Transcript Postsecondary Program Employment Practices for Individuals

Postsecondary Program Employment
Practices for Individuals Labeled with
Intellectual Disabilities
David Westling
Western Carolina University, UP Program Director
Seb Prohn
UP Program Faculty Liaison & Outreach Coordinator
Objectives
• Describe the University Participant Program’s
3 facet approach to student employment
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What is the UP Program?
• Pilot program in 2007
• Provides a two year, fully inclusive on-campus
living and learning experience for college-aged
individuals with intellectual disabilities
• 8 participants attending
• Model demonstration site in NC and one of 27
national TPSID projects
• Satellite programs throughout NC
Five UP Program Components
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Personal Development
Community Participation
Vocational Preparation
Social Participation and Learning
Course Auditing (e.g. auditing 2 to 4 courses
per semester)
 Participants must pay current university fees
for auditing courses.
UP Certificate Requirements
 Completion of 1800 hours of learning activities
over a four semester period
 Achieve at least 80% of the objectives per
semester in their Individual Plan for College
Participation (IPCP)
 Recommended for UP Certificate of
Accomplishment by the UP coordinator and UP
Program Steering Committee based on satisfactory
academic progress
The role of classes
• Vocational Goals
– Examples
• Career Counseling
• Natural Resource Management
• Disc Golf?
• Personal Interest
– What is to be gained?
• Time management
• High expectations
• Critical thinking
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SPED 493: Career Development
• Vocational Training
– Method
• Modules
• One-on-one support
– Topics
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Job fair preparation
Job search skills: websites & print media
Interview skills
Application completion
Cover letter construction
Resume completion & distribution
Parents’ Role
• Training
– Awareness building
• Vocational Rehabilitation services
• Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN)
• Ticket To Work (SSI recipients)
– Income and Benefits
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Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS)
Impairment Related Work Experiences (IRWE)
Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) of Benefits
Calculating total gross income (adjusted SSI payments)
• Networking & Community Mapping
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First Hand Experiences
• On-campus internship experiences from WCU
UP Participants
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Memorandum of Understanding
Employers Agree To…
UP Program Agrees To…
•Provide 10 hours of work per week
•Ensure support of participant
•Provide evaluative feedback about
participant’s performance
•Work with employer to provide onthe-job training
•Make reasonable accommodations
for participant needs
•Ensure participant fulfills job
responsibilities to the best of his or
her ability
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Collaborative Partnerships
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Athletic Department
University Housing
Campus Recreation Center
Catamount Clothing and Gift Store
Methodist Church
EnTOURage
Facilities Management
Greenhouse
Hunter Library
Kneedler Child Development Center
Student Mail Services
Cullowhee Kids Preschool at Cullowhee United
School of Teaching and Learning (Personnel Preparation grant in
severe disabilities)
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Evaluating performance
• Participants use self-monitoring systems,
recording progress on personalized work goals
• Supports follow up with participants and
document progress via online survey
• Employers complete work evaluations at the
end of each internship
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Self-Monitoring System for
Participants
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Employer Evaluation
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What Employers Have to Say
“[Participant] has been an
absolute pleasure. She
has grown tremendously
during the time she has
spent here. We have
learned so much and
hope that she has gained
some knowledge about
the Early Childhood field.”
Daycare Center Director
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More Employer Impressions
• “He is also becoming more and more
independent in all of the tasks we assign him.
It’s been great to see him improve and he has
a great attitude at work!”
• “[Participant] has continued to do a great job
with us this semester. He has definitely
improved and has received great feedback
from our tour attendees.”
Beyond UP: Jobs in the Community
Child Care
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ARC After School Care
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Easter Seals (Hired but no clients are available)
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Turning Point Services, Inc.
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The ARC of Asheville
Landscaping/Greenhouse/Gardening
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Lowe’s
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Wal-Mart
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Country Roads County Store and Greenhouse
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The Chalet Inn – Groundskeeper position
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Jackson County Recreation Center
Office Work
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Staples
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Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
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The Arc of Haywood County
Food Services
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Pizza Hut
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Long John Silvers
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Blue Mt. Coffee and Grill
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Ingles
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McDonalds
Questions or Comments?
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Contact Information
• Seb Prohn: [email protected]; 828 227
2712
• David Westling: [email protected];
828-227-3287