The Marriott Foundation's ‘Bridges… from school to work’ program – a framework for successful employment outcomes for people with disabilities

The 1990s have offered great promise to people with disabilities regarding their ability to fully access all that society offers. Studies indicate, however, that particularly in the area of employment, reality has fallen short of the promise. Assuming that successful transition from school to work is a predictor of long term employment success, this article describes a transition model, currently operating in seven (mostly inner city) communities, which has achieved impressive results. Drawing from the experience of this model, implications for the broader field of vocational rehabilitation are examined, with a focus on the value of reality based competitive work experience, and the importance of developing strong mutually beneficial relationships with employers.