Applying the self‐determination theory to develop a school‐to‐work peer mentoring programme to promote social inclusion

Abstract

Social inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is related to positive mental health and social outcomes; yet, individuals with IDD experience societal barriers that limit opportunities for community participation. Providing opportunities for interactions between individuals with and without IDD through peer mentoring may diminish barriers and improve community inclusion. Guided by the self‐determination theory, the current report describes the development of a peer mentoring programme to promote the natural process of building intrinsic motivation and personal growth through opportunities for individuals without disabilities to socialize with individuals with IDD on a large university campus and throughout the surrounding community. The theoretical framework that informed the development of the peer mentoring programme is described, as well as the participants, the setting in which the programme is situated, the structure of the programme, the initial impacts and improvement of the programme over time, including approaches to sustainability, and implications for future research and practice.

The Experiences and Perceptions of College Peer Mentors Interacting with Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

“…First started in 2016, the Spartan Project SEARCH–Peer Mentoring (SPS-PM; Fisher et al, 2020) program was developed by the second and third authors to promote community inclusion on campus as an additional component of the Project SEARCH program. The SPS-PM program was designed as a peer support social program to encourage inclusion and to create a sense of belonging and connection to the campus community for students with IDD.…”

“…Furthermore, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000; see Fisher et al, 2020) was referenced as a guiding framework in the development of the SPS-PM program which included seven key components: (a) development of a core team of support, (b) recruitment of peer mentors and mentees, (c) disability awareness and etiquette training, (d) peer mentor–mentee matching, (e) weekly meet-ups, (f) monthly social events, and (g) ongoing supports. The program was designed as a social support program where the mentors and mentees were not provided an explicit curriculum to implement; instead, they were encouraged to engage in typical social interactions similar to what they would engage in with their peers without disabilities.…”

“…The training included a general overview of the Project SEARCH model and objectives, understanding IDD, disability etiquette, and effective communication strategies, followed by specific instruction on peer mentor roles, responsibilities, expectations, and team communication. For an extensive description of the SPS-PM program and the guiding theoretical framework, please see Fisher et al (2020).…”

“…This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of college students without IDD participating in a peer mentoring program for high school students with IDD attending a Project SEARCH program housed on a university campus. Delving deeper into the experiences and perceptions of peer mentors without IDD can shed light on inclusive community-based peer mentoring programs supporting the employment of individuals with IDD while decreasing negative perceptions and societal barriers of individuals with IDD in the community (Fisher et al, 2020; Simplican et al, 2015). Using four data sources, we wanted to comprehensively understand how involvement influenced career expectations, advocacy skills, and collaborations with individuals with IDD in the future as coworkers, colleagues, and friends.…”

Supporting Autistic Adults in Postsecondary Settings: A Systematic Review of Peer Mentorship Programs

“…Of the remaining 28 articles, we excluded 17 articles for the following reasons: was a postsecondary transition/orientation program, [48][49][50] program used but not designed for autistic students, 21,51 lacked some form of program evaluation, [52][53][54][55][56][57] and school-to-work/job coaching program. 58,59 Upon full-text review, we excluded two dissertations. 6,60 Of the 11 studies included in the qualitative syntheses, we identified a total of nine unique programs (Table 1).…”