The 2012 MNTAT Web Series will be a combination of presentations and seminars on creating economic opportunity for people with disabilities through wage and self-employment. The presentations will focus on topics that people have told us are most important to them. The seminars, which will occur every other month, will have an area of emphasis for discussion and problem solving. MNTAT and Griffin-Hammis Associates will deliver the presentations as well as be on the line during the problem-solving seminars. This will be a unique opportunity to learn from some of the best practitioners and trainers in the country. For more information about the web series or to register for individual sessions, please contact bniemiec@griffinhammis.com. Space is limited to 25 internet connections, so act quickly. We look forward to talking with you in 2012.
| 2/9/2012 | An Introduction to Customized Employment and Discovery Finding a job that “fits” the jobseeker can be a challenge, and often people end up employed in situations that do not really fit them in one way or another. That is to say the job is not consistent with an individual’s interests or skills, the workplace is not a good environmental fit for the individual, and/or the person is not able to maximize their potential to contribute and perform.
Customized employment goes beyond traditional approaches using highly individualized processes to identify opportunities and build or create employment that is highly tailored to the individual but is also clearly valuable to the employer. The foundation for finding jobs that meet a jobseeker’s ideal conditions of employment is knowing the individual and knowing the community. Through Discovery and Career Planning, support staff and members of a jobseeker’s employment team really get to know an individual, exploring interests, new environments, new tasks to uncover or discover individual preferences and skills. Concurrently, the jobseeker and support staff explore the community, building connections, and learning about different opportunities, types of work, employers, etc.
This session will cover various topics including: the discovery process, assessment v. real experience, use of various tools, employment teams, person-centered planning, vocational profiles, visual portfolios, discovering the ideal conditions of employment (including wage job or self-employment), developing the job search plan including non-negotiables and negotiables, looking for opportunity in the community.
To register for this event, contact bniemiec@griffinhammis.com.
Instructor(s): Bob Niemiec |
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| 3/6/2012 | National Job Development Survey Instructor(s): Cary Griffin |
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| 4/12/2012 | Discovery and Transition This session will concentrate on how Discovery can be integrated into Transition Planning for students with disabilities. We will discuss how to explore a variety of work experiences with young people, observe their interests, preferences and tendencies, and use the information to help direct a positive employment future. To register, contact bniemiec@griffinhammis.com Instructor(s): Ellen Condon, Rural Institute on Disabilities, University of Montana |
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| 5/8/2012 | Anatomy of a Job: Deconstructing Work to Create Opportunity Customized Employment represents a departure from traditional job development strategies often based on charity and looking for “open” jobs in companies that “are hiring.” Since companies are always hiring - hiring workers who match their culture and produce profits - the identification of valued tasks and ecological fit are significant. There are numerous critical ingredients required to create employment. Some of these include:
1. Identifying an Individual’s Vocational Themes
2. Gathering advice and information from others with similar Themes
3. Developing lists of skills and tasks the person can do or readily learn that relate to the Themes
4. Circumventing traditional comparative & competitive approaches to finding employment
5. Finding a good ecological fit in a company where the skills, tasks, and other contributions are valued
6. Deconstructing existing jobs and developing new jobs and tasks a person can do for pay (or as a business) that relate to their Vocational Themes
7. Using an economic development strategy while Negotiating this newly constructed job with an employer
This seminar uses a Customized Employment framework to explore how employers initially construct jobs and job descriptions, and how to use basic job analysis techniques and interest-based negotiation to engineer new positions in companies that provide solid ecological fitment.
Register for this webinar via email: bniemiec@griffinhammis.com Instructor(s): Cary Griffin |
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| 6/14/2012 | Informational Interviews In this presentation, we will discuss the practice of conducting effective informational interviews with businesses on the Lists of 20. You will learn about the types of interviews, the objectives for each type, and how to follow up. To register, contact bniemiec@griffinhammis.com. Instructor(s): Megan Zeilinger |
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| 7/12/2012 | Social Security Work Incentives and PASS Plans More info to come. Instructor(s): Janet Stevely, Senior Consultant, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC |
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| 8/9/2012 - 8/12/2012 | Understanding the Role of Vocational Themes in Discovery and Creative Job Development Identifying 3 Vocational Themes is a fundamental piece of Discovering Personal Genius (DPG). Along with the Ideal Conditions of Employment, vocational themes direct the job seeker to enviornments and businesses that take advantage of their unique talents and abilities. In this presentation, Cary Griffin will provide insights and techniques to help you discern vocational themes. Instructor(s): Cary Griffin, Senior Partner, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC |
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| 9/13/2012 | Introduction to Self-Employment Self-employment is booming across America with an estimated 20 million Americans owning home-based businesses. The self-employment rate is growing at over 20% annually. Between 1990 and 1994, microenterprise (businesses employing 1 to 5 workers) generated 43% of all new jobs in the United States. This cultural and economic shift of taking individual opportunity, which appears to be largely unaffected by good or bad economic times, presents another promising career option to individuals with significant disabilities.
Self-employment is another option under the Customized Employment umbrella of vocational approaches. Business ownership relies on the same basic assumptions and practices too. In this session you will learn how to build self-employment capacity as a funded service working with various entities, such as university programs and state disability agencies, DD Councils, Mental Health Authorities, Vocational Rehabilitation, Workforce Investment Programs and community rehabilitation providers.
Instructor(s): Cary Griffin, Senior Partner, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC |