MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local professionals mentored Shelby County Schools students with disabilities Wednesday as part of the district’s Disability Mentoring Day.
The mentors helped give the students hands-on training in areas such as customer service, sales and interview techniques.
More than 500 students participated in the event, which was part of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The U.S. Department of Labor established the awareness month in 1999 to help students with disabilities get jobs.
“Disability Mentoring Day is designed to bring students and job seekers with disabilities into the workplace where they can learn about various career opportunities,” said Stephen Edmundson, a transition specialist in the SCS Department of Exceptional Children.
The training is focused on this one day, but the mentors are encouraged to extend their roles and keep in touch with the students even after the day ends, Edmundson said.
“Mentoring is invaluable and beneficial for mentors and students because it advances career development and personal growth,” he said.
In total, there are 15,000 students with disabilities in Shelby County Schools. The district’s Department of Exceptional Children has also sought to provide them with school-to-work programs through partnerships with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and the University of Memphis.
