Customized Employment Strategies What Works? What Doesn’t?

Job Seeker Strengths Preferences Supports Employer Unmet Needs Negotiated Customized Employment Collaborative Case Management Team

Medical Needs Counseling Family & Social Support Job Supports Training Housing Client & Facilitator Food The client-centered, TEAM foundation:

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES TO PRACTICE STRENGTHS/CHOICE BASED APPROACH 1.DISCOVERY* 2.PERSONAL PROFILE* (Discovery Report) 3.JOB PLANNING MEETING* *We’ll focus on the three above today 4.Client Portfolio 5.Job Customization 6.Self Employment Development

DVR Family/Friend CRP PARTNER AGENCIES Client Driven; Facilitator Helping Client Driven; Facilitator Helping “Wrap Around Services” approach

Service TEAM is the KEY

Service team develops the best approach to a prospective employer using discovery information (“personal profile”) to help job- develop for a customized position. Customized job seeker meets unmet needs for an employer using discovery information.

JD Planning Job Match Customized job Follow-up & Safety Net Employer Driven Consumer Driven “DISCOVERY” as the foundation

What is “Discovery”? Comprehensive research/biography into consumers daily lives to learn their interests, supports, strengths and skills to better assist them in reaching their employment goals.

What we usually know about the people we try to assist We need to know it all The Iceberg Analogy of Discovery

DISCOVERY = Who is this Person? client complexities AND potential job contributions Discovery Process Responsibilities Challenges Transportation Complexities Hobbies Skills Interest Areas Education

Vocational Profile and Vocational Portfolio Profile is the written summary/biography of the individual’s Discovery; shared with team members- valuable information that could point to success and supports on the job. Portfolio is the visual resume showing interest, work skills and personal characteristics to be shown to prospective employers. Sample one page portfolio Binder highlighted portfolio

Who does Discovery/Profile? Facilitated through a CRP/provider or lead case-manager Completed by the applicant, Self Directed Discovery Group or Peer Directed learning about the applicant Combination of above

Job Development Team Planning Service team & consumer work together to develop an individualized employment plan based on DISCOVERY/Personal Profile. It’s VERY specific; identifies employers to be approached, etc.

Job Negotiations CEG job developer or team member approaches a prospective employer with consumer portfolio to help develop a customized position. Customized job seeker meets unmet needs for an employer.

“Job Customization” Outcomes: Carved Jobs: Job descriptions based on tasks derived from a single traditional job Negotiated Jobs: Job descriptions based on tasks derived from a variety of jobs Created Jobs: Job descriptions based on heretofore unmet needs of a work setting Contract Jobs: Carved, negotiated or created job descriptions performed under a contract Micro-enterprises: Small businesses based on the unmet needs of a local market

CUSTOMIZING “SUCCESS” “Discover” complexities, individual strengths, capacity and interests to fully maximize client’s job potential Applicant’s resulting “profile” drives the employment process through a strength’s based, client centered approach “Customized placement” also meets individual employer needs

Final learning stage is PRACTICE: Build the service team CRPs can help A LOT; Liza, Shane, Tracy Use the “Customized Employment” manual Complete Discovery; utilize profile examples Develop the employment plan using that info TA assistance available to implement: Margie Thomson at Sean O’Brien at

For our clients and employers!

CE Reference Material: Alaska Customized Employment Website: Mike Calahan’s Discovery video:

SPECIAL THANKS! Special thanks to “Employment for All” for serving as our master trainers; Mike Callahan, Civa Shumpert & Joe Skiba In addition, BIG thanks to Margie & Liza for helping out on this training!