Let’s Get to Work A Community Approach to Improving Employment Outcomes for Youth

1. Let’s Get to Work A Community Approach to Improving Employment Outcomes for Youth Shannon Munn-Huff Wisconsin Rehabilitation and Transition Conference April 2012

2. Learning Objectives • Use evidence-based and promising practices at the local and systems level to measure employment outcomes • Identify policy and practice barriers • Identify practical strategies for engaging policymakers

3. Project framework includes all stakeholders • Combines what research/data shows are: • Most significant barriers; • Strategies and practices that work; • policies that act as both facilitators and barriers to employment.

4. 5 C’s of Evidence-Based Practices in Transition Coordination Coursework Career Goals Community Jobs and Experiences Collaboration Information compiled by Nancy Molfenter, UW-Madison Special Education Doctoral Candidate and Wisconsin LGTW Project Coach

5. Project framework includes all stakeholders • School staff • Service agencies: Voc Rehab; Long-term care system • Students • Families • Broader community (including employers)

6. Four project components • Statewide consortium • Pilot schools • On-site coaches • Policy team

7. Consortium’s Role • Large: includes representation from all stakeholders, 60-70 people. • Provides input on what is and isn’t working, what directions to pursue; what policies need to change or improve • Includes progress updates from schools and three state agencies on progress: practice and policy changes • Include youth and family tracks, particularly to build self-determination

8. Pilot Schools • Did a statewide competitive application reviewed by all six major partners (3 state agencies; 3 ADD partners) • Looked for interest/ability to develop a broader stakeholder group in their school and community • Had to commit to implement evidence-based or promising practices…

9. Practices: • Person-centered planning • School/community mapping of opportunities • Connection general education and co-curricular activities • Summer paid/volunteer community-based jobs • Early connection to DVR • Engaging broader community through a Community Conversation • School learning circle/community of practice to learn from each other

10. Schools Also Developed Their own Creative Approaches to Engaging with their Communities Holmen Grafton http://youtu.be/2ysq3AYANaA http://youtu.be/M0rMo-uaQqI

11. Jobs First! of Manitowoc County

12. Local Collaboration

13. Community and School Involvement http://www.news8000.com/schools/assignment-education/Assignment-Education-Spirit-Chain-Business/-/512/17821868/-/86lfct/-/index.html Changing Gears , a community bike recycling program

14. Early Experiences to Explore Rhinelander’s Work Experience Class Holmen’s Career Academy

15. Coaches • On-site supporters/cheerleaders/practitioners who show school staff how to try new practices • Provide resources and direct instruction training • Connect them to other professional development, training and resources

16. Policy Team • Members • What it does

17. Other Strategies that are connecting Youth to Employment

18. DVR Youth OJT • Emphasis-Training wages paid by DVR for Youth • DVR pays at least 50% of wages for first 500 hours of permanent employment • Easy agreement with Employer • Part of Let’s Get to Work Project • Made available to all youth served by DVR

19. Project SEARCH • Emphasis-Employment Skills taught on-site with support leading to Employment • Locations-Madison, Milwaukee, Marshfield and Menominee • Number of Consumers-50+ • Two New Sites in Fall 2013—Waukesha and Appleton