Employment
Disability Voices United offers training to support participant employment. The Self-Determination Program offers many more options for employment services and supports than the traditional system. The What Works for Us program was funded through the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) Grant. This grant created this three-part What Works for Us training.
What Works for Us
New and Innovative Employment Options for participants in the Self-Determination Program
This training series highlights how the Self-Determination Program can offer personalized and unique employment support.
- Foundation: The series began with a national report on Promising Practices and Strategies for States to Promote CIE for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Highlights of the Report:
- Research showcasing the benefits for employers who hire people with disabilities.
- Data on workforce participation levels for people with disabilities.
- Strategies to increase competitive integrated employment in California.
Read the full report here:
Getting more people with disabilities into the workplace, especially people with developmental disabilities, is all about access. Getting employment in the traditional system can feel daunting and inaccessible, especially if you have a lot of access or support needs, or if your career path is not one of the very specific jobs the system is set up to prepare people for. Meanwhile, the Self-Determination Program (SDP) prioritizes people’s choice, control, and dignity; it allows people to create new roads to employment where none might have existed before. Check out the chart below for some more examples of what seeking employment looks like in the traditional system, versus the SDP.
Traditional System
- Supports very specific kinds of jobs – ex. Food service, retail, janitorial
- Limited to vendored service providers
- Focused on full- and part-time in-person jobs that are typically shift work
- Supports not personalized to an individual’s skills, dreams and goals, or preferences
- Must be “job ready” before a job search can begin
- Focused on fitting person into available supports
Self-Determination Program
- Can support any job a person is interested in – ex. Some of the people profiled in this book are pursuing animation, child care, public speaking
- Can pick staff and supporters who work for you, your needs, and your career path
- Can accommodate remote work, contract work, self-employment, microenterprises, and many other working arrangements
- Entire program is based exclusively around somebody’s skills, dreams and goals, and preferences
- Can support learning/training and job searching at the same time
- Focus on finding and adapting resources to the person who’s being supported
Training Series Overview
Part 1: Employment and the Self-Determination Program
Explore real-world experiences of SDP participants on their employment journey. Learn about overcoming barriers, finding support, and achieving success.
Part 2: Employment and Public Benefits
Understand the relationship between employment and public benefits like SSI. Learn from experts about how working can impact benefits and ways to navigate this complex topic.
Part 3: Person-Centered Planning and Micro Enterprises
Dive into creating employment goals through person-centered planning. Explore modern employment trends, including the gig economy and micro-enterprises, and how these options fit into a self-determined life.
Videos
Part 1: Employment and the Self-Determination Program
What Works for Us is a three-part series based on Self-Determination Program participant interviews, we will share stories of real-world experiences of people on their employment journey. They talk about barriers, fears, supports, and wins! You will learn how the Self-Determination Program can offer new opportunities that were not available in the traditional regional center system. We look forward to an interactive conversation to discuss “What Works for us!”.
Part 2: Employment and Public Benefits
What Works for Us Part 2: This is the second of a three-part series on Employment and the Self-Determination Program. Participants and their loved ones shared their concerns about the impact of employment on public benefits. This is a huge topic and can be highly individualized. Let’s start at the basics and learn from experts on SSI and employment.
Part 3: Person-Centered Planning and Micro Enterprises
What Works for Us Part 3: The final training in our three-part series on Employment and the Self-Determination Program. It all starts with the Person Centered Plan! Let’s talk about how employment goals, hopes, and dreams are included in person-centered plans. Let’s discuss why employment should always be an option in a self-determined life. Finally, let’s talk about what employment looks like in 2024 including micro-enterprises and the gig economy.
Profiles in Self-Determination: All About Employment
This upcoming book supplements the What Works for Us training series, featuring case studies and stories of individuals thriving under SDP.
- Focus:
- Highlights diverse backgrounds and support needs.
- Showcases patterns of flexibility and empowerment within SDP.
- Emphasizes the importance of employment in a self-determined life.
The book is a testament to how SDP helps participants find meaningful and fulfilling employment opportunities.
Coming soon to Amazon!
More on Employment
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