Mary Lee Ahern
Youth Coordinator – Fast Track & YIELD Coordinator
Fast Track: Job Readiness, Self-Advocacy, and Continuing Education
Fast Track to encourages students with disabilities to think about their futures beyond high school. This introductory program begins to prepare students to enter the workforce or to pursue post-secondary education.
Program Details:
Fast Track runs for 8 weeks total.
- 7 weeks of in-person or virtual curriculum (1 hour/week)
- 1 worksite tour or volunteer opportunity
Meetings can be virtual or in person.
- Virtual meetings take place over Google Meet or Hangouts
- In person sessions take place in the classroom
- Dates and times of meetings can be planned around teacher and students’ schedules.
Eligibility:
- Students are 14-21 years old and live in the City of Chicago
- Students do not have any active DRS (Department of Rehab Services) cases open
- Students have proof of disability, such as an IEP, 504 plan, or medical diagnosis
Fast Track Curriculum
Pre-employment
- Career inventory, introduction to resumes, writing cover letters, and interviewing skills
Post –secondary education transitional services
- We go over the differences between two-year and four-year colleges, vocational schools, and other continuing education possibilities
- We discuss what a student’s options are based on their career interests and goals
Self-advocacy and history of the disability rights movement
- Students learn about the history of the disability rights movement, gain disability awareness, and learn what accommodations are and how to ask for them.
How do I Enroll?
To get started with Fast Track and Reaching Our Dreams, you, your teacher, or your parent/guardian needs to connect with a member of our Youth Team! Fill out the form below or contact Emily Garmager or Chinette Gilmore to get started.