The Navigator Experience Part 3 – Webinar Series Navigator Orientation September 2, 2008

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 2 Presenters Miranda Kennedy – NDI Consulting Inc Danielle (DJ) Diamond – NDI Consulting Inc

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 3 The Navigator Experience Two Navigator Best Practices The Navigator as Resource Librarian Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 4 Navigator as Resource Librarian According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA), an important part of the role of a Disability Program Navigator is to: “Serve as a resource to the workforce investment community to ensure the availability of comprehensive knowledge of Federal, State, local and private programs that impact the ability of persons with disabilities to enter and remain in the workforce

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 5 Navigator as Resource Librarian In order to be an effective Resource Librarian it is necessary for Navigators to: 1. Receive 2. Access 3. Organize 4. Disseminate 5. and Utilize targeted information and resources related to disability and employment in a strategic fashion.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 6 Navigator as Resource Librarian Where do you get national, state, and local level information & resources? – One-Stop Toolkit DPN listserv – State DPN Project Listserv – Other listservs, community partner mailings – Favorite Websites – Webinars, Audio-conferences – Other trainings and presentations – DOL-NDI Resource Materials

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 7 Navigator as Resource Librarian How do you organize information & resources? – Scan and save documents and websites for easy access later. – Use the same folder names for website favorites as hard drive folders and/or hard copy paper files. – Keep names of folders simple (i.e. Transportation, Business, Staff training, Learning Disability). – Put information under every topic heading that it could be related to. – Date any and all resources (e.g. 05June_2007)

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 8 Navigator as Resource Librarian Where do you go to track down a resource or look for new information? – Fellow Navigators – DPN State Lead – State DPN listserv – DPN Project TA liaison – One-Stop staff / trusted allies – Community partners / Trusted allies – Disability Employment Related Websites – Google (no – really!)

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 9 Navigator as Resource Librarian How do you transmit information / knowledge transfer to One-Stop Staff and Partners? – Develop trainings based on information (if you are a subject matter expert) Utilize materials to supplement trainings and as take- away resources. Develop pre-cursor and/or follow-up “30 Second Trainings” to introduce and/or reinforce information presented in formal trainings/presentations.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 10 Navigator as Resource Librarian – Facilitate trainings based on information (if you are not an subject matter expert). Identify Experts to provide training Work with them to develop and schedule training(s) for staff and partners Utilize materials to supplement trainings and as take- away resources Develop pre-cursor and/or follow up “30 Second Trainings” to introduce and/or reinforce information presented in formal trainings/presentations

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 11 Navigator as Resource Librarian – Include information as highlights in Newsletters to Staff and Partners – Forward targeted information to the appropriate staff and partners Information from the Resources of the Week on Business strategies for hiring and retaining employees with disabilities could be forwarded to Business Services Staff, Business partners that sit on the Local Workforce Investment Board, Mayor’s Committees on People with Disabilities, the Business Leadership Network, etc…

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 12 Navigator as Resource Librarian – Bring information to staff and partner meetings and Interagency Committee meetings to jump- start discussion on specific topics. – Use information to “Make the Case” for changing policies, practices or procedures within the local workforce investment system.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 13 Resources: Navigator as Resource Librarian See the attached two page word document “The Navigator as Resource Librarian”.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 14 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee What is an Interagency Committee? – Representatives from the disability & workforce communities, business sector & other community agencies who come together to explore the most effective employment services for people with disabilities. – Serves as a means to communicate, problem- solve & ultimately work together to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities at a systemic level.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 15 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Does my local workforce investment area NEED an Interagency Committee? – Is your LWIB actively collaborating & consulting with disability partners? – Are One-Stop Career Center managers & staff actively collaborating with disability partners? – Does the disability community have a positive or negative perception of the One-Stop Career Centers. – Does the workforce One-Stop Career Center staff have a positive or negative perception of the disability community? – Do the LWIB & workforce investment system leaders actively support the DPN initiative? – Do other existing interagency committees focus on systems change for persons with all types of disabilities?

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 16 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee How does an Interagency Committee build a support system for change? – Allows open forum for direct communication (instead of Navigator relaying information back & forth) – Builds trust among partners – Provides opportunity for interagency education & training – Increases accountability of agencies – Encourages agencies to be a part of the solutions – Provides a forum to share successes & improved outcomes – Provides assistance & feedback to Navigators to better meet the needs of job seekers with disabilities

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 17 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Building a Local Interagency Committee – Work with leaders & allies from the LWIB, One-Stop Career Center(s) & disability community to align missions – Provide evidence that there is a need to strengthen, improve, and/or change systems collaboration – Invite a small, yet diverse group of stakeholders with varying perspectives, expertise & levels of experience to brainstorming session – Write-up brief proposal with general mission & purpose of group, member responsibilities & potential topics of discussion

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 18 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Potential Members of an Interagency Committee – Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) Executive Staff – LWIB Board Member Representing the Business Sector – One-Stop Career Center Director, Manager, WIA Counselor & Business Service Staff – Vocational Rehabilitation – Commission for the Blind & Visually-Impaired – Commission for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing – Department of Mental Health – Department of Mental Retardation – Independent Living Center(s)

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 19 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Potential Members of an Interagency Committee (continued…) – Social Security Area Work Incentives Coordinator – Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) – Adult Literacy Programs – Community Colleges - Offices for Students with Disabilities – Veterans Counselors – Older Workers Programs – Employment Networks – Community-Based Providers (Job Developers, Job Coaches, Service Coordinators, etc) – TANF Counselors

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 20 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Allow for sufficient time to build a strong foundation – Develop leadership structure – Refine mission with larger group – Clarify goals & objectives relevant to overall mission – Expect changing membership – Strive to maintain effective & consistent channels of communication – Monitor progress & assess teams efforts frequently – Re-assess, revise & re-commit

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 21 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Potential Objectives for Interagency Committees – Accessibility of One-Stop Career Centers – Interagency education & maximizing resources – Streamlining interagency referral processes – Coordinating job development approach to employers – Educating business community on hiring people with disabilities & educating disability community on effectively engaging with business – Engaging youth with disabilities in employment – Organizing events for National Disability Employment Awareness Month & National Disability Mentoring Day

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 22 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Possible Roadblocks to Collaboration – Lack of relationship building & trust – Lack of common interest & values – Lack of purpose, mission & goals – Lack of leadership – Lack of communication; unclear about each other’s roles – Lack of resources & time – The fear of loss of position, power & resources – Lack of an investment culture-we don't always think about the future (we are here & now focused, crisis oriented)

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 23 Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee Good Collaboration takes time! – Bringing a diverse group together with intent to coalesce is a complex task! – Collaboration can fail when there is no consideration of the reason in coming together: to improve or change something that is not working. – People will disengage if there is not a sense of direction or purpose.

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 24 Resources: Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee See the DPN FAQ Question #20 (ADVANCED) How can establishing a local ‘Interagency Committee’ strengthen and sustain systems collaboration? (DPN Bi- Weekly FAQ )? ……………………………….

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 25 DPN Question and Answer Session Open lines for discussion

Part 3 - Webinar Series Navigator Orientation and Training 26 For Further Information Miranda Kennedy – (720) – Danielle (DJ) Diamond – (740) –