Internships
Launching! to Adulthood Internship Program
- For Graduates of Launching! Therapy: This program is exclusively for young adults who have completed the Launching! Therapy program.
- Partnership with UTHealth Houston: Developed in collaboration with the University Relations and Equal Opportunity Department at UTHealth Houston, ensuring established institutional processes and approvals.
- Focus on Bilingual Autistic Young Adults: The program specifically supports bilingual young adults with autism, with a particular emphasis on Latino participants, in developing essential workplace skills, boosting confidence, and exploring career interests.
- 12-Week, 10-Hour/Week Placements: Interns participate in a 12-week placement, working approximately 10 hours per week in a business or department that aligns with their interests.
- Tailored Experiences: Each internship is uniquely customized to the intern’s goals, skills, and interests. Supervisors provide a list of job tasks and learning objectives prior to the intern’s start date.
- Employer Responsibilities: Employers are responsible for providing training, supervision, and mentorship to their interns. They also receive a brief virtual training webinar on autism in the workplace.
- Comprehensive Intern Support: Interns receive monthly individualized coaching, bi-weekly group sessions, and training modules covering resume development, interview preparation, and workplace communication.
- Employment-Related Skill Building: Interns have access to six webinars on topics such as workplace etiquette, time management, and self-advocacy.
- Post-Internship Employment Support: We coordinate directly with TWC Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors to connect young adults with a personal VR counselor for post-internship employment assistance.
- Parental Involvement: Parents of participants attend six bilingual training webinars addressing workplace expectations, fostering independence, and advocating for accommodations.
- Virtual and Interactive Webinars: All webinar content for interns, parents, and employers is delivered virtually and includes breakout sessions for discussion and practical application.
Interested in participating? Please email Dr. Pagán at [email protected]