Pathways 2 Employment (P2E)

A supported employment and skills development program for youth with disabilities in Durham Region.

Pathways 2 Employment (P2E) is a structured program designed to support, promote, and guide youth with disabilities toward meaningful employment. Through a person-centred approach, P2E helps participants identify their own strengths, build practical workplace skills, and take meaningful steps toward economic independence and community participation.

P2E is built around three interconnected programming domains:

Skills Development

Participants build the hard and soft skills needed for workplace success, including professional communication, workplace etiquette, resume and cover letter writing, digital literacy, and disclosure and accommodation strategies.

Community and Economic Participation

Participants develop the confidence and practical knowledge to navigate community and economic life, including transit awareness, financial literacy, budgeting, and understanding pay.

Self-Determination

Participants identify their own career aspirations, set employment goals, and develop the confidence and problem-solving skills needed to find, perform in, and retain meaningful work.

Skill Development Areas

Participants work through five core skill development units over the course of the program:

• Workplace Readiness, covering professional communication, etiquette, transferable skills, and technical skills
• Transit Awareness, including accessing public transportation safely and independently
• Money Education, covering financial literacy, budgeting, understanding paycheques, and economic participation
• Building a Professional Portfolio, including resume writing, cover letter development, and digital literacy
• Disclosure and Accommodations, covering how to disclose a disability in the workplace and how to request and navigate workplace accommodations

Program to Placement

P2E moves participants from classroom-based skill development directly into real workplace experience. After the skills development phase, participants can move into an eight-week supported job placement with a host-site employer in the community. Placements run three days per week for five-hour shifts, totalling 120 hours of supported work experience.

During the placement, participants are supported by Abilities Centre’s employment team, who work directly with host-site employers to make sure placements are set up for success. Employer support includes guidance on accommodation requests, inclusive workplace practices, a mandatory micro-credential workshop, and ongoing weekly check-ins and on-site support throughout the placement period.

Who is P2E for?

P2E is for youth with disabilities in Durham Region who are not currently enrolled in school or a training program, are not currently employed, and are facing barriers to finding or keeping meaningful work.

Group size is limited to 10 participants per cohort.

To learn more about Pathways 2 Employment or to apply, contact our Employment Services team.