We are so excited to introduce you to our 2021 College and Career Planning & Transition Conference for Individuals who are Neurodiverse community of presenters/thought leaders. To obtain more information on and/or register for our conference, please go to 2021 College and Career Conference

 

We are proud to introduce…

 

Bridget McElroy, MSW, LSW, Employment & Training Specialist at Neurodiversity in the Workplace
 

Bridget is a Licensed Social Worker who has focused her career on supporting autistic adults in the educational and employment sectors. In her current role, Bridget consults with companies interested in starting neurodiversity hiring initiatives and supports autistic employees as they transition to the workforce.

Previously, Bridget provided psychotherapy to children and adults in educational and non-profit settings. She also worked in college autism support programs supporting autistic students and collaborating with campus partners. Bridget currently serves as an adjunct faculty member and often speaks at conferences on the topic of autism, education, and employment.

Bridget McElroy’s Conference Session is entitled Breaking Barriers: Connecting Neurodivergent College Students to Competitive Careers. The transition from college to career is stressful and daunting for all students, but autistic and other neurodivergent students face a unique set of challenges during this journey. Despite strong skill sets and educational backgrounds, fewer than one in six autistic adults is in full-time employment (Roux et al., 2015). Higher education professionals have the potential to influence employment outcomes for neurodivergent students. Through discussion and case studies, we will present strategies that disability support services, career centers, and other campus stakeholders can implement to achieve this goal. A specialized support model, increased campus collaboration, and partnerships with neurodiverse-friendly employers can ensure that your neurodivergent students enter the workforce alongside their peers.

Session Objectives:
a) Understand the unique challenges facing neurodivergent job seekers during their journey through career exploration, goal identification, and job searching

b) Identify strategies for effectively preparing neurodivergent students for the job search, as well as support models for job seekers

c) Explore ways to connect with neurodiversity-friendly employers and increase internship, co-op, and job opportunities

 

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Let’s Talk LD has worked extremely hard over the years to deliver a conference experience that celebrates and centers the voices of neurodiverse people. Due to the extraordinary generosity of our community of presenters, and the generosity of our private donors, we can offer the conference at low or no cost to our attendees. As a 100% volunteer-powered organization, we are grateful to every person who has supported this important work.

 

Let's Talk LD mission is to drive systemic change that is focused on closing equity, opportunity, and achievement gaps for neurodivergent individuals in the areas of education, employment, and civic engagement. Our organization accomplishes this by providing services, building communities-of-practice, developing programs, and producing and delivering content focused on student advocacy, parent and caregiver education, and professional learning opportunities for educators and practitioners designed to improve PK-12 learning outcomes and post-secondary attainment for individuals who are neurodiverse. Our work is shaped by community and youth organizing efforts that seek educational and social justice for marginalized youth.

 

 

To learn more about or to register for our College and Career Conference, please point your browser to https://www.letstalkld.org/2021-college-conference.