Text of LaCorte-Klein Presentation on Customized Employment

 

Intro Slide 1 : Employment: From Competitive to Customized

A powerful process that provides access to employment for all students and adults with complex lives

 

Marc Gold & Associates

4101 Gautier-Vancleave Rd Ste 102

Gautier, MS 39553

228-497-6999

 

 

Slide 2: Customized Employment

MIG Goal #2

Improve Knowledge, Capacity and Collaborations that Enable Employment Services Providers (“Supply Side”) to Increase Competitive Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities

 

Slide 3:  Customized Employment

According to US/DOL:

·         Customized employment means individualizing the employment relationship between employees and employers in ways that meet the needs of both.

·         It is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific needs of the employer. \

 

Slide 4:  Features of Customized Employment

·         Based on discovery of the applicant more than on evaluative/comparative processes

·         Driven by a customized plan capturing the applicant’s strengths, needs and interests

·         Focuses on tasks rather than job titles, to negotiate essential responsibilities

 

Slide 5: Features of Customized Employment, cont.

•         Occurs in regular community workplaces or in self-owned businesses

•         Specific job duties are negotiated with employers, voluntarily, to customize the job

•         Involves pay of at least the minimum wage up to prevailing wage

 

Slide 6: Features of Customized Employment, cont.

•         Applicable to all users of workforce system

•         Includes on-going supports and reasonable accommodations, as appropriate

•         Starts with the individual as the source of information and direction to labor force

 

Slide 7:  What the CE Pilots Intended to Accomplish

Basing the projects with workforce system entities would promote integration of CE services into the mainstream rather than a separate system for jobseekers with disabilities. In the Mohawk Valley, the project is led by the Workforce Investment Board (Working Solutions, serving 3 counties). In Long Island, the project is led by a municipal one-stop center (HempsteadWorks, serving Nassau County).

 

 

Slide 8: Upstate Activity

CE Pilot Project Upstate NYMWP demonstration site: Working Solutions (as of July 2010)

Overview: 4 providers, 7 staff, 6 cases (4 active, 2 placed)

—  Oneida-Lewis ARC: two staff in training, one successful CE placement, one unofficial CE case successfully placed, new case in early Discovery.

—  Human Technologies Corp: one staff in training, one case completing Discovery soon.

—  Working Solutions WIB: three staff in training (incl. 2 DPNs), one case completing Discovery soon.

—  RCIL: one staff in training, one case completing Discovery soon.

 

Slide 9: Downstate Activity

CE Pilot Project Downstate NYMWP demonstration site: HempsteadWORKS One Stop Center (as of July 2010)

Overview:

—  4 provider agencies, 5 cases (4 active, 1 inactive)

—  Over 20 staff trained in total

—  Helen Keller,  Abilities, Mill Neck Services active, EAC inactive

—  CBVH, ACCES-VR and OPWDD teams active, DOL-One stop team inactive

—  Ongoing monthly technical assistance and case consultation provided to team

 

Slide 10:  Customized Process: Self-employment

  1. Discovery of the Potential Business Owner
  2. Discovery Meeting and Possible Team Recruitment
  3. Business Concept Plan and Team Identification
  4. Research of Potential Business Concepts
  5. Determination of Business Concept
  6. Business Plan Development
  7. Business Plan Finalization
  8. Implementation of Activities Prior to Starting
  9. Start Business
  10. Review and, as necessary, Revise Plan

 

Slide 11: The Employment Matrix

 

 

Competitive Employment

Customized Employment

Natural Supports and Reasonable Accommodation only

There are individuals who will need neither SE nor CE to become employed and to stay employed

 

There are individuals who will need CE to become employed but will not need SE to stay employed

 

Supported Employment and Natural Supports

There are individuals who will not need CE to become employed but who will need SE to stay employed

 

There are individuals who will need both CE to become employed and SE to stay employed

 

 

Slide 12: Customized Employment Process Highlights

 

Slide 13:  CE Process: DISCOVERY

Definition:  to gain insight or knowledge of something previously unseen or unknown; to notice or realize; to make known, reveal, disclose

 

Slide 14:   The Iceberg Analogy of Discovery

What we usually know about the people we try to assist – just the tip of the iceberg

We need to know much more

 

Slide 15: The role of discovery

Discovery provides, in a non-traditional, common-sense form, the information needed to determine the strengths, needs, and interests* of any person with  complex life issues.

This is accomplished by simply addressing the question, “Who is this person?”

* From DOL/ODEP definition

 

Slide 16: The focus of discovery

•         Conditions for Success (Needs)

•         Interests toward an aspect of the Labor Market (Interests)

•         Potential Contributions to Employers (Strengths)

 

Slide 17: We are all like pieces in a complex jig-saw puzzle

(image: a person with a question mark surrounded by puzzle pieces: Parents, close friends, professionals in our lives, self-concept, siblings, old friends, educators, co-workers, extended family, community members)

 

Slide 18: Discovery finds the pieces and puts them together

Image: A person holds a sign that says “This is who I am” in front of the now-assembled puzzle.

 

Slide 19: Discovery allows us to determine who the applicant is, their complexities, and potential contributions to employers.

Image: Small icons represent: The discoverty process, education, hobbies, transportation, responsibilities, interest areas, self-image, challenges, skills, complexities.

 

Slide 20:  Discovery = Translation

The finesse of discovery is to identify typical aspects of life and to translate those activities into:

 Conditions for success

 Interests toward employment and potential

Contributions to be offered to employers.

Discovery is essentially an activity of translation.

 

Slide 21:  Discovery facts

 

Slide 22:  The “Who” of Discovery

 

Slide 23: The “Where” of Discovery

 

Slide 24:   The “What” of Discovery: Identifying the best aspects of the person

·         Routines

·         Relationships

·         Responsibilities

·         Challenges

·         Associations

·         Friendships

·         Shops and Services

·         Tasks

·         Solutions

·         Connections

·         Education

·         Location

·         Life performance

·         Community inventory

 

Slide 25:  CE Process: PROFILE

 

Slide 26:  Discovery leads to a Profile document which is:

 

Slide27:  Discovery leads to a Profile document which is:

 

Slide 28:  Discovery leads to a Profile document which is:

This is perhaps the most important characteristic of the profile in that all persons can be described, regardless of the significance of their disability.

 

Slide 29:  Descriptiveness ► Competence

By focusing on a description of the performance of the individual, without the evaluative lens of ourselves and others, we have a chance to begin to see possibilities for competence and skills that might be offered to employers.

This is made possible due to the fact that descriptiveness gets at the concrete actions of the individual.  These actions have a direct connection to tasks needed by employer.

 

Slide 30:  Focus on performance

The best way to write descriptively is to focus on observable behavior of the individual – the person’s performance.  Since the profile is by nature an optimistic document, the focus should be on competence rather than on deficits.

When an individual’s challenges threaten to compromise the chance for competent behavior, describe the actual behavior and the solutions that work.

 

 

Slide 31:  Developing the Profile Documents

The Profile consists of three distinct parts that are developed as different times during discovery:

·         Part I: The Interview Intake Form

·         Part II: The Discovery Profile

·         Part III: The Plan Preparation Summary

Each Part plays a unique role in capturing the information of discovery.

 

Slide 32:  Part I: The Intake Interview Form

This form is filled in during or just following Steps 1 – 4 of the 20 Steps to Customization and Discovery.  The information contained in this component is factual and can be obtained through interviews with the job seeker and family and/or by scanning existing documentation.  This is general information written in a typical professional style.

 

 

Slide 33: Part II: The Discovery Profile

This component of the profile form contains the description of life domains that provides the necessary information for the translation and summarization aspects of Part III.  Facilitators are encouraged to provide a descriptive picture of the individual free of personal opinions, presumptions and evaluations .

 

Slide 34:  Profile Part III. Plan Preparation Summary

The third part of the Profile is the place at which summarization  and translation occur.  This section must be completed prior to the Customized Plan and may  be completed as an aspect of a Discovery Meeting (optional) held toward the end of discovery.  Summary statements, likelihood of occurrence and translations are acceptable.

 

 

Slide 35: CE Process: EMPLOYMENT PLANNING

A Strategy for Individualizing Job Development by…

Creating a Blueprint to be used by the Job Developer

 

Slide 36:  The Customized Employment Planning Meeting

This meeting identifies an individual’s conditions for employment, individual interests and potential contributions such as personality characteristics and tasks to be performed and then directs job development to meet those characteristics. 

 

Slide 37:  Introducing Sadie

 

Slide 38:   Sadie has a full life in the Natchez Community

(images: labeled  Photos of her house and her dad)

Slide 39:  A people person . . .

Images: Photographs of sadie with other people: Sadie’s colleagues on the yearbook staff at school, Sadie’s best friend, boyfriend, and teacher.

 

Slide 40:  Sadie has skills related to office work

                Images of Sadie using a computer and filing papers

Slide 41:  The Customized Employment Planning Meeting Flow

Section 1: What Does/Doesn’t Work

To get the meeting started, begin with a What Works/What doesn’t Work activity, charting responses from the group.

This activity serves to break the ice, to welcome input from members and to set the tone that the meeting belongs to the individual.

 

Slide 42:  What Works/What Doesn’t:  -examples-

What works”

What Doesn’t

 

Slide 43: The Customized Employment Planning Meeting Flow, cont.

Section 2: Characteristics of an Ideal Job

Ask the individual, with assistance as necessary from family members and educational personnel, to describe characteristics of his/her ideal job.  Write on the flip chart the key information that is given.  Define the ideal job in terms of the applicant’s:

 

Slide 44:  Conditions for Employment:  -examples-

 

Slide 45:  Interest Areas -examples-

This area will typically be the smallest in terms of number of characteristics listed.

 

Slide 46:  Contributions: Personality Characteristics: -examples-

 

Slide 47: Contributions -examples-

Contributions: Skills

·         Use Profile of Discovery, Part 5

Contributions: Experiences

·         Worked on Senior yearbook staff, NHS

·         Volunteered at church child care center

·         Sorts mail for all teachers at NHS

Contributions: Recommendations

·         Mr. Gibson, school principal

 

Slide 48:  The Customized Employment Planning Meeting Flow, cont.

Section 3: Development of a Task List

Use this activity to identify the types of job tasks that can be performed by the individual and that are felt to be needed in the local area, that meet the ideal characteristics.  This list will become the Task List in the applicant’s portfolio. List these tasks on a flip chart.

The task list from the profile is a useful resource in identifying tasks the individual wants to do.

 

Slide 49: Task List – examples –  (if possible, customize to various Interest areas)

Office

·         Shredding

·         Running errands

·         Delivery

·         Running copier

·         Filing

·         Sorting, collating

·         Matching checks with invoices

·         Stapling

·         Folding, stuffing, sealing, labeling

·         Light data entry

·         Faxing

·         Backing up files to CD

 

Slide 50:  Task List – examples, cont. –  (if possible, customize to various Interest areas)

Food Service

·         Cold food prep

·         Cutting

·         Portioning

·         Arrangement, layout

·         Serving in cafeteria line

·         Stocking salad bar

·         Cleaning salad bar

·         Condiment replenishment

 

Slide 51: Task List – examples, cont. – (if possible, customize to various Interest areas)

Retail Services

·         Folding, straightening,

·         Facing Stock

·         Unboxing,

·         Shelving

·         Hanging

·         Tagging

·         Installing/removing detection sensors

·         Restocking of returned stock

·         Inventory scanning, pricing

·         Light data entry

 

Slide 52: The Customized Employment Planning Meeting Flow, cont.

Section 4: Specific Employer List

Identify specific employers in the area who might need those types of job tasks.  Be specific, naming businesses in the area.  Be sure all of these businesses meet the key information identified in the applicant's ideal characteristics and task list.

Try to identify from 15 to 25 employers at this meeting.

 

 

Slide 53: List of Employers

Employers Tasks/Int.        Contacts

1.      Natchez Public Schools     O         EJ

2.      Natchez Regional Hospital           O/F/R 

3.      Adams County Sheriff       O         FJ

4.      St. Mary’s Catholic School            O/F      MW

5.      Circuit Clerk’s office         O         EJ

6.      Tax Collector’s office        O         EJ

7.      Natchez Democrat paper O         FJ

8.      Bluffs & Bayous paper      O        

9.      95.1 Radio O         EJ

10.  B&K Bank  O         FJ

11.  United Mississippi Bank   O         EJ

 

Slide 54: List of Employers, Continued

Employers              Tasks/Int.  Contacts

12.  Co-Lin Community Co.      O         MW

13.  Entergy - Callon Oil          O         FJ

14.  Isle of Capri           O/F/R 

15.  Caters Dept. Store            R/O     EJ

16.  Belks Dept. Store  R/O

17.  JC Penny    R/O

18.  Stage         R

19.  Shoe Dept.            R

20.  Payless Shoes        R

21.  Diane’s Frame Shop          ?          NT

22.  Bookland   R/O

 

Slide 55: CE Process: PORTFOLIOS

Developing Representational Portfolios for Presenting Job Seekers to Employers

Developing and using presentational portfolios to negotiate customized jobs

 

Slide 56: Two distinct portfolios

Organization Portfolio

·         Communicates concept of CE

·         Gives visual examples of CE and persons with disab.

·         Outlines essential selling points

·         Describes supports

Individual Portfolio

·         Introduces, visually, job seeker

·         Shows competent performance

·         Shows unique features of job seeker

·         Presents Task List

 

Slide 57: CE Process:  PORTFOLIOS

Sample Organization Portfolio

 

Slide 58:  MG&A: Twenty five years of serving employers and persons with disabilities

(Image: picture of person using an assistive device on a computer)

 

Slide 59:  We match job seeker skills with employer needs

The people we represent have unique skills to contribute to your business.

Our job is to determine whether you have specific needs which match these skills.

If a match is identified, a job description is customized to suit both you and the applicant with a disability.

 

Slide 60:  Customized Employment

The US Department of Labor is encouraging employers and applicants to consider negotiating an employment relationship when current job descriptions and other expectations create a barrier. 

This concept is known as customized employment.

 

Slide 61: Sample job

Stocking check-out islands, assisting advertising, un-boxing electronic equipment, etc.

(image of a man stocking a retail display)

 

Slide 62:  Mailroom assistance and inter-office delivery

Image of a woman sorting mail

Slide 63: Updating a customer database

A man sits at a computer in a wheelchair

Slide 64:  Inventory Control tasks

A young man scans barcodes

Slide 65: Targeted maintenance and cleaning

A man cleans a guitar

Slide 66:  Sorting and filing of excess paperwork

A man sorts papers into stacks

Slide 67:  Spot cleaning to reduce “slip and falls”

            A man wrings his mop

 

Slide 68: Tour and Needs Analysis

Before any agreement is made, we offer a free needs assessment.

We can either observe your various business procedures, or we can assist you to do so, to identify potential needs within your company.

 

Slide 69:  Customized Employment targets specific worksite issues:

·         Episodic duties

·         Slower components of tasks

·         Back-ups/Bottlenecks

·         Material/tool supply

·         Interruptions

·         Additional assistance to meet high work demands

·         Unattended materials/products

·         Waste/scrap materials

·         Misplaced materials/goods

·         Dusty, broken, dirty goods/materials

·         Unsafe or unsightly conditions

·         Inconvenient location of materials

 

Slide 70:  Job Analysis: The foundation of success

Once a customized job description has been negotiated and approved by you, we spend time in your business looking at the way you do things, the means you use to train and support employees and the people you assign for supervision.  This information, along with your unique culture, becomes the basis of our support plan.

 

Slide 71:  We listen to your ideas

Image: the young man with the barcode scanner and his job coach

 

Slide 72:  We discover the means you use to teach new employees

Image: Someone watches as a new employee learns a task

 

Slide 73:  We provide support staff when needed to support your people

Two women talk while a young man practices a job.

 

Slide 74:  We help your employees to feel competent supporting your new employee

A younger woman shows an older woman how to assemble a  product.

 

Slide 75:  A Recap of Customized Employment

·         Targeting specific unmet needs with an employee who is matched to the job tasks

·          Negotiating of a customized job description

·          Analyzing on your company’s culture and needs

·          Supporting both you and your new employee, as needed

·          Committing to do things your way with open communication

 

Slide 76:  CE Process: PORTFOLIOS

Sample Individual Portfolio

 

Slide 77:  The Individual Portfolio

·         The Individual Portfolio offers an alternative when applicants do not have persuasive resumes and experiences.

·         This portfolio is a form of a “visual resume” that introduces job seekers who need customized employment to potential employers.

 

Slide 78:  Jenni Guthrie

 

Slide 79:  Jenni is a recent graduate of Ocean Springs High School…

(image: Jenni in graduation robes between her parents)

 

Slide 80:  She has a strong work ethic that started with performing family chores…

Image: Jenni takes out the recycling

 

Slide 81:  In school she helped out in the cafeteria…

Image: Jenni wipes a table

 

Slide 82: And in the local library…

Image: Jenni puts away kids books

 

Slide 83:  She was also employed at VL Logistics for a year and a half…

Image: Jenni unpacks a box

Slide 84: Her job involved preparation of US Navy baseball caps for an embroidery machine…

Image: Jenni carries a box past a machine

 

Slide 85:  Jenni Guthrie is:

·         The daughter of Foley and Sheree Ransom.

·         A 1999 graduate of Ocean Springs High School with a Special Education diploma.

·         A member of St. John’s Episcopal Church

·         A life-long resident of Ocean Springs.

·         A young woman who wants to stay and work in her local community.

 

Slide 86:  Jenni is looking for an employer who has needs in the following areas:

  1. Material/product delivery
  2. Envelope stuffing
  3. Stapling/stamping
  4. Production tasks
  5. Packing, unpacking, labeling
  1. Sorting/folding
  2. Putting things up/straightening
  3. Material sorting
  4. Recycling
  5. Assisting/helping

 

Slide 87:  CE Process:  EMPLOYER NEEDS ANALYSIS

Conducting an Employer Needs Analysis

Developing the Employer’s side of the “needs template” for customizing job descriptions

 

Slide 88:  From the employer’s side

Unmet workplace needs

CE provides a strategy for employers to focus on the unmet needs that inevitably occur in a time of multi-tasking, high expectation demand.

Tasks performed better by others

CE can focus on the discrete tasks of job descriptions relating to highly skilled and credentialed positions in workplaces.

Specific employee competencies

CE can utilize specific job seeker competencies based on discovering their “strengths, needs and interests” and matches and negotiates with existing employer needs.

 

Slide 89:  Job based on an Informational Interview

Identified general needs in:

·         Reception

·         DJs area

·         Advertising

·         Station Managers Office

 

Slide 90:  Episodic task: Setting up a drum set

(image: A young man assembles a drum kit)

 

Slide 91:  Slower component/Task better performed by others: Inserting background greenery

A man finishes floral displays

 

Slide 92:  Negotiating a Needs Analysis

Job developers can offer three options for conducting a Needs Analysis:

1.      Conduct the Analysis at no charge to the employer

2.      Conduct the Analysis in a partnership between employer representative and provider

3.      If desired, have the employer conduct the Analysis without assistance

 

Slide 93:  CE Process: JOB DEVELOPMENT

Customized Employment: Engaging and Negotiating with Employers

Engaging Employers from the Applicant’s side of the Equation

 

Slide 94:  The sales aspect of job development

Customized job development is primarily a negotiation interaction with employers that seeks to find an intersection between employer needs and job seeker contribution.

 

Slide 95:  Successful Job Development

Sales focused steps…

·         PROSPECTING: RESEARCH AND PLANNING

·         MAKING EMPLOYER CONTACTS: GETTING IN THE DOOR

·         HOLDING THE INITIAL MEETING: MAKING YOUR PITCH TO EXPLAIN CE

·         FOLLOW-UP NEGOTIATIONS - MAKING THE FINAL MATCH: EMPLOYER/JOB SEEKER

·         CLOSING THE DEAL

 

Slide 96:  In Conclusion: Customized Employment Values

·         All individuals are considered to be employable, no evals necessary

·         This is a person-centered, person-driven process

·         For wage employment: No job openings, only customized, negotiated relationships

·         The need for support is assumed but only offered as necessary

 

Slide 97:  For additional information:

on Customized Employment

•         onestops.info

•         dol.gov/odep

•         marcgold.com

on New York Makes Work Pay

•         Nicole LaCorte-Klein nllacort@law.syr.edu 315.480.9153 Downstate

•         Deborah Greene dlgreene@law.syr.edu 315.560.6348

 

 

 

End of presentation