Transcript business development cestero.ppt

New York AgrAbility
Business Development
Team
New York AgrAbility Objectives
for Self-Employment Assistance
Training Project
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Learn about the self-employment resources
available for those we serve.
Learn more about self-employment benefits
available to those with disabilities.
Establish the working relationships and plans of
action necessary for fully integrating services and
providing continuity to our consumers.
National AgrAbility Training Team
Project Objective
“To help Project staff identify a Self-Employment
Development Team of rehabilitation personnel,
friends, family, employers, tribal members,
community members, and other helping agency
personnel, through a person-centered business
planning process, for…client participants to be
assisted in developing self-employment supports.”
Training Team Project Objectives
Types of BDT’s
1. Community Focus – stage events, deal with local
issues, systems change, funding/resource
development
2. Individual Focus – for an individual needing many
supports, client chooses supports
NY AgrAbility BDT Objectives
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Develop an effective Business Development Team
Learn more about partner agencies
Serve AgrAbility clients more effectively
Improve networking
help with business plan
development
Choosing Members
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NY AgrAbility staff (heads up team)
Small Business Educators (local bank/ CCE)
Coordinator of Supported Employment, ILC
Public Relations/Peer Counselor, ILC
Disabilities Program Navigator (DOL)
Employment Services Manager, Employment Connection
(non-profit working with people with disabilities)
Director of Counseling, VR (VESID)
Community Economic Development Project Coordinator
Team Mission
Helping to make self-employment
accessible to consumers with
disabilities.
Team Goals
Community –
1. Dealing with local issues affecting selfemployment
2. Funding/resource development
3. Staging events
4. Systems change
Individual –
1. Advocating for the consumer with a disability
2. Assisting the consumer in choosing supports
Sample Meeting Structure
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Meet once a month (regular meeting time)
News from each member
Everyone goes away with an assignment to report
back on at next meeting – reporting at next meeting
takes 3 minutes
Guest speaker or person with disability with business
idea (rotates at each meeting)
Sample Meeting Agenda
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News & Updates
Report back on assignments
Consumer brainstorming session or presentation
Determine speaker or consumer for next meeting
Give new assignments
Sample Presenters
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PASS/Social Security Training
Small Business Development Center
VR (VESID)
Community economic development project designed
to: 1) educate fiber and textile craftspeople interested
in starting their own business & 2) open a community
textile manufacturing facility that employs people and
provides training
Additional Sample Presenters
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Small Business Educators
University Mechanical Engineering Professor
(works with senior design and freshman classes) –
has fabricated AT for people with disabilities)
Disability Program Navigator
Independent Living Center
VESID - funded Supportive Employment Service
Small Business Consumers
AgrAbility consumer began a small basil farm
(featured in recent AP article on farmers with arthritis)
 AgrAbility consumer expanding a horse-breeding
business and beginning a “marriage carriage” and
horse and carriage service for other events
 AgrAbility worked with an individual with quadriplegia
to complete a professional power point presentation
(as a result, he went on to receive the NYS
Achiever’s Award recognizing individuals who have
triumphed over physical challenges)
 AgrAbility consumer wanting to increase the size and
efficiency of his dairy business
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How has AgrAbility used BDT
to assist our consumers?
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Provided professional expertise of team for
brainstorming business ideas, marketing, exploring
licensing/permits/ agreements needed, expense and
revenue planning
Discussed with consumer how benefits such as
SSDI/SSI will be affected
Discussed PASS plans with consumers as
appropriate
Helped AgrAbility connect consumers to appropriate
professionals for additional assistance
Helped AgrAbility staff learn how to better work with
consumers who want to start small businesses
Benefits of BDT
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Facilitated a strong collaborative network of
professionals from various agencies working together
on behalf of individuals with disabilities who are
exploring self-employment
Professional education
Learned how to better assist AgrAbility consumers
engaged in self-employment ventures
Limitations of BDT
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Membership has been limited by physical location of
members
Staff turnover at agencies involved
Other work obligations sometimes supersede member
attendance
Our group has focused on individual goals rather than
formally on community goals (only part of our mission)
Consumer case discussions are dependent on the
availability of consumers with whom we are working
Overall, has it been worthwhile?
YES
The National AgrAbility Project
Self-Employment Assistance
Training Project objectives were met.
The Business Development
Team objectives were met.