1. E MPLOYMENT F IRST T RANSITION I NITIATIVE Mission To partner with Keokuk Community School District (KCSD) to ensure that students with disabilities’ career readiness begins early - by taking a more deliberate and planned approach to work preparation and employment for students with disabilities.

2.  Employment First Initiative provided foundation for our transition project. Because integrated community employment should be the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities receiving assistance from publicly funded systems.  The transition project goal is to increase access to community based, integrated, competitive employment as a viable option instead of funding students for sheltered workshops.

3. E MPLOYMENT F IRST P ARTNERS  Iowa Coalition for Integrated Employment (ICIE)  Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation (IVRS)  Van Buren Job Opportunities (VBJO)  Keokuk Community High School (KHS)  Great Prairie AEA  Department of Human Services Targeted Case Management (DHS TCM)  Southeast Iowa LINK-county funding  Job Candidates and their parents

4. E MPLOYMENT F IRST E SSENTIAL E LEMENTS  Early employment planning & work experiences  Collaboration to build formalized relationships  Paid work experiences while in school  Support and Follow-up to stabilize, maintain, & maximize individuals employment potential

5. F ACTS ABOUT K EOKUK o Population 10,769 o Number of Keokuk High School Students-655 o Number of Students served by local AEA at KHS-78 o Chamber of Commerce Members-197 o Unemployment rate at highest in January of 2013- 11.60% (Y charts.com) Today 5.40%

6. T RANSITION P ARTNERS Keokuk Community High School Van Buren Job Opportunities Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services Student and Parents

7. H OW D ID WE DO IT ? T EAM C OLLABORATION Vocational Rehabilitation  Introduced & coordinated professional connections at KHS  Initiated VR services for students identified  Connected families to support services for successful employment  Provided vocational counseling and guidance, consultation & support services- placement, accommodations, social skills training, & work clothing  Identified & Secured long term supports/Team collaboration Van Buren Job Opportunities  Partnered with KHS and student to provide employment focused services  Provided Customized Employment opportunities for students  Negotiated customized placement with local businesses for students  Provided quality supported employment services initially and long term Together with the students and team members we…  Developed individualized plans for employment  Discovered students strengths and preferences  Identified potential options for employment opportunities  Utilized services creatively to aid in customized employment  Planned for services needed for long term employment success

8. C OLLABORATIVE S ERVICES UTILIZED TO FACILITATE PLACEMENT  Discovery  Job Shadow  Community-Based Worksite Assessment  Social Skills Training  Job Readiness Training & Job Seeking Skills  Employability Class  Job Coach Training-provided to KHS school associate  Supported Employment Employer Development  Supported Employment Job Placement  Supported Employment Stabilization  Supported Employment 45 & 90 day job coaching  Job Coaching long term supports –ID Waiver

9. O VERCOMING B ARRIERS Developing partnerships with school personnel, students, and parents Introducing a different mindset and funding shift from sheltered work to integrated community employment Identifying the partners roles in providing support and funding transition services Connecting to adult employment services prior to exit from school

10. S UCCESS S TORY – S HAQUILLE Shaquille was a junior in the severe and profound classroom when services were initiated. Services began with Discovery and Job Shadow which lead to a customized position as a utility worker at Dominoes Pizza. Shaquille hands out flyers & samples in the Keokuk downtown area. He also assembles pizza boxes. Shaquille and his mother are happy he was able to obtain employment while he was in school. Domino’s Pizza is willing to provide him with more hours if he chooses in the fall and winter.

11. S UCCESS S TORY - E DDIE Eddie works at Hy-Vee as a recycling processor. He greets customers, sorts bottles and cans, and takes sorted materials to the back of the store. Eddie is identified as a level 3 student with significant learning limitations (on ID waiver waiting list) Eddie has a social personality and likes to help others. His KHS experience sorting recyclable materials aided in his success obtaining employment at Hy- Vee while in school Upon graduation Eddie intends on maintaining his employment long term.

12. S UMMARY R ESULTS Student and Parents IVRSVBJO DHS TCM SEI LinkAEAKHSEmployerICIE

13. E MERGING T RANSITION P RACTICES  Continued partnership between IVRS, SE providers, DHS/Community Service Agencies, and area schools  Early connections, planning, and focus on employment for transition students  Braiding of resources to enhance services provided to transition students  Increase paid work experiences for transition students while in high school  All students with significant disabilities will have the option of customized employment

14. C ONTACT I NFORMATION Janet Phelps- Van Buren Job Opportunities 308 Mulberry Street Keosauqua, IA 52565 319-293-6276 janet.phelps@vbch.org Cynthia Whalen- Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services 1000 N. Roosevelt Ave. Suite 7 Burlington, IA 52601 319-753-2231 Cynthia.whalen@iowa.gov