Thanks to funding from The Milbank Foundation, Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) will be expanding Campus Career Connect (C3), PYD’s new online, professional e-mentoring program to support an additional 50 college students with a disability across the state of Massachusetts. This new grant will expand the program, which was originally available exclusively for community college students thanks to a generous three-year grant from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.
According to the Department of Labor, Office of Disability Policy, people with disabilities continue to have an unemployment rate over two times that of people without disabilities. While higher education often improves employment opportunities, college graduates continue to face barriers when seeking employment, which can lead to unemployment or underemployment.
The C3 network was designed specifically to support young adults with disabilities in improving their employment outcomes, including securing internships and jobs in their field of choice. Through the network, college students with disabilities will access professional and peer mentors to increase their networks, receive advice, and gather support about achieving goals. They will also participate in topical webinars related to employment readiness, and engage in live networking and interview opportunities. Professional mentors have been recruited from a variety of industries thanks to a partnership with the Massachusetts Business Leadership Network, a program of UMass Medical School’s Work Without Limits.
According to Regina Snowden, Founder and Executive Director of Partners for Youth with Disabilities, “We are so grateful that Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation and The Milbank Foundation have invested in the power of mentoring for college students with disabilities. At PYD, we have experienced the transformative value of mentoring for over 32 years, and we know this opportunity will have meaningful impact for college students with disabilities who are ready to take the next step in their career.”
Campus Career Connect is now open to any college student with a disability from Massachusetts or attending school in Massachusetts. Sign up now at c3.pyd.org!