Vocational training for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a program evaluation of the Impact Project.
Purpose: Previous research in social inclusion investigating low employment rates among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) points to shortcomings in vocational training for transitioning youth, exiting school environments. This study presents a program evaluation of t...
| Published in: | Disability & Rehabilitation Vol. 48; no. 5; pp. 1299 - 1314 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Mar2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=192628572&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 192628572 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 09638288 B73 jtl: Disability & Rehabilitation issn: 09638288 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Mar2026 vid: 48 iid: 5 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 192628572 186831295 192628572 192628572 10.1080/09638288.2025.2534099 192628572 ppf: 1299 ppct: 15 formats: tig: atl: Vocational training for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities: a program evaluation of the Impact Project. aug: au: Mudde, Laura Reid, R. Colin Hole, Rachelle affil: Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, Canada sug: subj: Vocational Education In Adolescence Intellectual Disability Developmental Disabilities Employment of Persons with Disabilities Program Evaluation Human Male Female British Columbia Paired T-Tests Pearson's Correlation Coefficient Data Analysis Software Health Services Research Employment Patient Centered Care Adolescence Adult Funding Source Adolescent: 13-18 years Adult: 19-44 years Male Female ab: Purpose: Previous research in social inclusion investigating low employment rates among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) points to shortcomings in vocational training for transitioning youth, exiting school environments. This study presents a program evaluation of the Impact Project, a community-based and person-centered vocational training program for youth with IDD, aged 15–19 years, in British Columbia (BC), Canada to assess whether early vocational training improved employment experiences for youth with IDD. Materials and methods: The study sample included 279 youth with IDD, who were part of summer programs in 2020, 2021, and 2022 at eight established community-based organizations in BC. Employment specialists at these organizations provided vocational activities and training, collecting the youth's employment experiences in pre- and post-program surveys and activity diaries. This evaluation of the Impact Project employed a formative evaluation design to answer whether the youth-centered vocational training improved employment experiences. Results: Participating in the Impact Project led to an increase in soft skills and unpaid and paid employment experiences for youth with IDD, aged 15–19 years. Conclusions: Community-based policies could benefit from person-centered approaches when providing employment-related planning for youth with IDD in preparation for transitions from school into employment environments. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Employment is an acknowledged aspect of social inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Early engagement with youth about to leave school environments should include effective vocational training to promote future social inclusion through employment. Youth-centered vocational training in community can improve employment experiences as predictors of future employment outcomes and social inclusion. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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