Creating Connections

Abstract

The transition to adulthood presents many challenges for youth with disabilities and their families. Barriers in the environment often limit the full inclusion of these youth in daily community life. The purpose of this paper is to describe a community capacity-building (CCB) approach to facilitating the transition to adulthood for youth with developmental disabilities and their families. A pilot project that used a CCB approach with this population in one community in southcentral Ontario is described. The results of a qualitative, participatory evaluation demonstrate the benefits and challenges of this approach, with themes of increased community connections for youth and a greater awareness of their strengths and capacities. The perceived outcomes of the participants and the "lessons learned" for future initiatives using a CCB approach with different populations are discussed, as well as the fit between community capacity-building and occupational therapy. This pilot project demonstrates that a CCB approach has the potential to assist youth with disabilities to participate within their own communities.

Mapping Assets for Postschool Success (MAPS): Using Digital Resource Mapping to Enhance the Transition Process

“…For students with severe disabilities, students in the intervention group were 3.5 times more likely than those in the comparison group to have community-based work experiences in the summer. Asset mapping has also been used by providers, including school counselors and rehabilitation professionals, to support college and career readiness (Arriero & Griffin, 2018), increase knowledge of local resources (Griffin & Farris, 2010), establish relationships with key community partners (e.g., Crane & Mooney, 2005), and highlight the assets that transition-age youth and others bring to their community (Wynn et al., 2006). Even when mapping apart from a community team, educators have reported that mapping their personal network of community assets spurred new ideas about the resources each partner provided and where they might expand their networks based on student goals (Bumble et al, 2021).…”

A four‐part ecological model of community‐focused therapeutic recreation and life skills services for children and youth with disabilities

“…Studies indicate, however, that community capacity‐building projects are successful in increasing connections between community members, raising awareness of community assets and encouraging the collective identification of priorities for action (Parker et al . 2006; Wynn et al . 2006).…”

“…Although increasing community capacity is at the forefront of health promotion practice, evidence is just emerging because of different definitions of 'community capacity' and difficulties in measurement (Simmons et al 2011). Studies indicate, however, that community capacity-building projects are successful in increasing connections between community members, raising awareness of community assets and encouraging the collective identification of priorities for action (Parker et al 2006;Wynn et al 2006). For example, de Silva-Sanigorski and colleagues (2011) demonstrated that flexible and sustainable strategies can improve targeted health outcomes.…”