Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Entrepreneurship: More about We than Me.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard; “My son/daughter can’t run a business on his/her own.” This is often the response when a parent is first approached with the idea of Entrepreneurship, or self-employment. Here is another thing I hear a lot, “Entrepreneurship is over his/her head.”
Why is that sort of thinking so common, even among parents? Firstly, because most think entrepreneurship is about a solitary, singular venture. Honestly, how can I blame them for thinking that? Most entrepreneurs we hail and celebrate often relate the all too familiar story of being locked up in a garage or hotel room for months on end, with only pizza and water as their main source of sustenance, oh yeah, and rock music. But is that the WHOLE story to their successes? Hardly!
Our society has celebrated heroism and genius in singular terms for decades. Yet how often we hear the stories long after they are gone, that a multitude of relationships, conversations, collaborations and interactions played an equal part in their success, and ultimately their ‘brilliant idea.’
Entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities is that very same experience. We focus on the notion that ideation (development of ideas) is a conglomerate experience. We believe that ideas are fused together and refined as a result of conversations, group activities, relationships and lots of making mistakes.
Entrepreneurship is about WE! Just because someone is interested in starting a business does not mean that they are seeking a life of solitude. Nor does it mean that a person with a disability, interested in entrepreneurship, must do it all alone. No, on the contrary. Time and again, it has been proven that true sustainable success and happiness requires a team effort and team support. Whether you the parent, start the business, or the person with a disability, it is not the beginning nor end of relationships, it is the potential for a new one altogether.
This is how we turn the thought of ME, to WE.
· Parents, caregivers, are you struggling, trying to identify sustainable and long-term employment for your son or daughter with disabilities? Why not entertain a small, family-run business, started by YOU, the parent, but including clear and precise ways to provide meaningful employment to your son/daughter by way of that business?
· Young men and women with disabilities: Are you struggling with your current employment? Do you not like what you do? Is your intelligence above and beyond the tasks and duties you are currently asked to do at work? Firstly, examine what you like. What you are good at? Gather a “Development Team” of friends, family members, professionals and community mentors, to talk about your desire to be self-employed. Get the conversation going. Have honest conversation. Then start working on a plan to get your small business going with the help and support of this development team.
Being an entrepreneur does NOT mean, you are in this alone. Remember, that being self-employed is more about the venture WE are exploring, and less about ME.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Sibling Calvary
By Wilfredo Gonzalez
“What’s the difference from a man with disabilities and a man without?” I asked my mom one Sunday morning. My mother said to me “There is no difference". After that, that's how I see people with disabilities. There is no difference between them and the average man. The only difference is that their brains work differently. That's how I've been able to love and appreciate my brother and not see him as a sibling with autism, but as my brother. At times it's hard because I have to make sure he's well behaved. But all in all he's just like any other sibling.
 |
| Willy (left) & Isaiah (right) |
About the Author:
"Willy" is a H.S. Senior in Broward County currently in the process of starting a business for himself that will include his brother, Isaiah, who has Autism. Willy is a current student of the E4i Entrepreneurship Fall Sessions. He is a prime example of how people with disabilities who have family members who want to be entrepreneurs, can benefit from the venture. Isaiah will also receive education in Self-Employment.
Disability Training: Making the Complex, Compelling
By Rebecca Witonsky
Disability training for employers is necessary because employers are often not aware of the complex issues involved in hiring people with disabilities. Hiring people with disabilities often requires making accommodations for people with disabilities. Disability training can help make employers understand what accommodations are necessary for a person with disabilities. For example, if a person has autism, they may need to rely upon written instructions rather than oral instructions because they cannot read social cues. If a person has a physical disability, then the employer may need to re-think the workplace flow, or access to make it easier for the person to navigate the office. Accommodations can include modified equipment, flexible work hours, and as simple as the opportunity to work at home.
Employers may assume that accommodations are expensive and difficult to overcome. But in fact one study Disability awareness training for employers can help employers understand that the cost of accommodations is much less than they believe. Between 1992 and 1998 found that 80% of accommodations cost less than $1,000.
In addition, disability awareness training can help all overcome the stereotypes and biases concerning people with disabilities. Some stereotypes are based on incorrect assumptions about the capabilities of people with disabilities, leading to a worry that people with disabilities will be less productive and less likely to complete the tasks on time, or even that people with disabilities will require more expensive healthcare benefits. Social competence is an especially important component of the workplace and represents a particular barrier for people with autism. Clearly, disability training for employers is necessary in challenging such stereotypes about people with disabilities.
Disability training is more than just information. Training includes role-playing, which helps employers to understand the perspectives of people with disabilities. Hands on experiences and role-playing can cover visual impairment, hearing impairment, cognitive disabilities, and hidden disabilities. Spending time in a wheelchair for a person with a physical disability or a visual impairment exercise that simulates blindness. If employers better appreciate the perspectives of people with disabilities, then they can be more likely to hire, promote, and sustain employment for people with disabilities.
Co-workers may be concerned about the increased workload associated with having a co-worker with a disability and how to relate to the co-workers with a disability. Disability training can also improve the relationships that co-workers may have with their colleagues with disabilities.
Customers with disabilities are also better understood and better served after training. One study found that the 50 million people with disabilities have aggregate incomes of $360.5 billion as of 2000. Employers such as Publix which have a record of hiring and promoting people with disabilities also are known for their ability to accommodate customers with disabilities. Customers with disabilities may have creative reactions and solutions to customer service issues, and disability training for employers can help employers to find these opportunities.
People with disabilities face a very high unemployment rate. According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, only 18.2% of people with disabilities were employed in May 2012, compared with 64.3% of people with no disability. Clearly unemployment for people with disabilities remains rampant in spite of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disability training can help employers harness the tremendous untapped potential of people with disabilities.
About the Author:[Rebecca Witonsky discovered that she was autistic in early 2011 when she was 35 years old. Rebecca serves as a member of the Florida Rehabilitation Council. Ms. Rebecca Witonsky earned a B.A. in international relations at Brown University in 1997. She also received a masters degree in taxation from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in 2007.]
Corporate Inclusion Training
Accommodated Employment Consulting
INCLUSION
- a word we take seriously. It is more than just accepting or
introducing persons with disabilities into your workforce make-up.
Picasso
Einstein assists companies to better understand disabilities, trains on
how to strategize, raise awareness and embrace diversified employment.
We assist corporations in providing support systems through HR Policy
and Standard Operating Procedures, and set up models that celebrate the
value-proposition of hiring persons with disabilities and build upon
intrinsic sustainability.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
REFLECTIONS; Entrepreneurship, Self-advocacy and Independence
Written by Dr. Dasaratha Rama
As we come to the end of the six weeks of the entrepreneurship summer camp, the thought that stands out for me is that entrepreneurship can be an important step towards self-advocacy and eventually greater independence for individuals with developmental disabilities. Entrepreneurship may be particularly important for individuals like our son who tends to get overwhelmed and disengage when the learning environment does not match his learning style and needs. Entrepreneurship as taught in the E4i curriculum provides many tools for these individuals to advocate for themselves and to stay engaged in any environment. I see the following as the key benefits of the E4i experience: (1) enhancing perspective-taking, (2) developing self-awareness, (3) engaging parents/mentors, (4) developing a viable business, and (5) setting the stage for self-advocacy.
Enhancing Perspective-taking
By definition, entrepreneurship takes into account an individual’s strengths and interests even as it tries to create value for others. This type of perspective-taking that lies at the heart of entrepreneurship can be challenging for individuals with autism because of the difficulty that these individuals face in communicating with others. Entrepreneurship can serve as a vehicle both for making individuals with disabilities aware of their strengths as well as to help them see ways in which they can leverage these strengths to do something for others.
Developing Self-awareness
Through the E4i summer camp experience, we have planted the seed for self-advocacy through enhancing self-awareness. An entrepreneurial perspective on self-advocacy has subtle but profound differences from notions of self-advocacy rooted in what an individual cannot do. The E4i slogan “Do what you love, love what you do” captures this essential difference. The starting point for the E4i journey is what the individual can do and loves to do. The goal is to transform what the individual already does to something that could be a foundation for independent living. This philosophy when translated into practice results in ongoing conversations to help individuals think about and express what they love to do and how that could be transformed into something of value for others.
Engaging parents/mentors
Parents and other mentors to individuals with disabilities have a critical role to play in the E4i process. Parents and mentors who have known the individual for a long time can help nudge the individual’s interest towards creating something for others. More importantly, E4i provides tools for parents to transform how they engage individuals with disabilities as these individuals move towards greater independence.
Our son has a strong connection to the arts. He learns the piano, violin, and dance. As we started the program, he started with the idea of dance being the interest that could potentially transform into a business venture. While this might be possible in the long run, I nudged him towards another interest - folding circles. I have found that folding brings something unique to the process of organizing ideas that no other tool does. Thus I nudged our son towards “Fold, Color, and Talk” as a possibility for a business venture.
The E4i program has been extremely helpful for me in figuring out how to nudge our son’s interests and help transform them into a potentially viable business. The participation of parents on the E4i network is a step in the right direction. I hope Picasso Einstein continues to strengthen parental involvement over time.
Developing a Viable Business
Last week I learned about an animation tool (www.powtoon.com). It struck me that this tool would be of immense value to my son since it is difficult to effectively communicate the value of the Fold, Color, and Talk approach that uses movement, touch, and observation to anchor learning through words. I think it is difficult for everyone but particularly so for individuals like my son. Animation allows us to effectively tap into visual and other elements while explaining Fold, Color, and Talk. We spent many hours over the last few days transitioning to Powtoon and Prezi as the tools for delivering Fold, Color, and Talk products and services. Again, the E4i summer camp played an important role in this process. The fact that students had to make a presentation this week served as a catalyst for us to work on this quickly!
I also nudged my son towards the idea of “Foldtoons” as Fold, Color, and Talk’s signature product. A practical reason was that I found that words like workbook and workshop did not resonate with my son. When many ideas were being discussed in the summer camp, I found him unable to retrieve these words. I realized that we had to find a name that was memorable for him!
Setting the stage for Self-Advocacy
As we worked on the business description, mission statement, and other elements on the way to the presentation, my son and I had opportunities for structured dialog on converting years of experience into a business. For the first time we discussed how what we have worked on for years can benefit others, especially those with autism and other developmental disabilities. Over the years, I have had this conversation with many parents and educators. Now our son is an active part of this conversation thanks to the E4i program. As he continues his educational journey, an awareness of what works and does not work for him, and engaging any learning environment with that awareness will better prepare him to learn in varied environments.
In six weeks, we have made tremendous progress on this journey towards self-advocacy and independence. Until now, I have been the primary advocate for him as I have home-schooled him for many years. It is time to gradually transfer that role to him so that he feels more empowered to continue his journey towards independence. The E4i program has been very timely for us. I have recognized the need for transferring the advocacy role to him; E4i has provided me many tools for achieving this goal. We look forward to continuing our entrepreneurship journey with Picasso Einstein over the upcoming years!
As we come to the end of the six weeks of the entrepreneurship summer camp, the thought that stands out for me is that entrepreneurship can be an important step towards self-advocacy and eventually greater independence for individuals with developmental disabilities. Entrepreneurship may be particularly important for individuals like our son who tends to get overwhelmed and disengage when the learning environment does not match his learning style and needs. Entrepreneurship as taught in the E4i curriculum provides many tools for these individuals to advocate for themselves and to stay engaged in any environment. I see the following as the key benefits of the E4i experience: (1) enhancing perspective-taking, (2) developing self-awareness, (3) engaging parents/mentors, (4) developing a viable business, and (5) setting the stage for self-advocacy.
Enhancing Perspective-taking
By definition, entrepreneurship takes into account an individual’s strengths and interests even as it tries to create value for others. This type of perspective-taking that lies at the heart of entrepreneurship can be challenging for individuals with autism because of the difficulty that these individuals face in communicating with others. Entrepreneurship can serve as a vehicle both for making individuals with disabilities aware of their strengths as well as to help them see ways in which they can leverage these strengths to do something for others.
Developing Self-awareness
Through the E4i summer camp experience, we have planted the seed for self-advocacy through enhancing self-awareness. An entrepreneurial perspective on self-advocacy has subtle but profound differences from notions of self-advocacy rooted in what an individual cannot do. The E4i slogan “Do what you love, love what you do” captures this essential difference. The starting point for the E4i journey is what the individual can do and loves to do. The goal is to transform what the individual already does to something that could be a foundation for independent living. This philosophy when translated into practice results in ongoing conversations to help individuals think about and express what they love to do and how that could be transformed into something of value for others.
Engaging parents/mentors
Parents and other mentors to individuals with disabilities have a critical role to play in the E4i process. Parents and mentors who have known the individual for a long time can help nudge the individual’s interest towards creating something for others. More importantly, E4i provides tools for parents to transform how they engage individuals with disabilities as these individuals move towards greater independence.
Our son has a strong connection to the arts. He learns the piano, violin, and dance. As we started the program, he started with the idea of dance being the interest that could potentially transform into a business venture. While this might be possible in the long run, I nudged him towards another interest - folding circles. I have found that folding brings something unique to the process of organizing ideas that no other tool does. Thus I nudged our son towards “Fold, Color, and Talk” as a possibility for a business venture.
The E4i program has been extremely helpful for me in figuring out how to nudge our son’s interests and help transform them into a potentially viable business. The participation of parents on the E4i network is a step in the right direction. I hope Picasso Einstein continues to strengthen parental involvement over time.
Developing a Viable Business
Last week I learned about an animation tool (www.powtoon.com). It struck me that this tool would be of immense value to my son since it is difficult to effectively communicate the value of the Fold, Color, and Talk approach that uses movement, touch, and observation to anchor learning through words. I think it is difficult for everyone but particularly so for individuals like my son. Animation allows us to effectively tap into visual and other elements while explaining Fold, Color, and Talk. We spent many hours over the last few days transitioning to Powtoon and Prezi as the tools for delivering Fold, Color, and Talk products and services. Again, the E4i summer camp played an important role in this process. The fact that students had to make a presentation this week served as a catalyst for us to work on this quickly!
I also nudged my son towards the idea of “Foldtoons” as Fold, Color, and Talk’s signature product. A practical reason was that I found that words like workbook and workshop did not resonate with my son. When many ideas were being discussed in the summer camp, I found him unable to retrieve these words. I realized that we had to find a name that was memorable for him!
Setting the stage for Self-Advocacy
As we worked on the business description, mission statement, and other elements on the way to the presentation, my son and I had opportunities for structured dialog on converting years of experience into a business. For the first time we discussed how what we have worked on for years can benefit others, especially those with autism and other developmental disabilities. Over the years, I have had this conversation with many parents and educators. Now our son is an active part of this conversation thanks to the E4i program. As he continues his educational journey, an awareness of what works and does not work for him, and engaging any learning environment with that awareness will better prepare him to learn in varied environments.
In six weeks, we have made tremendous progress on this journey towards self-advocacy and independence. Until now, I have been the primary advocate for him as I have home-schooled him for many years. It is time to gradually transfer that role to him so that he feels more empowered to continue his journey towards independence. The E4i program has been very timely for us. I have recognized the need for transferring the advocacy role to him; E4i has provided me many tools for achieving this goal. We look forward to continuing our entrepreneurship journey with Picasso Einstein over the upcoming years!
Perspective on The Entrepreneurial World from a Person with Disabilities!
Written by Christian Mejia (Founding Class member of Marino College Entrepreneurship Program)
WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
The idea of Entrepreneurship is developed in the mind of human beings that are tired of being held in the patterns of the routine of everyday: Waking up, going to work, making the usual $8.00 an hour, eating lunch, going home, sleep, and waking up the next day to do the same thing all over again. Entrepreneurship, the need to problem-solve and the desire to master something, is something that the human being is born with.
Entrepreneurship is important in life because you begin to grasp what goes on around you, and appreciate how the big companies made it through tough times and yet stuck to their dreams and eventually became successful. We all have dreams, but entrepreneurship doesn’t allow for those dreams to stay as dreams but rather turns them into a reality of your life.
LOVE & PASSION
I think and feel deep in my heart that people with disabilities should be entrepreneurs because it all comes down to one word: PASSION! I often write about this word passion, because my entrepreneurship instructor once told me, “if you are going to do something and get paid for it, do it for something you love.” Passion is what stirs up your heart into the right direction in life. It’s unfortunate however that the world, doesn't give people with disabilities a chance to really prove themselves, and more importantly, pursue their passions. People with disabilities end up fighting to get what they want out of life and are forced to be relentless to get even the simplest things out of life.
FASCINATING MIX
The Education of Entrepreneurship is quite interesting. But, when talking about people with disabilities and entrepreneurship, it’s fascinating. There is a skewed idea in the world of what a person with a disability is. People in general think of someone that won’t be able to make it in the real world. How wrong of an assumption. A person with disabilities also has a natural thirst and search to fulfill what they have within themselves and long to ‘climb’ mountains.
It’s very important for people with disabilities to see and view entrepreneurship as something achievable because they hold all the potential within themselves to be happy, and to be successful. I think it’s fascinating to read about entrepreneurs that have disabilities. I found out recently that one of these entrepreneurs is Ludwig Van Beethoven. Beethoven was one of the greatest musicians to ever exist; yet for the later part of his life, he was deaf. In his early life, he became a very famous pianist. He had a mysterious ability that led him to create famous compositions, one after another. After he was 28, he started becoming deaf and his personal life wasn't as good anymore. In his lifelong journey, he composed various famous sonatas such as Waldstein and Appasionata .
Another fascinating entrepreneur is Caiseal (Cash’l), author of bestselling fantasy novels. He is of Australian and Irish descent. He also composes and records music, with 13 albums recorded. He is well known by his books and album covers, designed by him. When he was a child, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which was highlighted in his autobiography called “A Blessing and a Curse”; Autism and Me (2007).
DON’T FORGET
Dreams are for everyone, even for people with disabilities. It’s necessary for people with disabilities to plan out their future and set goals with a due date for each one. Once you have that due date, set your abilities to work towards those goals. Life is the outcome of what you make it. If you need a little push, make sure there will be people around that will support you and help you. And most importantly, the people around you must always assume you CAN do something, focus on your abilities, and not on your disabilities, focusing so much on what you cannot do.
Success starts with the attitude you have towards life. Ask yourself: What do you want? When do you want it? Where do you want to be? And last but not least why do you want to be there? It’s only a matter of decision-making and decision-action. You alone hold the power in your hands to become and be anything that you want to be. Dreams are for everyone, even for you,.
THANK YOU ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurship has changed the outlook of my life and my future because it has opened my eyes to see beyond who I am. It has allowed me to understand the full potential within me, and has led me to believe in myself more than anything else in my life. Entrepreneur is who I am, not what I do.
WHY ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
The idea of Entrepreneurship is developed in the mind of human beings that are tired of being held in the patterns of the routine of everyday: Waking up, going to work, making the usual $8.00 an hour, eating lunch, going home, sleep, and waking up the next day to do the same thing all over again. Entrepreneurship, the need to problem-solve and the desire to master something, is something that the human being is born with.
Entrepreneurship is important in life because you begin to grasp what goes on around you, and appreciate how the big companies made it through tough times and yet stuck to their dreams and eventually became successful. We all have dreams, but entrepreneurship doesn’t allow for those dreams to stay as dreams but rather turns them into a reality of your life.
LOVE & PASSION
I think and feel deep in my heart that people with disabilities should be entrepreneurs because it all comes down to one word: PASSION! I often write about this word passion, because my entrepreneurship instructor once told me, “if you are going to do something and get paid for it, do it for something you love.” Passion is what stirs up your heart into the right direction in life. It’s unfortunate however that the world, doesn't give people with disabilities a chance to really prove themselves, and more importantly, pursue their passions. People with disabilities end up fighting to get what they want out of life and are forced to be relentless to get even the simplest things out of life.
FASCINATING MIX
The Education of Entrepreneurship is quite interesting. But, when talking about people with disabilities and entrepreneurship, it’s fascinating. There is a skewed idea in the world of what a person with a disability is. People in general think of someone that won’t be able to make it in the real world. How wrong of an assumption. A person with disabilities also has a natural thirst and search to fulfill what they have within themselves and long to ‘climb’ mountains.
It’s very important for people with disabilities to see and view entrepreneurship as something achievable because they hold all the potential within themselves to be happy, and to be successful. I think it’s fascinating to read about entrepreneurs that have disabilities. I found out recently that one of these entrepreneurs is Ludwig Van Beethoven. Beethoven was one of the greatest musicians to ever exist; yet for the later part of his life, he was deaf. In his early life, he became a very famous pianist. He had a mysterious ability that led him to create famous compositions, one after another. After he was 28, he started becoming deaf and his personal life wasn't as good anymore. In his lifelong journey, he composed various famous sonatas such as Waldstein and Appasionata .
Another fascinating entrepreneur is Caiseal (Cash’l), author of bestselling fantasy novels. He is of Australian and Irish descent. He also composes and records music, with 13 albums recorded. He is well known by his books and album covers, designed by him. When he was a child, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which was highlighted in his autobiography called “A Blessing and a Curse”; Autism and Me (2007).
DON’T FORGET
Dreams are for everyone, even for people with disabilities. It’s necessary for people with disabilities to plan out their future and set goals with a due date for each one. Once you have that due date, set your abilities to work towards those goals. Life is the outcome of what you make it. If you need a little push, make sure there will be people around that will support you and help you. And most importantly, the people around you must always assume you CAN do something, focus on your abilities, and not on your disabilities, focusing so much on what you cannot do.
Success starts with the attitude you have towards life. Ask yourself: What do you want? When do you want it? Where do you want to be? And last but not least why do you want to be there? It’s only a matter of decision-making and decision-action. You alone hold the power in your hands to become and be anything that you want to be. Dreams are for everyone, even for you,.
THANK YOU ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurship has changed the outlook of my life and my future because it has opened my eyes to see beyond who I am. It has allowed me to understand the full potential within me, and has led me to believe in myself more than anything else in my life. Entrepreneur is who I am, not what I do.
The Corporate Inclusion Learning Curve: Much More Than a Bell
All too often the good intentions of a business desiring to be more inclusive, coupled with the frantic approach to employment for individuals with disabilities, mutes the dire need for corporate inclusion training and preparedness.
I am not talking about the common “sensitivity” training that is often injected into the “inclusion” context. I am talking about the business aspect of training and preparedness. Deep thought and strategy need to be in place prior to the hiring of persons with disabilities, otherwise the employment of these individuals, becomes more of an experiment, than a person-centered plan based on independence and life-long sustainability.
THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS
Are you entertaining the idea of hiring individuals with disabilities? I hope so! If you answer is yes, you might ask, what next? Simple; Get educated, trained, implement strategy and engage a corporate-wide discussion on disabilities now! Let’s break down each on of these and see how you can begin.
Inclusion Education
Inclusion Education needs to be more than just a talk about what’s offensive to persons with disabilities, how to ‘refer’ to them using person-centered language. There is a saying I once heard that goes: The whole world is concerned about how to refer to someone with disabilities, except those with disabilities. Persons with disabilities care much less about using ‘person-centered’ language and care much more about receiving the dignified treatment and respect you would show to anyone, with or without disabilities. Inclusion Education must be about how to create support systems that build emotional connections between employees, create foundational interaction that allows your current employees to learn more about disabilities from a person with disabilities, than from a training usually given by someone without a disability. Ironic, I must say.
What Inclusion must be.
Inclusion must be about demystifying public perception about one’s abilities. It must be about reinforcing the value-proposition persons with disabilities already bring to the workforce. It must be about establishing the fact that persons with disabilities are no less capable, and no less willing to work. It must be about getting an entire corporation to ALWAYS ASSUME COMPETENCY, and understand the risk when you assume otherwise. Often we find that through real-life case-studies, documentaries, and books, entire corporations shift their perception about disabilities, and most importantly, their reaction to persons with disabilities.
Inclusion Training
What is the different between education and training? The word “Training” is closely connected to works like ‘action’ & ‘exercise.’ Thus inclusion training cannot be a lecture-based experience, instead it must include group activities, innovation opportunities and most importantly, role-playing. It is via these methods that employees are able to absorb the enormity of the undertaking, yet appreciate the part they can play in the lives of the special individuals. We find that activity-based learning (ABL) using our trademark “Teaching Vowels” method, allows the education to sink in, and humanity to emerge.
Inclusion Implementation
Now that everyone has been enlightened through educated and motivated in training, now it’s time to implement a strategy and integrate it into your current operational procedures. How does that happen? Well, many companies think that being flexible is good enough. Now, flexible is an absolute necessity, but it is not the key to a productive and sustainable employment experience for you and the person alike. What is needed is an operational framework; a corporate culture and human resource policies that encourage independence increase employee accountability & moreover, celebrate inclusion. Implementation is neither easy nor painless, but it is worth the experience and is without a doubt a life-changing course. Historically, companies and industries innovate the most when cultures merge for common goals, and work-life balance is increased within a workforce. All this can be accomplished by simply injecting humanity into how a business operates and promote a human resource policy that not only focuses on regulation, but also allows room for creativity.
Talk about Disabilities!
The more you persons with disabilities you know, the sooner you will realize that talking about disabilities with them, is not a precarious conversation. So, if persons with disabilities have an easy time talking about their disabilities, why not have them take part in the on-going education and training for your employees? We even suggest that you create peer group for corporate discussions about disabilities in the workplace. This will assist your place of business not only meet the status quo, but better yet, be a community leader in employing persons with disabilities. Get your managers involved, your employees involved and even your corporate partners and clients involved, and what you will see is an amazing transformation of your employees’ and most importantly, the overall business’ performance. Now that is a good reason for any business to be inclusive!
I am not talking about the common “sensitivity” training that is often injected into the “inclusion” context. I am talking about the business aspect of training and preparedness. Deep thought and strategy need to be in place prior to the hiring of persons with disabilities, otherwise the employment of these individuals, becomes more of an experiment, than a person-centered plan based on independence and life-long sustainability.
THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS
Are you entertaining the idea of hiring individuals with disabilities? I hope so! If you answer is yes, you might ask, what next? Simple; Get educated, trained, implement strategy and engage a corporate-wide discussion on disabilities now! Let’s break down each on of these and see how you can begin.
Inclusion Education
Inclusion Education needs to be more than just a talk about what’s offensive to persons with disabilities, how to ‘refer’ to them using person-centered language. There is a saying I once heard that goes: The whole world is concerned about how to refer to someone with disabilities, except those with disabilities. Persons with disabilities care much less about using ‘person-centered’ language and care much more about receiving the dignified treatment and respect you would show to anyone, with or without disabilities. Inclusion Education must be about how to create support systems that build emotional connections between employees, create foundational interaction that allows your current employees to learn more about disabilities from a person with disabilities, than from a training usually given by someone without a disability. Ironic, I must say.
What Inclusion must be.
Inclusion must be about demystifying public perception about one’s abilities. It must be about reinforcing the value-proposition persons with disabilities already bring to the workforce. It must be about establishing the fact that persons with disabilities are no less capable, and no less willing to work. It must be about getting an entire corporation to ALWAYS ASSUME COMPETENCY, and understand the risk when you assume otherwise. Often we find that through real-life case-studies, documentaries, and books, entire corporations shift their perception about disabilities, and most importantly, their reaction to persons with disabilities.
Inclusion Training
What is the different between education and training? The word “Training” is closely connected to works like ‘action’ & ‘exercise.’ Thus inclusion training cannot be a lecture-based experience, instead it must include group activities, innovation opportunities and most importantly, role-playing. It is via these methods that employees are able to absorb the enormity of the undertaking, yet appreciate the part they can play in the lives of the special individuals. We find that activity-based learning (ABL) using our trademark “Teaching Vowels” method, allows the education to sink in, and humanity to emerge.
Inclusion Implementation
Now that everyone has been enlightened through educated and motivated in training, now it’s time to implement a strategy and integrate it into your current operational procedures. How does that happen? Well, many companies think that being flexible is good enough. Now, flexible is an absolute necessity, but it is not the key to a productive and sustainable employment experience for you and the person alike. What is needed is an operational framework; a corporate culture and human resource policies that encourage independence increase employee accountability & moreover, celebrate inclusion. Implementation is neither easy nor painless, but it is worth the experience and is without a doubt a life-changing course. Historically, companies and industries innovate the most when cultures merge for common goals, and work-life balance is increased within a workforce. All this can be accomplished by simply injecting humanity into how a business operates and promote a human resource policy that not only focuses on regulation, but also allows room for creativity.
Talk about Disabilities!
The more you persons with disabilities you know, the sooner you will realize that talking about disabilities with them, is not a precarious conversation. So, if persons with disabilities have an easy time talking about their disabilities, why not have them take part in the on-going education and training for your employees? We even suggest that you create peer group for corporate discussions about disabilities in the workplace. This will assist your place of business not only meet the status quo, but better yet, be a community leader in employing persons with disabilities. Get your managers involved, your employees involved and even your corporate partners and clients involved, and what you will see is an amazing transformation of your employees’ and most importantly, the overall business’ performance. Now that is a good reason for any business to be inclusive!
Friday, August 8, 2014
ABILITY SHINES BRIGHT
Coral Springs, FL – "Would you like to check out my candles?" asks Jessica Schmidt, with excitementand eagerness. The business owner knows everything about her environmentally friendly soy candles, and she sells them passionately. Jessica is proud to hand out her business card representing ScentsAbility (scentsability.org) , a company that manufactures "special candles made by special people." Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) provided Jessica, who was then 26 years old and has developmental disabilities, with both guidance and funding so she could expand her business.
Jessica met with VR Counselor Brenda Motter, who matched her abilities with the best possible employment opportunity. It turns out the best option for Jessica was to become a business owner. ScentsAbility began in 2008 when Jessica's parents created a business model involving Jessica in the manufacturing, shipping, and selling of a product. Brenda helped Jessica purchase supplies, and the business was profitable right away. "After looking into their business plan and all of the work that they had done, we agreed that it was very viable," says Brenda.
Jessica's mother, Bonnie Schmidt, says she is "beyond impressed with VR," and says Brenda helped change Jessica's life in many ways. "She was the best person I've ever had working with us, because she understood our dedication. Brenda understood that this was something that could happen," says Bonnie.
Jessica's independence and confidence have grown tremendously since she started ScentsAbility. She molds the candles and adds scents to them. "I put the wax in, and the color, and mix it, and then pour it with a teapot," she says. Jessica's language skills have also improved as a result of selling the candles at different events. "I can't even explain how much this means to her. It has changed our whole family. I can never pay back VR enough," says Bonnie.
ScentsAbility employs as many as 10 people with disabilities at a time. The employees help with molding, as well as shipping the candles. Each employee makes a commission when he or she sells the candles at events. Bonnie says the company is capable of so much more. She is considering franchising it out to people with disabilities all over the country. "We think big. Our goals are really grand," she says.
Florida's Vocational Rehabilitation program is committed to helping people with disabilities become part of America's workforce. Their employer-focused website, FLJobConnections.com, allows businesses to search at no charge for employees who are ready to go to work, as well as to post available jobs. VR has 111 offices across Florida. For more information about VR and its services, call (800) 451-4327 or visit Rehabworks.org.
Jessica met with VR Counselor Brenda Motter, who matched her abilities with the best possible employment opportunity. It turns out the best option for Jessica was to become a business owner. ScentsAbility began in 2008 when Jessica's parents created a business model involving Jessica in the manufacturing, shipping, and selling of a product. Brenda helped Jessica purchase supplies, and the business was profitable right away. "After looking into their business plan and all of the work that they had done, we agreed that it was very viable," says Brenda.
Jessica's mother, Bonnie Schmidt, says she is "beyond impressed with VR," and says Brenda helped change Jessica's life in many ways. "She was the best person I've ever had working with us, because she understood our dedication. Brenda understood that this was something that could happen," says Bonnie.
Jessica's independence and confidence have grown tremendously since she started ScentsAbility. She molds the candles and adds scents to them. "I put the wax in, and the color, and mix it, and then pour it with a teapot," she says. Jessica's language skills have also improved as a result of selling the candles at different events. "I can't even explain how much this means to her. It has changed our whole family. I can never pay back VR enough," says Bonnie.
ScentsAbility employs as many as 10 people with disabilities at a time. The employees help with molding, as well as shipping the candles. Each employee makes a commission when he or she sells the candles at events. Bonnie says the company is capable of so much more. She is considering franchising it out to people with disabilities all over the country. "We think big. Our goals are really grand," she says.
Florida's Vocational Rehabilitation program is committed to helping people with disabilities become part of America's workforce. Their employer-focused website, FLJobConnections.com, allows businesses to search at no charge for employees who are ready to go to work, as well as to post available jobs. VR has 111 offices across Florida. For more information about VR and its services, call (800) 451-4327 or visit Rehabworks.org.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Entrepreneurship Education: Innovating Tomorrow
DON’T BELIEVE THE
HYPE!
Let’s begin with a very important point of clarification.
Entrepreneurship education is not about undergoing an ‘Aha moment,’ conjuring
up the next best invention, and certainly not about making the millions. “What
is it about then?” - You may ask.
We believe Entrepreneurship Education is about problem
solving, forging relationships, increasing a variety of interests in life,
establishing positive habits such as research, effective communication,
teamwork skills and most importantly, offering a myriad of moments of
“Independence.”
Independence is the key fabric to
Entrepreneurship. Where many of us identify independence with driving a car,
having a job, doing things ‘on your own,’ we identify
independence as a sense of accomplishment, a sense of purpose, and a sensation
of blossoming, regardless if it is on your own, or with the support of others.
IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP
NEW?
The fabric of this nation was built on a sense of
entrepreneurship. Starting in the late 1700’s during the industrial revolution
to more modern day entrepreneurs like farmers, steel workers, carpenters and
engineers. Then there was the 2nd Industrial Revolution known as the
“Technological Revolution” that permeated the 19th century. The past
is a clear picture of self-employment.
WHY IS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IMPORTANT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES?
Studies from organizations like Babson College & Junior
Achievement have shown that entrepreneurship benefits everyone involved in the
learning process. This would include, family members, friends and even
professional support. How?
INTERPERSONAL
BENEFITS: Let’s start off with the proven psycho-social benefits of entrepreneurial
learning in which individuals gain self-confidence, acknowledge the value of
self-determination and most importantly, view self-employment as a viable and
achievable means of a sustainable future.
CHALLENGES OF
EMPLOYMENT: Then there is the direct tackling of employment barriers in
which the combination of a shortage of employment and a shortage of employers
willing to invest in the supports needed to provide sustainable employment for
persons with disabilities. Whether it is a person with physical barriers or
developmental barriers, we have found that entrepreneurship continues to shine
the light on the limitations WE place on persons with
disabilities, rather on the limitations we may assume they have.
WORKPLACE READINESS:
Harvard, in a joint study with NFTE, showed beyond doubt, that entrepreneurship
education not only assists the person in a pursuit of independence of
self-employment, but also increases the individuals workplace competency and
overall performance as an employee, because of their deepened knowledge and
appreciation for business in general.
INDEPENDENCE: Then,
finally, there is this wonderful element of entrepreneurship called
‘Independence.’ What is it? What does it look like? How do you promote it?
Measure it? Qualify it?
Here is the challenge in answering those questions based on
our measurements today. We continue to inject our own understanding and
perception of what independence is on those who may have a different definition
of independence.
HERE’S AN
ILLUSTRATION
Let me challenge you for a moment.
A young adult man, with profound autism, has limited
interaction with family members and shows limited interest in things the family
can relate to other than his inexplicable affinity for folding clothes. So how
does entrepreneurship help this young man?
The family has taken interest in his attraction to folding
clothes and thus allow him to fold clothes for the family. That is great! But
what if, what if only, we were to explore a business model that would allow him
to continue to do what he does, but then offer the other elements to life that entrepreneurship
can bring to the table. So, where do we begin?
THE K.I.S.S. (Keep It
Simple Simon) of ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
The family starts a small “Laundr-o-mat” business out of
their garage. They involve this young man in the design of the logo, flyers and
website, where he expresses input. He is introduced to sales, pricing, learns a
short script to sell his services (30 Second Elevator Pitch) and finally owns
his own business that is titled in his name. They sell services only to their
local community by having him walk with family members and friends passing out
flyers he helped design. Neighbors drop off the clothing to their house, meet
this young man they had never met before. Now this very special young man is
folding clothing for others in his community. Regardless of the vastness of the
interaction, he is for the first time, meeting other individuals in his
community, on his terms, and somewhere, somehow, he understands that he is an
intrinsic part of the community.
Now, clearly this young man cannot run the business entirely
on his own. The support that needs to be planned for, and put in place, is a
critical piece of providing a sustainable entrepreneurial experience. This is
where we draw the line between the idea of independence shared by most, and the
‘opportunities for independence’ that we cherish as part of entrepreneurship
education.
One can easily assume independence is beyond a person, simply
because they cannot do things entirely on their own, but by assuming that one
can be independent, that opportunity is not removed from an individual. We
always assume any individual wants, desires, and can experience independence.
Now, my final
question: How do YOU define Independence?
We aren’t the only ones who believe in Entrepreneurship:
Check out some references:
www.ja.org/
http://www.nfte.com/sites/default/files/harvard-nfte_study_01-02_full_report.pdf
www.microsociety.org
http://www.nfib.com/foundations/yef/
http://www.nfte.com/what
http://www.start-up-usa.org
Monday, June 9, 2014
SELF-EMPLOYMENT THROUGH VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
Supported
Self-Employment provides the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to
own a business with appropriate resources and supports. Individuals who meet the criteria for
Supported Employment and are interested in Self-Employment may pursue Supported
Self-Employment.
Supported
Self-Employment differs from Self-Employment because the individual requires
and receives supports and ongoing assistance in the daily running of the
business. Supports are not time limited
and may be needed for the life of the business.
Florida’s Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR) established a goal to increase Self-Employment outcomes and
created the CBTAC program.
The CBTAC program was developed to
provide support to VR Counselors and individuals with disabilities interested
in pursuing Self-Employment or Supported Self-Employment as an employment outcome. CBTACs assist an individual through the
business development process and are available throughout Florida. Picasso Einstein, LLC is a Florida
Vocational Rehabilitation CBTAC provider.
If you are a recipient of VR services
and are interested in Self-Employment or Supported Self-Employment, express
your interest to your VR counselor. If Self-Employment is a viable option for
you, your VR counselor will refer you to a CBTAC provider to begin your exciting journey of independence
through self-employment!
Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation;
Self-Employment and Supported Self-Employment Best Practice and Informational
Guide; February 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
2014 Entrepreneurship Summer Bizcamp
Picasso Einstein recently developed the first ever Post-Secondary Program of Study of Entrepreneurship specifically designed for persons with Development Disabilities, hosted currently at the Dan Marino Foundation. To continue the momentum, Picasso Einstein has partnered with the HDS Foundation this summer to offer 6 weeks of critical thinking, creativity, and business innovation during the 2014 Entrepreneurship Summer Bizcamp. These 10, future entrepreneurs, will learn how to take a micro-approach to self-employment, research skills, communication skills, group collaboration, problem solving skills and financial literacy.
WANT TO APPLY? Visit http://PicassoEinstein.com for further details on requirements, dates, and learning objectives of the summer camp.
WANT TO SPONSOR? Sponsor a student through a scholarship, or partial scholarship? Go to http://www.hdsfoundation.org/programs/summer-camp and sponsor now. Want to be a meal sponsor? Want to provide in-kind donations for the summer camp, such as materials, bus passes, materials, or anything else you can think of that can be included in the “Entrepreneurship Start-up Kit”? send an email to brielle@hdsfoundation.org and/or to E4i@PicassoEinstein.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)