Supporting students with disabilities; The Disability Service Strategic
Plan; Phase 3 in progress
The Disability Service (DS) in Trinity College Dublin aims to move from a transactional
service delivery model, to a transformational resource that can support a dialogue
with the disabled individual in the acquisition of transferable skills that can be
developed across all three phases of the student journey.
http://www.tcd.ie/disability/strategic-plan/
It also aims to encourage the student to work as independently as possible from the
beginning of their college career, whilst providing guidance in the achievement of
such independence. This model places the student at the centre of the decision
making process, with constant feedback mechanisms central to the development of
the individual. The focus is not on rehabilitating the disabled individual (medical
model) but in making the college environment accessible to disabled students as
consumers (social model).
Disability data
Over the last decade student numbers with disabilities entering third level
institutions have risen from 450 in 2000, to over 7,947 in 2012 representing 4% of
the student population (AHEAD, 2012). Trinity represents 13% (n= 1,058) of the
disabled student population nationally. These students on completion of their
college course will be making the transition into the world of work, a difficult
transition for every student but even more so for students with disabilities. Of the
TCD cohort 25% of students are studying on professional courses as opposed to 7%
nationally. Given the increase in numbers of students with disabilities entering
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universities there is a need for clear effective strategies that enable students on
professional courses to be reasonably accommodated so that they can reach the
standard of proficiency as required by these courses. In addition, it is vitally
important that we also support students in non-professionals courses to seek
employment experiences throughout their college career in order to increase their
chances and opportunities for employment on graduation.
Phase 3 of the DS Strategy: Progression from college to employment
The focus of this phase; phase 3; progression and transition to employment is the
examination of personal, occupational and environmental issues that disabled
students deal with as they prepare for participation in work. Ultimately, the aim is
to articulate the employability factor into the disabled student’s journey through
college. It allows students to acquire employment-focused skills in college that can
be transferred to the workplace. Finally, it will identify issues from the perspective of
employers and employees that arise in the employment of disabled students.
As stated above, the number of disabled students participating in third level
education has grown significantly, and consequently the number of disabled
graduates entering the labour market is at unprecedented levels. Historically,
Disability Services have primarily supported students through college to the point of
graduation. With the development of the three-phased approach within DS, and
development of synergies with other stakeholders internally and externally, a refocus of resources has allowed mainstream services such as Careers and specialist
supports such as Unlink, to integrate employment transitioning issues into the
student journey.
There are few studies relating to the status of graduates with disabilities in the Irish
labour market, and there is no national data through the HEA First Destination
Survey (HEA, 2010) that provides an indication of the employment levels of disabled
graduates. This lack of information continues to be a concern, as it is impossible to
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plan effectively without awareness of emerging issues. In response to supporting
students as they enter into the world of work, the Disability Service has engaged in
projects in the past and continues to develop innovative ways to support students in
their transition to employment for example through the Leonardo Project and the
recently Genio Trust funded Transition to Employment Project which is detailed
comprehensively below:
Leonardo Project – Univers’ Emploi
Trinity became a partner in the EU Leonardo project ‘Univers’ Emploi’ in 2010/2011,
the purpose of which was to develop an employment tool to assist Universities to
embed employment into their needs assessment process. A review of the current
Needs Assessment Process and Reasonable Accommodations was also undertaken.
Moving from a transactional service to a transformational resource ensures that
supports are not a ‘fix’, but are a more feasible accommodation in the workplace.
Improved information on issues that emerged through this project, such as
disclosure, managing disability in the workplace and how to assert needs, was
further enhanced with the development of an information booklet called
‘Supporting Trinity College students with disabilities into employment’. This
publication prompts students to start thinking about the above issues, and
employment and volunteering opportunities.
Transition to employment for graduates experiencing mental health
difficulties
Research conducted within Trinity College Dublin which explored the needs of
students with disabilities when preparing and making the transitioning from college
to work in 2012/13, found that students wanted to develop personal strategies in
managing their disability within the workplace, wished to gain advice from other
students with disabilities in the workplace, wanted to explore disclosure and also
develop professional skills and confidence to support them in their transition. This
information guided a submission to the Genio Trust Fund to develop a model of
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support for students with mental health difficulties in their transition to
employment. The aim of this Transition to Employment Project
http://www.tcd.ie/disability/career/Transition-to-Employment.php
is to develop an individualized, recovery-orientated and employment-focused
approach to supporting college students and recent graduates experiencing mental
health difficulties in their transition to employment.
Background to the Project
Research shows that the transition from education to employment is most daunting
for students with mental health difficulties and unemployment rates among people
with mental health difficulties have consistently been shown to be the highest
among all disability groups (Mechanic, Bilder and McAlpine 2002). As a result of this,
the project aims to support these individuals in their transition into the workplace.
The project is a collaboration between the TCD Disability Service (Senior Unilink
Occupational Therapist- Genio funded for 2 years) and the TCD Careers Service. This
project will support the deliver of the Disability Service Strategy along with the
College Access & Strategic Plan.
The Project also aims to develop and implement the approach across five different
Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in the Dublin region (Trinity College Dublin, Dublin
Institute of Technology, University College Dublin, Dublin City University and Marino
Institute of Education), as all HEIs identified above avail of the Unilink Occupational
Therapy services provided by Trinity Disability Service.
The expected start date for this project is January 2014.
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Aims and Activities associated with this project:
The aim of this project is to support approximately 150 students with mental health
difficulties in their transition into the workplace. This project will develop an
individualised approach to supporting students in their transition to employment.
The key activities to be undertaken will be to:
o employ a Senior Occupational Therapist (OT) for 2 years;
o employ a part-time Careers Advisor for years
o develop of needs assessment process ;
o develop an online 'Work Self-Management Tool' for students to complete
independently or with support from the Careers Advisor and OT as required;
o provide individualised approach in developing the students’ selfmanagement of their health and well-being while in employment and their
reflection upon these work experiences to develop their self-awareness and
self-advocacy;
o collaborate with the Careers Advisor in the provision of a suite of career
focused resources for students, supporting their transition into the workplace
including but not limited to CV formulation, interview skills, disclosure,
negotiating reasonable accommodation, and information provision in
relation to employment and equality legislation;
o carry out vocational exploration from early in the student's college career;
o facilitate engagement in work experiences based upon needs assessments;
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o connect and make on-ward referrals to Careers Advisors and faculty
members within the student’s desired area of work as required;
o develop a peer support network with other students and recent graduates
now in the workplace;
o support students and graduates in the process of job searching, recruitment,
and, if obtained, in employment during their first year after graduation;
o review the process with students when they are within their specific work
setting in the initial year post-graduation.
Project Outline
In line with the aims and objectives of this project, a three strand approach will be
adopted to support students in their transition to employment. The three strands
are as follows:
Strand 1: The development of an undergraduate student strand where students
would have access to a specialist work orientated Occupational Therapist and a
specialist careers advisor during their college journey. This aims to enable the
student to focus on managing their disability as they seek, apply and transition to
work. Managing the disclosure of a mental health difficulty and negotiating
reasonable accommodations in the acquisition of relevant work experiences during
their college course, as well as exploring job expectations and preparation for the
world of work.
Strand 2: The development of a strand for recent graduates to be supported in their
first year of work through a long arm method of support through the use of on-line
resources and if required access to individualised support from an Occupational
Therapist and a specialist careers advisor.
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Strand 3: The development of a student/graduate led peer support involving current
students and recent graduates.
The proposed project will initiate the planning process for the transition into the
workplace when the student enters college and to ensure that the student's
experiences throughout college are where possible linked to his/ her career
pathway. The process aims to enable and empower students to begin the process of
thinking about work and building experiences and work opportunities that are
relevant to them. The project also aims to support them in their first year post
graduation in their applying what they have learned throughout the process within
the workplace. Each process will be unique to each individual and flexible in meeting
his / her individual needs.
Proposed Student Process within the Project:

Access to a work-orientated OT and Career’s Advisor throughout college
course to facilitate engagement in work experiences based upon the
student’s need assessment.

Vocational Exploration from early in the student's college career.

Discussion of self-management of the health and well-being while in
employment and reflecting upon these work experiences to develop selfawareness of work and self-management skills while in employment.

Completion of the online 'Work Self-Management Tool' independently or
with support from the specialist Careers Advisor and OT as required.
Discussion of the outcomes of this process with OT and specialist Careers
Advisor.

Provision of a review document based upon the needs assessment
component of the 'Work Self-Management Tool'.
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
Based upon these areas identified in the 'Work Self-Management Tool',
access to practical sessions with the Careers Advisor (e.g. CV formulation,
interview skills, disclosure, negotiating reasonable accommodation,
employment and equality legislation etc.) and with the OT (e.g. developing
personal strategies to maintain their health and well-being while in
employment, self-monitoring, self-advocacy, identifying reasonable
accommodation, etc.)

Connection to Careers Advisor and faculty members in the students desired
area of work as required.

Access to peer support with other students and recent graduates now in the
workplace.

Support through the process of job searching, recruitment and if obtained, in
employment during the first year after graduation.

Re-evaluation of the process and needs assessment when the student is
within his / her specific work setting in the initial year post-graduation.
Proposed Project Timeline
It is proposed to start the project in January 2014. A pre-project stage has been
identified from September-December 2013, during which preparatory tasks have
been identified and are outlined below. The project tasks to be completed in year 1
(January-December 2014) and year 2 (January-December 2015) are also outlined
below:
Pre-project stage September 2013 – December 2013

Clearly define objectives and set tasks that allow for delivery of Genio
specified and agreed aims and objectives;

Recruitment of Senior Occupational Therapist and part-time Careers Advisor;

Organise a meeting of all relevant Careers and Disability Staff within HEIs
participating in the project to gain buy-in and support for the development of
this project;
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
Set up an oversight group with representatives from all relevant
stakeholders, including students and external experts and all HEIs;

Develop communication mechanisms including the development of a
webpage for informing all interested stakeholders on the development of this
project.
Year 1 (January 2014- December 2014) Project Tasks:

Development of referral pathways within TCD.

Pilot provision of individualized work-orientated approach with current TCD
students (Target of 35 students - Strand 1)

Pilot of model of support for recent graduates (Target of 10 students - Strand 2)

Development of online resources including ' Work Self-Management Tool' for
students and recent graduates (Strand 1& 3)

Development of a student/graduate led peer support service incorporating input
from current students and recent graduates. (Strand 3)

Recruitment and training of graduate mentors.

Identifying prospective employers through the respective careers and disability
organisations. (Strand 1 & 2)

Planning phase for the provision of the approach with the relevant disability and
careers staff with DCU / DIT / UCD and Marino Institute of Education.
Year 2 (January 2015- December 2015) Project Tasks:

Increased provision of individualized work-orientated approach with current
students from TCD / DCU / DIT / UCD and Marino Institute of Education (Target
of 150 students)

Provision of support for recent graduates in their first year of work (Target of 30
students)
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
Pilot of student/graduate led peer support on-line service involving current
students and recent graduates

Education and Training of existing Staff and embedding of project with the
structures and systems of the five HEIs

Share findings with other HEIs nationally and interested agencies

Evaluation of the Project and dissemination of outcomes of the pilot the project June Symposium 2015.
Future Outcomes
As a result of this grant, the Disability Service hopes to achieve a sustainable,
individualised support approach for students experiencing mental health difficulties
in their transition to employment. The main change for individuals will be that they
will be continuously supported in their transition from education into employment
and will have developed strategies in managing their disability within the work
environment. For the services and HEIs, it allows the development of phase three of
the project (transition to employment for students with mental health difficulties,
ADHD or ASD), utilising expertise within the Unilink Service, the Disability Service and
the Careers Advisory Service, which strengthens the relationships between all
stakeholders in delivering a cohesive and comprehensive model. It allows a model of
support to be developed and replicated across other Higher Education Institutes
within the Dublin region with which we have developed service level agreements
(HEI's include; Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, Marino Institute
of Education, and University College Dublin).
In line with best practice, this project will involve an evidence based research
element to track students on their journey as they transition with the aim of
including the student's narrative.
This project aims to move the ownership of the transition to employment process to
the individual student within a supported framework, by developing a clearly
delineated approach which combines work-orientated and self-management
elements. The student will have access to support as required through the OT and
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Careers Advisor. The development of an online tool which is envisioned to be
completed by each individual student throughout the process seeks to develop selfawareness and self-management skills and is intended to give the student a clear
outcome of the process that they can take with them into the workplace. The clarity
provided by going through this process and having this outcome is the basis for
increasing self-confidence in discussing mental health difficulties with employers and
in negotiating reasonable accommodation as required.
Individuals and organisations involved in the partnership or consortium

Mr Declan Treanor, Disability Service Director, Trinity College Dublin

Dr Clodagh Nolan, Unilink Service Director.

Mr Sean Gannon, Director, Careers Advisory Service, Trinity College Dublin

Dr Claire Bohan, Director, Student Support and Development, and Ms Anne
O’Connor, Head of Disability Service, Dublin City University,

Yvonne McLoughlin, Head of Careers Service, Dublin City University

Mr Brian Gormley, Manager of Campus Life and Mr Bob O’ Murchu, Acting
Head of Disability Service, Dublin Institute of Technology

Dave Kilmartin, Head of Career Development Centre, Dublin Institute of
Technology

Ms Fiona Sweeney, Access Centre Manager / Ms Julie Tonge, Access Centre
Disability Adviser, University College Dublin, University College Dublin.


Dr. David Foster, Director, Career Development Centre, Library Building,
University College Dublin
Dr Sean Delaney, Registrar, Marino Institute of Education

Mr Niall Turner, Project Manager DETECT Early Intervention for Psychosis
Service
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For more information, please visit: http://www.tcd.ie/disability/career/Transition-toEmployment.php
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