Do mentors really make a difference in the lives of youth with disabilities?
“Mentors with disabilities are in great demand to give courage to someone with a disability who wants to start their own business or even just find a job. Mentors are also needed to educate non-disabled people, especially employers, about the needs of people with disabilities,” explains Annette Pickens, a high school senior who hopes to start her own business one day. Annette thinks that mentors are important because young people often “don’t know where to start out or maybe don’t even realize that their dreams are possible.” Having a mentor expands young peoples’ understanding of the range of career possibilities available to them, and it establishes a connection between what they’re learning in school and the world of work.
