California Department of AgingParticipant Staff Training

Assessments

SENIOR COMMUNITY

SERVICE EMPLOYMENT

PROGRAM (SCSEP)

Overview •U.S. Department of Labor Requirements (DOL)•Starting Point for the Participant• Information Gathering•The Interview Process•Staff Knowledge Needed for a Successful Assessment•Putting it All Together

Minimum Requirements – U.S. Department of Labor - Older Worker Bulletin No. 96-1

•Made in partnership with the participant•Consider skills, talents, training, work history and capabilities• Identify appropriate training and employment objectives• Identify needed supportive services•Must be the basis for the IEP•Must be the basis for the participant’s Community Service Assignment•Must be signed by the participant and project staff•Should be shared with Host Agency Supervisor

According to DOL regulations, participants must be assessed two times during a twelve month period (including the initial assessment)

The Assessment is the Starting Point for the Participant

•Allows the participant to express their training goals, needs, strengths, perceived deficiencies, and program expectations•Is the foundation for the participants Individual Employment Plan (IEP)•Provides the project with guidance for finding the participant the Community Service Assignment that best fits their goals and needs.

Information Gathering Starts With:

•Good planning and research•Review your project’s assessment questions.•Review the participant’s application form and resume, if available.•Allow enough time to do a comprehensive assessment.

Two Types of Assessment Procedures

•Interviews, observations and documents…used to get a feel for participant’s work behavior and ambitions

•Standardized measures designed to provide objective information on skills, interests and knowledge

• The best way to gather information

THE ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW

The Interview

•Encourage the participant to tell their story•Evaluate the participant’s information•Empower the participant to create and implement their IEP

A Good Assessment

•Depends on having good listening skills

Interviewing Participants

• Remember you are having a conversation…listening…not filling out a form• Establish an atmosphere of trust, acceptance, and support• Always be aware of your facial expressions and posture•Don’t forget eye contact• Communicate with warmth and genuineness• Recognize strengths and positives• Identify with the participant’s feelings and concerns• Reflect back on what you’ve heard to be certain you understand• Are there any vision or hearing issues?

Tips for Good Interviewing•Do less than 50% of the talking

•Use open ended questions • Tell me about…•Help me understand…• Interesting, please tell me more…•How did you feel about that…

•Frequently check if your are understanding accurately• Repeat or summarize• Ask if you heard correctly

Knowledge Needed for a Successful Assessment

• Be familiar with services available and trends occurring in your project’s service area, including:•Number of Host Agency Community Service Assignments available and what training opportunities they provide. • Current Labor Market Information and employment opportunities in the county• Cultivate collaborative partnerships with other employment services• Know the social service resources available

The Completed Assessment

•Provides a picture of the total person•Provides the keys to finding the participant the training site that meets their needs•Helps the participant identify realistic employment goals•Provides the blueprint for the participant’s IEP goals.