While autistic children often struggle at school, there are programs that can help them find success both in and out of the classroom. Student employment programs not only lift self-esteem by giving a new area to succeed in, but also prepare autistic individuals for the future.
In this video, Shannon Penrod of Autism Live interviews teacher Amy Schuiteboer about Amy’s student employment program.
What We Learned from this Video:
- School-run employment programs can teach students valuable life skills and job skills.
- Since students often do not have reliable long-distance transportation, these programs work to find local jobs that the students can get to easily.
- Kids in these programs often get hired on at their jobs once they are legally able to work for pay.
- Students with disabilities, who often struggle with school, sometimes find success when put outside of the usual school environment.
- These types of experiences can help a child in deciding what they would like to do with their life later on.
- These programs can help all levels of autistic children, not just higher-functioning ones.
Ask your school about a student employment program. The benefits it provides your child can be huge in the long run. For more information on the education system and autism, browse our free video library.