Overview
Strength-Based Approach To Your Future
When we think of how to help youth succeed in life, we tend to focus on “fixing” what they are doing wrong. While this approach can be helpful, it can also leave youth with a profound sense of their weaknesses, rather than their strengths.
KF-STRIDE takes a different approach. While we know that young adults can have challenges (especially those who are neurodiverse), we start by helping them recognize and use their innate strengths to prepare for employment. KF-STRIDE stands for Kessler Foundation Strength Identification and Expression. It is a web-based training curriculum to help young adults transition to adulthood by teaching them:
- To identify their unique marketable strengths
- To express them to a future employer
KF-STRIDE offers key advantages over existing programs which focus on fixing what someone is doing “wrong”. KF-STRIDE helps by focusing on what’s “right” by taking a strength-based approach across multiple areas of life.
Neurodiverse Youth
We believe that by teaching youth about their strengths, we can increase self-empowerment, pride, and sense of self-identity. While KF-STRIDE can be used by anyone, it was designed specifically for neurodiverse youth. KF-STRIDE provides individuals with insight into the expectations of future employers, which empowers students who may struggle to understand what others are expecting – a core challenge in autistic / neurodiverse individuals. In addition, individuals who use KF-STRIDE can experience:
- Improved ability to advocate for themselves
- Potential downstream effects on self-esteem and mental health
- Enhanced strategic self-presentation skills
- Opportunities for developing interpersonal relationships through employment
- Improvement in daily life functioning and motivation
Thus, KF-STRIDE offers value beyond the job interview. Our goal is to empower everyone looking to seek and maintain employment to have a better awareness of themselves, their strengths and what they bring to the table. Thus, our goal is to also help society in general by promoting inclusivity in the workforce.
