At Goodwill of Central Illinois, 111 young adults are currently enrolled in our Beyond Barriers program. This employment program was introduced in 2024 and supports young adults with neurodiversity. The goal is to prepare each participant for employment by developing an individualized program based on their needs and skills.
In 2025 alone, 92 participants received over 1,000 services. Participants can receive assistance with resume building, job search assistance, mock interviews and training in specific fields using virtual reality. Goodwill has assisted many of those enrolled find employment. Once a job is found, our Job Success Coaches work with each participant to ensure a smooth transition, including visiting at their place of employment.
On November 7, 2025, Goodwill hosted Future Focused, a hands-on workshop for those who are neurodiverse. It provided interactive activities and gameplay to help neurodiverse young adults learn the ups and downs of managing their finances. Everyday challenges such as paying rent, buying transportation, repaying student loans and paying utility bills were all part of the experience.
Program Manager Austin Harms stated, “Our goal is to make financial awareness feel real and practical by giving students a safe space to experience real life scenarios, make decisions, and learn that every choice can lead to new opportunities.”
Goodwill supports youth everyday and collaborates with 15 area schools. This is the second year for this important learning event. The total number of attendees this year was 80, which represents a significant increase over the 38 participants last year.
Damian, an attendee for the event shared, “I really liked buying a car, apartment and experiencing living alone. The people were nice and kind and I would attend again.”
Goodwill and the Beyond Barriers program provides a chance for young adults to learn and thrive based on their individual needs and skills.
To learn more about Beyond Barriers please visit www.goodwillpeo.org/beyond-barriers