Every parent feels it as their children graduate high school or college. It’s that constant worry on how our children are going to succeed, will they find a good job that pays enough for them to live, will they find happiness.
For parents of young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, graduations often bring a new set of questions. School has provided structure for years. There were teachers, therapists, classmates and routines. There was a place to go each day and opportunities to learn new skills.
After age 22, that support changes.
For instance, a recent Spectrum News 13 story highlighted the experience of Lake Mary resident Laura Cook as her family navigated questions about housing and adult services for her son Brandon. While the story focused on living arrangements, it touched on a challenge many families know well. Once school-based services end, the number of available opportunities often becomes much smaller.
Services for children with autism have expanded significantly over the last two decades. Families can find therapies, camps, recreation programs, support groups and educational resources in ways that were difficult a generation ago.
Adult services have grown as well, but many parents still describe a gap between the resources available during childhood and those available after graduation.
Not every family is focused exclusively on finding a job for their neurodivergent children, but many try simply because employment is connected to many of the goals parents have for their children. Independence. Confidence. Community involvement. Financial stability. Social connections. Purpose.
The skills that help someone succeed in the workplace are often the same skills that help them succeed in everyday life.
Many of the Same Issues Apply to Everyone
While it can be easy to say that neurodivergent people have significantly different issues moving to adulthood, that’s not the case. In fact, in most cases, the issues are often very similar.
Everyone must adjust to a change in schedule where the days of set classes and routines are not constant every day.
Everyone must learn ways to communicate with other people.
Everyone must learn how to manage their time and understand how to follow directions.
For neurodivergent people, those are very similar goals; it just may take different ways to learn how to garner those skills, and those skills may look different as well.
The Gap After Graduation
There may be no bigger change in the way someone lives than after graduation. After all, the end of school changes more than a daily schedule.
For many young adults, it also changes how they spend their time, who they interact with and where they continue developing skills.
During the school years, opportunities to socialize and participate in structured activities are built into the day. Students work with teachers, interact with peers and move through activities designed to support growth and development.
After graduation, families often find themselves looking for ways to replace some of those opportunities.
That search can be particularly challenging for individuals who thrive on routine and predictable schedules.
The need for growth and development does not end at age 22. A young adult who is 23, 25 or 30 years old continues learning new skills, building relationships and exploring opportunities for greater independence.
That reality has fueled growing interest in adult programming throughout Central Florida.
Employment Is Part of a Larger Conversation
Employment readiness is frequently discussed in terms of resumes, applications and job interviews. Those skills are important, but most parents recognize they represent only a small piece of the picture.
Long before a young adult sits down for an interview, they are developing habits and skills that influence how they will perform in a workplace.
Can they communicate with others?
Can they work as part of a team?
Can they adapt when plans change?
Can they complete responsibilities independently?
Those abilities are valuable in nearly every workplace, regardless of industry or job title.
Physical health is another important part of employment readiness that is often overlooked. Many jobs require individuals to remain on their feet and maintain the stamina needed to complete tasks safely and consistently. Through recreation programs such as tennis and wellness classes, OCA helps participants build healthy habits, improve strength and endurance, and develop the physical confidence that supports greater independence both on the job and in everyday life. Thanks to the Autism Community Impact Grant from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, we are able to expand these opportunities and help more individuals develop the physical foundation for lifelong health and success.
Families often spend years helping their children develop those skills through school, recreation activities, volunteer opportunities and community involvement.
Communication and Teamwork
Employers consistently identify communication as one of the most important workplace skills.
That communication takes many forms. It may involve speaking with customers, working alongside coworkers, asking questions or understanding instructions.
For many young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, communication skills continue to develop through participation in activities that bring people together around a shared goal.
A recreation program, volunteer project or community event may not look like workforce training from the outside. Yet those experiences often provide opportunities to interact with peers, solve problems and learn how to work with others.
The same is true of teamwork.
Whether someone works in an office, a retail store, a restaurant or another setting, success often depends on the ability to collaborate with others. Learning how to contribute to a group, respect different perspectives and share responsibilities can have benefits that extend well beyond the workplace.
Building Independence One Step at a Time
Independence for neurodivergent individuals will be different for nearly everyone, but they often include things like managing a schedule and arriving on time, or things like following through on commitments, taking responsibility for assigned tasks, and learning how to navigate unfamiliar situations.
Those experiences help build confidence while preparing young adults for future opportunities.
Parents often notice that confidence grows alongside independence. A young adult who becomes comfortable participating in activities, interacting with others and taking on new responsibilities is often more willing to explore employment opportunities as they arise.
Just like what independence involves, the process looks different for every individual.
Some young adults move directly into employment. Others continue building skills through volunteer experiences, community programs or additional education and training.
There is no single path to adulthood.
Why Adult Programming Matters
One reason families continue advocating for adult programming is that many of these skills develop through participation.
Young adults need opportunities to interact with peers, engage with their communities, develop interests and continue learning after graduation.
Adult recreation programs, volunteer opportunities, life-skills training and workforce development initiatives all play a role in helping individuals build the confidence and experience that support future success.
For families, those opportunities often provide something just as important as skill development.
Graduation may mark the end of one chapter, but it should not mark the end of growth.
A New Resource in Seminole County
The opening of OCA’s new Seminole County location comes as more families are looking for opportunities that support young adults after they leave the school system.
The facility includes a strong emphasis on adult programming, workforce development and life-skills training. That focus reflects a growing recognition that the transition to adulthood requires more than a diploma.
Young adults continue developing skills long after graduation. They continue building friendships, exploring interests and working toward greater independence.
Employment is an important part of that journey, but it is only one part.
The larger goal is helping individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities build meaningful, connected and productive lives within their communities.
For many families, that work begins long before the first job interview and continues long after graduation.
To learn more about OCA’s adult programs, workforce development opportunities and new Seminole County location, visit gooca.org.