Manuals & Guides

These documents serve as convenient references on specific subjects.

Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System

This Guide adds to the overall work that can be found on NCWD/Youth’s website which includes the National Association of State Directors of Special Education’s publication Tools for Promoting Educational Success and Reducing Delinquency and the National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk toolkit Meeting the Educational Needs of Youth Exposed to the Juvenile Justice System.

Road To Self-Sufficiency: A Guide To Entrepreneurship For Youth With Disabilities

This Guide was developed to serve as a resource for organizations working with youth on career exploration and employment options, and policymakers who support youth programs through policy and practice.  The Guide shows how entrepreneurship education can be implemented in programs and offers suggestions on how to introduce self-employment as an option  for all youth, including youth with disabilities.

High School/High Tech Program Guide: A Comprehensive Transition Program Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for Youth with Disabilities

The HS/HT Program Guide is an updated and much expanded version of the HS/HT Program Manual that was produced in 2003.  As HS/HT has spread to numerous states, the experiences of these programs and the resultant evolution of the HS/HT program from a locally-administered and implemented program to a state-administered and locally-implemented program have produced a wealth of additional information about the HS/HT program model.  As a result, the newly released HS/HT Program Guide is full of information and materials used by the HS/HT programs throughout the country.

Negotiating the Curves Toward Employment: A Guide About Youth Involved in the Foster Care System

The Guide was developed to encourage collaborative efforts between workforce development, child welfare, mental health, schools, and other community institutions to improve the chances for youth in foster care to successfully transition into adulthood.

Tunnels and Cliffs

Youth with mental health needs (MHN) often face unemployment, underemployment, and discrimination when they enter the workforce. This Guide was developed for youth service practitioners and policy makers to help them improve service and systems for youth with mental health needs.

Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring

Mentoring is recognized as one of the most important strategies for assisting youth in making a positive transition into adulthood. Both caring adults and peers may play a key role in mentoring. This Guide was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) specifically to address the needs of youth with disabilities during their transition from school to work.

Career Planning Begins with Assessment

The best decisions and choices made by transitioning youth are based on sound information including appropriate assessments that focus on the talents, knowledge, skills, interests, values, and aptitudes of each individual. This guide serves as a resource for multiple audiences within the workforce development system. Youth service practitioners will find information on selecting career-related assessments, determining when to refer youth for additional assessment, and additional issues such as accommodations, legal issues, and ethical considerations. Administrators and policymakers will find information on developing practical and effective policies, collaboration among programs, and interagency assessment systems.

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

This publication is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This workbook helps young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social outcomes.

NCWD/Youth | c/o Institute for Educational Leadership
4455 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 310 | Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: 1-877-871-0744 (Toll Free)
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