Advocacy, Community Inclusion, and Transition Planning with Elizabeth Wietmarschen and Alex Corwin
In this episode, Nicolas Comstock chats with Elizabeth Wietmarschen and Alex Corwin about community inclusion and insights from a keynote address. Elizabeth discusses her advocacy at OCALI, and both share their paths to the organization. They explore transition planning and skills building for disabled youth, comparing public and private education. The conversation highlights OCALI's early transition initiatives and life skills framework, emphasizing supportive communities for families with disabilities, provider encouragement, and workforce integration. They also advocate for fair wages and inclusivity, focusing on efforts in Cincinnati, and promote OCALI resources and sponsors.
Key Points
- Early transition planning should start as early as kindergarten to build essential life skills and include youth in decision-making processes.
- Building a supportive community and fostering connections with other families and organizations is vital for the well-being and development of individuals with disabilities.
- Ensuring diverse perspectives in organizations, especially including those with disabilities, leads to more inclusive and effective services and support systems.
Alex Corwin, M.A., is the Program Director at OCALI's Lifespan Transitions Center where he leads statewide technical assistance and professional development for transition professionals from schools, County Boards of DD, OOD counselors, and more. His Center also develops tools and resources for Ohio's Employment First website and OOD's new Pre-Employment Transitions Services curriculum. Alex has been a professional in the developmental disability field as a residential aid, job coach, adult day services manager, service and support administrator (SSA), SSA supervisor, and previously oversaw the Ohio Transition Support Partnership for Ohio's Department of Education and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, which promotes transition planning for students with disabilities as early as 14 years old. He received his Master's in Public Policy and Administration from Ohio State University.
Elizabeth Wietmarschen, MEd, is a transition to adulthood consultant at the OCALI Lifespan Transitions Center. She has worked with youth and young adults with disabilities in various capacities from providing direct care to supervising and training professionals in the field. She has extensive experience in developing programs that help promote successful post school outcomes for youth with disabilities and has a deep working knowledge of developing transition plans by using age-appropriate transition assessments. Wietmarschen is a licensed intervention specialist with her transition to work endorsement and a Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador.
Chapters
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Transcript
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