Empowering Futures: New Video Series for Ohio Students with Disabilities Launched
In a significant step towards inclusivity and empowerment, the Broadcast Educational Media Commission (BEMC) has unveiled a three-part video series titled “Get Ready! Get Set! Keep Going!”
This initiative, developed in collaboration with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW), and ThinkTV Network, aims to equip students with disabilities, along with their families and educators, with essential tools and strategies to navigate the transition from high school to the world of work.
The series is designed to provide a comprehensive framework for planning life after high school, focusing on the unique career journeys of students with disabilities. Each segment is structured to address different stages of that journey: exploring aspirations, outlining next steps, and celebrating achievements.
A Closer Look at the Series
Get Ready! – This initial segment encourages high school students to explore their career ambitions and identify support networks that can help them in their personal and professional development.
Get Set! – The second video outlines practical next steps for a successful career pathway, discussing various options including college, vocational training, and job opportunities tailored to individual aspirations.
Keep Going! – The concluding video serves as a recap, offering motivational success stories and reinforcing strategies to inspire students as they continue their career paths beyond high school and college.
To ensure accessibility for individuals with various disabilities, each video has been produced in three formats: one standard, one featuring American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and another that includes audio descriptions. This allows everyone to engage with and learn from the content.
The series emphasizes the importance of individuals understanding their values, rights, and needs to be an effective self-advocate in their career journey. Self-advocacy is important because there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach to career development. Every journey is unique.
The series also emphasizes that individuals at any stage of their career journey are not alone in their pursuit of professional success. It encourages them to reach out to family members, mentors, teachers, and organizations like OOD and the Centers for Independent Living for guidance and support.
To watch the video series, click here.
Need support from the Access Center for Independent Living on your career journey? Reach out to ACIL Independent Living Specialist/Youth Transition Coordinator, Barb Butler-Thomas at 937-341-5202 Ext 102 or [email protected]