ROLE OF JOB COACH

WHAT IS AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST OR JOB COACH A JOB COACH CAN BE DEFINED AS : “…. a professional or possibly paraprofessional who provides individualised one-to-one assistance to the client in job placement, travel training, skill training at the job site, ongoing assessment and long-term assessment;…… contd.. (Wehman & Melia, 1986)

WHAT IS AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST OR JOB COACH ? contd… A JOB COACH CAN BE DEFINED AS: ….the job coach is expected to reduce his or her presence at the job site over time as the client becomes better adjusted and more independent at the job.”

JOB COACH FUNCTIONS 1 Job Finder Market Screening Initial Contact with Potential Employers Interview with Employer

JOB COACH FUNCTIONS 1 contd.. Identify Job (s) : Job Re-design : Task Restructuring Environment Analysis : Potential for Integration Negotiate Job

JOB COACH FUNCTIONS 2 TASK RELATED: Systematic Teaching - Developing Competence Ensuring The Job Is Done

JOB COACH FUNCTIONS 2 contd… NON-TASK RELATED: Ensuring that the Supported Employee gets the same pay as others for the same job. Ensuring Opportunities for Social Integration on the Job Ensuring The Development of Social Competency Advocacy

WHAT IS A GOOD JOB MATCH Successful employment may depend on the match between people and their environments than on the personal characteristics of individuals. (BERKSON & ROMER, 1980) The goal of job placement and maintenance is to maximise the fit or congruence. Congruence occurs when the individual’s behaviour is in harmony with the expectations of the environment.

WHAT IS A GOOD JOB MATCH contd.. A job match is the relationship and interdependence between the physical, social and organisational ecologies of a work place. (Chadsey-Rush & Rush 1988) A job match is comparison of a person’s behavioural capabilities and the performance requirements of the job including the identification of important mismatches (Schalock & Jensen, 1986)

MYTHS ABOUT JOB MATCHING A willing employer is always an appropriate employer. Hurry, before we lose the job ! ! ! All we need to check for is transportation and family support. If the pay and the hour fit……TAKE IT ! All you really need is one of “those” forms.

INDIVIDUALISATION BE AS FLEXIBLE AS EACH PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND EACH WORKSITE NEEDS  TRAINING METHOD  CHOICES  METHODS OF RECORDING

INDIVIDUALISATION contd.. GIVE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS NEEDED AND AS LITTLE SUPPORT AS NEEDED  Dependence  Placement Breakdown