Nonprofit builds confidence, workforce skills for young adults with disabilities

Inaugural “Dream It, Build It, Work It” camp empowers Roanoke teens with disabilities

Here is a question that is often asked: What resources are available to ensure that students with disabilities graduate from high school on time with the necessary skills to seamlessly transition into adulthood? To that, Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) has an answer. RCPS’s longstanding partnership with SparkForce, a charitable foundation of the Fabricators and [...]

Nonprofit builds confidence, workforce skills for young adults with disabilities

In a matter of months, Jordan Rowland’s confidence has soared. Last September, the 24-year-old, who lives with autism, joined a cohort in Bobby Dodd Institute’s Elevate Academy. He says he doubted his ability to succeed in the workplace and wasn’t sure what career path might be right for him. Over the program’s eight months, Rowland developed self-advocacy skills, discovered the type of work environment where he thrives and gained confidence in …