The fall cohort of the Little Friends Connecting Adults with Communities (CAC) program concluded in November, featuring eight young adults. This program aims to bridge the gap between post-secondary neurodiverse adults and competitive integrated employment in underrepresented sectors such as technology, data analysis, logistics, manufacturing, and more. Through experiential learning, the program fosters confidence and independence.
The primary goal of CAC is to prepare each participant for competitive employment through individualized assessments, extensive career exploration, and skills development, culminating in on-the-job training. Throughout this developmental journey, young adults acquire the necessary skills to secure and maintain meaningful employment within their communities.
One notable participant, Owen, has been thriving in his role as a Data Analyst and Office Associate at Valley Insurance Group since he started in September. In his position, Owen is responsible for analyzing data and creating presentations for customers, while also assisting with clerical tasks within the office. He enjoys collaborating with his new co-workers and appreciates having a consistent schedule. Owen participated in Little Friends’ pilot cohort of the Connecting Adults with Communities program in the spring of 2024. After completing the 12-week skills development program, he regularly attended office hours to ensure he found a fulfilling career.
Owen said, “CAC gave me the confidence boost I needed for the job search process. Before Cassidy and Anthony came along, I spent the first 2-3 months of this year hitting dead ends in job searching.” He shared that he would “100%” recommend CAC to other young adults and added, “I don’t know where I would be today without it.”
