Employer Relations: Beyond the Handshake

1. Employer Relations: Beyond the Handshake http://www.ncwd-youth.info 1

2. Agenda • Who am I? • Who are You? • Definitions & Why it Matters • What You Can Do: Strategies that Work • What We Can Do: Support is Available! 2

3. Who Am I? Who are We? • Patricia D. Gill, Senior Program Associate • gillp@iel.org 202.822.8405 x154 • Institute for Educational Leadership • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth • Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) 3

4. Institute for Educational Leadership • Builds the capacity of individuals in education and related fields to work together across policies, programs, and sectors in support of better results for all children and youth, from pre-kindergarten through post-secondary education and work. • Three Centers: • Coalition for Community Schools • Leadership Programs (Education Policy Fellowship Program) • Center for Workforce Development 4

5. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth • Strives to ensure that youth with disabilities are provided full access to high quality services in integrated settings in order to maximize their opportunities for employment and independent living. www.ncwd-youth.info • 3 levels: system (policy), organizational, and front line (youth service professionals) • Funded by: Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy 5

6. Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) • Career-focused mentoring for ywd • STEM emphasis • Group, peer, and one-to-one mentoring • Weekly meetings with goal-setting • Career exploration: guest speakers, worksite tours, job shadowing, mock interviews, hands-on work-based experiences • Funded by Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention 6

7. Who Are You? What Do You Do? • Job Corps • What states? • What positions? • What responsibilities? 7

8. Definitions: Transition The period of time when adolescents are moving into adulthood and is often concerned with planning for postsecondary education or careers. In the workforce environment, it usually encompasses ages 14 to 25. 8

9. Definitions: Workforce Development System Organizations at the national, state, and local levels that have direct responsibility for planning, allocating resources, providing administrative oversight, and operating programs to assist individuals and employers in obtaining education, training, job placement, and job recruitment (special focus on those involved in preparing youth for work). 9

10. Why Does It Matter? • Transition is a Tough Time (but fun too!) • Lot of Good Activities & Good People • but no real system • Youth service professionals and employers are the people • Work experience during high school (paid and unpaid) helps ywd get higher paying jobs after graduation 10

11. Why Focus on This Population? • Three times as likely to drop out of high school • Half as likely to attend or finish college (Those who do finish are more likely to have taken a less rigorous course load) • More likely to be unemployed or underemployed • Three times as likely to live in poverty as adults • Four times as likely to be adjudicated 11

12. The Guideposts for Success • An extensive literature review of research, demonstration projects and effective practices covering a wide range of programs and services---including lessons from youth development, quality education, and workforce development programs---has identified core commonalities across the disciplines, programs and institutional settings. • The review also points out that no one institution or organization can provide the full range of services; thus, highlighting the interdependence of agencies that requires communities, states, the federal government and multiple organizations at all levels to collaborate with one another in order to help assure quality transitions for all youth. 12

13. The Guideposts for Success • The five Guideposts are the following: • School-based Preparatory Experiences • Career Preparation and Work-Based Learning Experiences • Youth Development and Leadership • Connecting Activities • Family Involvement and Supports • (Always divided to two levels) 13

14. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning • All youth need information on career options, • including: • Career assessments to help identify students’ school and post-school preferences and interests; • Structured exposure to post-secondary education and other life-long learning opportunities; • Exposure to career opportunities that ultimately lead to a living wage, including information about educational requirements, entry requirements and income potential; and, • Training designed to improve job-seeking skills and work-place basic skills (sometimes called soft skills). 14

15. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning • To identify and attain career goals, all youth need • Opportunities to engage in a range of work-based exploration activities such as site visits and job shadowing; Access supports and accommodations for work and community living; and • Multiple on-the-job training experiences, including community service (paid or unpaid) that is specifically linked to the content of a program of study and school credit • Opportunities to learn and practice their work skills (“soft skills”); and, • Opportunities to learn first-hand about specific occupational skills related to a career pathway. 15

16. Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning • Youth with Disabilities Need to: • Understand the relationships between appropriate financial and benefits planning and career choices; • Access supports and accommodations for work and community living; and • Learn to communicate their support and accommodation needs to prospective employers and service providers. • Learn to request, find, and secure appropriate supports and reasonable accommodations at work, at home, and in the community. 16

17. How Do We Do It? Relationships Relationships Relationships

18. Definitions: Relationship “a series of interactions marked by common goals, a clear understanding, and mutual benefit” 18

19. Definitions: Relationship Honesty Communication Time Patience & Understanding Forgiveness 19

20. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work R E L A T E 20

21. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... References • Employer to Employer: reference letter, list of references, name to call • Colleague to Colleague: anyone else I should talk to? • Within an Industry: associations, unions, chamber of commerce • Within an Organization: human resources, diversity/EEOC group 21

22. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Ease 'em In Ease on down, Ease on down the road Don't you carry nothin' That might be a load Ease on down, Ease on down the road 22

23. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Ease 'em In • Offer employers a “menu” of options • 5 minutes: referral, Industry materials & information • 1 hour: Guest speakers, Mock interviews & résumé reviews • 2 hours: Work-site tours, competition judge • 1 day: Job shadowing, field trip • A few hours a month: Mentoring • Several weeks: Internships 23

24. Business Networking Luncheon Name ________________________________ Organization: __________________________ Best way for us to contact you (circle one): Telephone Email Other:__ Telephone: ____________________ Email: ____________________ I would be interested in the following: _______ Refer Mentors – 5 minutes _______ Refer Mentees – 5 minutes _______ Guest speaker - 1 hour _______ Help with a mock interview – 1 hour _______ Informational interview (youth interviews you) – 1 hour _______ Business tour – 2 hours _______ Share sample career/industry materials – 2 hours _______ Job shadowing – 1 day _______ High-tech project advisor – 3 - 6 hrs/month (3 mos/1 quarter) _______ Mentor – 3 - 6 hours per month (year-round) _______ Other contributions: _________________________________ Thank You for Supporting Youth in Our Community!!

25. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Language • Offer “menu of services” and your value: Focus on needs of employer vs. youth • DO say: • Recruitment assistance, pre-screened applicants, expanded labor pool, customized response to HR needs, diverse workforce, tax credits/other benefits • DON'T say: • Vocational experience, work-based learning, WIA, youth development, transition, career exploration 25

26. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Access • Provide access to disability-specific information and supports • Identify & address access/accommodations needs • (How they will help youth perform vs. legal reqs.) • Ongoing post-placement followup (visits, modeling) • Prepare & support youth (disclosure, reas. accom.) • Disability & Diversity-awareness training • Ask what further support and information the employer would like 26

27. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Access (Sample Employer Guidance) • Preparing & Supporting Youth On-Site • Youth-friendly staff • Identify youth’s interests, goals, and expectations • Provide clear information about your expectations • Recognize move from school to work (new rules) • Share your own experiences & career pathway • Select hands-on, varied, and interactive tasks • Allow exploration and failure (expect it!) • Connect to resources & training • Have fun! 27

28. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Thanks • Provide Thanks and Recognition Early and Often • Food – breakfasts, luncheons • Awards - ceremonies • Publicity – internal & external • Benefits – access to special events, tax benefits • Letters -from youth, program • Outcomes – invite to graduations, events 28

29. What You Can Do: Strategies that Work... Enjoyment • Provide Chance to be part of something good and fun • Awards - ceremonies • Field trips - • Projects • Community events • Open house • Youth performances/presentations 29

30. What We Can Do: Support is Available! • Benefits to Employers: • New source for reliable loyal employees • New ideas & skills • Professional development for existing staff • Chance to meet & “try out” youth prior to hiring • New partnerships • Services for current employees • Increased capacity of organization • Increased reputation in community • Tax benefits • Fun! Feels good! (Office morale) 30

31. What We Can Do: Support is Available! • Workforce systems and programs provide: • Knowledge of your industry and needs • Documentation of youths’ skills & interests • Stream-lined referrals • On-site, phone, or email support as needed • A single point of contact • Training and coaching for your staff • Services for your staff and their families • Universal design and accommodations expertise • Communication (Follow-up, support, & feedback) 31

32. Resources, Resources: Some Places to Start • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ • Disability Employment Guide http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/products/employmentguide/index.html • Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) http://www.adata.org/Static/Home.aspx • Job Accommodation Network (JAN) http://askjan.org/ • Employer Assistance and Resource Network http://www.earnworks.com/ • Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention http://www.worksupport.com/ • DisabilityInfo.gov http://www.disability.gov/ 32