The Arc and Walmart Foundation’s School-to-Community Transition Initiative
What is transition?
Many individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) and families deal with uncertainty when high school ends. What’s next? Transitioning from high school to post-secondary education, employment, or independent living in the community can be full of excitement, hope, and anticipation as well as challenges as individuals with I/DD deal with learning new skills, facing fears, and overcoming bias.
What is the School-to-Community Transition Initiative?
Thanks to a grant from the Walmart Foundation as well as additional funding, The Arc has developed an initiative including 49 specially selected Chapters across the country to help young people transition from school to community by providing direct support and services, researching the issues that impact outcomes, and creating an online National Community Resource Database to raise awareness on best practices and identify emerging trends in transition.
As part of the initiative, participating Chapters are developing relationships with area Walmart stores to identify job opportunities, encourage store leaders and associates to get involved with The Arc, and spread awareness of the initiative. There are Walmart associates with I/DD succeeding daily in communities across the country as you read this.
Why is transition important?
People with I/DD and their families represent millions of potential employees, community members, taxpayers, and customers. When they successfully transition to employment or further education and lead self-determined lives fully integrated into their communities, we all benefit!
Find out more
What Chapters of The Arc are involved in School-to-Community Transition Initiative? View the complete list and learn more about each of the projects.
Read about some of the success stories from the project.
Tap into toolkits, fact sheets, program information, and more through the National Community Resource Database.