Dr. Evan Dean’s mixture of ‘conceptual understanding of participation as well as research and practical experience implementing a community based intervention’ made him a prime participant for the outbound program.

He took this dual skill set with him when he traveled to Kenya to support spring 2018 PFP-IDE fellow, Stephen Areba, in his work community of Dadaab. The context of Dadaab, one of the largest refugee complexes in the world, was very different from the work context that Dr Dean experiences in his home of Kansas City, Kansas where he works as Associate Researcher at Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) and as an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Education Department. Dr Dean and Stephen’s project was titled ‘Promoting Inclusive Disability Employment through Capacity Development and Community Engagement in Dadaab, Kenya.’ It sought to promote inclusive employment of PWD in the host communities of Dadaab.

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The Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) is located in Lawrence, Kansas and is one of the foremost U.S. institutions for the research and advancement of inclusive employment for people with disabilities, specifically developmental disabilities.

The center is currently working on a research project regarding the implementation of career development intervention for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

KUCDD has extensive experience in hosting international fellows and trainees from diverse countries, including South Korea, Italy, and Norway, and was very excited to welcome a Professional Fellow from an East African nation. The institution is committed to creating new partnerships with like-minded advocates from outside the U.S., and looks forward to providing a rich learning experience, which will be “a great opportunity to exchange ideas related to community employment and supports for people with disability.”

Stephen Areba was matched with KUCDD and worked under the supervision of Dr. Evan Dean, who is an assistant professor in the occupational therapy programs at the center. His focus is on supporting adults with intellectual disabilities and enabling them to live within the community. He provided guidance and mentorship as Stephen was introduced to the center’s flagship programs and planed his Fellowship project.