What Happens After High School For Students With Disabilities?

Graduation is a huge milestone and brings a time of great excitement and joy. At Calgary Quest School, we take great pride in the achievements of our students and celebrate with them as they take the next steps into adulthood. We also recognize that the thought of life after graduation can bring stress as both students and their families consider the question: What happens next? For young adults with developmental disabilities, the transition to adulthood can come with considerable challenges, particularly when it comes to finding meaningful opportunities for continued learning, personal development, and community involvement. It can be difficult for graduates to lose the structure and routine of the school day, and it may be harder for them to maintain social connections without school serving as a community hub. Caregivers and families may feel that the supports they have relied on for years suddenly disappear, as if a barrier has been put up once the school year ends. Those looking for supported living arrangements, especially in the Calgary area, may face lengthy waitlists and a high cost of living that available disability funding may not adequately cover. Options are further limited by barriers to employment.

Many adults with developmental disabilities have the desire, potential, and capability to work but struggle to gain experience and the skills that come with on-the-job learning. They face preconceptions about what people with disabilities can do and are less likely to be hired as a result. This makes it difficult for these young people to enter the workforce and even harder for them to acquire the skills to succeed. As time goes on, they may even come to believe they are not capable, when in reality, they simply have not been given the opportunity to prove to themselves and others that their contributions are valuable. For students with severe developmental disabilities, life after high school can look very different depending on their abilities, goals, and level of support required. Some may participate in adult transition or day programs that focus on life skills, communication, social development, recreation, volunteering, employment readiness, and community participation. Others may pursue highly supported employment or volunteer opportunities, while some may not be able to work at all. In Alberta, eligible adults can receive support through Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD), which can help with community participation, employment supports, daily living, and other needs.

For some individuals with particularly high support needs, however, the transition out of school can leave a significant gap. They may continue living with their parents or caregivers and spend considerable time at home, especially if appropriate adult programming and community supports are unavailable or difficult to access. As they get older, some eventually transition into supported living arrangements, including shared homes where several adults with developmental disabilities live together and receive assistance from support staff. These services may be funded through PDD and delivered by disability service organizations rather than being directly operated by the government. This is why transition programs can be so important. They provide continued structure, skill development, social connections, and opportunities for community participation after high school. Most importantly, they help young adults build meaningful lives that reflect their individual goals, interests, and abilities while fostering independence, inclusion, and a sense of belonging. Calgary Quest Resources' Centre for Opportunity is designed with these challenges in mind. While many day programs emphasize recreational and social activities, our program takes a holistic approach to personal development, fostering independence, building meaningful relationships, and creating opportunities for participants to contribute to their communities.

Central to this program is a belief in our participants' autonomy and capability. The program is tailored to each participant based on their personal strengths, abilities, and interests and takes a holistic approach to building self-efficacy. When not participating in employment readiness training, participants focus on developing skills that support an independent, healthy, and safe lifestyle. Our life skills program covers a range of topics, including grocery shopping and meal preparation, money management, personal safety, technology use, healthy habits, hygiene, and daily physical activity. Participants are taught how to advocate for themselves, set boundaries, and stay safe in the workplace and beyond. In our Maple Room pathway, participants are connected with volunteer and work placements based on their areas of interest. We work together to explore opportunities for meaningful employment through job readiness training, skills development, interview practice, and building connections with potential employers. These experiences allow participants to gain practical workplace skills and develop confidence in their abilities while contributing to the organizations and communities they are part of.

Our volunteer partnerships with organizations such as the Salvation Army, Sentry Box, Sunalta Community Hub, Scarboro United Church, and Two House Brewing Company provide valuable opportunities for participants to develop skills, establish relationships, and make meaningful contributions. These experiences go far beyond developing employment readiness. They foster a sense of inclusion and belonging by creating opportunities for participants to become active and valued members of their communities. Participants are not only welcomed into their communities but are also valued for their contributions, and their presence is genuinely missed when they are not there. Through their ongoing involvement, participants build genuine relationships with employees, volunteers, and community members. Their contributions become part of the everyday operations of these organizations, and their presence makes a lasting impact. Adult day programs for people with developmental disabilities can be so much more than just social and recreational spaces. Aside from the tangible benefits of practical learning, life skills programs for adults, such as ours, go a long way toward building confidence during the transition into adulthood. Many of the challenges faced by adults with developmental disabilities can contribute to feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty about the future. Through the Centre for Opportunity, our participants have opportunities to pursue their aspirations, build confidence, and develop skills for the future.

Want to learn more? Discover how Calgary Quest Resources' Centre for Opportunity supports young adults with developmental disabilities through life skills development, employment readiness, and community involvement. Visit our Centre for Opportunity page.