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Maine's CHOICES CEO Project

Expanding Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities

Maine Disability Mentoring Day October 15, 2008

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 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

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.

 

Events planned for Maine DMD 2008 (as of October 1, 2008)

Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is devoted to career awareness and activities for high school students and other individuals with disabilities. DMD will provide a variety of opportunities for students and employers.  The following is a list of events that are happening across the state.  Please contact the local coordinator from your community to find out how you can get involved!

Aroostook: On October 21st Presque Isle CareerCenter Opening remarks and introduction.  Social Security Work Incentives.  (Sean Seibert – Maine Medical Center), Disability Program Navigator. (Kent DeMerchant), Social Security Representative.  (Jason Rossie - SSA) Career Center Services. (Mike Woodman), Local Employer presentations -    Pizza Hut, Connect North America, Naturally Potatoes, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s,  TAMC Volunteer Project.
Month of October – “Job Club” for youth in transition with Maine Transition Network – Aroostook Region & Disability Program Navigator
For more information please contact 
Kent DeMerchant at 1-800-697-2877 or Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov 

Augusta:  The day will include a number of workshops including: “what it takes to be a successful employee”, Deb Bechard (JMG) “mentoring”, customer shares his success story, Jim McManus (DBVI) “hands-on career exploration activity”, Information/resource sharing – BRS, CareerCenter, Marc Rodrigue (DPN) “accommodations” and “AT in the CareerCenter”
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

Bangor: The day will begin at 9am at the Bangor CareerCenter with opening remarks and breakfast refreshments. Plans for the day include: “sharing success stories/peer mentors”, presentations and mock interviews with local employers-with door prizes, followed by Dr. OJ Logue (UMaine) and a great lunch!
For more information please contact
Joyce Santerre at 1-800-777-2877 or Joyce.Santerre@maine.gov

Cumberland County:  October 15th in Portland from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Glickman Library on the University of Southern Maine Campus. The day will feature a keynote speaker, job shadows, employment workshops for participants, an employer panel, individuals with disabilities sharing their stories, and a hands on public transportation workshop. Participation is expected to be over 100 people. Great food, too!
For more information please contact
James Howard at 1-800-315-1192 x409 or James.E.Howard@maine.gov

Dexter:  Event for transition age youth in conjunction with Tri-County Technical Center (more details to follow).
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

Ellsworth: October 15th in conjunction with the Tri-County CareerCenter.
For more information please contact
Joyce Santerre at 1-800-777-2877 or Joyce.Santerre@maine.gov

Lewiston: On October 14th Lewiston CareerCenter/Central Maine Commerce Center/ Lewiston-Auburn College (USM/UMA) Jim  Baumer (LWIB 3) & local employer panel – “skills/attributes of successful employees”, local college tours/classroom visits, April Clark (Manpower) – “interviewing skills”, Lisa Hartnett – “CareerCenter youth programs”, local job shadows.
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

Machias: October 24th. This event will be in conjunction with the CareerCenter.
For more information please contact
Kent DeMerchent at 1-800-697-2877 or Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov

Portland: See Cumberland County above.

Presque Isle: October 14, 15, 16th at Presque Isle Walmart. There will be displays and resources from local agencies.
For more information please contact
Kent DeMerchent at 1-800-697-2877 or Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov

Rumford: On October 15th Marden’s, Wal-Mart, Sunday River will be offering local students/job seekers opportunities to job shadow (support provided by VR & WMCA staff).
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

Wilton/Farmington:  On October 16th at the East Wilton CareerCenter.  Employer presentations (Franklin Community Memorial Hospital, Little People Daycare, Hannaford Supermarket), employee success stories, pizza party, Intro to CareerCenter services and Assistive Technology – Marc Rodrigue (DPN) &  Patti Ladd & CareerCenter staff.
For more information please contact
Marc Rodrigue at 1-800-741-2991 or Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov

 

Who are the DMD Coordinators in Maine for 2008?

Statewide Coordinator:
Debbie Bechard, dbechard@jmg.org, (207) 620-7180, ext. 212

Regional Coordinators:        
Aroostook & Washington Counties:
 Kent D. De Merchant, Kent.D.DeMerchant@maine.gov , 1-800-697-2877

Penobscot, Piscataquis, & Hancock Counties:
Joyce Santerre, Joyce.Santerre@maine.gov , 1-800-777-8173

Androscoggin, Franklin, Somerset, Oxford & Kennebec Counties:
Marc D. Rodrigue, Marc.D.Rodrigue@maine.gov , 1-800-794-1110

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

 

What Activities Took Place in 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 in 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