Imagine a project where Rotary clubs open doors to employment for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Last year, the Bellevue Breakfast Club and the Rotary Club of Edmonds joined the Pacific Northwest Partners for Work Rotary Club in a groundbreaking initiative that did just that, empowering students to build personal portfolio websites—digital showcases of their skills, employability, and competence. With the success of this first round, we’re inviting Rotary members to consider bringing this project to even more students.
Here’s what made this project remarkable: Rotary partnered with the Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE) and the Bellevue School District to deliver a program giving teachers and students with IDD hands-on training in digital literacy and website creation. These young adults didn’t just learn a new skill—they built websites with personal details that highlight their strengths and capabilities. Beyond building confidence, this experience provided them with a professional tool they can carry forward, along with skills to expand as their careers evolve.
The link between building website portfolios and Rotary’s Community Economic Development mission is powerful, and seeing students with IDD proudly present their portfolios to Rotarians served as a strong example of Rotary’s commitment to that mission.
With this success in mind, we’re looking forward to what lies ahead. By coming together to support another round of this project, Rotary clubs can help even more students with IDD gain the skills and self-assurance needed to enter the workforce with pride. Each participating club will have the chance to make a real difference, building a stronger, more inclusive future for students, communities, and the workforce—one student and one website at a time.
If you are interested in learning more, or having us present to your club about this project, please reach out to Heather Evans PNW Partner for Work Rotary President at hevans@wise.org. I look forward to hearing from you!
