Preliminary Results of an Employment Mentoring Program for Legally Blind College Students

1. Preliminary Results of an Employment Mentoring Program for Legally Blind College Students Jamie O’Mally, PhD

2. Overview Purpose Employment Climate Importance of Mentoring Design & Procedures Sample Preliminary Results Future Analyses & Products Lessons Learned

3. Project Funding • National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) • RRTC Improving Employment Outcomes for Individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired (2010-2015) • Mentoring is 1 of 6 projects

4. Purpose • Does working closely with a mentor improve postgraduate employment outcomes for college students who are legally blind?

5. Employment Climate • Degree = JOB… Right?? • Competitive job market • Disparities in Employment Rates • Transition youth with VI are just as likely to attend post-secondary schools but still less likely to be employed than youth in the general population. • 72.6% without disabilities • 38.2% with VI (only ~1/3 full time)

6. Students with Disabilities Students who are blind have the highest rate of college attendance among students with disabilities, but many have difficulty finding employment after graduating.

7. Challenges? Think back to when you were preparing to graduate and find a job. What were some of the challenges you faced?

8. Students Who are Blind May lack on-the-job experience May have inaccurate perception of what specific careers require on a day-to-day basis May lack a clear understanding of how blindness could impact job seeking activities and job performance

9. Mentoring Relationship Mentors serve as a guide in a structured, one-on-one relationship with a younger adult who is preparing to graduate and enter the workforce.

10. Mentors Can Help… • Develop job search and interview skills • Provide information and advice • Serve as role models • Increase student confidence • Offer networking and job shadowing opportunities

11. Design & Procedures

12. Recruitment • Students • Legally blind, living in the U.S. • Under age 35 • Close to graduation • Seeking employment • Professionals • Legally blind, living in the U.S. • Currently employed or recently retired • Thanks to those who helped!!

13. Student & Mentor Benefits One-on-one interactions Incentives for students Development of career goals Access to career materials Assist with research that seeks to benefit students who are blind

14. Mentor Matching • It’s not easy!! • Database of mentors • Profession & geographic location • Networking (aka- Scrambling!) • “Distance group”- subset

15. Participant Map

16. Demographics

17. Careers & Majors

18. Education Level of Mentors

19. What makes a good mentor? Think of people in your life who may have served as a mentor to you, formally or informally.

20. Mentoring Manual Accommodation planning Blindness and low vision skills Disclosure Social skills Transportation Transfer of technology skills Career counseling Job shadowing Job seeking skills Job placement assistance

21. Responsibilities Participate for one year 3 hours a month face-to-face Biweekly contact Job shadowing Activity reports Engage in discussion topics & activities

22. Preliminary Results • Full data currently available only for C1-C3 • Cohort 4 - January 2015 • Job-Seeking Self-Efficacy • Analysis includes only pre-test data (N = 51) • Employment Outcomes & Experiences in Program • Analyses include only Cohorts 1-3 (N = 23)

23. Job-Seeking Self-Efficacy Revised from Barlow, Wright, & Cullen (2002) 14 Items, Confidence in Tasks on a scale of 1-7. Students tended to give higher ratings of confidence. Median was 76 out of 98.

24. Self-Efficacy Results • Highest Scores • Requesting a job application form (6.14) • Working on your own (6.04) • Completing a job application form (5.88) • Lowest Scores • Telling an employer you have a visual impairment (4.76) • In your general interview skills (4.78) • In your self-presentation at an interview (4.94)

25. Employment Outcomes Applications & Interviews Employment Status Salary/Benefits Job Fit Job Satisfaction

26. Employment Results • Applications: M = 14, (Range 0-80) • Phone Interviews: M = 2, (Range 0-15) • In-person Interviews: M = 2, (Range 0-10) • Employed: 12 Yes, 11 No • Hours: 40hrs, (2 people: 36 & 20 hours) • Salary: Median $32,000 ($13,000-52,000) • Insurance: All except one

27. Job Satisfaction • Satisfaction (scale of 1 to 5) • I am content at my job. (3.58) • My job is enjoyable. (4.08) • Job Fit (scale of 1 to 10) • My job matches my education level. (7.58) • My job matches my interests. (7) • Medians >means.

28. Experiences in the Program • High participant retention • Only 2 pairs withdrew • Program benefit • Plan to stay in touch • Sample success story

29. What They Learned Many paths to employment Be realistic and work hard How to disclose a disability How to develop a resume and cover letter Interview and disclosure practice Dealing with stress in the workplace Work/life balance

30. In Progress! • Future Analyses • All 4 cohorts • Group comparisons • Other measures (Assertiveness, Career Optimism) • Products • Mentoring Manual • Resource Sheet • Employment Prep Listserv • Video clips on NTAC • http://ntac.blind.msstate.edu

31. Lessons Learned… • More group interaction • Age/graduation criteria is limiting • Graduation plans change… • What matters most? • Location, Disability, Profession?

32. Questions? Jamie O’Mally, 662-325-2001 nrtc2@colled.msstate.edu Project webpage: http://tiny.cc/mentor-project