1. 1 Customized Employment Institute for Community Inclusion www.communityinclusion.org

2. 2 Video: Customized Employment Produced by Visions Unlimited Productions, Inc. © 2004 Tennessee Customized Employment Partnership Funded under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, #E-9-4-1-0079 The opinions contained in this publication are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Labor.

3. 3 Customized Employment: The Concept Traditional job search methods do not meet the needs of all CE offers a chance for a job to fit who we are & what we have to offer Customization: everyone customizes aspects of their job to meet their needs CE provides an advantage for any job seeker with a complex life

4. 4 Diverse Populations Complex Lives - Displaced homemakers - Low literacy - Ex-offenders- Poverty - Welfare recipients- Language barriers - Youth/Older workers- Cultural differences - People with disabilities - Lack of skills/work hx - Veterans- Child care needs - Homelessness

5. 5 Effective Practices for People with Disabilities Expanded Rockville, MD using the Customized Employment Strategies with Vets Fairbanks, AK integrating Customized Employment Model with DPA Recipients (ATAP) Knoxville, TN applying Customized Employment Strategies with Youth Transitioning from High School

6. 6 Taking a job “off the rack” doesn’t always result in a good fit Job descriptions can be customized to fit the contributions of a job seeker with the task needs of an employer

7. 7 Principles of Customized Employment Exploratory time with individual is primary source of information regarding skills, abilities, interests Job seeker’s preferences and contributions drive the planning process Blending of services and supports (WFD, public & private partners) Employer voluntarily negotiates job duties/expectations

8. 8 How Do We Know It When We Have It? Personalized job description or expectation Individual makes tangible contributions Strategies used to tailor job description Individually designed services and supports are provided Individual has choice and control over funding usage

9. 9 How Do We Know It When We Have It?

10. 10 The Customized Employment Process

11. 11

12. 12 Tools of Customized Employment Discovery Profile Portfolios Planning Meeting Task List Employer Negotiations/Proposal

13. 13 Creating a Profile for Job Development Entails: 1. A process of exploration for the individual and the employment specialist 2. Outlining the individual’s strengths, interests and needs 3. Individual’s determination of work goal/direction 4. The individual determines who is involved in the job development process The profile includes the following; – Who the individual is and wants to be – A plan for job development

14. 14 The Discovery Process The individual expresses their dreams, goals, personal preferences, life experiences and needs regarding employment The individual decides who will participate in creating their profile (family, service providers, school staff..etc) The individual is the primary source of information, with other participants providing ideas and suggestions Information can be gathered one-on-one or in group meetings, as formally, or informally as the individual requests Exploration

15. 15 The Discovery Process Additional information about life experiences is gathered through observation – Visit the individual in their home, work and social environments Needs related to the identified goals should be discussed – Career exploration – Additional training/skills building – Job support needs such as job coaching, travel training, counseling – Accommodations such as assistive technology, ASL interpreters, modification of hours, duties..etc Concerns and questions regarding the impact of working on Social Security benefits should be discussed – Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Programs – Project Impact (MRC) – Beneplan (Resource Partnership) Exploration

16. 16 Employment Options Based on the Discovery process, an individual may determine that self- employment is their career path of choice – Microenterprise/small business development – Resource Ownership – SBA, SCORE and other resources available Self- Employment

17. 17 For others, we develop a plan of action for job development The plan should include – A task list proposal for employers – Potential employers to contact – Personal and professional network contacts – Outlines roles and responsibilities of all – Sets timeframes and points for evaluation of progress Vocational Profile

18. 18 Additional Needs and Resources Career Exploration: – Workshops at career centers and other facilities – Informational interviews and tours – On-site interviews with employers at career centers – Informal conversations through networking – Internet information Training and Skill building: – Workshops at career centers and other facilities – Classes at educational facilities, Adult Ed. Programs, specialized programs

19. 19 Get to know the employers identified through the planning process – Arrange informational interviews to learn about the business and how it operates – Assist them in identifying needs they have – Build long term relationships with employers – Learn how to “talk their talk” Employer Negotiations

20. 20 Negotiating with Employers Key to customized employment is negotiating opportunities for individuals based on their expressed goals Once you know the employer and how their business operates you can look for ways in which your service and the job seeker can benefit the business by improving operations or increasing profits

21. 21 Negotiating with Employers For some individuals, based on their skills and experience, the employer will immediately see the benefit of hiring them to perform a particular job But the individual may still need assistance – Learning how to present and represent themselves to employers during the job search process – Organizing their job search activities – Building their skills and experience to reach their goals

22. 22 Negotiating with Employers For other individuals, the employer will need assistance in understanding how the they can contribute to that business by performing particular tasks-this may include negotiating any of the following; – The responsibilities of the position as listed in the job description – The time, hours, and location of the job in question – The support strategies and supervision the individual will need – Productivity and outcome expectations

23. 23 Options to Customize a Job Description Job Carving-A job description is created by modifying an existing job description, it will contain one or more, but not all of the tasks from the original description Job Creation-A new, individualized job description is created that fit the employers needs and the individuals skills and interests Job Sharing-Two or more people share the tasks and responsibilities based on each of their strengths

24. 24 Employers’ Benefit from Customization Work gets done faster or more precisely Employees become more productive Profit increases Work can be reorganized to flow better Overburdened employees can be relieved Operations become more efficient

25. 25 Customized Employment includes making employment supports available. They assist the individual in preparing for, obtaining, and maintaining employment. The type of supports, and methods used will be unique for each individual Consider the following; – Use what’s already in the workplace – Adapt what is in the workplace – Supplement what is in the workplace Ongoing Supports

26. 26 Customized Employment in Action! Jacob Ramon Bo Alvin Doreen

27. 27 Jacob: Job Creation in Alaska Jacob's job with a local moving company was created through negotiations between his employer and staff with the Juneau Job Center

28. 28 Ramon: Carved Job in Maryland Ramon achieved a customized position with a local dentist by working with a career specialist from the Montgomery Works One-Stop

29. 29 Bo: Vending Machine Owner in Indiana Through a collaborative effort between the Indianapolis PIC’s Customized Employment Project, the DVR, and transition services at his local high school, Bo is self-employed as a vending machine owner.

30. 30 George: Carved Job in Georgia After exploring George’s interest in working with children, helping others, and being active in the community, the public school system carved a Special Ed Aide position, tapping into his skill sets.

31. 31 Alvin’s Tooling Design Biz: Alabama Alvin owns his own engineering support service business, a goal that he achieved through the Easter Seals of Central Alabama ACE Micro-Enterprise Program www.cadtooling.net/

32. 32 Joey: Maryland Joey’s position was created with the local retail clothing store. His school, his employer, and a career specialist from the Maryland CEP worked together with Joey to fund services and customize the job.

33. 33 Doreen’s Pet Grooming: Montana Doreen was able to access the Cut Bank Job Service/Workforce Center in Montana, which helped her to establish her own dog grooming business.

34. 34 Here I Am! Representation to Employers

35. 35 The Resume A great tool for many people Resume representation not always the best option – Gaps in work history – Numerous jobs – Lack of work history – Non-readers – ESL issues

36. 36 Alternate Options Portfolio Web site CD Portfolio