Progressing Accessible Supported Transitions to Employment Project

The report from Progressing Accessible Supported Transitions to Employment (PASTE) project which investigated the concept of supported transition for school leavers with intellectual disabilities, as a means of accessing mainstream opportunities in further / higher education, training, and employment (FETE). The collaboration between researchers Dr Ger Scanlon and Dr Alison Doyle in the Institute of Education at Dublin City University and WALK PEER  arose in conjunction with the enactment of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities (2015) and an innovative model of supported transition developed by  WALK PEER. The  model was developed to engage young people with Intellectual Disabilities whilst they are in school, to support them to develop their career aspirations, explore mainstream opportunities, and implement ambitious transition plans to enable them to exercise personal  choice about their own futures. The report was launched by Fergus Finlay the chairperson of the Implementation committee for the strategy who said that "this research is timely and important". The researchers have been invited to make a submission to the the committee in light of the findings for the enactment of policy in this area. The launch was chaired by Dr Justin Rami on behalf of FETRC.