Elizabeth always knew she wanted to perform on stage. Future Pathways helped her prepare for it.

When Elizabeth joined Future Pathways, she was experiencing a familiar kind of limbo. She had a sense of her goals (college, then a career in the entertainment industry) but no concrete path to where she wanted to be.
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​Like many Regional Center clients, she had never completed a job application before joining the program. She hadn’t had the chance to explore the working world.

Ever since she was 11 years old, Elizabeth had known that the entertainment industry was where she belonged. Magic and acting had enchanted her for most of her life, and she had recently discovered an interest in songwriting.

Elizabeth’s goal was to pursue a career that brought joy to herself and to others.

​Future Pathways didn’t redirect those ambitions. The program met her where she was, and gave her a plan to start working toward her goals.

Ask Elizabeth what made her proudest during Future Pathways, and she will tell you about her elevator pitch. She practiced over and over again, with notes, then without, until she could deliver it entirely from memory.

For someone whose long-term goals centered on performance and stage presence, the experience of speaking with confidence in front of a group was deeply meaningful. It was a small but real rehearsal for the career she was building toward.

​Beyond professional skills, Elizabeth found something she hadn’t anticipated: a sense of community. The small-group format brought her into contact with peers who were navigating similar challenges, and those relationships became part of what made the program worthwhile.

One of the tools Elizabeth took with her after graduating from Future Pathways was her 12-month career plan.

Developed with her coach, her plan reflected the self-awareness the program is designed to build. Rather than rushing to find a job before college, Elizabeth chose to start her professional journey by volunteering to develop social skills and gain a sense of her own strengths.

​Elizabeth left Future Pathways with a clear direction, the confidence to follow it, and a supportive community that will help her get there.

Future Pathways is a joint initiative of Autism Society Inland Empire and Daivergent. The program is designed specifically for Regional Center clients who are ready to take meaningful steps toward employment, education, and the experiences that lead there.