Dr. Antonio Ruiz Dr. Hannah Rudstam Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center--NE

1. www.edi.cornell.edu Employment and Disability Institute Building Capacity from the Inside Out: Engaging Insiders to Enhance Disability InclusivenessU. S. Business Leadership Network Dr. Antonio Ruiz Dr. Hannah Rudstam Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center--NE Providing training and technical support in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and U. S. Virgin Islands Contact us at 1800 949 4232

2. Plan for session…1. Why this? Why now? Challenges in building capacity for disability & employment programs2. Understanding barriers to employing people with disabilities: The DBTAC Barrier Intervention Model3. Building capacity from the inside out: An overview of the ADA Trainer Network Program 4. Reaching employers: Lessons learned thus far

3. 1.Why this? Why now? Challenges in building capacity for disability & employment programs The conceptual lens: How have disability issues been framed for businesses?

4. The “Tiny Tim” Stage

5. The “Hire the Handicapped” Stage

6. Legal ComplianceStageThe Americans With Disabilities Act

7. Beyond legal compliance… The business journey

8. Why is it still a journey? Why haven’t we arrived? …Because the main stakeholders in the disability and employment landscape have not operated from the same world map.

9. Maps of the world Disability Service Providers Businesses People with Disabilities

10. Each world has its own language, needs and culture Disability Service Providers Language of program building Need to make placements Culture of service Businesses Language of value propositions Need to make a profit Culture of performance People with Disabilities Language of equal treatment Need to make a living Culture of justice

11. These worlds don’t have to converge. They just need to find a few sweet spots. Disability Service Providers Businesses People with Disabilities

12. Disability Service Providers Need to see themselves as business partners Need to see people with disabilities as individuals with unique talents and aspirations that are valued in the workplace Businesses Need to see service providers as any other suppliers/contractors Need to see people with disabilities as an untapped source of talent instead of as a risk People with Disabilities Need to see themselves as providing a valued contribution to business goals

13. To build capacity, we need to see from the inside of each other’s world maps… • Requires an insider’s perspective • Business community insider • Disability community insider • Local or regional insider

14. To build capacity, we need to see from inside each other’s world maps • The ADA Trainer Network program is an attempt to deliver the message by recruiting… • Insiders from the disability community • Insiders from the local/regional community • Insiders from the business community

15. 2. Understanding barriers to employing people with disabilities: The DBTAC Barrier Intervention Model Won’t Can’t Don’t Know

16. Collective—Organizational Climate Barriers Can’t BarriersShared Behaviors: Policies/Practices Won’t Barriers Shared Attitude Systems Can’t Barriers Won’t Barriers Individual Behaviors Individual Attitudes/Beliefs Individual Barriers Don’t know Barriers Individual Knowledge/Information Don’t know Barriers Shared knowledge

17. Collective/climate--based barriers Can’t BarriersShared Policies/Practices √ We have needed information systems √We have a compelling shared vision But we lack effective organizational policies/practices around diversity and disability Won’t Barriers Shared Attitudes/Beliefs √ We have right policies/practices √ We have needed knowledge But we lack a compelling shared vision around diversity & disability Can’t Barriers Won’t Barriers Behaviors √ I have needed knowledge √I am willing and committed But my behaviors are in the way Attitudes/Beliefs √ I have the right behaviors √ I have needed knowledge But my attitudes and beliefs are in the way Individual barriers Don’t know Barriers Knowledge/Information √ I have the right behaviors √I am willing and committed But I lack knowledge Don’t know Barriers Shared knowledge √We are willing and committed √We have organizational policies & practices But we lack shared knowledge systems around diversity and disability

18. The DBTAC Barrier Intervention Model:Examples of Barriers Don’t know Barriers Can’t Barriers Won’t Barriers Individual Level Collective Climate Level

19. Interventions Changing performance expectations for managers Coaching for managers: leading for disability inclusiveness Interventions Give leaders real-life experience with employees with disabilities Exposure to success stories of other employers Interventions On-line or in-person training Knowledge dissemination—e.g. briefs, newsletters, articles, etc. Don’t know Barriers Won’t Barriers Can’t Barriers Individual Level Collective Climate Level Interventions Eliminate dis-incentives—e.g. create centralized accommodations budget Examine work routines & job designs—eliminate rigidity, introduce flexibility Interventions Craft a compelling organizational vision around disability inclusiveness & the business case Match vision to mission Interventions Create resource groups or communities of practice around disability Build disability inclusiveness updates into shared conversation spaces

20. 3. Building capacity from the inside out: An overview of the ADA Trainer Network Program • To enable “insiders” to deliver the disability message… • By providing high quality, inter-active programs across a range of customer-driven disability topics • By supporting a network of qualified “insider” trainers with train-the-trainer sessions, program plans, materials and web-based support • By enabling people with disabilities to be seen as experts—as viable trainers • By standardizing a program approach so that we can better assess impact

21. Program 1 Disability Awareness Program 9 Accessible Websites: Everyone Benefits Program 2 Getting Hired and Moving Ahead in a Job When Working with a Disability Program 8 Accessible Technology in the Workplace Program 3 Tapping into Talent: Best Practices in Employing People with Disabilities ADA Trainer Network Offering Program 7 Accessibility for Private Sector Businesses Program 4 Serving Customers with Disabilities Program 6 Accessibility for Government Entities Program 5 Hidden Disabilities

22. 4. Reaching employers: Lessons learned thus far • The power of message is enhanced by using trainer-experts who themselves have disabilities • Walking the talk • Seeing someone with a disability as an expert • Human experience with disability enriches the material (but with some caveats) • “The devil’s in the details” • Balancing program consistency with customization • Encourage trainers to use training session as initial entry to build upon local networks—get away from a “one shot deal” and toward a sustained partnership • The need to get beyond a sole reliance on legal compliance

23. Activity… • As a group, read the scenario • Discuss your response to the questions in the small group • Debrief as a large group • Disability inclusive business strategies • The return on investment of disability inclusiveness

24. If you would like a copy of this presentation sent to you, please email Barbara Sosna at bms8@cornell.edu

25. Finally, remember this… If you have questions, call the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center at 1 800 949 4232