Job hadowDay A HOW TO GUIDE

Job Shadow Day is a

national project bringing

supported employment agencies,

people with disabilities and local

employers together for one day to

highlight the positive contribution people

with disabilities can and do make at work.

All kinds of employers, businesses and organisations can take part, big or small, in

the private, public or nonpro!t sector.

Job Shadow Day a"ords a person with a disability the opportunity to gain an insight into the world

of work by shadowing an employee as they go about their normal working routine.

Job Shadow Day is organised by the IASE.

Table of contents

Why take part? 3

Supported employment explained 3

For supported employment agencies 4

Preparation 4

Networking 4

Building partnerships 4

Registration and forms 4

Working with jobseekers 5

Working with employers 5

Quick guide for supported employment agencies 6

For employers 7

Role of the Workplace Mentor 8

Quick guide for Employers 9

For jobseekers 10

A typical Job Shadow Day schedule 11

Take part in the next Job Shadow Day 12

WHY GET INVOLVED

Job Shadow Day is a unique initiative because it bene! ts

supported employment agencies, job seekers and employers

for many reasons.

FOR JOBSEEKERS

• Gain an insight into a particular job or career area

• Network and meet new people

• Learn more about job requirements and employers’

expectations

• Identify and explore employment opportunities

• Learn more about the businesses and employers in your

community

FOR THE SUPPORTED

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY

• Gain an insight into a particular job or career area

• Learn more about your clients’ interests, skills and strengths

• Network and meet new employers

• Promote your service to employers and jobseekers

• Promote your service in local and national media

FOR EMPLOYERS

• Promote and encourage an inclusive workplace

• Access a pool of potential employees

• Learn and understand more about recruiting people with

disabilities

• Be a champion of social justice in your community

• Meet new people and network

• Get new customers (People with disabilities in Ireland have

a potential spending power of €3.3 billion.)

• Promote your business in local and national media

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT EXPLAINED

Supported employment is a system of supports designed to

assist jobseekers with disabilities to ! nd, secure and retain

employment, of their choosing, in the open labour market.

Supports are tailored to suit each jobseeker’s needs and the

requirements of the employer.

Supported employment uses the services of a job coach. The job

coach is a trained and experienced employment and disability

expert who works closely with jobseekers to assess their skills

and career interests and determines what type of supports may

assist them in accessing the work world.

The job coach also works closely with employers to assess their

individual recruitment needs so they can ‘match’ a client to meet

those needs. This is why supported employment is described as

making ‘good business sense’.

3

Supported employment agency

The supported employment agency or disability support organisation works with the employer and the jobseeker to coordinate and oversee the Job Shadow experience.

Preparation

Preparation is key to a successful Job Shadow Day.

• Contact the IASE and tell us you want to get involved.• Distribute the brochures and posters supplied for Job Shadow Day. • Ensure Job Shadow experiences are available to all by advertising and providing

information to all of your service users and target groups.• Connect with employers using all channels available to you such as your

organisation’s website, newsletter, local media, community newsletters et cetera, and provide all the relevant information.

• Make contact with all previous participating employers and new employers.• Register your participating jobseekers and employers with the IASE.

Network and build partnerships

Job Shadow Day is an excellent networking opportunity and a tool for building new partnerships. Why not liaise with organisations, such as local Chambers of Commerce, Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs, employers’ organisations and trade unions to maximize your e! orts.

By teaming up with other groups and organisations in your community you can:• Increase the number and variety of Job Shadow experiences for participants and

businesses in your community.• Tap into a much broader array of resources, enabling you to share the work, costs

and responsibility that go into organising an event.• Attract more media interest in your e! orts as a larger cross section of your

community becomes involved.• Ensure sustainability. The more people become involved, the more popular

demand for the event will grow, making your e! orts easier with each passing year.

If necessary, seek advice, guidance and support from the IASE regional contact person or the national o" ce

Registration and forms

There are three basic, necessary forms to complete.

 1.      Organisation formEach organisation must complete this form and return this to the IASE. This form must be authorised by the service manager. The form provides details of the participating job coaches. Once the IASE receives this form, we will send you promotional material to help promote Job Shadow Day to prospective employers and jobseekers in your community.

2.      Participant formJob coaches are required to return participant forms for each of the Job Shadows they are coordinating. These forms should be returned to the IASE in advance of Job Shadow Day (see www.iase.ie for dates).

3.      Host company formJob coaches are required to complete this form with their participating employers. These forms should be returned to us in advance of Job Shadow Day (see www.iase.ie for dates).

Please ensure all consents are complete on these forms.

FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

4

Working with jobseekers for a successful Job Shadow experience

All Job Shadow placements should be based on best practice in supported employment and should be relevant to the participant’s career interests. You can read more about best practice guidelines at www.iase.ie

• Find out what careers interest the participant.

• Find out what skills they are keen to learn or build on.

• Find out what type of companies or worksites they would like to work with.

• If the participant is unsure, make suggestions, discuss previous placements, share success stories, talk about employers and businesses available in the community

• Take a person-centred approach.

• Share information about the work place environment and address considerations such as dress code or etiquette if relevant to the placement.

• Talk about the duties and skills relevant to the placement.

• Discuss what may be expected from the Job Shadow participant on the day.

• Share information such as the name and position of the employer participants and workplace mentors.

• Complete the necessary forms/consents with the participant.

Working with employers for a successful Job Shadow experience

• Establish one point of contact with whom you can liaise for all of the Job Shadow preparation and planning.

• Fully explain Job Shadow Day, its purpose and what type of planning and commitment will be required from each employer for their individual placement.

• Explain the role of a workplace mentor and any responsibilities they will have.

• Arrange the date and time for the Job Shadow to commence and end.

• Give the employer some information about the participant, their career interests and goals, their skills and any special requirements.

• Provide any further information required by the employer and address any concerns/considerations/ special requests they may have.

• Assess the worksite and ensure it is suitable for the placement.

• Familiarise yourself with dress code, etiquette within the company, workplace practices, health and safety requirements, con! dentiality requirements et cetera where necessary.

• Complete the necessary forms/consents with the employer.

• Use best practice guidelines to ensure a good match is made between the employer and the jobseeker.

5

QUICK GUIDE FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

Register with the IASE to take part in

Job Shadow Day.

Don’t forget to complete a

participating organisation form

and return it to us to get your

Job Shadow Day Pack!

Your Job Shadow Day

pack contains promotional

material. Distribute

these throughout your

community to raise

awareness about

the event.

Promote Job Shadow Day

to employers

Promote Job Shadow Day

to jobseekers

Register your participating

employers. You can do this

online or through the

IASE o" ce

Register your participating

jobseekers. You can do this

online or through the

IASE o" ce

Prepare employers and

jobsites for Job Shadow Day

Prepare jobseekers for

Job Shadow Day

Enjoy a great

Job Shadow Day

experience!

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Firstly, you must register your Company’s interest to take part in Job Shadow Day, either through

a local supported employment agency or by contacting the IASE directly. A job coach will facilitate

the Job Shadow placements.

It can be very helpful for an employer to appoint a ‘workplace coordinator’ to oversee the planning

for Job Shadow Day. Alternatively, the employer can take on this role his/herself

A workplace coordinator can help ensure the Job Shadow is a success

and an enjoyable experience for employees and customers by:

7

INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS

• Completing the Employers Application Form and arranging a copy of the insurance coverage

• Providing introduction and orientation to sta! interested in serving as workplace mentors.

• Seeking Job Shadow support, disability awareness support or training from the supported employment agency as needed.

• Assigning a sta! member to be a workplace mentor to a particular jobseeker based on the jobseeker’s skills and interests.

• Ensuring all employees are aware the Job Shadow Day is taking place.

• Providing access to appropriate work spaces, departments and equipment and seek support for accommodations if needed

• Providing the job coach and the IASE with general background information on the workplace, the job speci" cation, the dress code, con" dentiality and safety issues where relevant.

• Promoting the company’s involvement in Job Shadow Day to employees, customers and the general public using IASE promotional material, the company website, newsletter and any other communication channels available.

• Ensuring the company participates in post event evaluation.

ROLE OF THE WORKPLACE MENTOR

The workplace mentor is the sta! member whom the Job Shadow participant will ‘shadow’ for the day.

Their role involves:

• Meeting and greeting the participant

• Knowing what skills or career area interests the participant

• Ensuring the participant is introduced to a normal work

environment to get a genuine insight into the work world

• Be willing to spend time reviewing materials and planning in preparation for the day

• Be willing to dedicate part of the workday to the participant

and remain fully available to that person during the visit

• Give the participant an explanation of workplace safety

and security policies and procedures

• Help the participant understand the skills needed for the job

• Demonstrate and explain e! ective work methods.

• Show the participant around the work premises

• Be available and willing to take part in Job Shadow Day

enthusiastically and to enjoy the event.

8

QUICK GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS

Register to take part in Job Shadow

Day through your local supported

employment agency or by contacting

the IASE directly

Receive a Job Shadow Day pack with

brochures and posters. Promote your

involvement by displaying these

materials in your workplace

The job coach will give

you some short forms

to complete

Provide the job coach with

information on workplace, dress code,

health and safety and con! dentiality,

where necessary

Enjoy a great Job Shadow

Day experience!

Appoint a Job Shadow Day coordinator

or take on the role yourself. A job coach

will work with you to plan the day

Decide who will be

‘shadowed’. These are the

‘workplace mentors’

Finalise the plans and schedules for Job

Shadow Day with the job coach

Complete the post

event evaluation

9

FOR JOBSEEKERS

Are you interested in taking part or �nding out more

about the next national Job Shadow Day?

It couldn’t be easier!

All you have to do is express your interest in learning more or taking part

in Job Shadow Day, either through your local supported employment agency,

by applying online or by contacting the IASE directly.

Our contact information can be found on the back page of this booklet.

Once you express an interest in taking part, a job coach will be in touch.

Using best practice guidelines in supported employment, the job coach will ask you to talk

about your interests, skills, any past experience and training, what you’d like to get out of the

day and your hopes for the future.

The job coach will work with employers in your community to !nd a suitable Job Shadow Day match.

To learn more about supported employment and how it works, visit our website at

www.iase.ie

10

Here is a typical Job Shadow Day schedule.

This is, of course, a sample Job Shadow Day and should be

tailored to suit the individual needs and requirements of both

the employer and the participant.

OrientationParticipants arrive at the jobsite and a ‘meet and greet’ takes

place in a comfortable meeting place.

Orientation session (10 minutes) to be carried out by the work-

place coordinator

• Mission of the company/What you do

• Personal note: Why is my job important to me?

• Why I’m glad you’ve joined us today

• Reason for being involved in Job Shadow Day

• Introduction to mentor and the day begins

Introduction and assessment• The participant may bring some learning objectives and

rank their importance.

• If your participant hasn’t completed this worksheet it could

be a positive experience to work on it together.

• Discuss the objectives and why these were chosen

• Remember what was important to him/her to learn. Be

prepared to alter your activity plan to help the participant

meet his/her objectives if the opportunity arises.

• Ask the participant if they have questions. Some areas you

could talk about include: how long you have worked at the

company; your career progression; career paths within the

company; skills, experience or quali!cations; the bene!ts

of working at this company

BreakPlease try to have the same break as normal and include the

participant.

The work environment Having completed the formalities it is now time to allow the

participant to shadow you as you go about your daily tasks.

• Introduce the participant to your colleagues and tell them

that the participant will be working with you for the day.

• Try to involve the participant as much as possible in the

job and encourage them to ask questions. It is important

that you endeavor to carry out your routine as normally as

possible as the participant shadows you.

• If the participant uses a wheelchair or walking aids, or has

a hearing or sight impairment, it may be necessary to make

some reasonable accommodations. The job coach/support

person will be able to advise you. Simple accommodations

include ensuring the corridor is clear of obstacles, and

using wheelchair accessible o"ces and meeting rooms.

Job Shadow conclusionHopefully, by the end of Job Shadow Day, the workplace

mentor, other company employees and the jobseekers will

have had a very positive experience. The jobseeker will have

gained a new insight into a particular career and the employer

and their employees will have a greater awareness of inclusive

workplace practices and the ability of people with disability

at work.

Job hadowDay

11

Job

hadow Day

If you want to participate in the next national Job Shadow Day, please contact the IASE by emailing

jobshadow@iase.ie, telephone +353 (0) 97 82894 or visit www.iase.ie for further information.

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