National Service Programs: The Next Step for Individuals with Disabilities in Preparing for Employment Sheila Fesko The Institute for Community Inclusion Nancy Keeler The Institute for Community Inclusion Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde The Corporation for National and Community Service Ted Kizziar AmeriCorps Alumni

Options to Serve through Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) AmeriCorps – State/National – VISTA – National Civilian Community Corp Senior Corps – Foster grandparents – RSVP – Senior Companion Program

Serve America Act, 2009 Authorizing legislation Expands the service programs Increased focus on inclusion of individuals with disabilities Identification of service contributing to employment for participants

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Examples of Service Activities nessforall/

National Service Inclusion Project CNCS funded project at the ICI since 2001 Goal: meaningful service experiences for all Americans, regardless of their abilities. Partners: Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD), National Down Syndrome Congress, National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), Association of Higher Education and Disability

– Identify effective practices that support national service leading to employment for individuals with disabilities – Develop training and TA materials to promote employment opportunities through service Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) providers Disability organizations/agencies Individuals with disabilities/family members Employers

“My experience as a volunteer in the AmeriCorps program has given me the will to get out of bed every day. It has given me the education and the knowledge to understand my disability and it gives me a purpose in life. If you don’t have a purpose in life, it’s hard to get out of bed every morning”

Jamie Kirsch

Build Character Emotional Intelligence Emotional Health Clarity and self-awareness Builds self-esteem and self- confidence Self-directed decision making

They were able to provide me just a lot of confidence, so that really, for me even more, the accommodation I needed most was just to get my sea legs under me again and understand that I was competent.

Build Career Interpersonal skills – Teamwork – Communication – Conflict resolution Hands on experience – Workplace attitudes, expectations – Sustaining work routines Hard Skills

The service experience really set me up for the career that I want to go into and where my passions are and where I want to be.

Alex Freeman

Building Community Increases personal and professional network Exploration and Discovery – Define career interests – Diversity of experiences, people – Expanded sense of possibilities – Exposure to new issues, cultures, communities

It was the first time in my life that there was a direct correlation between something that I did and somebody benefiting from it. And that still affects me when I think about it.

How Individuals can Connect with Service Opportunities Job Shadowing for service members Situational assessments in service jobs Participate in service days/events Apply to become service member Find local project of interest Application process Competitive selection process americorps-supports-conservative-values-too

How organizations can Connect with Service Visit local service programs in community to identify potential training opportunities Participate in state inclusion team to help increase participation of individuals with disabilities in service

Resources Corporation for National and Community Service National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) Sheila Fesko, ICI—UMass Boston