Customized Employment Teleconference Series Approaches for Assessing Applicants for Customized Employment

2 Customized 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.

3 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.

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

5 Traditional 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.

Assessing the impact of disability allows us to better match people and tasks.

7 Customized 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.

8 If we are going to market an individual’s contributions and design jobs which emphasize skills and abilities, or create self- employment which maximizes a person’s participation, then the questions we need answered in assessment are:

9 Assessment necessary for Customized 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.

10 Carley graduated from Polson High school in Her contributions include: Outgoing and friendly Takes pride in her work Able to memorize the layout of large stores Meticulous about returning items Strives to be independent Quite capable of asking for assistance

11 Carley’s skills, interests and contributions matched a need that WAL-Mart had for a Returns Technician.

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

Discovery “who is the person?” Vocational Profile: A tool to Capture information Employment Portfolio Negotiate a Job Develop a Training /support Plan Employment Planning Meeting “what will they Do for work?”

Carley cooks meals for herself and for her little sister for whom she baby sits.

15 Information gathered in Discovery 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.

Carley uses the phone to request support, gather information and connect with friends.

17 The information learned in Discovery is used to create the parameters of, or template for customization: the conditions, tasks, supports for the individual on the job… the information is never used to “weed people out” of employment.

18 Describing Information gathered You 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.

Visit the person at home Interview people who know the person well Look for support or teaching strategies that work for the person. Look for interests, contributions and skills.

Gather information from previous jobs or experiences Ask Questions… Spend time in a variety of activities that interest the person. Gather information from previous jobs or experiences

21 Discovery Uncovering existing information Not measuring or comparing Not testing or evaluating Does not predict performance Ecologically valid information Empowers students and families

22 Through Discovery we learn about: Connections to people and the community Interests and preferences Support needs Strategies or adaptations that currently are used by the person or their supports The individual’s contributions

23 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 plan To identify the individual’s contributions and tasks that they can do.

24 Next Step… planning 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.