Help BrightSteps provide meaningful vocational training, life skills instruction, community-based learning, and individualized support for teens and young adults with disabilities during the 2026–2027 program year.

Help Us Build Pathways to Independence

At BrightSteps, we believe every young person deserves opportunities to discover their strengths, build confidence, develop meaningful skills, and participate fully in their community.

BrightSteps provides a neuro-affirming transition program for teens and young adults with disabilities, with a focus on vocational exploration, job readiness, independent living skills, social-emotional growth, and community participation.

Throughout the 2026–2027 program year, our students won’t just learn about adulthood and employment in a classroom - they’ll experience it.

Students will:

Participate in hands-on vocational training and job exploration
Complete regular community-based instruction throughout Nashville
Volunteer and build real work experience with community partners
Practice transportation, shopping, money management, communication, and other everyday life skills
Explore different industries and workplaces to learn what environments are a good fit for them
Build resumes, workplace skills, independence, and self-advocacy
Receive individualized support from staff who prioritize dignity, regulation, communication, and student choice

This year, our students will also participate in weekly community work experiences, giving them consistent opportunities to contribute, practice workplace skills, and build experience they can carry with them into future employment.

Your Support Makes This Possible

BrightSteps Foundation helps make these opportunities accessible to students and families while supporting the real costs of providing a small, highly supported program.

Donations to our 2026–2027 Program Year Campaign can help fund:

Student scholarships and tuition assistance
Community-based instruction and transportation
Vocational training materials and supplies
Workplace and industry exploration experiences
Independent living skills instruction
Classroom resources and adaptive supports
Community partnerships and student work experiences

Every contribution—large or small—helps us create more opportunities for our students to learn by doing, discover what they are capable of, and build meaningful pathways toward adulthood.

When you support BrightSteps, you are investing in more than a program. You are investing in opportunity, belonging, independence, and a future where our students are recognized for what they can contribute.

Thank you for being part of the BrightSteps community and helping us make the 2026–2027 program year possible.

Support the 2026–2027 BrightSteps Program Year