A Transition Program for Work, Nutrition, and Physical Activity for Adolescents with Disabilities

This presentation presents a transition program for adolescents with disabilities.   The Slippery Rock University Transition Program incorporates evidence-based practices to conduct a vocational training program coupled with nutrition education and physical activity. Transition planning for individuals with disabilities serves to promote the movement from school to post-school activities, including employment (Doren, Yan & Tu, 2013).  Transition services are government-mandated services for students with disabilities, requiring schools to include transition planning as a critical element in each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) (Luecking & Wittenburg, 2009). These policies are the result of recognizing that youth with disabilities are entitled to the opportunity to engage in a meaningful and productive life upon finishing schooling and that these outcomes are achievable with proper education preparation, employment opportunities, and most importantly, support services (Luecking & Wittenburg, 2009).  This transition program utilizes campus resources including students serving as mentors and in leadership roles and university employees as “hosts” to campus training sites.  The training program consists of seven training opportunities from five school districts and three service agencies. This transition program incorporates a health promotion approach by including nutrition education at campus dining halls followed physical activity opportunities and fitness that is geared to the adolescent’s job skills.  Following a pilot program during the fall of 2013, outcomes showed that 60 adolescents with disabilities who participated for 10 weeks and were matched one-on-one with an undergraduate mentor for job training, nutrition, and physical activity/fitness programs improved across all areas. This presentation discusses expansion and evaluation of the program.