Think! Education Summit 2017
Ambassador Spotlight
Last Thursday, September 21st, Tennessee Works, a collaboration supported in part by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, hosted the 5th Annual Think Employment! Summit. The summit was open to the general public, but because of its commitment to elevating employment outcomes specifically for Tennesseans with disabilities, families, employers, service providers, partners in government and people with disabilities came together in Music City Center to discover best practices and build community partnerships. The breakout sessions focussed on the latest in employment services and policies on both a national and state level. For student groups attending the events, there were sessions aimed to demonstrate why work is important, how it can be fun, and how one can acquire necessary services. Several individuals from companies involved in efforts to hire and support individuals with disabilities, including Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Taziki’s, shared their stories about how they empower their employees with disabilities to thrive and advance in the workplace by using natural supports.
Members from the Vanderbilt Center for Autism and Innovation at the Wond’ry attended the conference to gain more insight into the opportunities in the area available to individuals on the Autism Spectrum. We are hoping to incorporate these pathways for meaningful employment in developing the Nashville model (see: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/autismandinnovation/nashville-model/).
Student Ambassador
Alexa Levitt