Transcript Overview of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for

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Identify the factors and data that drove creation
of the TCEW
Describe the process used to develop and rollout the TCEW
Explore early data results
Present the importance of partnership with the
state educational agency
Provide attendees with an electronic link to the
TCEW curriculum
Located within the Maine Department of
Labor
 Received 3900 applications in 2013
 Approximately 1/3 of DVR’s clients are
transition age youth
 DVR encourages applications from high
school students within two years of
graduation
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Under an Order of Selection since 2001
 Serving only Most Significantly Disabled
with an average wait time of 25 weeks
 No Queue for You (NoQ4U) - project
launched in Fall 2008 to eliminate waiting
list and move out of Order of Selection
 Examined DVR services from entrance to
exit
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“Plan Development” was a core
component of the wait list project
 Found that more comprehensive
vocational counseling was needed in
employment planning
 CEW was developed and implemented
statewide as a result
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Workgroup of NoQ4U focused on services
to youth in transition
 After piloting, team recognized that the
general CEW curriculum needed
adaptation to best assist high school
students and young adults
 TCEW development team included:
Transition VRCs; a special educator;
youth and young adults in transition; DVR
management and staff who created the
general CEW curriculum
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Training provided over three days for all Transition
VR Counselors, interested school personnel, and
a targeted school-based AmeriCorps project
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Transition VRCs were encouraged to present the
curriculum to school staff and partners
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Curriculum made available electronically via
website
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◦ Co-taught (VRC & high school teacher) course in
public and special purpose private schools
◦ Offered as an after-school activity
◦ Offered in collaboration with adult education
◦ Taught as a mini-course over school breaks
◦ Co-facilitated by trained student leader
◦ TCEW module offered as a workshop session at postsecondary resource fair
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A new curriculum designed to help students discover
employment possibilities in an interactive team
environment
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TCEW is offered in modules that make it flexible for
delivery in schools, adult ed, community organizations or
other settings
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TCEW includes numerous assessments that can support
transition planning
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TCEW is available for use independently or in conjunction
with VR
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The TCEW is available online in easy to use
modules
Topics include:
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Career Decision Making
Learning Styles
Strengths & Aptitudes
Disability Disclosure
Employer Expectations
Developing an Employment Plan
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Assessments
◦ Employment Readiness Scale
◦ World of Work Inventory
Also:
◦ Barsch Learning Style Inventory
◦ Self-Management Checklist
◦ Transferrable Skills Checklist
◦ Games and activities that promote soft skills and serve
as informal assessments
http://www.maine.gov/rehab/73422/maine_cew/cew
_transition/index.html
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18 modules (35 sessions total)
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Sessions are estimated at 45 minutes which can
vary depending on group size, skill level and
needs of participants.
What we are learning
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Memorandum of Understanding
◦ Promotes better coordination of the process of student
transition
◦ Focuses on outreach and communication, personnel
development, information and referral, service provision
State Personnel Development Grant
◦ Transition one of five targeted goals
◦ Focus on collaborative training
◦ TCEW included as a strategy to improve compliance
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Increased collaboration with Maine Dept. of Ed
Increased partnership and engagement with
schools
New tool to engage youth
But…
Challenges with systemic roll-out
Challenges with comprehensive data collection
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Strengthen evaluation and data collection
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Continue to increase use of TCEW to inform
transition planning
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Management of TCEW use by partner
agencies
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A “hot off the press” Career Exploration Workshop
version
Designed to assist individuals with intellectual
disabilities, low literacy, ESL
Uses pictorial assessments
Designed to be used in pre-vocational settings
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Visit the link below for full access to the entire
Career Exploration Workshop series curricula
 Career Exploration Workshop
 Transition Career Exploration Workshop
 Bridge – Pathways to Employment
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http://www.maine.gov/rehab/73422/maine_cew/
Betsy Hopkins, Director
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
150 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0150
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 207-623-6745
Fax: 207-287-5292
Libby Stone-Sterling, Assistant Director
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
150 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0150
(207)623-7943 (v)
1-888-755-0023 (TTY)
[email protected]
Karen D. Fraser, Director
Systems Improvement and Quality
Assurance
Maine Dept. of Labor
Bureau of Rehabilitation Services
150 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0150
Tel. (207) 623-7961
E-mail: [email protected]
Maine Department of Labor provides Equal Opportunity in employment and programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities upon request