New York AgrAbility Business Development Team

New York AgrAbility Objectives for Self-Employment Assistance Training Project Learn about the self-employment resources available for those we serve. Learn more about self-employment benefits available to those with disabilities. Establish the working relationships and plans of action necessary for fully integrating services and providing continuity to our consumers.

National AgrAbility Training Team Project Objective “To help Project staff identify a Self-Employment Development Team of rehabilitation personnel, friends, family, employers, tribal members, community members, and other helping agency personnel, through a person-centered business planning process, for…client participants to be assisted in developing self-employment supports.” Training Team Project Objectives

Types of BDT’s 1. Community Focus – stage events, deal with local issues, systems change, funding/resource development 2. Individual Focus – for an individual needing many supports, client chooses supports

NY AgrAbility BDT Objectives Develop an effective Business Development Team Learn more about partner agencies Serve AgrAbility clients more effectively Improve networking help with business plan development

Choosing Members NY AgrAbility staff (heads up team) Small Business Educators (local bank/ CCE) Coordinator of Supported Employment, ILC Public Relations/Peer Counselor, ILC Disabilities Program Navigator (DOL) Employment Services Manager, Employment Connection (non-profit working with people with disabilities) Director of Counseling, VR (VESID) Community Economic Development Project Coordinator

Team Mission Helping to make self-employment accessible to consumers with disabilities.

Team Goals Community – 1. Dealing with local issues affecting self- employment 2. Funding/resource development 3. Staging events 4. Systems change Individual – 1. Advocating for the consumer with a disability 2. Assisting the consumer in choosing supports

Sample Meeting Structure Meet once a month (regular meeting time) News from each member Everyone goes away with an assignment to report back on at next meeting – reporting at next meeting takes 3 minutes Guest speaker or person with disability with business idea (rotates at each meeting)

Sample Meeting Agenda I. News & Updates II. Report back on assignments III. Consumer brainstorming session or presentation IV. Determine speaker or consumer for next meeting V. Give new assignments

Sample Presenters PASS/Social Security Training Small Business Development Center VR (VESID) Community economic development project designed to: 1) educate fiber and textile craftspeople interested in starting their own business & 2) open a community textile manufacturing facility that employs people and provides training

Additional Sample Presenters Small Business Educators University Mechanical Engineering Professor (works with senior design and freshman classes) – has fabricated AT for people with disabilities) Disability Program Navigator Independent Living Center VESID - funded Supportive Employment Service

Small Business Consumers AgrAbility consumer began a small basil farm (featured in recent AP article on farmers with arthritis) AgrAbility consumer expanding a horse-breeding business and beginning a “marriage carriage” and horse and carriage service for other events AgrAbility worked with an individual with quadriplegia to complete a professional power point presentation (as a result, he went on to receive the NYS Achiever’s Award recognizing individuals who have triumphed over physical challenges) AgrAbility consumer wanting to increase the size and efficiency of his dairy business

How has AgrAbility used BDT to assist our consumers? Provided professional expertise of team for brainstorming business ideas, marketing, exploring licensing/permits/ agreements needed, expense and revenue planning Discussed with consumer how benefits such as SSDI/SSI will be affected Discussed PASS plans with consumers as appropriate Helped AgrAbility connect consumers to appropriate professionals for additional assistance Helped AgrAbility staff learn how to better work with consumers who want to start small businesses

Benefits of BDT Facilitated a strong collaborative network of professionals from various agencies working together on behalf of individuals with disabilities who are exploring self-employment Professional education Learned how to better assist AgrAbility consumers engaged in self-employment ventures

Limitations of BDT Membership has been limited by physical location of members Staff turnover at agencies involved Other work obligations sometimes supersede member attendance Our group has focused on individual goals rather than formally on community goals (only part of our mission) Consumer case discussions are dependent on the availability of consumers with whom we are working

Overall, has it been worthwhile? YES The National AgrAbility Project Self-Employment Assistance Training Project objectives were met. The Business Development Team objectives were met.