School to Work / PROVAIL

The Northshore School District works with the King County School to Work Program and PROVAIL Employment Services through the School to Work Program.

Employment specialists from PROVAIL work with students from ATP - Pathways who are in their final year of school, and qualify for DDA. Students meeting these criteria will receive services regardless of what county they live in.

Our success rate in our first four years has been amazing! Many of our students are employed before they graduate.

Please contact your student's case manager for information.

School to Work

ELIGIBILITY

  • You must want to work
  • You must get connected with the following agencies:
    • WA State Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)
    • WA State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
    • Any school district in King County or a partnering County
  • You need to apply for Social Security benefits
  • You must be turning 21 years of age in your last year of school:

WHEN TO APLLY

You should apply no later than Spring before your Transition Exit Year of school.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, choose one:

1. Ask your teacher for help; or
2. Apply at an annual Transition Resource Fair. King County hosts two Fairs in March; or
3. Read the information below. Complete the application. Hand the application to your teacher.

WHAT TO DO AFTER APPLYING

Attend a Transition Resource Fair

  • King County hosts two Fairs in March.
  • At the fair, you can:
    • Meet with job support agencies.
    • Learn about community resources.
    • Attend workshops.
    • Talk with other students and families.

Choose a Job Support Agency

  • A job support agency will help you find a job.
  • With some schools, you choose your job support agency. With others, the school has pre-selected the agency. Ask your teacher if the school already pre-selected a job support agency, or if you need to choose one.
  • If you are choosing your agency:
    • Interview at least three agencies
    • Choose one no later than June before your last year of school

Apply to DVR

Apply to DVR as soon as possible and before starting services with your School-to-Work provider. 

To apply, choose one:

  • If you need help locating your local DVR office call 1-800-622-1375; or
  • Call the DVR office nearest you:  
    • Bellevue: 425-590-3115
    • Kent: 253-372-5900
    • Seatac: 206-444-3800
    • Seattle: 206-273-7100
    • North Seattle: 206-440-2230

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • You will meet with your team regularly to build good communication and understand each other's responsibilities.  Your team might include:
    • Your parent(s)/guardian(s)
    • Teacher(s)
    • Employment specialist
    • DVR counselor
    • Other people you wish to include. 
  • You will work closely with an employment specialist.  An employment specialist will help you learn about places where you would like to work, jobs you are interested in, your hobbies and interests, things you dislike or prefer not to do, skills you feel are your strongest, and areas you feel you need some help.
  • Your employment specialist will work with you to complete a Community Based Assessment. This is simply a way for your employment specialist to learn about how to help you find the job right for you, and assist you in developing a clear job goal.
  • You will prepare for getting that job by preparing a resume, making sure you know what to wear for your interview, practicing your interviewing skills, and even helping you practice taking the bus to and from work.
  • Your employment specialist will be working hard to market your skills to different employers, will set up interview opportunities for you, and provide you with the interview support you need.
  • Your employment specialist will provide you and your team with monthly reports which provide information about the progress you are making towards achieving your job goal

WHEN YOU BEGIN WORKING

Stay in school, even if you start working

Sometimes students lose their first jobs. If you stay in school, you will have a safety net of services through school while looking for another job. If you leave school early, you may not be able to return.

BENEFITS PLANNING

Many students and families are confused about how wages will affect their Social Security and Medicaid benefits. Benefits planning services can help you understand how to report wages to Social Security. These services can also help you understand how to manage your benefits. Meet with a benefits planner within a month of starting to work to understand the rules and your responsibilities. 

ONGOING JOB SUPPORT

Job support agencies will help you become as independent as possible on the job. Still, you may need ongoing job support when changes occur. For example, ongoing support can help you learn new work duties, or to deal with a change in your work schedule.

EMPLOYMENT AS A GOAL

The goal of S2W is for students to leave school with a job. Despite the best efforts of the team, some students do not find jobs. Even if you are not employed at the end of school, you will have taken important first steps toward employment, including connecting with adult agencies and services. Most students continue seeking employment with their provider.

AFTER SCHOOL TO WORK ENDS

Funding

Once school ends, funding for ongoing support is not guaranteed. However, students who are working are well positioned to receive funding for ongoing support.

It is important that you and your family learn about the funding options for ongoing support. Talk with your Developmental Disabilities Administration case manager and S2W staff for more information.  

Job Support Agency

Many people continue to work with their job support agency after S2W. Some people choose to work with a different provider agency If you wish to make a change, talk to your DDA Case Resource Manager and S2W staff for more information.

Richard Wilson, S2W Program Manager, 206-263-9044.

Emily Hart, S2W Program Manager, 206-477-7661.

Provail Employment Services

PROVAIL offers a comprehensive range of services designed to expand opportunities for people with disabilities to live, work, and fully participate in the communities of their choice. We are changing hundreds of lives every year with a wide variety of services, including employment services. Our one-on-one supported employment services including vocational profiles, job development, job coaching, and long-term ongoing job support. The program helps adults and young adults with developmental disabilities secure and maintain competitive employment.

It is the mission of Employment Services to:

  • Promote community presence and inclusion
  • Expand and foster individual support networks
  • Create and support opportunities for community contributions for individuals with significant disabilities

To accomplish our mission we will support people with disabilities to:

  • Secure and retain competitive employment
  • Increase wages, benefits, job tasks and work hours as appropriate
  • Establish connections to and contribute to their communities
  • Develop relationships with a variety of individuals
  • Engage in a wide range of activities
  • Assist families to better understand the impact of wages on Social Security benefits and healthcare