RAISE The Standard, June-July 2025, v.11 n.7 | |
Green Jobs
People with disabilities can bring unique strengths to “green jobs” that help the environment, like recycling, farming, or working with clean energy. Green jobs represent a growing segment of the job market and can offer unique opportunities for students with disabilities entering the workforce.
In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we will explore why jobs in the environmental sector are a great fit for students with disabilities, and how they can make the world a better place through their career.
| | |
Determination Against Being Told ‘No’:
A Career in Conservation
The voices of the disability community in environmental activism is essential for fairness and change. Their unique experiences and ideas help create better solutions for everyone. When all people are heard and involved, we build a stronger, more inclusive movement to protect our planet and future.
“… if I have any words of advice for someone…it would be to know your worth, know that you have strengths that can be used for the career that you want to pursue and that someone telling you that they don’t think you can do something is not the deciding factor for the rest of your life.”
- Grace O’Dea, youth activist.
Click here to read Grace O-Dea’s blog post for Green Jobs for Nature.
| | |
The Strengths of a Diverse Workforce
Young people with disabilities may face challenges when trying to enter green jobs, including accessibility barriers, stigma, and gaps in policies and programs.
Blue Star Recyclers is a program in Southern Colorado that employs people with disabilities in the field of electronics recycling. The program brings environmental, economic and social benefits to a diverse workforce, leveraging the strengths of each employee.
Click here to access a video about Blue Star Recyclers’ mission.
| | |
|
Finding Your Future in Green Jobs
Do you know a young person who may be interested in a career in green jobs but is not sure what role they want? Green Jobs for Nature has a quick and easy quiz to help job seekers find a role that is a good fit for their interests and skills!
Click here to take the quiz.
Green Jobs Curriculum
Are you looking for a curriculum to teach about green jobs to youth ages 12 and over? Project Learning Tree has produced an 80-page guide to help youth explore green careers. It is designed for educators, career and guidance counselors, Scouts, 4-H, and FFA leaders, foresters, and job training advisors to use with learners aged 12–25 in settings ranging from community youth programs and school classrooms, to college and career prep. The curriculum is even aligned with “Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Click here to learn more about the curriculum and to download the guide:
| | |
Making Jobs in Agriculture Work for You
Asking for workplace accommodations in agriculture can be stressful for fear of being judged, treated differently, or seen as less capable. Worries about job security or not being understood are common. With the right resources, workplace accommodations can make jobs in farming or ranching accessible and sustainable.
AgrAbility is a program providing supportive resources to help disabled agriculturalists across the country find the accommodations they need. They offer resources for assistive technology, funding assistance, mental health support, and links to other related organizations.
Click here to explore all of AgrAbility’s resources.
| | |
In this issue of RAISE The Standard, we focus on Project POWER (PEAK), a collaboration between Parent Centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
The project connects youth, their families, and parent centers with accessible supporting tools, in English and Spanish, in order to build their capacity to transition youth with disabilities ages 14-26. Resources include videos, printable tools, guidelines, and checklists.
| | Collaboration • Empowerment • Capacity-building | | RAISE The Standard enewsletter identifies and shares resources that the Rehabilitation Services Administration Parent Training and Information Centers (RSA-PTI) can use and share with families. | | The RAISE Technical Assistance Center is working to advance the accessibility of its digital resources, including its websites, enewsletters and various digital documents. | | RAISE, the National Resources for Access, Independence, Self-Advocacy and Employment is a user-centered technical assistance center that understands the needs and assets of the RSA-PTIs, coordinates efforts with the Technical Assistance provided by PTI centers and involves RSA-PTIs as key advisors and partners in all product and service development and delivery. | |  | |
The RAISE Center is a project of the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and is funded by the US Department of Education's Rehabilitation Service Administration. The contents of this resource were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education (H235G200007)). However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
| | | | |
