment or a volunteer position. Participants work 1:1 with their RTW Job Coach to advance skills through continued training, exploration of independent living skills, job tours at local businesses, resume writing, interview preparation, applying for jobs and onboarding to paid or volunteer employment.
3) RTW Academy at College of the Canyons--offers college-validated certification programs in Customer Service (Food Service, Hospitality and Retail), Warehouse Fulfillment and Logistics, and Culinary Arts. Each program includes a work practicum on-site at a local business.
4) Paid Internship and Competitive Integrated Employment Programs--supports students in paid internships and employment with ongoing coaching for participants and their supervisors. The Paid Internship Program incentivizes business owners with up to 1,040 hours of internship wages funded by the Regional Center. Employment partners include Starbucks, AMS Fulfillment, H & M, Six Flags, Vons, Chevron, Holiday Inn Express and numerous others.

Los Angeles County will be different if all young people with cognitive, physical and emotional disabilities have access to skills-building programs that enable them to train for, seek and secure employment in the field they want and at their highest potential. If RTW is successful, community colleges will offer adaptive certificate programs in a wide variety of fields. Differently-abled folks will receive the training they need, tailored to their individual talents, interests and abilities. Employers will understand the many benefits of creating inclusive workplaces that accommodate for the needs of their employees and will understand how best to supervise and coach their differently-abled employees. Workplace discrimination against people with disabilities will be shifted through awareness and lived experience of the gifts of all people. And people with disabilities will experience equity in hiring, wages and job satisfaction.

Ready to Work was launched in 2016 with funds from retired County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, with continued support from Supervisor Barger. Program metrics that document impact include:
- Course completion rates
- Employment placement rates
- Employment retention at regular intervals (3, 6, 9 and 12 months)
- Wages of employed participants
- Number of business employment partners and the number of jobs created for or filled by RTW participants
- Number of certification programs developed and taught at College of the Canyons
Since its inception, Ready to Work has completed 33 Level I cohorts and served over 100 participants. In addition, 47 students have participated in Level II, with 66% of them securing paid employment and 45% of RTW Academy at College of the Canyons have secured employment in their field of certification.