Skip navigation

Maine's CHOICES CEO Project

Expanding Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities

Maine Disability Mentoring Day October 21, 2009

Read a personal DMD story here about Matt Shaw (left) with Travis Lee from WMTW(right)

Matt Shaw (left) with Travis Lee from WMTW(right)

National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD), sponsored by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), began in 1999 as part of efforts to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, celebrated every October. It is a national partnership between the AAPD and the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Since 2000, NDMD has grown to take root in communities across the nation. To learn more about NDMD on a national level, visit www.dmd-aapd.org.

See information about DMD events held in Maine in 2008, 2007 and 2006, lower down on this page...

Who can get Involved in Maine's Disability Mentoring Day?

Employers

You could play an important role in the career path of a young adult with a disability.

Disability Mentoring Day is a time when employers with opportunities can help Mentees with disabilities build confidence about their own employability, share firsthand job experiences to someone interested in their desired career field, develop lasting Mentee relationships, gain access to a pool of new emerging talent, recruit short- and long-term interns and demonstrate positive leadership in their community. Go here for more information about how to get involved.

Students/Job Seekers

DMD could provide an opportunity to network with individuals who have already pursued the career track that interests you.

DMD can help to match you with a workplace Mentor in your desired career field. This Mentoring experience could provide an opportunity to visit your Mentor's job site and learn about his or her day-to-day job experiences in an effort to better prepare yourself and target your skills for that particular career path.

Community Liaisons

Facilitate job shadowing and Mentoring opportunities for young adults with disabilities in your community.

Community Liaisons can facilitate matching experiences between Mentees with disabilities and business Mentors. These could include One-On-One Job Shadowing, which individually pairs a Mentee, or Group Visits to Worksites, in which Mentees tour a workplace or meet with various employees on the job and learn first hand about different types of jobs and related opportunities within that career field.

 

Who are the DMD Coordinators in Maine for 2009?

Statewide Coordinator:

Debbie Bechard, dbechard@jmg.org, 207- 620-7180, ext. 212

Regional Coordinators:       

Androscoggin, Franklin, Somerset, Oxford & Kennebec Counties:
Marc D. Rodrigue, Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov , 207-753-9086, 1-800-794-1110
 
Aroostook & Washington Counties:
Kent D. De Merchant, Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov , 207-760-6319, 1-800-697-2877

Penobscot, Piscataquis, & Hancock Counties:
Gwen Lapointe, Gwen.M.Lapointe@maine.gov , 207-746-9608, 1-800-777-8173

Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox & Waldo Counties:
Abbie Miller, Abbie.Miller@maine.gov , 207-347-3209, 1-877-594-5627 ext 413

York & Cumberland Counties:
James Howard, Southern Maine DMD Coordinator, James.E.Howard@maine.gov, 207-347-3206
Go here to find out more about DMD activities in Southern Maine or download an application here (MS Word)

 

What Activities Took Place for Maine DMD 2008?

Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is celebrated nationally on the third Wednesday in October in conjunction with Disability Awareness Month. The day is dedicated to students and job seekers with disabilities to promote career development through job shadowing and career exploration. Last year there was a focus on youth with disabilities. The following is a list of events that happened across the state of Maine. 

Aroostook and Washington Counties: The Disability Mentoring Day activities in Aroostook and Washington counties were marked by five separate events spread throughout the month of October. Read a full report here.
For more information please contact 
Kent DeMerchant at 1-800-697-2877 or Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov 

Augusta and Lewiston: Events included workshops on how to choose a job and where to find job opportunities and then ended with some fun for everyone at Sparetime Recreation! Read about DMD Augusta here. Read about DMD Lewiston here.
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

Penobscot, Piscataquis and Hancock Counties : Forty-one peple came to the DMD event held at the Tri-County CareerCenter in Bangor on Wednesday, October 15th, 2009. Those present included: students and job seekers with disabilities, presenters, employers, case managers, VR Counselors, and CareerCenter staff from the entire Tri-County area. Read the full report here.
For more information please contact
Joyce Santerre at 1-800-777-2877 or Joyce.Santerre@maine.gov

Southern Maine :  The mayor of Portland, Jill Duson, signed a proclamation designating October 15 as Disability Mentoring Day and events were held at the University of Southern Maine's Glickman Library in Portland. Nineteen employers volunteered to mentor twenty-nine students (mentees) with disabilities between the ages of 17-22. Read the full report here.
For more information please contact
Abbie Miller at 1-877-594-5627 ext 413 or Abbie.Miller@maine.gov

Wilton/Farmington:  In conjuction with National Youth Disability Mentoring Week, over 20 local youth attended a special event at Wilton CareerCenter on Thursday, October 16th. Students from Jan and Livermore High School listened to speakers from community businesses. Read a full report here.
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

 

What Activities Took Place for Maine DMD 2007?

The Portland office of Division of Vocational Rehabilitation partnered with Coastal Enterprises, Inc. to sponsor a very successful Disability Mentoring Day at the Portland CareerCenter on Wednesday, October 17, 2007.

Eighteen persons with disabilities (mentees) attended the “Breakfast of Champions” and heard several breakfast speakers, including Rod MacInnes (DMD Local Coordinator), Cathy Singleton (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation), Sadie Donnell (Community Provider), Abbie Miller (CareerCenter Navigator), Mary Perkins (Verizon-Employer). Refreshments and interpreters were donated by Hannaford, Dunkin’ Donuts, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and DVR.

Next, some of the mentees visited the CareerCenter and listened to BES staff member Don Verrill describing the assistive devices, computerized self assessment tests, and the information on advertised jobs which are available at the Portland CareerCenter. This was followed by most of the mentees traveling to various workplaces with the help of community providers. They met with mentors at LL Bean and Verizon (representing customer service), DuVall’s Automotive (representing mechanical work), Little Dolphin (representing special education), Navigator Publishing (representing computer graphics and publishing), Gorham House (representing social services), and an organic farm.

On Monday evening, October 15, the mayor of Portland awarded the DMD committee (Rod MacInnes, Barbara Greenstein and James Howard (VR Counselors), Abbie Miller, and Coastal Enterprises Staffing agency and mentee (Rae-Lynn McClure)) a citywide Proclamation of Disability Mentoring Day for October 17. This year was the 8th Annual DMD nationwide and it was the 4th year for Maine. Certificates were sent to all DMD mentors and mentees after the event.

For additional information on how these events were organized, view the recruitment letters for the job seekers (mentees) and employers/employees (mentors).

 

As the Portland DMD Local Coordinator, I believe in DMD and I hope DMD was successful this year because as a deaf job holder/career professional I know it takes lot of effort and many steps to get launched into a career.  Today’s job seekers with disabilities are able to take advantage of accommodations, anti-discrimination laws and enlightened understanding of disabilities, improved career awareness techniques offered by job shadows and the internet to get started job or careerwise. 

 

Mentoring and Education Opportunities in Augusta and Waterville

The Augusta CareerCenter and Maine Mentoring Partnership hosted a series of events in October aimed at increasing awareness of resources and opportunities for people with disabilities.  The workshops were geared for students, parents and teachers and included guest speakers and panel discussions on mentoring programs, volunteer opportunities, agency program services, community college program offerings, employment opportunities, and accommodations for disabilities.  For more information, contact Deanna Coutts.

 

What Activities Took Place for Maine DMD 2006?

  • Rod MacInnes reported on a successful Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) event held at the Portland Career Center, which included a detailed presentation on DMD, and also career awareness development information for the mentees-to-be, using materials developed by the National DMD office of American Association of Persons with Disabilities. Learn more about the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation-sponsored DMD Event.
  • Gerard Salvo of CEI Staffing Services reports that it "facilitated three job shadows with individuals with disabilities at two of our portfolio companies (companies that we fund and have Employment Agreements with) and another architectural company in south Portland. One individual graduated from SMCC with an associates degree in architecture, the other has a very strong IT and electronics background and is looking for a company change. The third person job shadowed prior to the actual DMD and did get a part time internship with the company! I have received two more job shadow requests for two individuals with hearing impairments that will be set up over the next few weeks… very successful for the first year!! We had numerous CEI Portfolio companies respond that they would have a mentee that day… Foreside Company said they would have up to three individuals on DMD."
  • Zahira Duvall reported that Alpha One celebrated Disability Mentoring Day by holding a reception and open house, intended to expose people with disabilities to information about their Social Security benefits, role models with disabilities who are employed and technology available in the work environment. Learn more about Alpha One's event.

Major Sponsors and Supporters of Maine DMD

Other Maine Mentoring Resources

  • Coastal Enterprises (CEI) is a private, nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC) and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with roots in the civil rights movement. Founded in 1977, the organization provides financing and support in the development of job-creating small businesses, natural resources industries, community facilities, and affordable housing. CEI's primary market is Maine, but, in recent years, has expanded several of its financing programs to northern New England, upstate New York and beyond.
  • Maine Mentoring Partnership is a statewide public-private partnership of mentoring program providers, government, funders and supporters. It is an initiative of Maine Children's Cabinet. Its work reflects widespread belief among stakeholders that assuring children and youth access to a caring adult is a top priority, and that mentoring is a highly effective but under-utilized strategy for doing this in Maine. Contact Deb Bechard at (888) 387-8755 (toll-free in Maine) or (207) 582-2016, ext. 212 or by email: dbechard@mainementoring.org.
  • Portland Mentoring Alliance — Established in 1992. Volunteer employees from businesses throughout Greater Portland are matched with Portland High School students to create supportive mentoring relationships. Contact Jane Ellis, Director of The Portland Mentoring Alliance at (207) 756-8437 or by email: ellisj@portlandschools.org.

National Mentoring Resources