Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

1. Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) California Department of Aging Participant Staff Training Assessments

2. Overview • U.S. Department of Labor Requirements (DOL) • Starting Point for the Participant • Information Gathering • The Interview Process • Staff Knowledge Needed for a Successful Assessment • Putting it All Together

3. Minimum Requirements – U.S. Department of Labor - Older Worker Bulletin No. 96-1 • Made in partnership with the participant • Consider skills, talents, training, work history and capabilities • Identify appropriate training and employment objectives • Identify needed supportive services • Must be the basis for the IEP • Must be the basis for the participant’s Community Service Assignment • Must be signed by the participant and project staff • Should be shared with Host Agency Supervisor

4. According to DOL regulations, participants must be assessed two times during a twelve month period (including the initial assessment)

5. The Assessment is the Starting Point for the Participant • Allows the participant to express their training goals, needs, strengths, perceived deficiencies, and program expectations • Is the foundation for the participants Individual Employment Plan (IEP) • Provides the project with guidance for finding the participant the Community Service Assignment that best fits their goals and needs.

6. Information Gathering Starts With: • Good planning and research • Review your project’s assessment questions. • Review the participant’s application form and resume, if available. • Allow enough time to do a comprehensive assessment.

7. Two Types of Assessment Procedures • Interviews, observations and documents…used to get a feel for participant’s work behavior and ambitions • Standardized measures designed to provide objective information on skills, interests and knowledge

8. The best way to gather information The Assessment Interview

9. The Interview • Encourage the participant to tell their story • Evaluate the participant’s information • Empower the participant to create and implement their IEP

10. A Good Assessment • Depends on having good listening skills

11. Interviewing Participants • Remember you are having a conversation…listening…not filling out a form • Establish an atmosphere of trust, acceptance, and support • Always be aware of your facial expressions and posture • Don’t forget eye contact • Communicate with warmth and genuineness • Recognize strengths and positives • Identify with the participant’s feelings and concerns • Reflect back on what you’ve heard to be certain you understand • Are there any vision or hearing issues?

12. Tips for Good Interviewing • Do less than 50% of the talking • Use open ended questions • Tell me about… • Help me understand… • Interesting, please tell me more… • How did you feel about that… • Frequently check if your are understanding accurately • Repeat or summarize • Ask if you heard correctly

13. Knowledge Needed for a Successful Assessment • Be familiar with services available and trends occurring in your project’s service area, including: • Number of Host Agency Community Service Assignments available and what training opportunities they provide. • Current Labor Market Information and employment opportunities in the county • Cultivate collaborative partnerships with other employment services • Know the social service resources available

14. The Completed Assessment • Provides a picture of the total person • Provides the keys to finding the participant the training site that meets their needs • Helps the participant identify realistic employment goals • Provides the blueprint for the participant’s IEP goals.