Maine's CHOICES CEO Project
Working Together News
A newsletter about Maine's efforts to increase work opportunities for people with disabilities
In Focus
Disability Program Navigator Project Funded for Third Year
Maine’s Disability Program Navigator project has been awarded funding for a third year. Project staff are excited to continue supporting the accessibility of CareerCenter programs and services.
Recent activities have included a disability resource fair in Bangor, collaboration with the STRIVE program in Portland to offer CareerCenter tours, help with starting the WorkReady credential program in Houlton; and staff refresher training on assistive technology in Augusta.
This summer’s events will include the launch of the Maine Bureau of Employment Services as an "Employment Network” under Social Security’s Ticket to Work program. This will offer new options for Social Security beneficiaries who want to receive employment supports.
Through collaboration with the Division of Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened and the State ADA Coordinator's office public videophones for sign language users will soon be installed in CareerCenters across the state. The video phone installation will be complemented by a video orientation to CareerCenter services which is narrated in ASL with additional captioning and voice-over.
Disability Program Navigator staff send out “Tip of the Week” e-mails on disability and employment related topics. If you would like to be added to the distribution list or would like more information about the project, contact Libby Stone-Sterling at libby.stone-sterling@maine.gov or (207) 623-7969 (voice), (800) 794-1110 (TTY)
Employment for Youth with Disabilities: Workforce Development
In several of this year’s newsletter issues, the Youth and Community Engagement Team at the Muskie School of Public Service will be sharing what they’ve learned while reviewing studies that focus on young people with disabilities and employment. The team will offer suggestions about how to best connect youth with disabilities to successful employment and how best to support them in their endeavors.
May’s newsletter discussed the importance of incorporating youth development into programs for young people with disabilities. Studies have found that most successful youth employment programs are merging the fields of workforce development and youth development.
Career preparation and work-based learning experiences are essential for youth to form and develop aspirations and to make informed choices about careers. These opportunities, which require collaboration with other organizations, can be provided during the school day or through after-school programs.
Despite the demonstrated value of work-based learning experiences for youth with disabilities, participation remains low. Often, youth with disabilities do not have the same opportunities as other students to participate in these high quality programs. Programs providing workforce development for youth with disabilities should include:
Career Exploration
- Career assessments to help identify students’ school and post-school preferences and interests.
- Exposure to career opportunities that ultimately lead to a living wage.
- Training designed to improve job-seeking skills and basic workplace skills (sometimes called soft skills or work readiness).
Work Exploration
- Opportunities to engage in a range of work-based activities.
- Multiple on-the-job training experiences, including community service (paid or unpaid).
- Opportunities to learn and practice work skills.
Other
- A connection between program employment activities and support services.
- Opportunities for youth to formally request the appropriate supports and reasonable accommodations in education, training, and employment settings.
As with most planning activities, the earlier the process is started, the more likely it will be successful. It is recommended that educational and developmental activities related to future employment should begin as early as 13-14 years of age. Studies show that work-based learning experiences, especially integrating paid work into a curriculum, leads to improved post-school employment outcomes for all youth with disabilities, regardless of type of disability or required level of support.
For more information, visit the National Collaboration on Workforce and Disability.
State Affairs
Maine On-line Learning Initiative
Maine’s CareerCenters are offering new online training and certification opportunities through the “Maine OnLine Learning Initiative” or MOLLI. The program facilitates access by providing tuition support for online certificate, license, diploma or degree options in targeted industries and occupations. Targeted industries include:
- Advanced and precision manufacturing ( e.g. machinists, metal fabricators, electrical repairers)
- Energy – including “green” energy (e.g. energy auditors, electrical power-line installers, etc.)
- Financial services (e.g. actuaries, brokers, bank examiners, etc.)
- Information technology (e.g. systems analysts, web designers, programmers, etc.)
- Construction – including “green” construction (e.g. cost estimators, building inspectors, etc.)
- Allied health care services sector (e.g. sonographers, dietitians, medical technicians, etc.)
One training option just added in the allied health care services sector is the Department of Health and Human Services-approved Employment Specialist training. Employment Specialists work with individuals with disabilities to provide employment supports that
assist individuals to obtain and maintain employment.
Applicants to MOLLI must have access to appropriate computer technology; the ability to successfully participate in post-secondary education; and complete an assessment for training available at local Maine CareerCenters. Those interested in the training should contact a CareerCenter and make an application and enroll in the initiative.
Mark Your Calendar
Augusta Area Job Expo
Monday, September 21; 9 am – 1 pm
Augusta Civic Center
Augusta, ME
Go here for more calendar items
Ideas for Stories
Please help us… we are seeking stories! Do you know of a worker or employer that we can feature in our newsletter? Please contact Leslie Pohl.
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Think Beyond the Label: A National Marketing Campaign to Businesses
A national marketing campaign on disability employment is under development. The campaign is being coordinated by the National Coalition for Health Systems Development, which works with Maine’s CHOICES CEO project and other Medicaid Infrastructure Grantees across the country.
The purpose of the campaign is to increase employer awareness about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Wirestone, a marketing company, was chosen to do the creative and technical development of the campaign. They will produce high quality marketing tools to influence executives who make hiring decisions; these tools will be customized to target audiences in various states.
ThinkBeyondTheLabel.com is the brand developed for the campaign following Wirestone’s research and their interviews with leaders in both business and disability policy. As Wirestone explained, the brand is based on the concept of challenging the way people think, debunking myths about disability and employment, and encouraging employers to "think past their biases."
Wirestone’s media buying program will target influential decision-makers in small- and medium-size companies. A media budget of $4 million was recommended to support the campaign. You can learn more here.
Conference: Capitalizing on Maine's Changing Demographics
Save the Date!
Working Together announced its upcoming conference, titled “Capitalizing on Maine's Changing Demographics.” The all-day event will be held on November 4, 2009 at the Abromson Community Education Center on the USM Campus in Portland.
The conference will give Maine employers and businesses the tools to transform their workforce and expand their bottom line. Topics and speakers will provide concrete, practical and business oriented presentations. With multiple break-out session, a keynote address, and a panel discussion with employees from diverse backgrounds, the day will be filled with interesting and useful information. Continuing education credits will be offered for human resource professionals. Register now, or learn more on the Working Together conference webpage.
Call for Business Award Nominations
Each year Working Together gives out three awards to businesses that have shown outstanding commitment to employing people with disabilities. The awards will be presented at the November conference. We seek nominations for these awards, and encourage businesses to self-nominate. Please visit the Working Together awards page before October 1 to nominate an outstanding employer!
Updates
Lawmakers Engaged at Disability Awareness Day
On May 19, nineteen disability advocacy organizations filled the State House’s Hall of Flags for Disability Awareness Day. The event was an important opportunity to educate legislators about the concerns of those with disabilities. Participants spent the day speaking to lawmakers and others who work at or who were visiting the statehouse. Because this year’s budget cuts present significant challenges to the disability community, participants felt it was especially important to let legislators know about the needs of people with disabilities and to show that the community stands together with a unified voice.
The hosts of the event—the Disability Rights Center, the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council and the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies—want to thank everyone who participated and all who stopped by for information.
Do you know of a good resource for employers who want to hire workers with disabilities?
Working Together needs your input. Working Together is a network of Maine businesses that supports expanding workforce opportunities for people with disabilities. Many Working Together member businesses are seeking more tools and resources to help with recruiting and employing workers with disabilities.
While there are many resources on both the Working Together website and the CHOICES CEO website, we’d like to hear from you about resources that you have used or found helpful. Please contact Leslie Pohl: voice (207) 228-8031, tty (207)780-5646.
To view the resources that Working Together and CHOICES CEO have already gathered, visit these webpages:
- CHOICES CEO Employer Resources
- Working Together Employer Resources
- Working Together Resources for Employment Services Providers
- Workforce Topic: Mentoring
- Workforce Topic: Older Workers with Disabilities
- Workforce Topic: Veterans with Disabilities
Your feedback is important to us. Let us know! Help us make this resource collection the best it can be.
Reminder! National Disability Mentoring Day is October 21st
Disability Mentoring Day is a great way for students and young adults with all types of disabilities to learn about career options by spending part of their day in a workplace "shadowing" an employee as he or she goes through a normal day on the job. Employers benefit from mentoring youth by learning more about the experience of disability and possibly recruiting emerging talent for meaningful internship and employment opportunities. Go here to find out how you can get involved!
Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced “Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation” as the official theme for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It is intended to urge employers to embrace the richness of America’s diversity by considering the talents of all workers, including workers with disabilities. Get more info here.
