ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire)—From Spring 2019 to Spring 2020, the unemployment rate for young adults surged from 8.4 percent to 24.4 percent! Experts say many young people are trying to make up for lost work due to the pandemic, but young women with disabilities may have a particularly difficult time becoming employed. Ivanhoe tells us about a new program that may benefit these young women.
Experts say as many as 1 in 3 young adults are out of school and unemployed.
While finding a job isn’t always easy, it can be particularly challenging for young women with disabilities.
Research finds that this group faces discrimination due to gender and disability. But a new study offers some hope. Researchers compared a group of over 350 teenage girls, with half who received the curriculum, Paths to the Future. They found the curriculum to be effective in teaching young women new skills, such as self-advocacy and increasing awareness of new career options.
The scientists say parents can adopt some of the strategies at home. Role playing job interviews is one beneficial activity. Also, it’s important to celebrate personal strengths to foster confidence. And encourage young women to advocate for themselves when it comes to finding a job. Explaining workplace laws for people with disabilities may also help empower your teen. Helping to improve the job hunt for girls with disabilities.
The United Nations estimates that 75 percent of women with disabilities are unemployed, and women with disabilities who are employed often earn less than their male counterparts and less than women without disabilities.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Executive Producer; Julie Marks, Field Producer; and Roque Correa, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
Resource: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0014402920924851