Job Squad Inc's Community Economic Development Blog

2011-12-29T17:13:00.101-05:00

Micro-Loan is Jerry's "Ticket-to-Work"

Jerry just landed a management position with the Hair Cuttery of Charles Town, West Virginia.

(click on photo to watch interview)

After being unemployed for over 10 years, he is happy to be back working in the profession he loves.

Jerry’s career in cosmetology spans over a decade. He has worked in hi-end salons from the suburbs of Washington D.C. to the sunny beaches of Florida. One of the high points of his career was running his own styling salon on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

But then a decision to join the armed forces led to some unusual experiences. Jerry served alongside Special Forces who were in arctic combat training while stationed in Alaska. His health was at its peak when he decided to leave the service. Not long afterward, Jerry developed a condition necessitating double hip replacement surgery. Resultant complications left him with excruciating pain that was unmanageable. In this condition employment seemed completely out of the question.

In 2010, while undergoing therapy at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center he met Laura and fell in love. After being happily married for almost a year Jerry decided it was time to try going back to work. After considering a number of employment possibilities he came to the conclusion that going back into cosmetology was his best shot.

The biggest barrier Jerry had in returning to the profession was financial. He knew that he was eligible for using a Social Security work incentive called Ticket-to-Work. Locating Job Squad through the Employment Network listings in West Virginia he made a call.

After explaining how the “Ticket” program works, the question was asked: “What do you need to return to work?” After a few minutes Jerry had a mental list of things which included: one of the latest editions Milady’s Standard Cosmetology (around $100); a mannequin for taking the state cosmetology license exam; a set of professional quality clippers, trimmers, and edgers (starting around $1,000 and going to the many thousands of $s); a custom built stool that would give him the need support without aggravating his pain; and the fee for exam, license, and travel expenses. It all conservatively totaled a little over $2,000. After being out of the profession for over 15 years Jerry only had his extensive experience. He needed to start over with getting his professional license and equipment.

Job Squad has a micro-loan fund that is available to persons who have a critical barrier standing between them and employment. Arrangements were made for Jerry to receive a loan. After a year of hard work, he passed his cosmetology exam on the first try with flying colors. But on top of that, after his interview with the Hair Cuttery, a well established company with over 1,000 salons nationwide, Jerry was offered a management position.

Congratulations on your successful return to the Cosmetology profession. Job Squad wishes you future success in pursuit of your dreams.

Document Destruction Assistant

2011-12-27T19:03:00.004-05:00

Derek has been working at Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV since April 1,2011. I had the privileged to begin working with Derek as his career counselor in September 2010. Derek previously worked for 21 years in a local sheltered workshop. Other than the sheltered workshop he had no other employment history. Derek has been very lucky to have strong family support.We was fortunate to use his family and social networks for the development of his work site.Derek was very persuasive with his desire to be an employee of the college, where both of his parents had retired. Initially we worked with the WV Department of Rehabilitation Services to develop a suitable work training program. We contemplated the possibility of writing a PASS, use of an IRWE, or resource ownership were tools discussed but the college was in favor of hiring Derek as a temporary,part time employee. Derek was hired for 750 hours at minimum wage. This particular employment venture has given him the opportunity to make new friends and to develop working relationships with his co-workers. Derek was given the title of a " Document Destruction Assistant". With such a strong title came the responsibility of shredding sensitive documents and forms for the college. Derek initially received 100% job coaching but his performance enabled us to fade in September 2011. Derek is a hard worker, and he has the ability of staying focused and precise. Derek's smile and enthusiasm has been a wonderful addition for the staff at Wesleyan college.

Sandy Marfield

A job of her own

2011-12-14T12:33:00.002-05:00

Angela has been working at the Morgantown Early Learning Facility (ELF) for the past four years. Angela has been receiving job coaching assistance from Job Squad from the beginning. Angela’s job duties include: ensuring the children are safe during playtime outside, prepping for lunch, preparing tooth brushes following meals, meal clean up, activity initiation while indoors and outdoors, nap prep/back rubs, and other general day care duties. Angela has been working three days a week for 5 hours per day. Over the past four years Angela has gained the experience and the confidence to complete all of her job duties independently. For the past year, Angela’s Job Coach, has been encouraging ELF administrators and Angela’s Title XIX Waiver team to begin job coach fading, because Angela no longer requires assistance with her job duties. Angela’s Supported Employment Team with Job Squad has been on board with job coach fading from the beginning. Angela’s family has also been open to job coach fading once Angela proved that she is able to complete her duties on her own.

This summer Angela’s Job Coach spoke with the Administrators of ELF and it was agreed that Angela should begin job coach fading immediately. Evidently the new administrators are greatly impressed with Angela’s work. She has been hailed as one of the best employees at ELF. Not only is Angela approved for job coach fading but she will also increase her hours of work per week. By the end of June Angela is now totally independent at ELF. She receives only transportation support from Job Squad. Angela is working Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursday’s from 11am-4:30pm. Her summer hours increase as her schedule allows.

Angela has been a success of her own making. Through hard work and determination she has proved her worth as an important member of the team at ELF. Congratulations to Angela!

2011 PASS Update: $180,516,000 (About $181 Million!) Still Available Yearly for WV Economic Development

2011-12-01T07:21:00.003-05:00

In December 2010, there were 25,788 individuals in West Virginia receiving both SSI and SSDI benefits. Click here for the very similar 2010 version of this post and here for the 2009 version of this post, which briefly describes the "perfect Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) potential" of SSI/SSDI beneficiaries. The average PASS totals about $7,000/year, which means that there is potentially $178,780,000 available for these beneficiaries to use towards a work goal.

Some West Virginia PASSes:

Resource Ownership
College
Training
Self-Employment (still in negotiations with PASS Cadre)
Determining a Vocational Goal

Over the life of these PASSes (assuming the self-employment PASS will be approved), over $90,000 of additional resources will be set aside by these individuals for use towards a work goal.

In the Iowa New Entrepreneurs video, below, Nic and Lori both used PASS to help fund their business start-ups.

My Medicaid Matters

2011-09-25T15:52:00.000-04:00

MY MEDICAID MATTERS!

My medicaid matters...... That is the message that was being shouted through the streets of Washington D.C. on September 18th, 19th , 20th and 21st. Over 250 people from ADAPT chapters all over the country came to Washington to voice their concerns about possible cuts to medicaid. The group marched through the streets of D.C., to the white house where they held a rally. People with and without disabilities talked about what medicaid means to them.

Medicaid not only pays for healthcare. It also pays for medication, wheelchairs, and other medical equipment for people with disabilities, the elderly and people with low income. Medicaid provides services such as personal care, respit and supported employment. Many people with disabilities need support to be able to live and work in their communities. Medicaid helps provide those supports. Without those services, some people may not be able to get out of bed in the mornings, take a bath, or even go to the bathroom. Without these services, many people with disabilities could be forced leave their homes and communities and move into nursing homes. ADAPT spoke out about their need for medicaid and, how the cuts would impact their lives.

Monday, September 19th, the group marched to one of the capitol office buildings. ADAPT members stopped by the offices of two Super Committee members to demand that Representative Camp, Representative Hensarling and other Republicans agree to support the "millionaire's tax;" and provide ADAPT with an opportunity to testify before the entire Super Committee regarding ADAPT's proposals for real Medicaid reform and eliminating the institutional bias.

Once in the building, ADAPT activists split up, some going to Camp's office and others to Hensarling's. Some people chanted as they lined up along the walls in hallways while others entered the offices. Everyone was chanting "My mediciad matters!". 54 people were arrested that day. Most of which were people with disabilities. They were charged with unlawful entry. Adapt members say, this charge pales in comparison to the many people who have died in institutions and others who will end up in institutions if their services are cut.

Tuesday morning, ADAPTers were ready to go again. Many people did not sleep at all because they were awaiting their brothers and sisters to return home from jail. As each person came out of the jail they were greeted by many others clapping an screaming for them. Every one of them was treated as a hero when exiting the police station. The last person was released from jail at 9:30am. The next march started at 10am. The group marched to the Hart building, which houses many senetors. Again, the over 250 people chanted all the way. When entering the building, some people went to the 3rd, 5th and 7th floors while most stayed on the ground level and made a circle around a large sculpture. ADAPT wanted to be heard by the Senetors. The chanted "My medicaid Matter" until they were finaly silenced by police.

Wednesday was the day of the big rally. Over 90 organizations sponsored the rally. There were close to 1,000 people there, from all over the country. They all came to the capitol to tell their congressmen that "My medicaid matters". They were joined by a few members of Congress: Senator Tom Harkin, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Howard Rosenblum of the National Association of the Deaf, spoke. CIL directors spoke. Illinois' Secretary of Health and Family Services spoke, as did the mayor of DC. Elaine Kolb sang. Labor unions were there. Three different religious leaders in the disability community offered words of hope. Rahnee Patrick and Bruce Darling of ADAPT emceed.

This event was about the people who depend on Medicaid services to live and work in the community.

If you want to learn more about ADAPT or get more information about this event, go to ADAPTs website.

http://www.adapt.org/freeourpeople/mmm/

Discovery Continued...

2011-09-22T21:25:00.006-04:00

As we continue on with Discovery, we are working with the job seeker to find out what their vocational themes are. We try to narrow their themes into three categories, yet broad enough to cover various employment opportunities within the vocational theme. The themes are not job descriptions. They are a large umbrella of topics that represent an accumulation of many jobs, environments, skills/task sets, and interests.

The job seeker we are working with is interested in vehicles. He has pinpointed his interests about vehicles into detailing the vehicles. After attending several informational interviews about vehicle detailing, the job seeker obtained a work site which will allow him to explore his vocational theme. The manager of the detail shop explained that he wants the job seeker to learn the tasks required of this position from the ground up. Since he has began his new work trial experience, the job seeker has been washing vehicles using a pressurized water hose, washing the vehicle with a sudsy brush, rinsing the vehicle off, and drying the vehicle. He has also cleaned the tires, and the windows inside and out. (See the attached video of our job seeker working in the car wash/detail shop.) The shop manager explained what chemicals to use in each process. He has also vacuumed out the vehicles.

Because of discovering what the job seeker’s vocational theme is, he has had the opportunity to find out if this is the type of work he wants to do for a living. Detailing is just one area under the vocational theme of vehicles. There are many other areas we can explore if the job seeker desires to go in a different direction. The job seeker is adjusting to this new work site and is learning skills that he didn’t have before. He has gained self confidence and social skills and has adapted to his environment. Aren’t these the qualities that make a good employee?

Stereotypes...

2011-09-08T15:45:00.002-04:00

All of us have heard the common stereotypes, some positive, some negative. All African Americans are good athletes. All Asian-Americans are good students. White men can’t jump. A deaf man could never be a great musician. A blind man could never become a great piano player. Though some basic roots of stereotypes may lie in truth, today’s versions are far more complicated and distorted. It is best to treat one on his or her merit and not on that of his ancestry, ethnicity, or disability. Many stereotypes may be perpetuated by self-fulfilling prophecies. This happens more often than we like to believe. Our support systems play a large role in determining the person we develop into, and stereotypes can have a large influence on this outcome. We always have our mold-breakers, such as Ray Charles, Beethoven, and Helen Keller, but imagine how many more we would have if we were all willing to set aside those stereotypes we all subconsciously apply to people. Everyone’s support system would grow, leading to endless possibilities. The rule of thumb is “do not judge a person by any stereotype, even when you think the stereotype might have a kernel of truth". Everyone deserves a fair shake in life, regardless of ancestry, ethnicity, disability, or any other area you can categorize someone into. How about this stereotype: A man with Cerebral Palsy can never learn how to kick a football. Let me introduce you to NFL Coach Doug Blevins.

Learning Discovery

2011-08-09T12:49:00.000-04:00

As a new Career Counselor, I am in the process of learning “Discovery.” I have had the opportunity of working with job seekers who have a variety of interests regarding their career fields – what they are most interested in working at, what skills and talents they currently have, and what the future might hold for them. According to The Job Developer’s Handbook, “Discovery” provides an ideal foundation for any person-centered planning approach that focuses on employment. This process identifies facets of the job seekers such as: 1) the conditions necessary for successful employment based on the job seeker’s complexities and individual preferences; 2) the job seeker’s employment interests that provide a direction to specific segments of the labor market; and, 3) the potential contributions that the job seeker might offer to employers. The starting point in learning “Discovery” begins with the individual, rather than job openings in the labor market. The strategy of “Discovery” is getting to know the job seeker – what are their interests, their talents, and their skills. Job seekers’ contributions are offered as a proposal to employers rather than have the job seeker accept random job descriptions.

Once we have gotten to know the job seeker’s interests, one of the steps in implementing “Discovery” includes the job seeker visiting an employment site they are interested in. One of the job seekers we have been working with is interested in detailing cars. We found a site in his local community that was willing to allow our job seeker the chance of performing this type of employment. As you can see from the videos, our job seeker was thoroughly delighted in having this opportunity. The job seeker experienced first-hand the requirements of this type of work – the physical demands, what chemicals to use, how much time it takes to complete one vehicle, and working with other employees at the site. A site visit also allows us to address clear needs of the employer and allows us to see the job seeker’s current capacity, potential job tasks, and what is expected to perform at work, with training, supports, and accommodations as necessary.

The use of “Discovery” is an indication that professionals are starting with the job seeker before dealing with the demands of the labor market. “Discovery” provides a powerful, essential picture of the strengths, needs, and interests within the complex life of each job seeker, especially those with significant disabilities. The concept allows the use of recognized qualitative research procedures to be used, one person at a time, while avoiding the traditional evaluation and testing tools that so often exclude persons with significant disabilities. By using this approach, we as human service professionals, are able to get beyond the surface level responses and behaviors that are often relied upon to describe the interaction between job seekers and employment professionals. Because of one employer’s willingness to work with our job seeker, he benefited in the experience of detailing vehicles, while we were blessed with the opportunity to show him that we care about him as an individual – what his interests are, where his skills and talents lie, and what his future may hold for him.

The Job Developer’s Handbook, Practical Tactics for Customized Employment, Cary Griffin, David Hammis, and Tammara Geary, 2007, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

2011-06-30T17:51:00.460-04:00

Air Travel - Experiencing ADA

Compliance First Hand

Greg Bilonick travels across the country in his power chair

What’s Greg doing in front of the world’s first Starbucks? The guy next to him is a huge fan. Unfortunately Russell didn’t get his fix. It was closed when they got there.

Greg Bilonick is the owner of Bilonick Advocacy and vice president of the Mountain State APSE Chapter. His work made it necessary for him to travel to Seattle, Washington to attend the 2011 National APSE Conference. As an advocate for disability rights Greg got a chance to experience ADA compliance first hand in connection with accessibility during his travels and stay in Seattle.

Greg’s power chair made the trip to the Pittsburgh International Airport from his home in Morgantown, WV without a hitch. Then the fun began.

Greg’s power chair wouldn’t fit through the metal detector. So, a TSA agent dabbed his chair with a cotton swab and put it in a scanner to detect trace amounts of explosive residue. Another agent wearing latex gloves also patted Greg down. The results were all negative. After running Greg’s shoes and carry-on through the x-ray he was on his way. Elapsed time . . . about half an hour.

Getting out to the departure gate at Pittsburgh International Airport involves taking a ride on a tram. No problems with access. The platform and car doors were just the right height.

Delta Airline staff let Greg board the plane first. He rode is power chair out to the end of the jetway and then got into an aisle chair (see picture above). It just fits between the seats on the plane and allowed Greg to get down the aisle to his assigned seat. Meanwhile, airline staff transferred the power chair to the cargo hold of the plane for the trip west.

The process was repeated when changing planes in Minneapolis.

Greg’s first time flying was quite exciting, due to a very rough landing in Seattle. The stewardess yelled “Whoooo” over the intercom when the plane touched down.

On the way to the baggage claim area and then out to the platform for the downtown light- rail transit Greg confronted several escalators. It took a while to locate elevators.

Out at the light-rail terminal . . . another elevator to get up to the platform. After that it was smooth sailing. Wheel chair access to the Seattle light-rail system was very good, as you can see in these pictures.

At the downtown underground station Greg had to take three different elevators to get up to the street level. Would have been nice if just one elevator went up all three levels.

Out on the street there were a lot of pedestrians and heavy traffic. Greg cruised about four blocks to the Sixth Avenue Inn. When asked how crossings in Seattle compared with Morgantown, WV where Greg lives he said: “Morgantown is good . . . but Seattle is even better.”

Access to the hotel was excellent. Greg rolled right into the lobby from a ground level entrance right next to the parking lot.

From the hotel, Greg could look down Sixth Avenue and see the Seattle Space Needle. He couldn’t resist the urge to check it out. Again, navigating the streets in a power chair was no problemo. Nine blocks later Greg was looking 60 stories straight up at The Needle. Access to the service elevator and the ride up to the top was terrific. Greg loved view through the glass windows.When the elevator opened all the way up at the top Greg was at the restaurant level. Access was great. But Greg's destination was the observation deck, one level higher. But the elevator didn't go up there. A few years ago there used to be a

stairway up to the observation deck, but that wasn't ADA compliant. The picture here shows a fellow in a wheelchair struggling with the help of some friends to get up there. When Greg arrived, he was pleased to find that they had installed a hydraulic lift.

But it wasn't designed to handle the weight of a power chair. So Greg had to transfer to a conventional wheelchair before the lift could finally take him to the observation deck. And what a view . . .

Hidden Talents

2011-06-29T12:44:00.007-04:00

Some of you may be familiar with Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., a singing sensation that recently got exposure on the television show America’s Got Talent. Hidden away in Logan, WV, he had been washing cars for the past 10 years until finally getting the opportunity to showcase his talent to the world. Based on his look, being from Logan, WV, and chewing gum while onstage, the judges thought they were in for a train wreck, but as soon as he started singing, their jaws dropped.

The question must be asked: How can someone with so much singing ability not get discovered until age 36? Well, a lot of factors seem to come into play in this story. First, Logan, WV is not exactly known for producing music sensations. While someone with a Frank Sinatra voice could do amazing things in New York City or Las Vegas, he basically went unnoticed in Logan. Second, from watching the video, it appears that Landau had no idea how good he really is. Obviously, he had enough of a support system to encourage him to try out for America’s Got Talent, but imagine if he had pursued his dreams at an earlier age. No matter how much talent is there, he needed friends and family to push him to nurture and pursue those dreams, people who believed in him. Third, Landau had to believe in himself. After getting the support from his friends and family, Landau finally became confident enough to follow his dream of sharing his voice with the world.

Imagine how many people are in a similar situation to Landau. They have talent, but are not in an environment that is ready to accept and nurture it. They have talent, but need someone to believe in them. They have a talent, but may not even recognize its worth to society.

What can we do? While we may not be able to change the music scene or culture in our local community, we can do many things to help create a more accepting and nurturing environment. Success stories can go a long way in changing certain prejudices and stereotypes in our community. No matter what size the community, there is always some level of diversity. Each success story is more likely to lead to another. For example, these judges may have different expectations if another contestant from West Virginia comes on stage. We can believe in someone who needs support. Most of us have at least one person who believes in us, whether it be a family member, friend, co-worker, etc. However, some people do not have a support system in place. They need someone to believe in their ability. It’s amazing what people can do if you give them the support and encouragement they need. When the environment is right and the support is there, people of all different levels and abilities can truly utilize their talents at the highest level.

Stuck is a State of MInd, and it's Curable

2011-06-07T20:25:00.003-04:00

From Seth Godin's Blog (updated link found in My Blog List, below)

"Which of the four are getting in the way?

You don't know what to do

You don't know how to do it

You don't have the authority or the resources to do it

You're afraid

Once you figure out what's getting in the way, it's far easier to find the answer (or decide to work on a different problem)."

The "R" Word

2011-06-07T10:46:00.000-04:00

We teach our children that they should never say the “F” word. We teach them that it is disrespectful, hurtful and derogatory to say the “N” word. We would never tell our children that it is okay to use any racial slurs. However, many young children commonly use the word retarded when joking with their friends, and their parents sit by and say nothing. Parents should explain the meaning of that word, and explain to their children why it is so offensive to many people. The “R” word is to a person with a disability as the “N” word is to an African American. That word should not be used. Intellectual disability or developmental disability are much more respectful words.

Disability is a natural part of life. Everyone's life! If you are a person without a disability, you need to realize, you are only one car accident, stroke, fall, or tragedy away from being a person with a disability. If the day comes that you should need to use a wheelchair, or you loose the ability to speak, see or hear, you would still want to be treated with respect. Would you like to be called a retard? Even those with very significant disabilities, those who have trouble communicating, often can understand what is being said to them. They feel sadness, anger, and pain just like anyone else. We need to treat everyone as a person first and look at their disability second.

Rosa's Law was signed by President Obama in October 2010. This law will change the words “mental retardation” (MR) in federal law, to “intellectual disability”(ID). Governor Joe Manchin signed a similar law in West Virginia, that will stop the use of this word in all future documents in the state. Now that we have the law on our side, we need to educate the general public about this hurtful word. Remember, every person with a disability is also someones child, parent, sibling or friend.

Think before you speak!

Written by:

The members of People First of Morgantown

http://www.facebook.com/people/Peoplefirst-Morgantown/100001168706736

http://www.peoplefirstwv.org/

What happened to the Person in "Person Centered Planning"?

2011-06-01T12:31:00.003-04:00

I have been chairing and attending Interdisciplinary Team Meetings for individuals receiving services from the Title XIX Waiver Program for 4 years and really would like to know what happened to the “Person” in Person Centered Planning? From my experience the whole function of the meeting is to complete the appropriate paperwork to keep Charleston happy for another 6 months to a year. This is not always the fault of those who chair the meetings but the function of Waiver services. There are times when the individual never says a word during the entire meeting. I find it frustrating to sit through these meetings on a regular basis and never hear the individual speak up and voice how they want the meeting to go, what goals they would like to achieve in the short and long term, and how they would like to see their services provided. I recently sat through a meeting that lasted two hours and the outcome was another meeting in two weeks. This should be the time where the team gathers together to formulate a plan of action on how to improve the individuals overall life to gain real independence and life experiences, not how to properly fold linens. As a team we sometimes lose sight of the true purpose of the meeting. If we take those few extra moments to put it into perspective, the experience would be greatly different. A life is not measured in yes/no questions or verbal /gestural prompts; however, individuals receiving services from the Title XIX Waiver Program experience just that. A life is measured in the amount of satisfaction and happiness that a person experiences in living their day to day life. I rarely see this expressed during the Interdisciplinary Team Meetings or represented on the plan that the team is supposed to use to guide the individuals services for the next year. I can only hope that the members of the team and families of the individuals that we serve could take a few extra moments of their time to rethink this experience and really put forth the Person and their interests during these meetings. Only then can the services really and truly benefit those who need them most and provide them with a life and experiences we all deserve.

Kansas Employment First Bill Passes With All Provisions!

2011-05-31T23:05:00.022-04:00

House Bill No 2336_Kansas Employment First Bill

The Kansas Employment First Initiative Act (HB 2336) passed on May 12, 2011 and will be signed by the Governor today!

The bill can be viewed above (click on the pages individually to view) and also here.

The Transition Phase...

2011-05-23T14:30:00.014-04:00

With the graduation for many high school students transiton could be difficult if the coaching and preperation for adult life after high school was not properly done. Planning for the transition from high school to adult life is never to early to begin!The question is what do you want your life to look like after graduation?Hopefully, this article will give you various ideas and tools that will assist you in planning for your transition from high school to adult life.
According to Ellen Condon and Kim Brown with the Rural Institiute for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Services there are four steps to planning for transition:
Step one: Answer the following question, "What is my day going to look like after high school?"
Step two:Assess how you are doing right now.
Step three: Make a list of what you could learn to do, or what steps you could take to get closer to these goals before you graduate.
Step four: Think about who can help you meet your goals and continue seting new ones.
Preparing to transition from life after high school needs to start by the time the youth turns sixteen, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Transition planning is designed so the student will gain the necessary skills and services for a smooth transition to adult life. The secondary transition services written plan must identify long-range goals based upon the youth’s needs and preferences and have specific objectives and activities to reach these goals. Things to consider are vocational rehabilitation, volunteering, job shadowing, support on the job, college support services, transportation, SSI, independent living skills etc. Transition Components for Secondary-Level IEPs Secondary transition services are defined as a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that are designed within a results-oriented process focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the student to facilitate movement from school to post school activities including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing in adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.. The activities include instruction, community experiences, development of employment and other post school adult-living objectives and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation. These activities are based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's strengths, preferences and interest.
Anyone who has an interest in supporting individuals with disabilities can assist them as they transition from school to life. "Anyone" includes secondary educators, post-secondary educators, special educators, therapists, counselors, service providers, job developers, other rehabilitation specialists, and especially high school students with disabilities and their families.
Self-determination is based on the belief that all individuals have the right to direct their own lives. Students who have self-determination skills tend to be more successful in making the transition to adulthood, employment, and independence. Families and schools should foster both the development and use of necessary skills. By providing opportunities for students to set goals, make decisions, see options, solve problems, speak for themselves, understand what supports are needed for success, and learn how to evaluate outcomes the student will be better prepared for adulthood.
When an individual with disabilities looks toward the future, they need a support system that recognizes their individual strengths, interests, fears, and dreams and allows them to take charge of their future. Parents, teachers, family members and friends can offer informal guidance and support.

2011-04-30T18:32:00.248-04:00

Center for Social Capital

Launches Compensating Balance Loan Fund:

fighting poverty through employment

Jesse just received a $5,000 Compensating Balance Loan from Calhoun Bank of Gilmer Co., West Virginia. Branch Manager Brenda Wolfe presented Jesse with the loan check he will use to purchase resources in the form of equipment, enabling him to land a job at the Self-Suds Laundromat. This is quite a feat for a 26 year old man who has never had a job, lives in a rural community with high unemployment, has no transportation or credit history, and lives below the federal poverty level.

How did he do it? By taking advantage of an innovative strategy called Customized Employment (CE) and utilizing resource ownership with a Compensating Balance Loan. Half of all working-age adults experiencing income poverty have a disability. The rates of disability among those experiencing poverty are much higher than among the overall working-age population. Just under a quarter (23 percent) of all working-age adults have a disability.

Having resources and being resourceful is the key to employment . . . and employment is the key to escaping poverty. But trying to obtain resources without money is virtually impossible for many persons the world over living in poverty. And obtaining a bank loan without credit is equally impossible.

Jessica Jackley, who co-founded Kiva in the spring of 1984, was first inspired by working in East Africa with rural entrepreneurs.

Traditional funding sources can be expensive, difficult to access . . .

Kiva.org aims to alleviate the fight against global poverty by making it easy for members to transfer money to people in third world nations who aim to start their own businesses. Capitalism is one of the best ways to fight poverty, but many people in the developing world don’t have access to the necessary funds to pursue their goals.

We want to see a world in which all people are empowered to pursue their dreams . . .

Jessica Jackley and Kiva have likewise inspired the CENTER FOR SOCIAL CAPITAL and a growing number of anonymous donors to help persons escape poverty through employment. They have created a Business Capitalization Fund for the purpose of making available compensating balance loans.

A COMPENSATING BALANCE, sometimes called an offsetting balance, is an amount of money that a bank and borrower agree to keep in the borrower's bank account as a condition for the bank giving the borrower a loan. Banks around the world have used compensating balance loans for decades. Borrowers who haven’t been able to get a loan through other methods might have better success applying for a compensating balance loan.

In Jesse’s case, his loan is fully collateralized, meaning that the compensating balance on deposit is 100% of the value of the loan. So there is zero risk to the bank and the funds are available for the bank to use in generating additional capital. This eliminates the credit history requirements that would disqualify most loan applicants living in poverty. Plus, the cost of processing such loans in house is considerably lower than for conventional loans, resulting in lower interest rates for borrowers.

It is widely known that the more resources you possess (a car, tools, special talent or skills, relationships), the better the odds are you’ll get a job. After all, that’s why many people go to college or trade schools. Obtaining a degree or professional license is quite expensive, but in the long run may pay for itself many times over in a lifetime of earnings and quality of life. Persons who live in poverty with disability face a huge disadvantage.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): “Customized Employment is a process through which the relationship between employer and employee is negotiated and personalized in a way that meets the needs of both. The negotiation process addresses areas such as job duties, terms of employment, services and supports necessary to carry out the job duties, and expectations adapted to the needs or special circumstances of one particular job seeker.”

“With Job Squad’s help,” says Jesse, “our negotiations led to how, using my own equipment and the job skills I already possessed as resources, could make it possible for the business owner to create a job that did not previously exist. It would be customized to my unique abilities and limitations. In exchange, all my resources would ‘help them meet specific production or sales goals, increase customer satisfaction, improve operations . . . ‘ I will use my equipment to fill customer orders for bar rags, sell gourmet beverages, and keep the equipment clean for laundromat customer use.”

The best part is that everyone wins . . .

Jesse gets a job at pay above minimum wage, added job security, and starts building a credit history.

The employer gets increased revenues from the added value Jesse and his resources bring to the business.

The Bank increases its revenues due to added capital from the compensating balance on deposit, and a potential future customer with a favorable credit history and relationship with the bank.

The fund donors experience the satisfaction Jessica Jackley so eloquently expressed, by helping people escape the crushing grip of poverty.

A Success Story in the Making

2011-04-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

I feel fortunate to have met this young lady. Her name is Loren and she is 20 years old. Loren is much like any 20 year old girl. She likes clothes, shoes, Facebook, and of course, boys. She is sweet, caring, and fun to be around. When Loren expressed an interest in working, her case manager referred her to Job Squad Inc. (JSI). After getting to know Loren, and seeing her friendly and out-going personality, it was obvious that she would be a good match for a job in retail. Loren and her career counselors headed to the mall. She submitted five applications and had three interviews. Loren only worked with JSI for two months before getting her first job offer. She was hired by Kohl's and started work on the busiest day of the year - Black Friday. Her job duties included; wrapping fragile items in tissue paper, removing security tags, bagging all items, and interacting with the customers. I worked a few days with Loren at Kohl's and her skills improved each time. I observed her interacting with her coworkers and managers. She seemed to be very well liked by everyone. She always worked her scheduled shift, never leaving early and never late for work. Loren enjoyed her time at Kohl's. This was a seasonal position, but it provided her with valuable work experience and some new friends. Loren will find employment again. She may need a job coach now, but I believe she will continue improving her skills and become more competent. In the future she may need only minimal assistance that could be provided by coworkers and natural supports. Improving her skills will make her a good employee, but Loren has the makings of a great employee. She is dependable, takes pride in her work, and has a good attitude. Loren is a success story with continuing chapters.

By: Melissa Lewis, Career Counselor

Job Squad, Inc.

Pretty Blue (Eyes)--Stormie's Take

2011-03-30T12:59:00.015-04:00

Hi! My name is Stormie and I am 27. I am from Clarksburg and I am working with Job Squad to get a job somewhere. I graduated from High School in 2003 and since then I've been married, widowed, and twice more engaged.

I have learned a lot with Job Squad, right now we are doing things in the community related to my skills and interests, which include things involving computers (I use a Pathfinder and do a lot of social networking on Facebook and dating chatrooms), animals (I volunteer at the Humane Society), and children (I have 2 nephews).

My skills include typing and meeting people online.

I will get a job!

Here are a few videos of things I've done:

Facebooking

College Research

Humane Society

Systematic Instruction

2011-03-18T14:35:00.007-04:00

For the week of February 7th-11th, we took the opportunity to be trained on Systematic Instruction by Michael Callahan, a consultant in the supported employment field for over 23 years. Systematic Instruction is the brain child of Marc Gold, a pioneer in developing the "try another way" approach for teaching people with disabilities. At the heart of Systematic Instruction is the value that everyone has the ability to learn, although each of us acquires information in a different way. Essentially, our role as trainers is to discover the best ways to convey information to each individual. In order for Systematic Instruction to succeed, we must embrace the idea that everyone can learn, and then expect the learner to succeed.

As part of our training, we taught consultant learners how to construct a bicycle brake. This task was quite complex as a whole, but when broken down into small and simple steps, the learners were able to do a majority on their own. In addition to the bicycle brake, we also went out into the community to learn tasks in local businesses. Four learners did various tasks at Kohl's and Sears, from folding clothes to bar coding new items. This activity not only benefited us as trainers, but also benefited the store employees and the learners. Typically, most employees do not have experience training someone with a disability. The reasoning is two-fold: First, most people with a disability are not given the opportunity to work in local businesses. Second, when a person with a disability is given the opportunity to work, it is very often the job coach who does the training and not the co-worker or manager. In addition to benefiting the employees, it also benefited the learners by giving them the confidence to know that they can do real tasks in the community with little to no assistance. Rarely are people with disabilities encouraged to become independent, and often, through good intentions, can be given more assistance than they actually need. With proper instruction and teaching techniques, people with disabilities can perform many of the same complex tasks that people without disabilities can perform.

A Reminder

2011-02-28T20:13:00.004-05:00

In the institution they told me
You have no more coordination than a common laboratory rat
That's what the disability industry sees - Disability
They have to
Its how they make money
So they say
You will never hold a job
You will never read for pleasure
You will have trouble adjusting socially
Well, they got one right
But I am a man
and a father
with a freaking Master's degree and everything
and all they see
is the disability.
Disability is a social construct
It protects people from their fear
that we are the same.
Just one car accident away
In a war of attrition
I will always win.

NO PITY
by Ken Ervin

For more information about Ken Ervin, click here, here, and here.

Resource ownership: A tool for employment success

2010-12-30T16:12:00.011-05:00

Jimmy Manno used Resource Ownership, a technique pioneered by Griffin-Hammis Associates, to create his job. A previous blog entry, Jimmy and the forklift, discussed the details of the Resource Ownership relationship with Bob and Robin Sharp, owners of Grafton Farm & Home Supply.

Job Squad has been receiving training and technical assistance for the last 2 years from Griffin-Hammis, Associates (GHA), through a grant provided by the West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council (WVDDC). We used the knowledge and skills gained through our relationship with GHA and the WVDDC to facilitate Jimmy's job creation.

In order to financially qualify for the Medicaid Waiver, Jimmy needed to spend funds related to a life insurance policy in his name. He used these funds to negotiate paid employment by purchasing a fork lift, which saved the owners thousands of dollars in operating costs.

Jimmy has been hired as an employee for over a year now; he states that he loves working with the owners and his co-workers at the store. Bob commented that it is a good fit for Jimmy, his personality and job skills have been an asset. He takes pride in his accomplishments and he enjoys working with public.

Jimmy's daily routine consist of getting up early going to exercise at the local gym, and then off to work. He enjoys cleaning the floors, rolling the oats and assisting the customers with their purchases. Jimmy gets very excited when talking about his job, and he loves being able to see his friends and neighbors. When asked if he would like to do anything different he responded "no, this is my job."

Jimmy's father is very pleased with Jimmy's overall success! He commented not only on the advantage of resource ownership considering a small business's needs, but also on the huge avantage it has been for his son."Jimmy has had fewer seizures, and appears to be much happier. This experience can be compared to that of a perfect marriage, everyone wins."

Richard Pimentel

2010-12-13T08:32:00.029-05:00

A Day With Richard Pimentel:
.

On Thursday, November 18^th, Shannon Dalton and I had the privilege of spending the day with Dr. Richard Pimentel, a nationally renowned expert on Disability Management, Job Recruitment, Job Retention, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Attitude Change. He was a driving force behind the passing of the ADA, as well as a pioneer in the disability job development field. Dr. Pimentel was brought in to share his life story with the community, as well as to educate us on his job development philosophy.

Richard Pimentel always had the gift of public speaking, but he never had anything worth talking about. That all changed after coming home from Vietnam with hearing loss and tinnitus, a constant ringing in the ears. Instead of helping a Vietnam Veteran achieve his goals at home, the government dismissed his dreams of college and public speaking, claiming that his hearing loss and tinnitus would make him go insane. Richard was not about to accept that fate, and instead chose to use his speaking abilities to advance disability rights.

Richard spent the morning with us as we went out into the community with one of our clients. I am happy to report that with Richard’s help, we secured two interviews with well known businesses. According to Dr. Pimentel, the experience gained during an interview is invaluable, even if it doesn’t result in a job. The hardest part is getting your foot in the door, and an interview does just that.

After our visit to the mall, Richard discussed public perception of persons with disabilities, and the lessons that can be learned. Dr. Pimentel shared a story that took place a year after he started doing job development with persons with disabilities. A job seeker entered his office and handed him a tablet on which was written “I cannot speak. I will have to conduct this interview using this notepad.” Richard wrote back that it would be fine, and then called his receptionist to inform that this interview would take longer than usual and to clear the calendar for the next two hours. During that time, they had an intense interview, writing questions and answers back and forth. Richard knew the kind of work he wanted and was coming up with a list of employers to contact. At the end of the interview, Dr. Pimentel wrote that he knew all he needed to know to start contacting employers on his behalf. The job seeker then wrote back “I am sorry but I cannot work with you.” Richard wrote back asking why, and he replied “If you know so much about me, why have you been writing questions to me for the last two hours? I do not have a problem hearing.” He then went on to write that he could not entrust his job search to a counselor who was dumb enough to assume he was deaf and who was not smart enough to try to test or clarify the assumption (Pimentel 101).

“Never judge a book by its cover.” This is something we all have learned from an early age, but it’s much easier said than done, especially when it applies to our perception of persons with disabilities. As Richard’s story above so clearly illustrates, even those of us working in the disability services field can be guilty of judging someone’s ability before we gather all the facts needed to make an accurate evaluation. A professional evaluation depends on the quality of communication. By lowering the quality of communication, we make it impossible to properly evaluate an individual’s abilities.

For more information on Dr. Pimentel and his life, check out the movie “Music Within” starring Ron Livingston and Michael Sheen. For more information on job development, check out the book Working With People With Disabilities by Dr. Richard Pimentel.

“There are no good jobs for persons with disabilities. But there are persons with disabilities who are good for jobs.” – Richard Pimentel

Pimentel, Richard. Working With People With Disabilities. Milt Wright & Associates, Inc., 2001

This is part 1 of 6 of Dr. Pimentel's talk. Please check out the other parts here.

2010-11-30T18:23:00.021-05:00

Steven just got his PASS for a new career.

But it isn't exactly a free PASS.

His PASS is a Plan to Achieve Self-Support that will require a lot of hard work. Steven's new career requires that he have a West Virginia Commercial Driver's License (CDL), which means he has to take an extensive written exam along with a driving test in an 18 wheeler. You don't just walk in and take these tests and expect to pass.

To help Steven obtain a WV Class A Commercial Driver's License, he will be enrolling in the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics Technical Career Training School. The Clarksburg, West Virginia PIA campus offers a CDL course. PIA is one of the leading schools in the country supplying drivers to the road transportation industry. PIA has trained and graduated over 8,800 students through their multiple-campus training system. PIA prides itself in providing state-of-the-art training with state-of-the-art equipment.

Steven, along with many other residents of West Virginia, are eligible for a Social Security Work Incentive known as a PASS, a Plan to Acheive Self-Support. A PASS is an SSI work incentive that lets you use your own income or assets to help you reach your work goals. For example, you could set aside money to go to school to get specialized training for a job, which is what Steven is doing. Or, it could help you to start a business. A plan is meant to help you get items, services, or skills you need to reach your goals.

For more information, please see http://www.passplan.org/

The tuition for PIA's CDL school is around $5,000. If it weren't for Social Security's PASS work incentive, there's no way Steven could save enough money to get his CDL license. So the work incentive in a way, IS a FREE pass to a new career, as far as accumulating the necessary funds to go to school is concerned. Beyond that, it's up to Steven to 'put the peddle to the metal' and dig into his studies and training.

Congratulations, on receiving approval from Social Security for your PASS to enroll in PIA's top rated school for obtaining a Commercial Driver's Licnese!

TRUCKERS MOVE FREIGHT, DRIVERS MOVE TRUCKS, TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA

Dr. Richard Pimentel Comes to West Virginia!

2010-10-28T10:18:00.016-04:00

Pimentel flyer (CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE EVENT!)

View more documents from Russell Sickles.

"Music Within" Trailer:

APSE's Executive Board Approves Statement on Employment First!

2010-10-27T15:11:00.010-04:00

In an effort to ensure that the "Employment First" concept is utilized and applied in a consistent fashion, APSE's Executive Board approved APSE's Statement on Employment First on October 11, 2010. A link to the statement will be included to this post once it is available.

Here is the Statement in its entirety:

APSE STATEMENT ON EMPLOYMENT FIRST

Employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome in the provision of publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of disability.

UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES
· The current low participation rate of citizens with disabilities in the workforce is unacceptable.

· Access to “real jobs with real wages” is essential if citizens with disabilities are to avoid lives of poverty, dependence, and isolation.

· It is presumed that all working age adults and youths with disabilities can work in jobs fully integrated within the general workforce, working side-by-side with co-workers without disabilities, earning minimum wage or higher.

· As with all other individuals, employees with disabilities require assistance and support to ensure job success and should have access to those supports necessary to succeed in the workplace.

· All citizens, regardless of disability, have the right to pursue the full range of available employment opportunities, and to earn a living wage in a job of their choosing, based on their talents, skills, and interests.

· Implementation of Employment First principles must be based on clear public policies and practices that ensure employment of citizens with disabilities within the general workforce is the priority for public funding and service delivery.

· Inclusion or exclusion of the specific term “Employment First” does not determine whether a public system or agency has adopted Employment First principles. Such a determination can only be made in examining whether the underlying policies, procedures and infrastructure are designed for and ultimately result in increased integrated employment in the general workforce for citizens with disabilities.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF EMPLOYMENT FIRST
· There are measurable increases in employment of citizens with disabilities within the general workforce, earning minimum wage or higher with benefits.

· Greater opportunities exist for citizens with disabilities to pursue self-employment and the development of microenterprises.

· Employment is the first and preferred option when exploring goals and a life path for citizens with disabilities.

· Citizens with disabilities are employed within the general workforce, regardless of the severity of disability and assistance required.

· Young people with disabilities have work experiences that are typical of other teenagers and young adults.

· Employers universally value individuals with disabilities as an integral part of their workforce, and include people with disabilities within general recruitment and hiring efforts as standard practice.

· Individuals with disabilities have increased incomes, financial assets, and economic wealth.

· Citizens with disabilities have greater opportunities to advance in their careers, by taking full advantage of their individual strengths and talents.

· Funding is sufficient so that quality services and supports are available as needed for long-term employment success.

· A decision not to consider employment in the community for an individual is re-evaluated on a regular basis; the reasons and rationale for this decision are fully documented and addressed in service provision.

Loren's Story

2010-10-22T09:43:00.003-04:00

Loren is a 20 year old, 2010 High School Graduate from Lincoln High in Shinnston. While in High School, Loren volunteered at McDonald's, Shop N Save, Pet Supply Plus, and the Shinnston Public Library. Up to this point she has never experienced paid employment. Loren is currently participating in the Discovery process to obtain paid employment in the community.

Loren's interests are working with fashion and interacting with the public. She has expressed an interest in the local theatre, Cinemark. She completed a tour of the facility and was able to start a movie during her tour of the projection room.

Through the Discovery process and making new contacts in the community, Loren has been offered her first opportunity of paid employment at Kohl's. She will begin her work schedule on Black Friday. Loren will continue to pursue other employment opportunities in her interest groups to secure employment that will enhance her strengths.

Job Squad and Ohio's Assets and Neighbors Initiative

2010-10-03T01:02:00.003-04:00

Job Squad is partnering with many accomplished organizations and individuals on The Ohio Assets and Neighbors Initiative. The Initiative was created by the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission as part of its effort to refocus on Ohioans with the most significant disabilities using Customized Employment and Economic Development Approaches. Self-Employment (microenterprise) is a major emphasis.

Some of the partners: Griffin-Hammis Associates, Corey Smith of Via of the Lehigh Valley, Steve Savage, Patty Cassidy, Roger Shelley, Grant Revell of VCU, Jack Peeler, Don Lavin...

Check out the Powerpoint below for an overview of the project

Assets and Neighbors Initiative

View more presentations from Russell Sickles.

2010-09-12T22:19:00.098-04:00

Jesse's BeveragesBar Rags & Washouse

Celebrates it's first 3 months of business

.
Hard to believe, but it's already been 3 months for Jesse's business, and things are off to a pretty good start. So far, gross sales total $1,755. (Click here to see Jesse's grand opening blog post.) In June and July his Gourmet Frozen Beverage service was his sole
revenue stream. In August two more revenue streams came on
line, Jesse's Bar Rag rental and the coin operated Washouse.

Jesse's beverages bar rags and washouse1

View more presentations from bconnaughton.

Commercial quality 100% Cotton Terry Cloth Bar Towels (Rags)
are packed in a sanitized bucket for delivery. When a customer
needs more all they have to do is call Jesse and order another bucket. The dirty ones are returned in the same durable plastic bucket and are replaced with a bucket of freshly laundered bar rags.

Jesse also started up his coin operated Washouse, which is his own laundromat within a laundromat. His first macine is a commercial grade 50 lb. gas dryer. After it's first week in use Jesse emptied out all the quarters and counted $62 worth. The host business owner isn't worried about Jesse competing with his laundromat, because the xtra-large dryer adds capacity and helps draw in more customers so both business benefit.

Eventually Jesse will have a bank of washers and dryers which will significanely increase the overall capacity of the combined laundromats. It will also free up investment capital for the host business owner to explore expanding the operation into new and different services as well as the size of the business location.

Jesse and the host business owner will reap the benefits of a commercial/financial synergy between the two business. Jesse
already has four local business that are renting his bar rags, as well
as a restaurant that switched from a large commercial laundry service to have Jesse come and pick up all their kitchen laundry so they can have it done locally.

Jason's Job Search

2010-08-31T13:19:00.014-04:00

Jason Jones is a 21 year old from Bridgeport, WV who has been actively seeking work in the area. Until starting his employment with Marshall’s on August 17th, Jason never had a full-time job. Jason experiences traumatic brain injury he received from a car accident, causing permanent nerve damage on the right side of his body. According to Jason, "I now walk with a limp and have an uncontrollable shaking in my right arm." Lacking a vehicle and reliable transportation, one of Jason’s biggest barriers to employment has been finding a job close to his residence that matches his skill set. Approaching job searching in the traditional way of filling out applications has resulted in many closed doors and apparent dead ends. In Jason’s own words “Employers just didn’t seem to want to take a chance on hiring me. I wanted to prove to employers how valuable of an asset I can be to their company, but it’s so hard to do that by just filling out an application.” Instead of focusing on his limitations, Jason is now finding ways to break through the barriers using his strengths. Jason excels in interacting with people. Through his eyes, a roomful of strangers isn’t intimidating at all. Rather, it is a golden opportunity for Jason to meet and share his story with new people.

Since teaming up with Job Squad, Jason has been exploring new ways to “slip through the crack in the door” and demonstrate his many talents to prospective employers. Where the job application process only seemed to highlight his weaknesses, Jason is now approaching his job search in new and creative ways. Jason makes a habit of speaking to as many managers and workers as he can when he visits any store, hoping to create a positive, memorable, and lasting impression. That way, the application becomes more of a formality than an official part of the hiring process. The job opening at Marshall’s came about through a temporary job service program that gives Jason a chance to gain valuable work experience and showcase his strengths in ways that a job application and resume could not do. At the end of the work period, Jason will have an opportunity to stay on at Marshall’s or continue his job search elsewhere. Either way, he has gained valuable experience in the workplace and customer service realm, greatly increasing his chances of finding future employment in the community.

2010 PASS Update: $178,780,000 (About $179 Million!) Still Available Yearly for WV Economic Development

2010-07-30T13:48:00.006-04:00

In December 2009, there were 25,540 individuals in West Virginia receiving both SSI and SSDI benefits. Click here for the 2009 version of this post, which briefly describes the "perfect Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) potential" of SSI/SSDI beneficiaries. The average PASS totals about $7,000/year, which means that there is potentially $178,780,000 available for these beneficiaries to use towards a work goal.

Some West Virginia PASSes from the last year or so:

Resource Ownership
College
Self-Employment (still in negotiations with PASS Cadre)
Determining a Vocational Goal

Over the life of these four PASSes (assuming the self-employment PASS will be approved), approximately $82,000 of additional resources will be set aside by these individuals for use towards a work goal.

Sweet Labels 4 you- A mother & daughter business

2010-06-15T15:04:00.011-04:00

Shirley and Jenny are a mother and daughter team who created Sweet Wrappers 4 You. Sweet Wrappers is a business making labels for various items, candy bars, gallon and quart cans, clocks, first aid kits, mint wrappers, gum wrappers, sucker wrappers, water bottle labels, play dough and bubble labels. The products are a personalized option of celebration and memory creations. The business began in June 2010 and is located in Beverly, West Virginia.

Sweet Wrappers matches their personal talents, interests, and a shared desire to operate a successful and fun business. The mission of Sweet Wrappers is to provide exceptional high-quality personalized and memorable products that are convenient, affordable and guaranteed to put a smile on each and every customers face! Job Squad assisted in their business start-up by providing funding for initial costs through a microloan. For further information about this business please visit SweetWrapper's Blog.

2010-06-08T01:14:00.029-04:00

Jesse's First Week of Sales:
$$ Money In The Bank $$

Jesse Malley is a young man from Gilmer County West Virginia who has tried for seven years to find a job. Since finishing High School he's been unsuccessful, until now. His business just started a week ago, and the photo above shows him holding his first check for gross sales of $191. After business expenses and taxes, he made a net profit of $131. If his sales continue like this for the next three weeks he'll end up earning $563 in his first month of business and projected earnings of over half of SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity) in his first year.

How did he do this in a rural county where unemployment is over 20 percent? It is a fascinating story that we would like to tell in the weeks ahead as this blog chronicles Jesse's Beverages, Bar Rags and Washouse exciting development.

Using an employment strategy referred to by the US Department of Labor as Customized Employment, one of Job Squad's Career Counselors approached local business owners and gleaned, by means of informational interviews, some ideas for employment that Jesse was quite interested in.

After Jesse and the owner of Self Suds Laundromat met together and discussed various employment options, an idea for a business-within-a-business started taking shape. Jesse could maximize his income and build personal wealth by taking the path of self-employment, rather than being a wage earner/employee. (most wage earners in Gilmer County, WV receive minimum wage level pay).

And self-employment would provide the flexibility in Jesse's daily work schedule, as well as job security to accommodate personal health issues that have been preventing him from finding employment in the conventional job market. He would have a customized, tailor made job that would meet his specific needs.
The host business would supply the location/space (brick and mortar), mentoring and staff support, and piggy back Jesse's services onto the Self-Suds Laundromat's services and existing customer base. The synergy and mutually beneficial combination of a full service laundromat, with a bar rag rental service, a frozen beverage service (chosen by popular demand and a survey of the many college students who frequent laundromat), and added capacity of more and larger washers and dryers owned and operated by Jesse within the existing business, has given birth to this one of a kind business. (At least we think it's one of a kind at this time.)

But the big problem almost all businesses face when starting is "Where are we going to get the money?" Jesse is using a Social Security Work Incentive called a PASS (Plan for Achieving Self-Support) along with a $3,000 zero interest micro-loan, provided by Job Squad, Inc. His micro-loan was used to jump start his business, covering the initial purchase of equipment and supplies, while his PASS application is going through the approval process, which can take a number of months when used for starting a small business.

Who would have thought that Jesse Malley would someday be a small business owner? His mom can hardly believe it, as she examines his Business Plan and PASS application.

"As we invest in critical job training, we are giving workers the bargaining power they need to custom-design their jobs around their lives—instead of the other way around."

—Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor, is committed to improving employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. To achieve this goal, ODEP established a Customized Employment initiative to build the capacity of workforce systems to serve all customers, including individuals with disabilities. The strategies developed through this initiative can assist all workforce customers who have complex needs and may require more individual assistance to achieve their employment goals. The Customized Employment initiative also focuses on incorporating universal strategies into all aspects of workforce services.

A World In Which People With Disabilities Have Unlimited Employment Opportunities

Congratulation's on your successful first week of business, as the proud owner of Jesse's BBR&W!

Self-Employment: Discovering What Was Always There (Part 2)

2010-05-28T12:01:00.013-04:00

In a previous post, I discussed how we began to discover Neil's many skills, talents, and interests and also mentioned how he had been running a hobby business most of his adult life. We ended the post with the statement, "(W)hy not try to support Neil to take his hobby business and, by using existing supports and relationships, step by step, turn it into a "proper" business?"

As mentioned in the post, we started by engaging in Discovery, a structured process that seeks to answer questions such as "Who is this person?", "What are there personal geniuses?", and "What are the ideal conditions of employment." These questions cannot be answered without engaging the local community; we must explore neighborhoods, relationships, activities, interests, and skills. Questions such as "Who is this person?" may seem overly abstract and nebulous and it also may be obvious that employment and community must go together. However, job seekers are very rarely really "known" by those around them. Also, professionals providing support with employment have historically done a very poor job of integrating themselves into the "real life" of their local communities.

We learned that, although Neil had never been an employee of a business, he does provide various services to those in his community for pay, such as lawn mowing (using neighbors equipment and gas), snow shoveling, and other jobs. I spoke with those who spent the most time with Neil, his customers, and others who knew him well and, after a series of conversations, Neil decided to pursue the most obvious theme: "Lawn Care Services."

Neil arranged a series of lawns to mow (for pay), using borrowed equipment, while staff and I would observe. I was able to watch Neil mow a sizable lawn--it took him about 2 hours and took note of the quality of his work (very good) and support needed (not much).

A series of challenges were also noted:

1. Neil did not currently have any equipment and did not have the means to purchase equipment to add some flexibility and options to his self-employment explorations.

2. Neil does not have access to his own transportation. WV's topography is very difficult to hike or bike for any distance with heavy equipment in tow. Without his own transportation, Neil would need to rely on his staff to take him to and from jobs.

The next post will discuss how these challenges are being addressed.

Program helps high school students with disabilities learn employment skills

2010-05-21T18:51:00.002-04:00

Program helps high school students with disabilities learn employment skills

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Linking Educational Experiences with Careers

2010-05-21T17:15:00.003-04:00

A survey commissioned by the National Organization on Disability found that only 29% of working aged people with disabilties are employed full or part time. In comparison, 79% of those who do not have disabilities are working. Of the people with disabilities who are not currently working, 72% report they would like to be working. Many of our youth are leaving high school without the skills and supports they need to work in the community. It is imperative that students with have access to work-based learning before they graduate to prepare them for employment in the community. There are two acts that address this need: the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA-PL 103-239) passed by Congress in 1994 and the The Individuals with Disabilties Education Act of 1990 (PL 94-142), revised in 1997 (PL 105-17). Both of these acts assist students to transition to further education and work. However, the STWOA was designed for all students, regardless of abilty.

The STWOA was designed to increase work-based and school-based learning opportunities for all students. The act creates a national framework to assist states and communities create comprehensive systems to helap all students apply classroom learning to high-wage, high-skill jobs or further education, and advocates work-based learning and college preparation. States and communities and developing programs to meet the transition needs of all students. Colleges are also offering a wide variety of work-based learning options for students.

What is a Work-based learning experience?

"A work-based learning experience is any activity that gives a person an opportunity to witness or participate in typical tasks that take place in an employment setting" (http://www.thefreelibrary.com)

Examples of work-based learning:

Job Shadowing-this involves visiting a place of employment and observing employee during their typical duties of a job the student is interested in. This allows them to learn the specific duties required and the working enviroment of a specific job and specific workplace. This experience usually lasts from an hour or two to a full day of more, depending on student interest and the employer

Internship-this is an intense work experience for a specific time period. This enables students to actually perform duties involved in a position. The participant (student) develops skills and performs job functions under close supervision. Some programs offer academic credit for participation in internships.

Cooperative Education-these programs extend the classroom experienc to an employment environment. These are usually offered as part of a specific degree program. These are sometimes paid positions and students typically earn academic credits. An example of this would be a student working as a trainee in a software development company as part of a cooperative education experience in computer science.

Service Learning-in this experience, students gain job skills in community service in non-paid, volunteer service learning experiences. The job skills they gain often help students in obtaining full-time paid employment. An example of service learning would be a student seeking employment developing and maintaining Web pafes could gain experience by volunteering to develop a web page for a place of worship.

Benefits of Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning Experiences assist students to:

*Clarify academic and career interests

*Gain academic credit

*Select future courses of study

*Pay for a college education

*Develop skills in relating to supervisors and co-workers

*Test Skills in a job setting

*Build a resume

*Develop a network of potential employers

*Develop relationships with people who can be used as references when applying for jobs

*Students with disabilities gain valuable practice in disclosing their disability and requesting appropriate accommodations

Benefits for employers include

*gaining practice in working with an individual to create a work environment that maximizes productivity and minimizes the impact of the disability

*Confronting and overcoming fears regarding hiring employees with a disability

Full employment of people with disabilities can save billions of public dollars that are now used to support unemployed people with disabilities (Profit from Our Experience, 1995).

Evidence supports the idea that our nations schools are doing a much better job of preparing students for post-secondary education and training than in preparing students for careers. Work-Based learning enables students to link what they learn in school with the work world and gives them the skills and connections they need to gain employment.

A Blogger's Perspective: Part II

2010-05-07T11:58:00.039-04:00

West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council
Employment Projects Meeting
January 14, 2010
[Disclaimer] Never having attended a WVDD Council meeting, nor having a background in social services, the impressions recorded are admittedly written on a blank chalkboard.
If you missed Part I of this blogger's perspective, you may read it here.

In Part II, we'll see the direction the discussion took regarding the viability of self-employment and customized employment in West Virginia. The principle of self-determination and person centered services and supports were also addressed. What do jobseekers want, and what works?

So how viable is self employment? One participant said to Mr. Hammis: "Don't small businesses have a very high failure rate?"

He observed that studies actually showed that, while small businesses may not generate a lot of profits, a significant number were still in business after ten or more years.

The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) show that "two-thirds of new
employer establishments survive at lease two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years." This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years.

Brian Head, Economist with the SBA Office of Advocacy, noted that the latest statistics are a much more accurate assessment of new business success rates, and that "as a general rule of thumb, new employer businesses have a 50/50 chance of surviving for five years or more."

Rhonda Abrams, writing in the Money section of USA TODAY did a little investivigative reporting on small business failures and here is what she found out:
.
The other morning I was listening to the radio when I heard a distinguished professor from a distinguished university quoted, saying that 90% of new businesses fail.

Now, when I hear something like that, it's like hearing fingernails scraping on a blackboard; it gives me the creeps. I know those statistics scare people away from starting their own businesses, but I've looked at statistics of business births and deaths closely, and I know of no credible study showing anything close to a 90% failure rate.

So I picked up the phone and called the good professor. He couldn't remember where that number came from, and he quickly backed away from it.

"How do you define failure?" said Professor David Blanchflower, Professor of Economics at Dartmouth University, explaining that failure didn't really mean failure. "Failure usually includes companies that change their name or ownership or a person who is self-employed who moves to employment."

That's the rub...statistics you'll hear about business "failures" are likely to mean business "closures." In some cases, not even closures, just business changes.

Overwhelmingly, businesses don't die or fail; the owners close them for reasons unrelated to whether the business is making money.

So what is your chance of success? I think Birch's statistics are probably as accurate as any. His
survival rates:

• First year: 85%
• Second: 70%
• Third: 62%
• Fourth: 55%
• Fifth: 50%
• Sixth: 47%
• Seventh: 44%
• Eighth: 41%
• Ninth: 38%
• Tenth: 35%

"Once you've hit five years, your odds of survival go way up," Birch said. "Only two to three percent of businesses older than five shut down each year."

So … what about that 90% failure rate cited on the radio? I went to the station's Web site and replayed the story. Listening closely, I realized they didn't mention any time period. So, perhaps the professor is right after all. I think it's safe to assume that within some period of time — oh, let's say 50 years — 90% of all businesses will close. I can live with those odds.

Dave Hammis mentioned that nationally, statistics show earnings for wage earners is on a par with persons who are self-employed.

There were also comments on the importance of adapting to realities of the 21st century, such as embracing technology.

The Dancing Wheels Company

2010-04-30T18:43:00.003-04:00

The Dancing Wheels Company did a wonderful and amazing presentation at the Thriving, Not Just Surviving conference on April 22, 1010. The West Virginia Advocates was very successful with this conference at the Stonewall Resort. The presentation reflected a message of taking the "dis" out of disability! With persistence and dedication there are no limits just accomplishments as shown by the performers of with the Dancing Wheels Company. The presentation was very emotional and priceless!http://www.gggreg.com/dancingwheels.htm

COACH and CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT: A PROMISING COLLABORATION

2010-04-30T17:37:00.007-04:00

On April 29, 2010 I attended a very interesting training entitled IEP's From Start to Finish. One of the presenters spoke about using the COACH program for children with disabilities. The program has shown great promise and is appropriate for students from 3 to 21 years of age with moderate, severe, and profound disabilities (or "differing abilities"). It was interesting to note the similarities between this program and the Customized Employment approach Job Squad uses to assist our job-seekers in finding employment opportunities. Some of the main aspects of the program include a focus on family, collaboration among schools, support persons, and other agencies and professionals involved in a student's life. With COACH, the focus in on family, support persons, interests, social activities, educational, support needs, and career goals (especially for high school age students). In other words, the focus is on the whole person and not a "system". It is important to note that "family" is defined as adults who live with and care for the student. The family (and student, if appropriate) determine the goals to focus on for each year. The following is a summary of important questions and answers that explain more about the program:

How does COACH fit into IEP development?
A: COACH is meant to be used as one part of an overall approach to planning an appropriate education for a student with disabilities. Therefore, it is appropriately considered an IEP planning tool and has proven to be a useful component of transition planning (e.g., preschool to kindergarten; grade to grade; school to postschool). The information generated using COACH is designed to develop an appropriate, individualized education program. COACH is
Not designed to determine eligibility for special education
Not designed to provide a comprehensive assessment profile
Not designed to assign grade or developmental levels
Not designed to be used to the exclusion of other planning tools
Not designed to justify segregation of students with disabilities
COACH is meant to assist in educational planning by
Identifying family-centered priorities
Identifying additional learning outcomes (e.g., general education)
Identifying general supports to be provided to or for the student
Identifying priorities into IEP goals and objectives
Summarizing the educational program as a Program-at-a Glance
Organizing the planning ream to implement the program
Scheduling participation in general education classes/activities
Planning and adapting lesson plans to facilitate learning
Evaluating the impact of educational experiences
Typically, COACH is used to assist in the identification of IEP goals and objectives and to provide some information to document a student's present level of functioning in reference to selected goals and objectives. The planning activities conducted using COACH are then documented in the IEP.

In the article, Severe Disabilities (Education and Individuals With Severe Disabilities: Promising Practices), June E. Downing and Stephanie MacFarland elaborate on the absolute necessity of active family involvment in developing and implementing an educational program for students).

"Given the importance of meeting individual needs that reflect cultural differences, religion, experiences, and language, active family involvement to assist with assessments and determining instructional programs for a particular student is a recommended practice (Downing 2008; Turnbull et al. 2006). When students are unable to speak for themselves, which is often the case for students with severe disabilities, information from family members regarding expectations at home, skills and interests of the student, concerns, and future goals serves to guide educational programs. The home-school relationship is vital, and specific approaches have been developed to facilitate this bridge, such as these seminal approaches: Person Direct Support (O'Brien et al. 2005), and Choosing Outcomes and Accommodations for Children (Giangreco et al. 1998). These approaches to obtaining information from families are designed to keep the individual student as the focal point, with those closest to the student using their in-depth knowledge and caring for the person to guide their comments and hopes for the future"

Downing JE, MacFarland S. 2010. Severe Disabilities (Education and Individuals with Severe Disabilities: Promising Practices). In: JH Stone, M Blouin, editors. International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation. Available online: http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/article.php?id=114&language=en

All parties involved in a student's life are interconnected. Every component, whether it is educational, career goals, social life is of equal importance and one should work together to strengthen the other. For instance, teachers can greatly assist career counselors in providing valuable work experiences for students by open sharing of information (the COACH profile is a useful tool for this since it shows all the individual's goals, support needs, social needs, etc.. on 1 page). This profile is similar to the Vocational Profile we use at Job Squad to learn more about an individual. It is especially important to get differing perspective about an individual from the people they are closest to and obtain detailed information. This open sharing of information is beneficial all parties in assisting students in setting and achieving goals and in linking careers with the actual coursework they are doing.

Next posting: Discover how to assist students in linking educational experiences with career experiences!

2010-04-26T17:14:00.071-04:00

Employment Possibilities: Thriving, Not Just Surviving

This was the theme of the 2010 WV Advocates Conference held in Roanoke, WV on April 23rd. Speaking from personal experience, Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Labor and head of its Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) knows what it is like for many persons with disabilities to be 'just surviving.'
Born blind, it wasn't until she was eight months old that her parents realized this and then what a challenge it would be to raise their daughter. Though her family lived in a community of migrant workers in southern California, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise when it came to attending school. Mrs. Martinez emphasized what a huge advantage it was for her not to be segregated in a school for the blind, as is still recommended today. Inclusion in community education from kindergarten through high school helped her figure out how to live and learn with the larger seeing community.

"My childhood became the time when I realized that although I felt different, I had much in common with other kids. I loved to run and play, just like everybody else, yet I soon discovered that everybody else also had certain vulnerabilities that made them somewhat different, just like me. One classmate was picked on because she had freckles; another student was ridiculed because he had psoriasis. The commonalities helped shape my self confidence to reach out and communicate freely with people from all walks of life." She credited this inclusion from childhood as being a key to her successful career later in life.

Mrs. Martinez grew up in poverty and eventually 'just survived' on her monthly SSI payments. "We lived very close to strawberry fields and orange groves in southern California and I became increasingly aware of the farm workers who worked in those fields. A student teacher in 8th grade read the book Sweatshops in the Sun by Ronald B. Taylor for me on tape. The book was about child labor on farms, and it profoundly influenced my awareness of working conditions in those fields just a couple blocks from my house."

There came a point in her life when she decided to use the SSA PASS work incentive, which eventually helped her to get off of SSI and 'thrive,' by working and supporting herself. She did offer an interesting cautionary side note. Her benefits adviser at Social Security gave her incorrect information that resulted in her receiving a large over payment that took quite some time to repay. In this way she emphasized the importance of receiving good "Work Incentives Planning and Assistance" (WIPA) when making use of SSA work incentives.

Mrs. Martinez encouraged the audience to seek to turn their adversity into opportunity. She said: "Good jobs for people with disabilities serves as the gateway out of the poverty trap allowing us to contribute to the economy and strengthen our nation."

She was very excited about some of the new programs and initiatives that the Dept. of Labor is currently developing. As head of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Ms. Martinez advises the Secretary of Labor and works with all DOL agencies to lead a comprehensive and coordinated national policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities. She said that what she liked the most about "my work is knowing that I am part of Secretary Solis’ vision of Good Jobs for Everyone. My approach in supporting this vision is inclusion -- a multi-faceted approach to weave disability into the fabric of employment in America."

How does the Dept. of Labor hope to accomplish this lofty goal? Mrs. Martinez mentioned self-employment and a project with Start-Up USA. While many jobs are being lost in big businesses, new jobs are being created in small businesses, and with self-employment. In fact, she mentioned that ODEP is strongly promoting Customized Employment (CE) as a means to create jobs that previously didn't exist in community businesses which are 'carved out,' or customized, to fit the talents, abilities, and interests of job-seekers. To that end, the Dept. of Labor is working to facilitate the training of employment specialists and job developers in this new approach to job creation.

Fittingly, one of the breakout sessions scheduled at the conference discussed the use of "Resource Ownership" as one interesting facet of Customized Employment (CE). Russell Sickles, Community Economic Development Program manager at Job Squad, explained how a Fairmont, WV business was able to benefit both economically and customer relations wise by hiring a job-seeker who used his SSA PASS 'work incentive' to purchase a hi-tech piece of equipment (asset) that the business needed to improve efficiency and cut costs.

This resulted in a former sub-minimum wage sheltered workshop employee of twenty years, who 'was not thriving, but just surviving,' ending up with a job he loves, making well above minimum wage, and whom his employer boasts is his best employee. And the improved profitability and great publicity the business has enjoyed are further testament to the classification of Customized Employment as best practices.

Resource Ownership - Christian at VALLEY WORLDS OF FUN

Mrs. Martinez also mentioned an initiative geared toward "opening doors to many individuals previously untapped as workers in the green economy. For Americans with disabilities to have an equal chance to share in the full promise of this green economy, a conscious effort must be made to make these industries universally accessible so that all can participate in and reap the benefits of employment and career advancement." Green employment demands the required education to meet these industry needs, and the use of SSA PASS funds to pay for tuition and other expenses can be a valuable tool in realizing this 21st century opportunity.

Are these dreams too unrealistic to even consider for persons with disabilities, who are used to a 70% plus unemployment rate, sub-minimum wage sheltered workshop employment, or custodial low skill careers? Not according to Gary Guller, keynote speaker for the afternoon session of the conference.

Gary realized his impossible dream of climbing Mt. Everest in 2003 with one arm. He achieved this right after leading a team of climbers with disabilities to the 17,000 foot base camp of Mt. Everest, after all the doctors said they could never make the climb.
May 4, 2003
THE ROAD TO EVEREST
Something about the altitude changes your perspective on the journey – every journey
By LEE HANCOCK / The Dallas Morning News
KATMANDU, Nepal – They were perhaps the unlikeliest team ever to set out for the highest place on earth:
Five American men in wheelchairs. A Texas woman with a leg brace and another with lifelong hip problems. A Sri Lankan immigrant from San Antonio with a prosthetic leg. Two Sherpas from a remote Nepali village – one without an arm and another without a leg – who spoke no English.

All led by a 36-year-old Austin climber who lost an arm in a mountaineering accident and hoped the team's efforts would spur him to reach the Everest summit. On April 6, Mr. Guller and his teammates, including seven with disabilities, reached the vast glacial field at 17,600 feet that is Everest's base camp.
They had traveled 17 days through some of the world's harshest terrain, enduring bone-chilling cold and snow and living conditions so primitive that it was difficult to avoid getting sick.

"We set our minds to do something incredible, dang near impossible," Mr. Standridge said. "And we did it."
June 7, 2003
Everest climber home to tell his tale

Austin man fulfilled dream, became 1st with 1 arm to reach summit

By LEE HANCOCK / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Gary Guller came home from the top of the world Friday, cheered by family, friends and trekking teammates as he told of "living his dream" to become the first person with one arm to climb Mount Everest.
"For a mountaineer, you spend your whole life looking up at the hills, looking up at the mountains. ...You're always looking for something a bit higher and a bit harder," he said. "To finally reach the place on this earth where there is no place higher, what else is there?"
Mr. Guller stood atop Mount Everest on May 23, 47 days after leading a group of people with disabilities on a trek to its base camp.
Their goal was to shake stereotypes about the limits of people with disabilities.

Gary's presentation to the audience at the WV Advocates Conference sure did that.

What about you? Are you 'thriving, or just surviving?' Do you believe that people with disabilities can be productive workers? Are you a person with a disability who wants to further your education and enter the world of work?

As U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor Kathleen Martinez believes, and as ODEP likes to say, you live in "A World In Which People With Disabilities Have Unlimited Employment Opportunities."

2010-04-01T16:20:00.039-04:00

Looking for a new job?
Been thinking about going back to school?
If so, you're not alone. Many people are pondering these questions for a variety of reasons. Some, because they have been laid off. Others want to learn some new skills and find a better paying job, or want a more fulfilling career. And quite a few are considering these questions because they're getting older, and can't keep on doing the kind of work they've been doing.

Ron has been considering both of these questions, and for most of the above reasons. These are tough questions for a middle aged man with a wife and six kids to support, a deteriorating health condition that limits his ability to stay on his feet for very long, and virtually no savings for college. And so he believes he's finally got the answer. Ron has a plan, literally a PLAN to ACHIEVE SELF-SUPPORT, along with a Federal PELL Grant.

He plans to use his SSA PASS work incentive, and grant funds, to pay for an online four year course of study at a nationally accredited college in Colorado. This four year program will give him a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry degree and a chance to start a more fulfilling career, no longer being dependent on SSA disability benefits to survive.

Just last week Ron started taking his first college courses. And yesterday, he submitted his PASS to the Social Security Administration for approval. They told him that he should receive a decision within 30 to 45 days.

Ron loves helping people. This is a picture of him volunteering, at his wife's place of employment, to teach a young man the art of pie making. Pizza pie, that is.

We all find fulfillment in different things. More often than not, it is tied to our employment and careers. And it usually has to do with taking pleasure in helping others.

Are you looking for a new job, or wanting to go back to school? A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) may open the door to your future dream.

Smooth Listening In The Rocky Mountains

2010-03-31T19:58:00.015-04:00

This is a view from the interstate of those Rocky Mountains. So different from our Appalachian Mountains, but still beautiful.

Last week we attended a training in Missoula, Montana on Linking Discovery and Job Development. It was held by Griffin-Hammis Associates in collaboration with the Rural Institute at the University of Montana. There are some links to Griffin-Hammis web site on the side and the Rural Institute. The different seminars focused on aspects of customized employment, discovery and job development. These ideas and practices that we have discussed and will continue to talk about in this blog. We wanted to venture out West to learn from colleagues, see how everyone else is doing things. What works in Seattle may work in WV and vice versa.

As with all seminars, each day had a theme, different educational pieces and activities/exercises to go along with them. The one I found the most interesting was during Day Two for the Information Interviews. We were given a list of businesses in a packet that had been contacted by Cary Griffin, who just knew some folks were going to come and chat with them. They didn't know how many or who, and were only given a loose idea of about what. We gave them our top 3 picks, we were sorted and away we went.

Cary Griffin explaining the concept of Information Interviews to us.

At an informational interview, it's not about getting a job at this point. (Of course, if the opportunity arises, don't ignore it.) It's about learning about that businessman and the business: how she got into this field, what he likes about it, is it a family-owned business, is your business a fixture in the community, what exactly do you do here (which is the question I had for Ross Johnson from Powder Coating of Montana--I had no idea what powder coating was!), etc...etc...

However, it's not like you have the owner on the hot seat, throwing question after question at them. Let the conversation grow organically and most of the questions you have, will be answered. This is called "smooth listening" Cary told us. Throw in an occasion question or idea when the conversation feels like it's going to stall, but don't be afraid of silence. Most of the time, silence makes people nervous & they'll start talking again. Also, take notes and don't interrupt and the most important thing I learned from the activity: don't dominate the conversation with items about yourself.

It's a pretty simple trap to fall into. You and the owner find that you have many things in common. You're very comfortable with each other and talking a lot. However, if you're sharing as much or more than the business owner, then what are you really learning? Sure, sharing a few anecdotal things about yourself during a conversation is normal, but the important thing for the Career Counselor/Job Developer to remember is that the information is supposed to be about the employer and the business.

There was quite a range of businesses a bicycle tour company, a television station and a market just to name a few. My group (pictured below) went to Powder Coating of Montana and spoke with one of the owners, Ross Johnson.

Above: The Power Coating Team: Joanne Savoie, director of adult day and vocational rehab services of J. Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center; Janet Steveley of Griffin-Hammis Associates; Ross Johnson, an owner of Powder Coating of Montana; Doug Bever, Outreach Coordinator of The Full Ahead Foundation of HOPE.

Not shown: Janis Longton, Self-Employment Coordinator & Employee Consultant for Career Concepts, Brian Connaughton and Tamara Woods Career Counselors at JSI.

When we visited Ross at his shop, a wealth of information was learned about how he got into this whole powder coating business. In the 70s his father worked for Champion at a paper mill and an employee died from a freak accident on site. As with any accident of that magnitude a job site OSHA was involved. Champion was told they needed to design a man-basket. Ross's father was given the task and he was able to patent it. Through the Lifting Technologies Inc. was created and from there Powder Coating of Montana in the 80s. He discussed how LTI has the cornerstone on the market and both companies are fixtures in Montanta. A large chunk of Powder Coating of Montana's business comes from LTI. His employees are trained on the job and turnover is very low. He showed us examples of his work, gave anecdotal stories and was a really engaging person to talk to.

After the exercise, we went to back to our conference room and shared our stories with each other. The thing I found the most interesting is not one story was really alike. All of these businesses were unique, the owners with varying personality traits and each group had a different way of talking to the proprietors. Therefore there's no one real approach to take to talking to them. I think there is sometimes a disconnect with people in the social service industry having to talk to business people: a sense of being out of your comfort zone. It's good to keep in mind that everyone has a story, whether it's the man, who vocational rehab has referred to you or the lady, who runs the general store down the street. Part of the job is just listening.

Demand...and Personal Genius

2010-03-31T16:59:00.003-04:00

In the March 29th issue of Time Magazine, the focus is on the current recession and how employment will rebound across the country. President Obama, in his State of the Union address called jobs his " No. 1 focus and proposed repurposing bank-bailout money to lend to small businesses, which would then, presumably, generate jobs".

Though this statement sounds really good, this strategy will not necessarily solve the unemployment problem in the U.S. in the long term. The federal government may be able to assist with creating jobs in the short-term by hiring people directly or buying goods and services. However, if we are to create more jobs in the long run, it is not this simple. To create and sustain employment, there must be a demand for services and products. We need to get back to basics, so to speak, and realize that small business and the law of supply and demand are at the heart of job creation in this country.

The issue becomes how to create demand in the current economy? The answer lies in creating products or services that are unique in the sense that they offer something better. Where are these unique services and products offered? They will be offered by individuals and small businesses across this nation and by utilizing people's "personal genius" and making connections in communities.

It stuck me that approaches such as Customized Employment just make sense, whether the state of our economy is in the black or in the red. According to this article, the projected annual growth in employment over the next four years "will rebound differently across the U.S. In West Virginia, it is projected to grow less than 1.5 percent. Additionally, West Virginia is a state with the highest rate of "disability" and one of the highest unemployment rates. This is why we really need to "think outside the box" and find solutions to our unemployment crisis.

This article gives us reason to hope-in the example of how one man created a business five years ago and now has $120 million a year in sales. HomeAway was born out of one man's solution to a dilemma. He was puzzled as to why he could not go to one website to find a comprehensive list of houses for rent, so he and a business partner set up their own site. This is the stuff of what we term "personal genius"-seeing a need and fulfilling it by using our innate talents and perservering.

When reading this, I thought of the wonderful talents the job-seekers I have worked with have and of how excited I am to be assisting them in their endeavors, whether this includes wage or self-employment, or educational attainment. Each of us has this inside of ourselves, even if we don't always see it and finding this can unlock may doors. Doors that may have been closed to many of us for any number of reasons-prejudice, misunderstanding, labels people have place on us and so on.

There is reason to be cynical right now with the sad shape the country is in economically speaking. There is also reason to be positive and to learn from the experience. Let's begin listening more and talking less. Let's embrace people's personal genius and help them to put it to good use in order that they may make better lives for themselves and for others. Let's put America to work one person, one business at a time!

Self-Employment: Discovering What Was Always There (Part 1)

2010-03-18T13:35:00.013-04:00

Neil has run a hobby lawn care and general labor business for most of his adult life, helping neighbors by mowing their lawns, assisting with preparation for moves and garage sales, and shoveling snow (see above). Growing up on a farm prepared him well for jobs involving hard work and persistence. He also is pretty good with a table saw and sander (also above)!

By spending a bit of time with Neil and his support, Job Squad learned about Neil's work with his neighbors. One neighbor described Neil as the very first person she met upon moving to her new home. She also said that Neil shoveled her walkway during a big snowstorm this past December--he asked her if she wanted him to shovel because he "didn't have anything else to do."

Another neighbor has worked on several projects with Neil and has paid him to mow the lawns of his daughter, niece, and nephew. Additionally, one of Neil's support staff is a partner in a local lawn care business.

When first meeting job seekers, Job Squad describes possible employment outcomes: wage employment, self-employment, or both wage and self-employment. As Dave Hammis says, (paraphrasing here on what I think I've heard): "Everywhere, everyone is working and working hard...especially in rural areas. Many people have just not found a way to get paid for their work." That's the trick and the point of Job Squad's work--to assist individuals to explore and maximize their interests, skills, and talents for use in income producing activity, resulting in paid work.

In Neil's case, why not try to support Neil to take his hobby business and, by using existing supports and relationships, step by step, turn it into a "proper" business?

How?

More to come!

Development in West Virginia

2010-02-22T21:11:00.006-05:00

In Small is Beautiful: Economics as If People Mattered, E.F. Schumacher considers unemployment. Schumacher describes unemployment as "the non-utilization or gross under-utilization of available labor."

Economic Development, according to Schumacher, "is primarily a question of getting more work done." For an economy to develop, four conditions must be met:

Motivation
Know-How
Capital
Access to New Markets

Regarding motivation, Schumacher says that "there is little to be said from the outside. If people do not want to better themselves, they are best left alone."

Of know-how, he asks "What is education for?" and talks about the obligation of those with know-how, or education, to act as leaders for the larger community. Schumacher says that this is a view that is "well supported by all the higher teachings of mankind" and quotes St. Luke: "Much will be expected of the man to whom much has been given. More will be asked of him because he was entrusted with more."

Capital is necessary because productive work cannot be done without it--"in the form of equipment and also in working capital."

The last condition is markets, which Schumacher says is a problem for poor economies: "There is a very real problem because poverty means that markets are small and there is very little free purchasing power. All of the purchasing power that exists already, is, as it were, bespoken...if I start a new production in a poor (economy) there can be no local market for my products unless I divert the flow of purchasing power from some other product to mine."

All of the above, he says, "sounds very difficult and in a sense it is very difficult if it is done for the people, instead of by the people... Let's not mesmerise ourselves by the difficulties, but recover the commonsense view that work is the most natural thing in the world."

My question: What does this mean for Economic Development in West Virginia?

Schumacher describes economics as an inexact science--"(Economics) is in fact, or ought to be, something much greater: a branch of wisdom...economic life is still worth living because it is sufficiently unpredictable to be interesting. The future cannot be forecast, but it can be explored."

2010-02-18T12:05:00.041-05:00

Should the term "Mental Retardation" be dropped? What is your opinion?
- Changes proposed in how psychiatrists diagnose -
ByLAURAN NEERGAARD (AP) – Feb 9, 2010 — Don't say "mental retardation" — the new term is "intellectual disability." No more diagnoses of Asperger's syndrome — call it a mild version of autism instead. And while "behavioral addictions" will be new to doctors' dictionaries, "Internet addiction" didn't make the cut.

Revising Book on Disorders of the Mind
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: February 10, 2010
In a conference call on Tuesday, Dr. Regier, Dr. Kupfer and several other members of the task force outlined their favored revisions. The task force favored making semantic changes that some psychiatrists have long argued for, trading the term “mental retardation” for “intellectual disability,” for instance, and “substance abuse” for “addiction.”

According to the American Psychiatric Association website:

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
"DSM-IV uses the term, “Mental retardation” (MR) to describe cognitive deficits. This term is outdated and considered pejorative by many, so the work group is considering a change to the term “Intellectual Disabilities”.

The usefulness of the four current categories (Mild MR, Moderate MR, Severe MR and Profound MR) is being examined, in comparison with a single category of Intellectual Disabilities, with diagnostic specifiers for 1) IQ and 2) Adaptive functioning.

The work group will seek feedback (through RFIs and meetings with stakeholder groups) on these changes in definition, as well as on the specific criteria to be proposed for the intellectual disabilities in DSM-5."
If you would like to leave your public comment on this, or other revisions, you can do so here.

Some other proposed changes being considered:

"The field is still trying to organize valid diagnostic categories. It's honest to re-look at what the science says and doesn't say periodically," said Ken Duckworth, medical director for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, which was gearing up to evaluate the draft.

The draft manual, posted at http://www.DSM5.org, is up for public debate through April, and it's expected to be lively. Among the autism community especially, terminology is considered key to describing a set of poorly understood conditions. People with Asperger's syndrome, for instance, tend to function poorly socially but be high-achieving academically and verbally, while verbal problems are often a feature of other forms of autism.

"It's really important to recognize that diagnostic labels very much can be a part of one's identity," said Geri Dawson of the advocacy group Autism Speaks, which plans to take no stand on the autism revisions. "People will have an emotional reaction to this."

Liane Holliday Willey, an author of books about Asperger's who also has the condition, said in an e-mail that school autism services often are geared to help lower-functioning children.

"I cannot fathom how anyone could even imagine they are one and the same," she wrote. "If I had put my daughter who has a high IQ and solid verbal skills in the autism program, her self-esteem, intelligence and academic progress would have shut down."

Terminology also reflects cultural sensitivities. Most patient-advocacy groups already have adopted the term "intellectual disability" in place of "mental retardation." Just this month, the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, drew criticism from former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and others for using the word "retarded" to describe some activists whose tactics he questioned. He later apologized.
AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner in Chicago contributed to this report.

Tabitha's PowerPoint presentation

2010-02-16T15:27:00.006-05:00

Last month during an Active Employment Counsel meeting, I presented this power point presentation below for my job-seeker, Tabitha McClain. The AEC is an excellent way for local business owners to use their contacts to help job-seekers find employment.

Tabitha has a unique communication style, and doesn't enjoy talking in front of groups of people. Instead of Tabitha forcing herself to do something she felt very uncomfortable doing, we decided to take pictures at her house and make a PowerPoint, so they could know a little about her. And she made sure I did my job, by being my editor. A gerbil and a hamster looks the same to me, but she let me know they're not! Now I know.

It was a good way to keep her involved in this process- it is her life after-all. And we were able to use some creativity to customize this job hunt experience for her.

From the meeting, we now have some interesting job leads to follow, that helps to give us a focus for the future.

You can click on the presentation below and forward through the slides at your own pace.

ReelAbilities

2010-02-11T16:27:00.008-05:00

Check out the ReelAbilities site. They just had their second annual NY disabilities film festival. It is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities. There are trailers of the films!

Brenda

Rascal Flats "Living on Faith"

2010-02-11T14:12:00.004-05:00

I received an email today regarding an article in the Guideposts magazine about the amazing Rascal Flats. The article tells of his previous employment prior to becoming a country legend as a job coach working with individuals of whom had disabilities. The article reflects a man that was given the remarkable talent of music, but a genuine gift of compassion and caring for individuals.

I encourage everyone to use our personal gifts and talents to enhance the lives of our friends and neighbors, to not only have dreams but to have the desires and faith to turn our dreams into success stories!

Real People, Real Jobs

2010-02-05T12:06:00.002-05:00

Please check this site out:

Real People, Real Jobs

Great Stuff!

A Blogger's Perspective: Part I

2010-01-31T21:16:00.037-05:00

West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council
Employment Projects Meeting
January 14, 2010
[Disclaimer] Never having attended a WVDD Council meeting, nor having a background in social services, the impressions recorded are admittedly written on a blank chalkboard.

First of all, the letter "D" in WVDDC stands for "disabilities." Yet the council's focus is NOT on "disabilities," but rather the person and their unique abilities to 'achieve independence, productivity and inclusion in their communities.'

The WVDDC website provides this recommendation: "Generally, in choosing words about people with disabilities, the guiding principle is to refer to the person first, not the disability. . . . This way, the emphasis is placed on the person, not the disability. "

But respecting 'the person' goes far beyond semantics, beyond merely using (or not using) certain words or phrases. It is a complete mind-set that respects the person’s right to choose, and the choices they make. It puts the person first, rather than the whim of a service provider, or the convenience of the agency or institution.

The meeting began with an overview of the DDC’s “State Plan Employment Priorities” for 2010 and beyond. The chairman stated that: “People who have developmental disabilities will have the skills, access, and support they need to obtain valued employment with competitive wages and benefits in their communities consistent with their interests.”

Just how they would go about obtaining valued employment was the subject of considerable discussion.

David Hammis, senior partner of Griffin-Hammis Associates, presented. But he handled the meeting more as a facilitator than as a presenter.

There was some polite disagreement over policy, and some rather candid remarks about the shortcomings of service provides. And so in deference to the participants, names shall not be mentioned.

The discussion began with the question: What is "real work?"

The mother of a young man, labeled as autistic, was thrilled with her son’s new job at the CAMC (Charleston Area Medical Center). Her comment that ‘the job wasn't about money’ struck me. Having a purpose, participating in the community, and making new friends, are rewards far more tangible than a paycheck. She was overjoyed by the help her son received from a Community Resource Provider (CRP) in getting what she called "a real job." She explained that a real job is not something artificially created just for a person to have something to do. Rather, it is doing work in the community along with other workers, filling a real world need and contributing a valuable service that actually benefits the local economy.

On a side note: She strongly complained (though very politely) about the insane amount of paperwork that her son's Medicaid Waiver entailed. But she raved about the benefits of community based employment, as opposed to working in a sheltered workshop.

The discussion touched on the problem of how community based employment faces the challenge of job shortages. Job creation projects for persons with disabilities often only create a limited number of jobs at locations which geographically are out of the reach of most jobseekers in rural WV. Distance and lack of transportation are huge barriers to finding work. The solution may lie in creating jobs by developing programs for self-employment, or creating jobs through what the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy refers to as Customized Employment.

This creates jobs in the communities and counties where jobseekers live, in effect bringing employment to them. It is much more practical for the job specialist to go to the local of the consumer, rather than the other way around. Taking these approaches is a far more effective way of reducing the high percentage of unemployment among West Virginians with disabilities. In 2007, the unemployment rate of working-age people with disabilities in WV was a mind boggling 73.4 percent.

In Part II of this blogger''s perspective will be the direction the discussion took regarding the viability of self-employment and customized employment in West Virginia. The principle of self-determination and person centered services and supports were also addressed. What do jobseekers want, and what works?

There were also comments on the importance of adapting to realities of the 21st century, such as embracing technology.

Stay tuned . . .

Enable America's Annual Disability Forum Feb.3,2010

2010-01-29T14:45:00.002-05:00

I encourage everyone to go to this website www.enableamerica.org/ seems to have alot of interesting information!

Quality of Employment

2010-01-29T12:05:00.001-05:00

There has been a growing amount of debate about the idea of quality versus quantity in the job market. According to a recent Gallup poll, one in 10 Americans believe now is a "good time" to find a "quality job."

Americans Agree: Quality Jobs Remain Hard to Find

One of the reasons that customized employment is a successful tool for people with disabilities, is the job seeker has the opportunity to make a job outside of the job descriptions that the business may already have in place. There can be some job carving, where different tasks at the site are patched together to make a job for the individual that is more about quality.

Modeling based on Gallup's Job Creation Index suggests that the U.S. unemployment rate is likely to exceed 10.0% when reported on Feb. 5. The job market is only becoming more competitive as people, who have experience, education, etc...are being forced into the field to compete for employment. In general, the people that we serve at JSI either lack education/experience or they have other barriers, which makes the typical resume/application process impractical for them.

By working with the person to discover a job that suits their needs, the job fit is typically better and it raises the quality of employment for the individual.

Angela's Music

2010-01-20T10:51:00.009-05:00

Pictured left to right are Katie, Angela and her mother Liz

Angela loves children and music. With assistance from her family and Job Squad Inc. she is combining these two loves into a business. She is planning to offer music lessons to young children in her local community. Angela's lessons will focus on introducing children to music through fun activities. She states she wants to share her love of music and what she has learned with others. Angela has taken piano lessons for fourteen years and has worked with children at a local daycare for about two years now-these combined experiences will provide a great foundation for Angela's business. She has wonderful qualities for teaching children, including patience and kindness. Job Squad is assisting Angela in the start-up of her business by helping to develop and write a PASS Plan-Plan or Plan to Acheive Self-Support, along with a business plan. The PASS Plan will provide funding for a feasability study and marketing. The purpose of the feasability study is to determine if the business idea makes sense. It will answer questions such as is this a needed service to offer in the local community? If so, where should it be offered? Some places being explored are community centers, churches, libraries, pre-school, daycare centers and other places in the community. Job Squad uses a team approach-bringing together people who agree to support the potential business owner in developing the business concept and providing needed support-this is called a Business Design Team or BDT. Angela's team is comprised of her parents and Job Squad staff-Susan Blosser-Career Counselor, Russell Sickles-Supported Employer Manager, and Katie VanDyke-mentor. Job Squad is proud to be a part of Angela's team!

The Importance of Social Capital: "The Strength of Weak Ties"

2010-01-17T16:27:00.013-05:00

In Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert Putnam discusses the notion of "Social Capital," which he defines as "connections among individuals--social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them...By analogy with notions of physical capital and human capital--tools and training that enhance individual productivity--the core idea of the social capital theory is that social networks have value. Just as a screwdriver (physical capital) or a college education (human capital) can increase productivity (both individual and collective), so too social contacts affect the productivity of individuals and groups."

Putnam argues that "social capital turns out to have forceful, even quantifiable effects on many different aspects of our lives...(there is) hard evidence that our schools and neighborhoods don't work so well when community bonds slacken, that our economy, our democracy, and even our health and happiness depend on adequate stocks of social capital."

Unfortunately, West Virginia is ranked 42nd on Putnam's "Social Capital Index," meaning that only 7 states have lower amounts of social capital. This is a problem, because, as Putnam says, "precisely because poor people (by definition) have little economic capital and face formidable obstacles in acquiring human capital (that is, education), social capital is disproportionately important to their welfare." Less or lessening amounts of social capital negatively impacts West Virginia to a much greater extent due to the lack of the counter-balance of other forms of capital.

Putnam says that "a growing body of research suggests that where trust and social networks flourish, individuals, firms, neighborhoods, and even nations prosper."

Some examples:

"Individuals who grow up in socially isolated rural and inner-city areas are held back, not merely because they tend to be financially and educationally deprived, but also because they are relatively poor in social ties that can provide a "hand-up."
Evidence shows that connections "influence who gets a job, a bonus, a promotion, and other employment benefits. Social networks provide people with advice, job leads, strategic information, and letters of recommendation" and also that "casual acquaintances can be more important assets than close friends and family for individuals in search of employment." This is because a person's "closest friends and kin--"strong ties"--are likely to know the same people and hear of the same opportunities. More distant acquaintances--"weak ties"--are more likely to link that person to unexpected opportunities, and thus those weak ties are actually more valuable."

Job Squad has seen first-hand the value of connections--it seems that in every good outcome, some community connection played a role: business acquaintances of an individual's family, a prior mentor or friend, a community acquaintance, the connections of our organization, or the Active Employer Council, a group put together by Job Squad, and first pioneered by Griffin-Hammis Associates in the 1990's, to purposefully leverage the business, community, and social connections of the Council members. We have also seen, as Putnam describes above and in Bowling Alone, that individuals at the economic margins of their communities tend to participate less in their communities and have fewer social networks to utilize when seeking employment.

Putnam sums up his chapter on economic prosperity in Bowling Alone by saying that, "For the moment, the links between social networks and economic success at the individual level are understood. You can be reasonably confident that you will benefit if you acquire a richer social network...(the data) encourage the view that social capital of the right sort boosts economic efficiency, so that if our networks of reciprocity deepen, we all benefit, and if they atrophy, we all pay dearly."

The message to us all: Join now. Join a lot. Participate in community activities with others and help others participate in community activities. Or put another way, as Ernesto Sirolli says in Ripples From the Zambezi, "The person who is most capable of enlisting the support of others is the most likely to succeed."

Samantha's C.B.A.

2010-01-06T13:15:00.003-05:00

I have had the honor of working with a young lady named Samantha, and we have just completed a "Community Based Assessment". A community based assessment is an assessment that is done with the emphasis on obtaining a vocational goal for our job seekers. This is an agreement where the business sponsor agrees to permit the client to enter its work site for the purpose of a trial work experience. This agreement will serve as a guide to introduce a client to the different job skills needed for employment. The community based assessment or what is commonly referred to as a C.B.A. gives indiduals the opportunity to "try" new work opportunities and possible employment goals. The C.B.A. is a wonderful tool that is used by the WV Division of Rehabilitation Services, the job seeker, and Job Squad Inc. to work together as a team, and to focus on atleast three different employment sites to determine an employment goal.
Samantha used the C.B.A. to explore childcare with the Elkins Y.M.C.A., elderly care with Nella's Nursing Home, and food service with El Gran Sabar. These establishments was very generous with allowing Samantha the unique opportunity and vocational training experience. It was an honor to work with such extraordinary people!

What is an Active Employer Council?

2009-12-31T14:13:00.004-05:00

The Job Squad Inc. Active Employer Council is a group of business owners and other community members from the Bridgeport and Clarksburg area. The council's purpose is to assist job-seekers in securing community employment and/or self-employment. Job-seekers present resumes or provide other information at monthly meetings in order for council members to learn about their past employment experiences, interests, education, etc... Council members then use their personal and professional connections to provide leads or other useful information to job-seekers and their Career Counselors to follow up on. Two job-seekers who were assisted in obtaining employment are John White and Regina Ford. With the council's assistance, John has secured his first job with Glotfelty Tire in Bridgeport. John is proud to be part of the Glotfelty team and is really enjoying his experience there. Regina has started her own business-"Gina's Jewels" and made her first sale to Artworks, a gallery/gift shop in Bridgeport. This sale was made possible by council member, Lotus MacDowell. You can read more about John and Regina in the Active Employer Council section of this blog. You can also learn more about Active Employer Councils and Customized Employment by clicking on the Griffin-hammis link of our blog.

Anthony Begins Wage Job--Business Start-Up Coming Soon!

2009-12-15T14:33:00.008-05:00

Anthony Frye (pictured, above) began a wage job at Sunfire Tanning on November 30th. Anthony was featured in a previous entry , when he received the GED Student of the Year Award for the State of WV.

Anthony, with the support of his family and the owner of Sunfire tanning, is about to submit a Plan To Achieve-Self-Support (PASS) with the goal of starting his own Tanning and Spa business. He is working a small amount, about 6 hours a week, to explore the goodness-of-fit of the work environment.

If approved by the Social Security Administration, the PASS will help Anthony obtain the resources needed during the critical "start-up" period of his business.

More to come!

Our Interns

2009-12-14T14:28:00.009-05:00

Two graduate students, Misty Merrifield and Sommer Bland (pictured left) in the WVU Rehabilitation Counseling department interned at JSI for their fall semester. They are expected two graduate next May. Misty's previous intern experience was at the Center for Independent Living. Sommer's intern experience has been with Family Services of Marion and Harrison counties.

Initially Misty's intention was to work in the prison system to help rehabilitate inmates, before their release into society as a way to lessen recidivism. Her work at North Central West Virginia Center for Independent Living opened her eyes to an entire different population of people. She worked as an independent contractor to help people, who experience these barriers to work to be more involved with their community as a whole.

Sommer's experience in this has been more personal. After her grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, she wanted to find ways to help people use resources that would make their lives easier.

They will graduate May 2010, and we're happy to have them as an addition to our team!

John's New Gig at Glotfelty Tire

2009-12-04T13:37:00.006-05:00

In mid-October, John started his new job at Glotfelty Tire in Bridgeport. John's job was an outcome of the work of the Active Employer Council (AEC), a group of business owners and community members who meet job seekers, then leverage their business and community relationships to assist these job seekers towards gaining employment.

Immediately following the September AEC meeting, Brad Ford, a member of the Council, contacted Joel Davis, manager at the tire center, about John. At the September meeting, Mr. Ford was introduced to John, who told the Council about how he sometimes helps his dad when working on their car.

John, a senior at Liberty High School, says that, so far, the job is a good fit. "I really like my job--I make good money, and its a good thing that I'm working. I like the other guys who work there and I like helping them out. Joel is a good guy and Johnny (pictured above) is a good person and also pretty funny."

Regarding his job duties at Glotfelty, John says, "I take the 'Wet Wall' off the new tires that come in, unload new tires when they arrive, put old tires into the trailer for the recycling service, help load tires on the conveyor belt for storage, sweep the storage area, and put the nuts back on the tires when they are put on the cars."

Congratulations on your first job John!

Roadblocks in the Journey for Success

2009-11-30T12:34:00.007-05:00

The Opinion article below is from the Charleston Gazzette. The article is by a dad whose family has been struggling to live in West Virginia. They've lost the battle and are now moving to try to regain a financial equilibrium. They have a son, who has been diagnosed with autism and they've been burying themselves in debt trying to get him services that will help him to lead a fuller life. They've been put on waiting list upon waiting list with ultimate result: their needs ignored. The truly tragic point of this story is that their story is not unique. The hardship, like in this case, often begins early in life and continues well into adulthood. These lack of supports can be a factor in all regards of life, including employment.

These are photos of Scott Finn and his son.

And this is their story: http://www.wvgazette.com/Opinion/OpEdCommentaries/200911210272

Linking Discovery & Job Development by GHA

2009-11-25T18:06:00.005-05:00

Griffin-Hammis Associates is offering an upcoming training called "Linking Discovery and Job Development." Click here to read the announcement in a clearer format.

The training will be a unique, experiential job development certification training--Dave Hammis and Cary Griffin will provide the training.

On Thankfulness

2009-11-24T15:24:00.003-05:00

The following story was published in the Traverse City Record-Eagle-a Northern Michigan newspaper:

Disability Is Illuminating

Father's blindness makes whole family stronger

BY INGA DIETLINSpecial to the Record-Eagle

'But I will never see her face."

This comment was made in 1991, nine months before my birth.
While the births of my siblings had been joyous occasions, mine was mixed with sorrow. My father has a degenerative eye disease called Retinisa Pigmentosa, or R.P., which was diagnosed at a very young age. This disease slowly stole his eyesight, making him almost completely blind at the time of my arrival. Although his blindness has been a trial in many ways, it has also blessed both him and our entire family with the joy of having guide dogs, viewing other disabled people in a more compassionate manner, and in spiritual growth. When I was 5, Dad received his first guide dog, Mischa. The 1-year-old German Shepherd only had basic training. But with the help of a local dog trainer, he quickly learned how to safely lead my dad around obstacles.
Before we moved to Michigan and had Mischa, my family lived in Chicago, where Dad worked as a piano tuner. Since he maintained a large clientele there, he continued to travel back and forth every other week, while my mom stayed with my siblings and me in Michigan. Mischa aided Dad in traveling on airplanes and navigating through city streets. After Mischa had been working for almost seven years, my dad realized he would need a replacement dog. We soon received an 8-week-old puppy and named him Bartok. Bartok watched Mischa work for two years, which contributed greatly to his excellence in leading. Bartok began to guide Dad when Mischa was about 9 years old. Almost two years later, after Mischa had been sick for many days, I received the news that he had been put down. This was one of the most emotional moments my family and I had ever experienced, and it was very heart-wrenching for Dad to say good-bye. No dog can replace Mischa in our memories, but Bartok is a great helper, keeping Dad safe both in Michigan and Chicago. Although it may seem like my father's trips to Chicago are perfect, he still encounters many rude people unwilling to even help him navigate a busy street, or move from their seat on a crowded bus. It is obvious that my dad has a disability and may need assistance, but most people seem too busy to realize he exists. Through viewing his attempts at obtaining a seat on crowded Chicago Transit Authority buses, the whole family has become aware of people with disabilities, and we strive to help those who may be in need. Many who see another person with a disability such as blindness simply gawk as though the person is contagious. Dad has aided me in realizing that even though the person is disabled, they are just like me. Because of this, I am often one of the few to leave my seat on a bus in favor of letting a disabled person take the chair. The obstacles that Dad encounters through his blindness, whether it is simply steering himself through a throng of people or being denied a seat on the bus, have all been formidable. But he is able to overcome them through his sturdy believe in Jesus Christ. The sorrow that my dad expressed when told I was going to be born was short-lived, but powerful. Although he was thrilled at the idea of having another child, the notion that he would miss seeing me grow into a woman left him somber. His eyesight has slowly degenerated throughout most of his life, but by becoming a Christian at a young age, his faith helped him cope with the impending blindness. After becoming completely blind, it seemed that studying the Bible would be impossible, until he received the treasured gift of a Bible on CD. This has allowed him to continue reading as well as memorizing. Because of this passion for memorizing the Bible, he has inspired my siblings and me to attempt the same feat. His attitude is also a product of his faith. While many people who have disabilities are bitter because of their misfortune, my dad is well-liked by everyone because of his inner joy. Dad's hardships have threatened to dismantle his faith and good attitude, but he is always able to return to his faith and discover the promises held in the Bible.
Disabilities can tear families apart, but my dad's blindness has made our stronger. We connect over the faith that we share, and enjoy the dogs that have made his mobility possible. Throughout my days, I am constantly aware of the impact his blindness has made on my life, whether it be increased awareness of other people or thankfulness for my many blessings. I know that my dad has never had the chance to see me growing up, but I recognize that he has helped me become the woman I am today.

Inga Dietlin is a sophomore at Elk Rapids High School

Welcome to Pizza Hut my name is Michael

2009-11-24T11:42:00.009-05:00

This is a picture of Michael Wilson. Michael is a 2009 graduate of Tygart's Valley High School of Mill Creek, WV. He is a very ambitious young man who has autism. Michael enjoys playing video games, reading, watching movies, and comic books.

Michael has no prior work experience but he had a desire to work at his favorite restaurant, Pizza Hut--he wanted to greet and seat the customers. We used his own networking system of "social capital" as a tool for "customized employment". Michael began working on September 16, 2009 with a job coach, Andrea.

Leslie the restaurant manager, his co-workers, and the customers all appreciate his hard work, dedication, and wonderful smile! He gets very excited when he is given tips or what he calls "bonuses".

Michael has also expressed an interest in possibly owning a business that specializes in video games, movies, and comic books; hopefully, Job Squad will assist him with writing a PASS(Plan to Achieve Self-Support) through the Social Security Administration.

Michael is very fortunate to have a supportive family. His mother Sally has always encouraged him to purse his dreams and to excel in life. Sally is very proud of Michael, and has been a strong advocate for his rights. In the beginning stages of his employment she was scared to death of his social differences, but has seen that they can be worked through. She says that some days are harder than others, his capabilities to cope with his environment varies, but Michael is very lucky to have such wonderful working relationship with his job coach Andrea.

Sally also says that Tygart's Valley High Schools was instrumental in preparing him for the work world. She recognized how wonderful the staff and teachers were in accepting Michael.

Amanda is a happy girl! She just got her very first job.

2009-11-18T18:29:00.075-05:00

But this isn’t the end of the employment road for her. Actually, it might only be the beginning, thanks to a Plan to Achieve Self-Support.

Living in Calhoun County, WV, Amanda happened to attend a High School in just one of nine counties that participated in the Workforce Youth Advantage Program. There, she received training in janitorial work. While Amanda was completing her education she was able to help the school Janitor as a part time job. Upon graduation she no longer qualified for the program, and started looking for a job. Shortly thereafter, she and her mother moved to Gilmer County. (A side note: the Youth Advantage Program is not available to young people living in Gilmer County.)

http://wvworkforce.org/youth_prog/default.asp

Four years later, Amanda was still looking for a job. Seeing an article in the local Glenville, WV newspaper about Job Squad’s employment services prompted Amanda to make a call. She said: “I really need help getting a job.” We discussed her employment goals, as well as Social Security work incentives. She recently had received a packet from SSA with Ticket to Work program information, but didn’t know how to go about using it. With no internet connection, and limited computer skills, she wasn’t able to get more information online about the program or area Employment Network members.

It turned out to be the ‘right time and right place’ for a cleaning job with the WV DOT’s Division of Highways, in the Gilmer County office. Thanks to the WV-ARF state use program, we were able to assist her in getting just the kind of work she wanted. Within two weeks she had her dream job. Fortunately, it was only eight miles from her rural community of Cox’s Mills. Amanda is unable to drive to and from work. But transportation could be provided by her mother, with whom she lives.

It also deserves mentioning that, if it weren’t for a grant provided by the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services to expand Job Squad’s employment services to Gilmer County, Amanda would still be sitting at home dreaming about a job.

We called her after a week to see how things were going. “I like my new job a lot,” she said, “but I am interested in a PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support).“ How did Amanda know about Social Security’s PASS plan? At our first meeting with her and her mother we discussed the SSA PASS, which is another work incentive that she qualifies for.

“A Plan for Achieving Self Support, or PASS for short, is a plan for your future. Many people with disabilities want to work, and you may be one of them. Perhaps you need to go back to school before you can get a job. Or, maybe you'd like to start your own business, but you don't have the money. Whatever your work goal may be, a PASS can help you reach it.”

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/pass/

For a variety of reasons, many persons who start working in a sheltered employment program environment never go beyond that. Sub-minimum wages and menial work is often their lot.

According to The Center For An Accessible Society:

“A 1998 national report indicated that sheltered workshop clients earned an average of $65 per week, while rehabilitation clients working in the competitive labor market earned an average $272. Even for people with severe mental retardation, earnings are significantly higher in competitive employment. Workshop clients earned a weekly average of $37, and workers in competitive employment made $110. Supporters often defend sheltered workshops as a "transitional step" to prepare people to enter the competitive work force. Studies have consistently shown that segregated environments do not prepare people to live, work, or participate in integrated environments. A mere 3.5% of people in sheltered workshops move into competitive employment in a given year. This is one reason why the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration ruled in January 2001 that sheltered workshop placement would no longer qualify as an accepted employment outcome.”

http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/economics-employment/shelteredwksps.html

In Amanda’s case, her job is possible due to a West Virginia State Use Program.

The program was created by the legislature in 1984 and strengthened in 1989. The program allows the employment of persons with disabilities through nonprofit Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRP) to produce commodities and services for various state agencies without the requirement of competitive bidding.

Prices charged for these special commodities and services are established by the Governor-appointed Committee for the Purchase of Commodities and Services from the Handicapped.

All West Virginians benefit when our citizens with disabilities are able to work for a wage. Their need to consume costly social services is drastically reduced when rehabilitation is mixed with business.

In 2005, the program enabled:

· Approximately 891 persons with disabilities to earn a wage

· Person with disabilities to work 765,275 hours

http://www.wvarf.org/stateuse/

While State and Federal noncompetitive employment programs for persons with disabilities are a very useful stepping stone, they may not be a desirable destination.

So for Amanda to use a PASS, she needs to have a job. Having an active PASS plan will help her save for future employment opportunities beyond doing janitorial work. And for every two dollars earned, Amanda won’t lose a dollar of her SSI payments. She can put her paycheck in the bank and save for a better career, while keeping all of her SSI check.

When she is ready, she can start her own business, or use her PASS funds to take advantage of Customized Employment services.

What is Customized Employment? According to the U.S. Department of Labor:

Customized Employment - Practical Solutions for Employment Success

"As we invest in critical job training, we are giving workers the bargaining power they need to custom-design their jobs around their lives—instead of the other way around."

—Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor, is committed to improving employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. To achieve this goal, ODEP established a Customized Employment initiative to build the capacity of workforce systems to serve all customers, including individuals with disabilities. The strategies developed through this initiative can assist all workforce customers who have complex needs and may require more individual assistance to achieve their employment goals. The Customized Employment initiative also focuses on incorporating universal strategies into all aspects of workforce services.

A World In Which People With Disabilities Have Unlimited Employment Opportunities

http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/custom/index.htm

Congratulations Amanda, on getting your first job, and starting down a road with unlimited employment opportunities. You go girl!

Anthony Awarded GED Student of the Year!

2009-11-11T08:12:00.011-05:00

On October 28th, at the 13th Annual Adult Education and Family Literacy Conference, Anthony Frye was honored as West Virginia's GED Student of the Year for 2009. Anthony, his family, Linda Jones (his GED teacher), and Dr. Steven L. Paine (State Superintendent of Schools) are pictured above.

When asked if Mrs. Jones had other students who received this award she replied, "No, and I don't expect to have another one for the rest of my career."

In his award speech, Anthony said, "My mom was a great inspiration and I already got a job!" Very loud applause followed.

Congratulations Anthony! Getting the GED involved a ton of commitment and hard-work.

Kalin Honored at WVDRS 2009 Ability Works Ceremony

2009-11-02T23:08:00.028-05:00

On Thursday, October 22nd, Kalin Hanlan was honored as the Ability Works award winner for the Clarksburg District of the West Virginia Division of Rehabilition Services (WVDRS).

Kalin's WVDRS Counselor, Patricia Shingleton, said that Kalin kept in touch daily during her job search. "She's worked really hard." Shingleton said. "She was very motivated when she initially came in to find work."

"I like getting a paycheck," Kalin says about her job. "Just being around people and getting to know the people I work with."

Above are pictures from the event (Featuring Kalin, her family, Patricia, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, WV Department of Education and the Arts Secretary Kay Goodwin, and the Director of WVDRS, Deborah Lovely).

Here's the video that WVDRS produced featuring Kalin:

(Added on 3/18/10) Check out Kalin at WVDRS' website.

Learning From Stan Lee

2009-10-30T23:55:00.004-04:00

In his new book, Manhood For Amateurs, Michael Chabon describes the early days at Marvel Comics:

"In the early sixties, when "Stan's Soapbox"--pages in Marvel Comics through which Stan Lee created and sustained the idea of Marvel Comics fandom in the sixties and early seventies--began to apostrophize Marvel fandom, there was no such thing as Marvel fandom. Marvel was a failing company, crushed, strangled, and bullied in the marketplace by its giant rival, DC. Creating "The Fantastic Four"--the first "new" Marvel title--with Jack Kirby was a last-ditch effort by Lee, a mad flapping of the arms before the barrel sailed over the falls."

"But in the pages of the Marvel comic books, Lee behaved from the start as if a vast, passionate readership awaited each issue that he and his key collaborators, Kirby and Steve Ditko, churned out. And in a fairly short period of time, this chutzpah--as in all those accounts of magical chutzpah so beloved by solitary boys like me--was rewarded. By pretending to have a vast network of fans, former fan Stanley Leiber (Stan Lee) found himself in possession of a vast network of fans."

What does this mean? What can we learn from Stan Lee?

Marvel was bought by Disney in 2009 for $4 Billion.

Jimmy and the Forklift

2009-10-30T14:48:00.008-04:00

Jimmy Manno is a 47-year old Grafton, WV native. He had a traumatic brain injury when he was eight years old, but that did not stop him from enjoying life to the fullest. Jimmy enjoys drawing, watching cowboys shows and cheering on the Mountaineers. One thing that was missing in Jimmy's life was a job. He is a hard worker, who enjoys staying busy. He has a high school diploma, but a limited employment history. This made finding work very difficult for him. However, he did have an even bigger asset: his father, Jim Manno.

Jim had worked with one of the owners of Grafton Farm Home Supply and had a strong relationship with the organization. Grafton Farm Home Supply is a family-run farming center. They make feed for livestock, have landscaping necessities during the summer months and fuel during the winter. Jim Manno, and the owners of the supply company, Robin and Bob Sharp had discussed what Jimmy could do there to bring value to the company. Resource ownership was the solution to their financial needs and Jimmy's employment issues.

According to Griffin and Hammis, resource ownership is a mutually beneficial process of acquiring materials, equipment, or skills that, when matched to a job seeker’s interests and customer needs, generates profits for the employer and wages for the employee. Jimmy was able to purchase a forklift, which enabled him to qualify for waiver funding and have his own asset. This asset enabled him to have a career at the supply store.

It has been over a year since Jimmy was hired and given the opportunity for paid employment. Jimmy states that he loves working with the owners and his co-workers at the store. Bob one of the owners commented that it is a good fit for Jimmy, his personality and the job are a good fit. He takes pride in his accomplishments and enjoys working with the public.
Jimmy's daily routine consist of getting up early going to the local gym and then off to work. He enjoys cleaning the floors, rolling the oats, and assisting customers with their purchases. He takes pride in his efforts, and loves being able to talk with neighbors, and friends. When asked if he would like to do anything different he responded "no, this is my job."
Mr.Manno is very pleased with the overall success. He remarked on what an advantage resource ownership was to a small business, but what a huge advantage it has been for his son."Jimmy has had fewer seizures, and appears to be much happier! this experience can be compared to a "perfect marriage", everyone wins and everyone is happy."
This is a picture of Jimmy Manno on his forklift he purchased in March. By using resource ownership as a tool, Jimmy was able to secure employment with Grafton Garden Home Supply. Owning this piece of equipment gave him the power to negotiate employment, where his skills would be utilized for the benefit of the company and himself.

Planning for the flu

2009-10-27T15:50:00.007-04:00

It seems that everywhere you turn there is a new report on the Swine Flu. In addition to the usual precautions everyone should take such as washing your hands often and avoiding sick people if at all possible-here is some useful information on employment and special considerations for people with disabilities in regards to the flu. This information is provided by the Job Accomodation Network (JAN):

Considering the Needs of Employees with Disabilities During a Pandemic Flu Outbreak

General Considerations

To ensure that all pandemic-related planning considers the needs of employees with disabilities, it is prudent to involve individuals with disabilities in the planning stage. It is also important not to exclude any individuals with disabilities from employment or employment-related activities because of fears about workplace emergencies. Only when the agency can demonstrate that a person with a disability will pose a “direct threat” can it lawfully exclude the individual from employment or other employment-related activities. For more resources on emergency planning, please go to: www.jan.wvu.edu/topics/emevac.htm

For all employees, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has suggested washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing in order to prevent infection. Ensure that facilities are readily accessible and pathways are clear for individuals with disabilities.

Telework

Telework is a voluntary work arrangement in which an employee regularly performs officially assigned duties at home or at another worksite geographically convenient to his or her residence. If telework is to be used by your office, discuss any additional needs with employees who use workplace accommodations to complete their tasks (e.g., hardware software).In the case of a pandemic outbreak some employees with disabilities may have difficulty getting to the workplace due to the illness of personal assistants, problems with transportation to work, or lack of child care due to school closures. Consider the use of telework or flexible scheduling as a means of addressing these issues.
· If an employee is caring for a family member or individual with pandemic flu, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) encourages the supervisor to allow that person to make use of telework.

Critical Questions

Has the disability coordinator or affinity groups been used to address the specific needs of employees with disabilities during a possible pandemic incident?

Have notification systems been made accessible to all employees so that individuals with disabilities can receive the same pertinent information at the same time as other employees?

Employment Laws: Medical and Disability-Related Leave - ODEP http://http//www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/employ.htm

Emergency Planning- http://www.jan.wvu.edu/topics/emevac.htm

Should there just be one month of awareness?

2009-10-26T14:39:00.007-04:00

People with barriers to finding employment whether it's mental, physical, emotional etc...have to adapt everyday to achieve their goals. October may be the month dedicated to looking at these issues, but as illustrated in these articles below and beyond, the lack of people with disabilities in the workforce is a staggering issue. Regardless, I did a search to see what kind of new stories came up about how people were using this opportunity to get some awareness out. If you run across any, please share.

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/oct2009/ca2009102_029034.htm
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/11064-1
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/30087
http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/522989.html?nav=5054
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS155510+23-Oct-2009+PRN20091023
http://www.explorehoward.com/news/66492/cuts-programs-development-disabilities-protested/

Working Towards a Bright Future!

2009-10-20T11:59:00.001-04:00

Corrine Cupp is an engaging young lady. She is friendly and has a great sense of humor-the kind of person people are drawn to instantly. Corrine is a Senior at Bridgeport High School and is involved in her community, having participated in productions at In-Step Dance Studio and Challenger League. When she began working with Job Squad Inc. she did not know what type of work she would enjoy or be best suited to. Utilizing techniques of Customized Employment and connecting with people close to Corrine including her family, and teachers at the high school, it was discovered Corrine enjoys interacting with the staff and patients at Bridgeport Physical Therapy and this may be a good environment to gain some "real-world work experience". This led to discussions with the owners and eventual work experience there. Corrine states she really enjoys her time there. She likes being able to do many different types of duties at the office. Through her experience, she learned she really enjoys this type of setting and is considering physical therapy or a similar line of work in which she can help people.

Greg's Pursuit

2009-10-02T11:55:00.011-04:00

Ken Ervin and Mike O'Brian introduced Greg (pictured above, at a protest at the Weston State Hospital) to advocacy.

"Ken and Mike showed me that I can do anything that I put my mind to," Greg says. "A lot of people where telling me that I was not capable of doing what other people where doing, like working, having real relationships, and living on my own."

In December, Greg started his advocacy business, Bilonick Advocacy. In the last nine months, Greg has focused on transition work with students and also begun exploring other business opportunities, searching for ways to take a market-based approach towards advocacy. "Finding ways to get paid to do advocacy has been frustrating--most advocates are funded through grants and also by state and federal money," Greg said. "I've created a line of buttons that where a hit at a recent People First Conference. I've also got a few other ideas that I'll pursue in the next few months."

Greg has also decided to pursue a second job. "I'm hoping to explore other opportunities--I'd like to see what I'm capable of doing."

Bunny's Baskets hopping to a town near You

2009-09-10T14:16:00.001-04:00

Jean has worked over a decade as a certified nurse's aid and a number of other jobs. None of them made her happy. After years of lifting patients, and tending to their needs, Jean wanted to give her body a rest from daily stressors of being a CNA. She found herself in the uncomfortable position of searching for other employment.
She was referred to JSI, and began the search of a career.

After exploring different options ranging from funeral homes to the local animal shelter, Jean revealed her real passion: making gift baskets. And so from this idea, Bunny's Baskets and Beyond was born. The "Beyond" in the name is where the real beauty lays. Personalizing them is the key here. Whether it's an anniversary basket that features a CD with the couple's song or a 60s basket decked out in hippy flare, Jean works hard to ensure the product is a reflection of what the buyer is looking for. With the support of her techno-savvy husband and her shopping diva mother, Jean is able to make her customers visions a reality. She has a shy nature, but when she talks about her passion, her eyes light up and she hops out of her shell to tell you about it. The excitement of being able to have control of her destiny and to work at a goal that makes her feel good about herself and life, has helped Jean to step into the limelight. She has received several orders from customers and is in negotiations with some businesses in Monongalia and Marion Counties.

Above left: Jean is holding a tea basket before it's been wrapped.

Above right: A wine basket that Jean made for a fundraiser for the Morgantown Poets.

Bottom: A romance basket.

To contact her about her baskets, email Jean at: bunnysbasketsandbeyond@yahoo.com

Working toward a dream

2009-09-08T15:20:00.000-04:00

Wayne Moyer has many interests, whether it's guitar playing or maybe one day being mayor of his town. The aspiration that he comes back to the most often is working on a news broadcast as a meteorologist. Currently, he is working toward this goal by taking classes at the community college, making that transition between high school pupil and college student. He is also studying for his driver's permit test, which is an important step toward independence. Wayne is deeply involved in his community such as being an instrumental part of the Farmington Poker Run, which is fundraiser that is shared bween the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Farmington Fire Department. He has also assisted by answering phones and having a little camera time during the MDA telethon on WBOY news in Clarksburg, WV. He is a dynamic young man, who isn't afraid to get in front of a camera or to try something new. In an effort to display his talents and some of his accomplishments, he and his mother made this short video resume below.

JSI’s first micro loan recipient is all smiles

2009-09-04T13:35:00.000-04:00

Michael just hauled his first load for Jane Lew Hot Shot Trucking Co., thanks to a micro loan arranged by JSI and a local trucking co. The barrier to employment had been in seeking to have his commercial drivers license reinstated. He had been unemployed over a year and a half after working in the trucking industry for more than 20 years.

Victim of an unscrupulous trucking company, Michael spent all his savings trying to have his former employer resolve his license problems, but to no avail.

". . . companies may promise to ensure that their drivers are always driving legally, within the federal regulations for driving-time limits and allowable load weights. The reality, however, is that unscrupulous companies often set up loads and time limits that cannot be humanly accomplished unless a driver does drive illegally. Furthermore, if you are that unfortunate driver and you get caught, these companies will take no responsibility for making you break the law. In most instances, you can be stuck with huge fines to pay out of your own pocket."

http://www.ehow.com/about_4569478_truck-driving.html

"Nowhere is this more evident than in the trucking industry where unscrupulous companies often take advantage of drivers, forcing them to work beyond what is safe for both the driver and the public.There is a reason that trucks are often called sweatshops on wheels."

http://www.truckinjurylawyerblog.com/2009/04/articles/driver-problems/april-28-workers-memorial-day/

At the same time, the severe downturn of the economy made finding a job in another line of work near impossible. Michael could have applied for disability benefits due to non combat related injuries sustained in military service, and other health issues, but “I just didn’t want all the baggage that comes with having a disability”. This attitude is not uncommon among persons with health barriers to employment.

JSI recognizes that persons seeking employment, or starting a small business, often have an immediate need for funds to help overcome a relatively small obstacle that stands between them and their goal. Hence, a micro loan fund for such purposes was recently established, with Michael being the first recipient who is now back doing the work he loves. Without this loan, he would still be desperately looking for a job.

Keep on trucking, Michael!

Personal Passion becomes Employment Solution

2009-09-04T12:28:00.001-04:00

Taking her personal passion and developing it into an income producing business was not what Regina thought would end up being her first paid job, but as she is discovering doing what you love and never thought was possible is one of the most full filling experiences she has had.
Regina has always had an interest in jewelry and pretty things. She also has this ability talk comfortably with everyone she meets especially if she is talking about the jewelry that she makes and sells. Regina is a natural salesperson when it comes to her creations.
Regina has been stringing(making) necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings from beads and semi-precious stones and metals. She has done a few trunk shows by invitation and has/is participating in craft fairs/shows. Regina also does custom orders for individuals and has filled several of those.
Gina's Jewels has received an order from a local art studio, Artworks, that will sell her
creations. The order from Artworks was facilitated through the Active Employer Council, an organization of local business owners/managers that offer their networks as social capital used for job creation.
Regina continues to explore avenues for marketing Gina's Jewels and ways to expand and grow her new business.

PASS Specialists Come to WV!

2009-09-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

PASS Specialists (the social security staff who review and approve Plans to Achieve Self-Support, or PASSes), pictured above with Job Squad staff, recently held an outreach training in Morgantown at the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities. Topics covered included basics such as: "What is a PASS?'; "Who Benefits from a PASS?"; "What is Self-Support?"; as well as discussions about particulars like Occupational Goals, PASS Milestones, and how PASS can be used to support Self-Employment.

Attendee's were also shown a video about PASS, which can be viewed here.

We also learned that there have been more than 20 PASSes approved so far this year--an increase of about 50% from 2007!

Christian's Work and PASS

2009-08-13T05:18:00.000-04:00

Christian worked for almost 20 years in a sheltered workshop. After leaving the workshop, his parents and sister connected with Job Squad, asking “Can Christian work?”

Using strategies developed during the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Customized Employment Initiative, and with Technical Assistance (T/A) support from David Hammis, Start-Up USA’s co-director of national Technical Assistance, Christian and his employment staff spent time learning about Christian’s interests, abilities, and needs by exploring his preferences and relationships in the local community. They eventually returned to the first location visited, Valley World’s of Fun, using a family connection as an introduction.

Christian and his staff observed and analyzed the work that occurred there, looking for duties and tasks that interested and “fit” him. Negotiations ensued with the business owner, Mr. Bob Martin (pictured with Christian), focusing on customizing ways that Christian and the business could meet each other’s needs. During these negotiations, the business owner shared his need for a ticket-counter machine that would save the business money. Ultimately, a job was created by reassigning duties (coin removal from arcade games, set up for dinner buffets, removing tickets from a ticket-counter machine, light cleaning tasks, and other duties) and also utilizing resource ownership techniques using a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

Multiple braids of funding were used: Vocational Rehabilitation provided work counseling; Medicaid is funding initial job coaching, which will fade eventually to PASS-funded co-worker supports and then to natural co-worker supports; PASS is also funding the purchase of the equipment and some transportation; a grant from the WV Developmental Disability Council introduced Job Squad, Inc. to the Start-Up USA partner; Job Squad, Inc. will access Ticket to Work funding as an Employment Network; and lastly, the employer provided funding by initially purchasing the resource, with Christian using his PASS buy the equipment from the employer.

Christian is now working 18 hours a week and plans to be working full-time—picking up new duties and learning new skills—by the summer of 2010!