1. The Florida EmployME1st Project

2. Write a comment or raise your hand

3. Tracy Coomer Florida Developmental Disabilities Council
Sheila

4. Today’s speakers
Arizona Jenkins
Aaron Coleman
Ashley Wolfe

5. Today we will:
Talk about how self-advocates have been involved in Employment First activities.
Hear about a curriculum that helps people plan for work.
July 19 at 3p

6. Q&A with Arizona Jenkins
What do you get out of working?
Q&A with Arizona Jenkins
What does work mean to you?
Arizona has these questions in advance

7. How have self-advocates participated in the EmployME1st Project since 2011?
Regular meetings
Plain language document
Video blogs
Peer to peer curriculum
-Regular meetings
-Plain language document
-Video blogs
-Peer to peer curriculum

8. What’s in the peer to peer curriculum?

9. When we piloted the curriculum recently, this questions helped people to think about what their dreams were when they were young, and how this is related to what they want to do today and in the future.

10. Sections of the curriculum
Myths about people with disabilities and work
Reasons why people work
How people decide what type of job they want
How to advocate for yourself when you are looking for a job

11. Sections of the curriculum – continued
Working with employment specialists
Getting there…figuring out transportation
Disclosure and asking for supports once you get a job

12. Meet Ashley
As part of the curriculum, we share stories about working people with disabilities. It helps people think about what’s possible. Here’s my story:
I work part-time as a research assistant at the Institute for Community Inclusion. I heard about an available research job on a project team studying how people with disabilities make choices about work. I applied and got the position. I’ve been working at ICI since I worked with a mentor to learn all about the job, and she continues to help me advance in my career at ICI.

13. Meet Maggie Meet Maggie
Maggie likes being busy, and likes being independent. She lives near Boston, MA and has had many different jobs in the community. Currently, she works as an office manager's assistant at the AMP Agency. AMP helps well-known companies like Hasbro, Princess Cruises, Samsung, and Boden with marketing (how they get information out about their products). Maggie, together with her job developer and the office manager, carved out a job that was a good fit for her. Now, Maggie's coworkers can't imagine the company without her.

14. Meet Ryan
Ryan has been interested in nature since he was a small child, and once asked only for plants for his birthday. He lives in Reno, Nevada, likes math and science, and describes himself as a positive person. After taking a year of classes, Ryan qualified for a certificate allowing him to work in plant nurseries. He developed a portfolio of his work to show to prospective employers. Ryan now works at a nursery, managing and caring for landscaping at a large outdoor mall in Reno. He is responsible for the care of over 200 roses and daylilies. He plants, trims hedges, pulls weeds, and clears tumbleweeds. He works for 25 hours a week and earns nine dollars an hour.

15. Discussion time Break out groups
During an onsite training, the participants break into small groups and go through a set of questions about a particular topic (e.g. transportation, disclosure). In this way, the participants leave with real information that will help them know what questions to ask themselves when they are looking for a job. There is also an opportunity for discussion.

16. Q&A with Aaron Coleman What’s important to you about working?
How have you asked for help at work?
Arizona has these questions in advance

17. Contact us: Ashley. wolfe@umb. edu john. Kramer@umb. edu jean
Contact us: