1. Partners with Business
Co-Worker Support Training

2. Training Outline Supported Employment Overview
Overview of Partners with Business
Role of Supported Employment Agency
Best Practices for Coaching to Promote Independence and Good Work Performance
Worker Specific Information: Support plan, Communication and Learning style
Contact for SE Agency and Back Up Plan
Monthly Invoice and Progress Reporting

3. What is Supported Employment?
Supported Employment began in early 1970’s during the Independent Living movement
Supported Employment is defined in federal legislation
Supported Employment involves publicly funded services that help people with the most significant disabilities to find and maintain community, integrated employment
Types of Supported Employment services include: assessment, job development, and job coaching

4. Supported Employment Values
People with disabilities….
Can work in the community, no matter how significant their disabilities, with the right job match and the right support.
Have the right to earn a prevailing wage (at least minimum wage or more).
Should be given opportunities to advance in employment.
Should receive the same supervision and supports from their bosses and coworkers at work as their peers without disabilities.
Can learn complex tasks with positive support and coaching.
Should be welcomed at work and supported to make meaningful connections with coworkers.

5. Supported Employment Best Practices
Gaining an understanding a person’s unique skills, interests and abilities
Matching these skills and interests to the right job in the community
Being a resource to employers on how to successfully employ and interact with people with disabilities
Cultivating natural supports at work with supervisors and coworkers
Using positive instructional techniques to help a person learn tasks and gain independence
Fading formal job coaching supports over time as a person gains independence at work

6. What Are Co-Worker Supports?
Designated coworker(s) provide extra help to a worker with disabilities so they can be successful on the job, rather than having a job coach from a supported employment agency.
The employer signs a Partners with Business agreement and is reimbursed for the costs of providing the formal support.
The supported employment agency checks in with the employer and coworkers once a month to evaluate progress and determine if changes are needed.

7. What Does Partners With Business Cover?
Supports that would otherwise be provided by a supported employment job coach.
Support that a job coach typically provides can include:
Teaching specific job tasks and skills
Supervision or direct assistance to complete specific job tasks
Quality checks
Redirection and reminders
Social or emotional support
Problem solving
Monitoring health and safety

8. What Doesn’t Partners with Business Cover?
Natural supports that have already been negotiated with the employer that are provided through coworkers and supervisors or supervisory/co- worker supports rendered as a normal part of the business setting that would otherwise be provided to an employee without a disability.

9. What are the Expected Outcomes of Partners With Business?
For the Worker
For the Employer
Success and Satisfaction on the job
Integration and inclusion at work
Independence to the greatest extent possible
Fading supports as independence grows
Direct supervision and oversight
Satisfaction with the worker
Understanding how to support the worker’s success
Support and back up from the Supported Employment Agency when requested
Long term, committed employee

10. Role of the Supported Employment Agency
Identify support needs of the Supported Employee (i.e. Job Support Assessment)
Assist the Employer to identify possible supervisors/coworkers to provide supports
Conduct background checks on possible supervisors/coworkers who may provide supports
Keep details of the background checks confidential
Develop and share a Partners with Business Employee Profile for the Supported Employee and the Employer
Provide initial Partners with Business training to supervisors/coworkers

11. Best Practices to Support Independence at Work
Understand what motivates the worker
Understand the learning style of the worker
Reinforce the worker in ways that matter to him/her
Use the least intrusive methods for support - provide prompts and assistance only when needed (avoid enabling, hovering or over supporting)
Adapt worksites and tasks. (e.g. rearrange work space or task order to improve flow, color-code objects, create visual aids or tasks list, be creative!)

12. Role of the Supported Employment Agency - Continued
Assist with transition from job coaching to co-worker paid supports
Provide monthly check in/follow along services to evaluate progress and address concerns
Obtain and process monthly invoice/progress report from Employer
Review agreement with Employer every 6 months
Renew agreement annually with Employer
Submit necessary reports to funder of Supported Employment services

13. Best Practices to Support Independence at Work
Give the worker time to learn and adapt to new tasks and expectations
If teaching new tasks, model the task first, do it together, then observe the worker doing it to determine where they might need additional support to learn all the steps.
If the worker makes errors, give clear and constructive feedback. Demonstrate/model how the task should be done.

14. Best Practices to Support Independence at Work
Sometimes people need support with ‘soft skills’ such as cooperation, flexibility, work initiative, accountability, following direction, communication.
Ways to foster soft skills are through reminders, role playing/talking through examples, and modeling
Behavior is a form of communication. Some people may not be able to verbally express when they are stressed out, confused, tired or overwhelmed.

15. Meet [Supported Employee’s Name]
Give a short introduction about the supported employee – name, interests, employment background, specific talents and skills
Include a photo of the person

16. [Name]’s Support plan
Provide details about the support plan you have developed with the employer

17. [Name]’s Communication Style

18. [Name]’s Learning Style

19. When to Contact Us
Describe when the employer should contact your agency. This may be different for each Partners with Business employer.

20. How to Contact Us
Add your agency contact info

21. Back Up Plan
Describe the back up plan in place

22. Monthly Invoice and Progress Report
Provide step by step instructions on the invoicing and progress reporting process you have negotiated with the employer

23. Thank you!
Thank you for being a Partners with Business employer!