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NCWD/A Customized NCWD/A Customized Employment Teleconference Employment Teleconference

SeriesSeries

Discovery: An Approach for Assessing Applicants for Customized Employment

Ellen Condon, University of MT Rural Institute

Employment for All, and MG&A

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Customized EmploymentCustomized Employment

In Customized employment we begin with the premise that everyone can work.

The customized approach considers both the needs of the individual with a disability AND the employer.

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Customized…Customized…

Job Descriptions are based on employee contributions that mesh with employer need.

Disclose information about disability and need for accommodations for the purpose of negotiation.

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Customized job Customized job responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Job responsibilities are based upon individual’s strengths, needs and interests and is designed to meet the specific needs of an employer.

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Traditional AssessmentsTraditional Assessments

Measured readiness in unfamiliar and often times artificial environments,

Compared production and performance of people with disabilities to others, or to standardized norms,

Typically highlight deficits of people with significant disabilities.

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Customized EmploymentCustomized Employment

May include employment developed through job carving, self-employment, or other job restructuring activities that result in job responsibilities being customized and individually negotiated to fit the needs of an individual.

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If we are going to market an If we are going to market an individual’s contributions and individual’s contributions and design jobs which emphasize design jobs which emphasize

skills and abilities, or create self-skills and abilities, or create self-employment which maximizes a employment which maximizes a person’s participation, then the person’s participation, then the questions we need answered in questions we need answered in

assessment are:assessment are:

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Assessment necessary for Assessment necessary for Customized EmploymentCustomized Employment

Individual’s strengths, interests and contributions,

Impact of disability to identify conditions of employment, plan for supports and negotiate on their behalf with the employer,

And explain how they get things done,Strategies, supports or environments where

they are at their best.

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Carley graduated from Polson Carley graduated from Polson High school in 2002. Her High school in 2002. Her

contributions include:contributions include:Outgoing and friendlyTakes pride in her workAble to memorize the layout of large storesMeticulous about returning itemsStrives to be independent Quite capable of asking for assistance

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DiscoveryDiscovery

The process of gathering information about a person for the purpose of job development

Discovery“who is the

person?”

Vocational Profile: A tool tocapture

information

Representational Portfolio

Negotiate a job or design

a business

Develop atraining /support

plan

Customized PlanningMeeting

“what will they Do forwork?”

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Information gathered in Information gathered in DiscoveryDiscovery

Already existing information,From people who know the person best,In environments that make sense for the

person:– Home, school, community, familiar places,

unfamiliar activities that are relevant or of interest to the person.

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The information learned in The information learned in Discovery is used to create the Discovery is used to create the parameters of, or template for parameters of, or template for customization: the conditions, customization: the conditions,

tasks, supports for the individual tasks, supports for the individual on the job…on the job…

the information is never used to the information is never used to “weed people out” of “weed people out” of

employment.employment.

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Describing Information gatheredDescribing Information gatheredYou need to observe and capture

information about the impact of an individual’s disability for future negotiations with employers about supports, accommodations, tasks an individual can do,

And to plan for comprehensive ongoing supports.

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Ask Questions….

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DiscoveryDiscovery

Uncovering existing informationNot measuring or comparingNot testing or evaluatingDoes not predict performanceEcologically valid informationEmpowers students and families

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Through Discovery we learn Through Discovery we learn about:about:

Connections to people and the communityInterests and preferencesSupport needsStrategies or adaptations that currently are

used by the person or their supportsThe individual’s contributions

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Why do Discovery?Why do Discovery?

Understand how the person’s disability impacts their life

Identify what is needed for supports in the work environment

To develop a training/support planTo identify the individual’s contributions

and tasks that they can do.

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Methods to offer Methods to offer Discovery or ExplorationDiscovery or Exploration

FacilitatedSharedSelf Directed

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Tools/Skills for DiscoveryTools/Skills for Discovery

Tools Listening Reflecting Sharing Seeing Describing Negotiating

Skills Conversation Interview Observation Time together Review Information Collection Disclosure Plan

Recognizing the “best” of a job seeker

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Places/PeoplePlaces/People

Places Person’s home Neighborhood Routine places Community Professional contexts

People Job Seeker Close family members Trusted friends Support staff Professionals who care Business community

contacts

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InformationInformation Routines; weekend, weekdays, seasons Social activities, transportation Previous work, chores, volunteer activities Education background Home/community supports received How the job seeker communicates, socializes,

does academics, gets around the community Vocational skills

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Next Step…Next Step…planning for job developmentplanning for job development

Consolidate the discovered information into conditions (a template for customization)

Translate contributions into employer language,

Identify job tasks,Assemble your team for a planning

meeting.