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!

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.

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 2^nd Industrial Revolution known as the “Technological Revolution” that permeated the 19^th 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:

http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/entrepreneurship.htm

http://www.abilitiesfund.org/programs_and_services/increasing_options_for_entrepreneurs.php
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

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.

CERTIFIED BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CONSULTANT (CBTAC)

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

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

Ending Disability Segregation

The Two Sides of the Employment First Coin

Like a two-sided coin, the advocacy movement of Employment First has two core linked components. 

The first side is about ending obsolete practices – to phase out the needless segregation, less-than-minimum wages, and limited work tasks given to people with disabilities that make up much of sheltered work. 

The second side is to provide a system that supports, for every individual with a disability, a preference for quality employment services that are individualized. These are services that lead to well-matched jobs to enhance productivity, social success, and wages in community integrated businesses.

The success of both goals are interdependent. Moving people with disabilities out of sheltered workshops does not achieve the goal of a quality life if, after leaving, they remain excluded from typical community life, and instead sit home doing nothing, or be relegated to day programs focusing on non-vocational activities, or fail in poorly-matched and weakly-supported jobs.

And this is what might happen if states close workshops without investing in supported employment services. If states just maintain their supported employment for the small percentage of people receiving those services (about 22% nationally in the US), this will only perpetuate a serious bottleneck to employment people with significant disabilities have faced for the last 30 years. New services must be expanded or incubated to be able to serve more people. 

In addition, the level of quality of such services varies widely from place to place. Far too few agencies are well versed in marketing planning, job analysis and customization, or naturally sustainable job support strategies. A commitment to cutting edge service is a needed investment.

But, as well, ending a segregated approach with demonstrably poor outcomes must be part of the discussion of what needs to change. We cannot just ignore this half of the goal. Many of the large disability service agencies take the position that segregated facilities will just “fade away on their own” (to quote one such position paper) once better employment services are offered. But that is overly simplistic and has proven untrue over time. It will take proactive steps to end the current reliance on sheltered employment as a solution to work for people with disabilities.

If we consider both sides of Employment First, then we must acknowledge three basic conclusions. 

1. First, change won’t occur until we freeze referrals to sheltered workshops, as is finally now being done in several states. Then there must be an active process to downsize the census over time.

1. Two, offering quality employment services to many more people requires a large investment in capacity-building. This includes not only core basic training for the new staff that must be hired, but also in-service development to greatly increase the quality of career planning, job development, and job support. Many agencies still only provide rudimentary levels of these skill sets.

1. And, finally, if established agencies are to successful change their missions and services, they must have access to technical assistance on organizational restructuring. Agency conversion can be complex and fraught with land mines, from family resistance, management restructuring, and the changing of agency mission and staff organization. Agencies taking this leap must be offered support, guidance and the resources necessary for them to succeed.

Posted by Dale DiLeo on 12/2/2013 at 9:12 AM

NEW YORK RELEASES DRAFT PLAN TO INCREASE COMPETITIVE INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT FOR WORKERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

On Oct. 1, 2013, New York State’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) issued a draft plan to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services detailing its strategy to shift individuals with developmental disabilities toward competitive employment.* The state plans to end new placements of individuals with disabilities in sheltered workshops and to transition all existing sheltered workshop workers under the age of 50 to competitive supported employment. The transition will take place gradually over the course of 9 to 11 years. The state also plans to redesign its compensation structure for supported employment services to reflect actual costs and will increase connections between individuals with disabilities and the state’s vocational rehabilitation program, ACCES-VR.

* Full text of the draft plan is available at http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Appendix2.pdf


LEAD Center Policy Update, November 14, 2013