Young Adults with Autism First to Receive Dog-Assisted Career Training

Online, December 4, 2013 (Newswire.com) - For young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), having a rewarding career with responsibility and respect can be a pipedream - because it's estimated that less than one-third of young adults with ASD may even have jobs, much less a position many would call rewarding. Now, Student + Canines equals Opportunities for Rewarding Employment (S+CORE), a job-training program underway at the Austin Dog Alliance, is working to change that.

According to National Longitudinal Transition Study 2, a 10-year study of youth who received special education services, of participants aged 23-26, only 32.5% of those with ASDs worked for pay versus an average of 59.0% for those without ASDs. (www.nlts2.org).

Thought to be the only vocational program of its kind in the US, S+CORE is funded by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and offers two levels of vocational training. Upon completion, Austin Dog Alliance job placement specialists and job coaches will assist students in securing employment as kennel technicians, grooming assistants, vet tech assistants and related positions.

"The unemployment rate among adults with ASD is criminal," says Carolyn Honish, S+CORE instructor and Austin Dog Alliance program coordinator. "Not only do these young adults want and need to work, they have wonderful, unique abilities such as intense task concentration that can help businesses become more successful."

"S+CORE is designed to help them reach their full potential and reach out to potential employers to help them understand the talents these young men and women have to offer."

S+CORE 's Job Skills for Dog-related Careers explores dog-related occupations, animal care, control and training and includes three weeks practicing skills in a workplace setting. The 12-week Intermediate Job Skills for Dog-related Careers will prepare the student for entry-level positions and includes advanced dog handling, basic vet assistant skills and soft skills such as networking, problem solving, critical thinking, integrity, teamwork and work ethics.

S+CORE is the result of the Alliance's past success with its spring 2013 job-training program at the Texas School for the Deaf, which brought rave reviews from parents and staff alike.

Their secret to success? The dogs.

"Dogs make it all work," says Debi Krakar, Austin Dog Alliance executive director. "They seem to have an instinctive understanding of students with special needs. Dogs are patient and non-judgmental. Likewise, our students tune into dog body language and demonstrate extraordinary compassion when handling them."

The first S+CORE class will graduate mid-December. Both introductory and intermediate classes will be offered in January for DARS and non-DARS participants. For more information, visit http://austindogalliance.org.