Community Integrated EMPLOYMENT Vocational Skills Training

1. Community Integrated EMPLOYMENTVocational Skills Training Authors: Yvonne Raffini, Ed.D, NCC, LPC-S & Joseph D’Costa, M.Ed Sponsored by Valiant Services of Texas, Inc. Mr. Chuck Branch, Executive Director

2. VALIANT Services of TX, Inc.

3. Pilot Project • From the idea to present • Where we are heading

4. Cost Benefit Analysis • Do you agree: ALL students want to do what is expected of them? • Connecting begins by listening to their unique concerns • Do you believe that by listening better we can change values? How about attitudes?

5. Cost • If we do not do a better job at raising the soft & basic skills of students with disabilities what do think will happen? • How might this happen? • When could this happen? • Estimated cost of $3,500 per person discharged, and 8.5 million people being fired =national impact is over $30 billion annually (Center for Work Ethics, 2012)

6. National work readiness council http://www.workreadiness.com/images/WRCprofile.pdf

7. Benefit • How are you accountable with the progress of your efforts? • Is this enough? • The benefits of using a vocational skills curriculum for small groups. (20 hour vocational certificate…record of feedback shared, evaluation results)

8. Value of Small Groups • Shared learning provides opportunity for “hands on learning “w/problems that relate • Increases interest which promotes critical thinking skills • Cooperative teams achieve higher levels of thought and retain info longer • Participants w/various performance levels work together toward a common goal

9. Process of Connecting While “ideas” are fascinating, it’s our social brain that really drives learning – fueled by imagination and empathy. In fact, if we imagine ourselves as the topic of learning, his research shows that our brains activate more powerfully. (Iacoboni, 2013).

10. Why teach Soft SKILLS? • Go beyond attitude change • Improve self-esteem • ID for FUTURE: Collaboration, Problem Solving, Communication & Adaptability (Wagner, 2013)

11. PLEASE Open your brochure CIE Table of Contents 6 Modules: 20-30 hour, 22 Vocational Skills, small group (6-8) Session 1 to Session 4

12. Session 5 Work Trait and Ethic Problem Solving Session 6 Disability Awareness Disclosure Rights in the Workplace

13. Learning Phases Apply Practice Demonstrated Skill Defined

14. Empowerment • Each phase of learning varies individually • Peers teaching peers enhances success • Demonstration includes media or through examples of personal experiences • Practice: role-plays, performed individually in front of group • More accent is on strength & effort • Apply skill in multiple sessions = repetition

15. T -R -U -S -T • Rules set the tone of safety • Participants are offered control over tasks • Volunteer for different tasks • Practice may feel awkward , open to listening to others encouraged success • Productive Team work • Lighted hearted learning environment promotes acceptance and validates the voice of all

17. Session 5 How do teens learn about self-control, self-responsibility? • Skills for resolving conflicts (IDEA strategy) • Effective communication strategies. Simple scripts to confront situations that often become troublesome, stressful or require assertive communication.

18. 22 Skills 3 Examples • Transportation – Complete the plan a route form 2) Social skills- Respond to critics using 5-6 responses; Manage workplace negativity (3 strategies); Provides an assertive response for getting along w/ a supervisor • Communication – Listening: Restates 4 -5 key facts in following directions; Starts and maintains a conversation using 4 to 5 steps; Identifies 3 to 4 Duties of a team worker.

19. Accountability

20. Session 5: Posters • Conflict Resolution • Volunteers share a personal concern or experience they would like to practice as a conflict • Assertive communication scripts Review the three type of communications.

21. Anger Management Personal Issues or Scenarios C: CALM YOURSELF A: ACKNOWLEGE the other person L: LISTEN, ACTIVELY – Do not Interrupt M: MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND (Godfrey & Davis, 1987)

22. Control vs Growth • Topics cover skills and strategies by which a person in his or her relationship with others, can foster self-direction, self- responsibility, self-determination, self-control and self- evaluation. • Such qualities are not developed accidentally; they must be nurtured and deliberately fostered by parents, teachers and service providers. (Gordon, 2012)

23. References Thomas Gordon http://www.gordontraining.com/workplace-programs/real-costs-of-people-problems/ Gokhae, A. (1995). Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking. Journal of Technology Education. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v7n1/gokhale.jte-v7n1.html Whitney, K. (2007, November) Strategies to Teach Soft Skills and Business Acumen. Certification Magazine. http://98.129.115.243/email.php?in=3171 Center for Work Ethics (December, 2012)White Paper: Whose job is it anyway? Strategies for Increasing Job Retention Iacobini, Marco (2013) Wired to connect. Event: NexusEQ at Harvard http://www.6seconds.org/2013/07/01/sparks-of-change/ Smith, M. (2001). David Kolb on Experiential Learning. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from InFed: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm

24. References cont’d Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Information Center (2012). Lifelong soft skills framework: Creating a workforce that works. Detroit, MI. www.library.semcog.org/InmagicGenie/DocumentFolder/LifelongSoftSkillsFramework.pdf Gap, Inc (2012) Connecting youth and business: Tool Kit for employers http://www.opportunitynation.org/youthandbusiness/lanes/soft-skills-development Soft Skill Score Card: http://b.3cdn.net/servnat/6885f07073fe90dc5a_t6m6b8za4.pdf

25. VOCATIONAL • DISTRACTIONS ACOMPLISHMENTS