1. 25 Steps to Successful Discovery and Customization
The following steps will provide you with a tool to organize the interactions necessary for discovery and the customized process. We recommend that you use the Customized Activity Log as a data form to take you through the sequence of activities.
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2. 1. Getting Started
Explain Customized Employment, Discovery process, and Vocational Profile to job seeker and family in an office/school environment.
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3. School Environment
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4. 2. “Paperwork” aspects
Complete identification information from Profile Form as a part of Step 1, before visiting the home. Have family confirm that information is complete and accurate. Avoid sensitive aspects as necessary such as specific ages of family members.
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5. 3. Outcome of process
Clarify that the outcome for this individual of the Customized Process will be a customized job for regular wages in the community. Address questions and concerns of the individual and family/supporters. Ask if a benefits analysis could be scheduled.
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6. 4. Scheduling initial visit to job seeker’s home
Schedule an initial meeting with job seeker and family at the job seeker’s home (or alternate location if family or job seeker is not comfortable inviting you to their home). This is a critical aspect of discovery and an explanation of “why” may be necessary.
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7. Alternate location
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8. Step 5: Develop Part I of the Profile
Following the initial meeting with the participant and family, as appropriate, fill out and complete Part I of the Profile, The Intake Interview. Use Part II of the Profile, The Discovery Profile, to guide areas of exploration for the subsequent steps of discovery.
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9. Procedural note
While gathering information during Discovery, capture the person’s skills, contributions, and performance of job tasks we strongly recommend that you take observational/interview notes and digital pictures to assist in the development of a narrative or visual profile information and for their Representational Portfolio.
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10. Step 6. Scoping out the neighborhood
Before or immediately after the visit to the job seeker’s home, tour the neighborhood and observe surroundings, safety, businesses, culture, transportation, services near the home, etc. Make a list of businesses near the individual’s home.
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11. Step 7. Initial visit to the home
Meet with job seeker and family for ¾ - 1 hour in their home
interview the job seeker and family about their routines
ask about formal responsibilities, chores
inquire about community activities
if the job seeker is willing, have them show you their room
have them demonstrate how they do chores and what they do for activities
observe interactions, living context, indications of interests, current skills
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12. Sadie making her bed. Observational notes and pictures.
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15. Step 8. Interviewing persons who know the job seeker
Ask for names of individuals, both personal and professionals who the individual/family feels know the person the best.
With the job seeker’s permission and following the visit to the home, meet with and interview with these people (teachers, agency staff, counselors, other related services staff, friends, neighbors, etc.) to obtain more information about the job seeker’s interests, support needs, successful support strategies, and performance in various activities, as well as to identify connections.
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16. Close Friend Sadie with her friend Rosekeata.
Sadie with her teacher from high school
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17. High School Teacher Sadie with friends at school.
Sadie at bowling alley describe
Sadie at movies describe
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18. Friends at Church
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19. Step 9. Observation of life activities
From the information gathered, identify several typical life activities that the job seeker participates in successfully (at school, in a favorite community activity, church, a familiar store, etc.) and observe the job seeker as they engage in these activities to determine their performance, interests, connections and other important perspectives.
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20. Observation
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21. Sadie at School
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22. General work experience
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23. Step 10: Participation in Typical Life Routines
From the information gathered, identify several typical life activities that the job seeker participates in successfully (at school, in a favorite community activity, church, a familiar store, etc.) and participate with the job seeker as they engage in these activities to determine their performance, interests, connections and other important perspectives.
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24. Dinner with Friends
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25. Step 11. Return visits to home
Return to job seeker’s home for additional information, unstructured conversation, observation, and further interviews. 1 – 3 additional visits are recommended.
These return visits are often more informal and can be longer, if approved by the job seeker and family.
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26. Return Visit Home
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28. Sadie would drive the golf cart to the end of the road and get the mail. She would sort the mail and gave to the family members of the house. She would also take the mail for her dad’s business and put It in his office.
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29. Step 12. Participation in familiar activity
Ask the individual and family to determine a context and an activity outside the home in which the individual is the most familiar and most competent. Accompany the individual as he/she participates in this activity to determine skills, relationships, supports, etc.
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30. Shopping at Darby’s
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31. Step 13. Participation in a novel activity
Based on the job seeker’s interests, determine an unfamiliar activity that they haven’t tried before or a place they haven’t gone before and participate in this activity with them. Observe to obtain more information about support needs, reactions, attention to natural cues, etc.
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32. Christmas Sale
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33. Step 14. Review of information
Review files, memorabilia and records of past and current activities services. Focus on files that reflect an optimistic, success-based perspective and avoid those that dwell on negatives. Seek out both professional and personal information for review, including old photos.
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34. Step 15. Using your notes as the source of information
Record information obtained throughout Discovery in interview notes and observation notes as well as with digital photos. Be descriptive and positive in your note writing. Take notes following all discovery interactions. Gather all written information and notes, including records, prior to writing a profile.
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35. Prom
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36. Step 16. Develop the Profile, Parts II & III
Develop a written, visual or alternative format profile of the job seeker following the format provided in the profile training. This activity should take from 3 – 5 hours.
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37. Step 17. Disseminate Profile, Parts I - III
Provide a copy of draft Vocational Profile or other format to job seeker and family for their review, suggestions and approval. Any Profile format must be approved by the job seeker/family prior to the Customized Planning Meeting.
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38. Review by Family Family looking over profile
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39. Step 18. Schedule Planning Meeting
Schedule a Customized Planning Meeting with input and assistance from the job seeker/family within two weeks of the completion of the profile.
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40. Step 19. Hold CE Planning Meeting
Hold a Customized Planning Meeting to develop a plan for job development. This meeting should be held between weeks after Discovery and Profile are completed.
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41. Planning Meeting
CE Planning Meeting
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42. Planning Meeting
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