CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT

“STEPPING OUTSIDE THE BOX”

A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PRESENTER

INTRODUCTION OF PARTICIPANTS & WHAT YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS TRAINING

PURPOSE• DISCUSS THE FORMALIZED DEFINITION OF CUSTOMIZED

EMPLOYMENT BY THE OFFICE OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY (ODEP)• TOUCH ON CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT HISTORY• GLIMPSE OF PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT • HOW DISCOVERY IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF CUSTOMIZED &

PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT• HOW MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING CAN BE EFFECTIVE DURING THE

DISCOVERY PROCESS

ODEP DEFINES CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT AS….• “A FLEXIBLE PROCESS DESIGNED TO PERSONALIZE THE EMPLOYMENT

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A JOB CANDIDATTE AND AN EMPLOYER IN A WAY THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF BOTH” (ODEP, 2012)• “CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT IS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL’S MATCH

BETWEEN THE STRENGTHS, CONDITIONS, AND INTERESTS OF JOB CANDIDATES AND THE IDENTIFIED BUSINESS NEEDS OF AN EMPLOYER.” (ODEP, 2012)

CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT IS BUILT ON THE ASSUMPTIONS……1. EMPLOYMENT IS A RIGHT THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE.2. EMPLOYMENT PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS A SENSE OF BELONGING TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN THEMSELVES. (FITTING IN)

CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT CAME FROM..• RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH THE MOST

SIGNIFICANT DISABILITY WERE STILL UNDERSERVED.• THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH THE MOST

SIGNIFICANT DISABILITY HAD THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.• SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT WAS NOT PROVIDING THE INTENDED

RESULTS.

VERMONT VR-PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT• CREATED BY VERMONT VR AFTER EVIDENCE-BASED RESULTS

DEMONSTRATED THAT “RAPID” PLACEMENTS AND “WORK FIRST” WERE MORE EFFECTIVE.

WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT?

• IT IS AN APPROACH OF• COMBINING RAPID PLACEMENT IN COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT SETTINGS

WITH SOME VERY TIME LIMITED INTERMEDIATE STEPS BEFORE A FORMAL HIRE OCCURS.

GOAL OF PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT• ALLOW JOB CANDIDATES & EMPLOYERS TO TRY OUT MATCH BEFORE

COMMITTED PLACEMENT. (DUAL CUSTOMER APPROACH)

DUAL CUSTOMER APPROACH

VR

JOB CANDIDAT

E

BUSINESS

“ONE JOB CANDIDATE, ONE BUSINESS AT A TIME”

PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT IS BASED ON… MOVING AT THE PROGRESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL

CUSTOMIZED & PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT CAN BE USED…..• SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT• JOB CARVING• JOB CREATION• NATURAL SUPPORTS• SMALL BUSINESS STRATEGIES• JOB SHADOWS• SHORT-TERM TRAINING PLACEMENTS• ON-THE-JOB TRAINING• TEMP-TO-HIRE

APPROACHES TO CE & PE• JOB CANDIDATE CONTRIBUTIONS, INTERESTS, & TALENTS DRIVE THE

JOB DEVELOPMENT PROCESS/PROGRESS NOT WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY.• NEGOTIATION OF A JOB FOR JOB CANDIDATES W/BUSINESSES• ADAPTING THE APPROACH ACCORDING TO THE AREA (RURAL &

URBAN)• CUSTOMIZATION OCCURS BEFORE THE FINAL PLACEMENT• JOB CANDIDATES ARE PRESENTED TO BUSINESSES NOT SERVICES• FIRST…DETERMINE BUSINESSES NEEDS & THEIR BOTTOM LINE

WHERE DID CUSTOMIZED & PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT COME FROM? (DISCUSSION)

PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT CAME FROM VERMONT VR AND EVOLVED FROM….• PRE-VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS AND VOCATIONAL EVALUATIONS

WERE NOT PROVIDING SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES• VT VR ALSO REALIZED THAT RAPID PLACEMENT SHOWED A

SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE INCREASE IN SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES• BUSINESSES WERE ALSO CUSTOMERS OF VR BECAUSE WE WANT TO

MEET THEIR HIRING NEEDS & HELP THEM BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WHILE SAVING THEM MONEY• SO THE “DUAL CUSTOMER APPROACH” WAS DEVELOPED

WHERE DO WE BEGIN?

CREATE INDIVIDUAL DETAILED VOCATIONAL PROFILE

DETERMINE IDEAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

DISCOVERY PROCESS

WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU WANT TO SECURE FOR A GOOD VOCATIONAL PROFILE?

• GETTING TO KNOW THE JOB CANDIDATE• REVEAL LIFE THEMES• PROVIDE/OPEN OPPORTUNITY-OPTION DOORS• SELF-AWARENESS FOR JOB CANDIDATES• SELF-ANALYSIS & INVESTIGATION

HOW DO YOU GATHER THE INFORMATION?

• USE MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES/TECHNIQUES + MORE:

• ASK JOB CANDIDATE “WHAT, HOW, WHY, WHERE & WHEN” QUESTIONS• LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CAPABILITIES, CONTRIBUTIONS, TALENTS

THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH CANDIDATES, FAMILY, FRIENDS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS, SCHOOLS, ETC.• OBSERVATIONS DURING INTERVIEWS, JOB TRYOUTS/SITUATIONAL

ASSESSMENTS• WORK EXPERIENCES BEYOND A COUPLE OF HOURS

KEY COMPONENTS OF DISCOVERY• WHO IS THE PERSON?

• WHAT ARE THEIR CAPABILITIES, INTERESTS, STRENGTHS, TALENTS, & RESOURCES?

• WHAT ARE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS?

FOCUS ON ATTRIBUTES

QUICK REVIEW: DISCOVERY WILL HELP….• IDENTIFY INFORMATION ABOUT THE JOB CANDIDATE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT

KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES

• HELPS US GET TO KNOW OUR JOB CANDIDATES

• HOW EMPLOYMENT SYNCS WITH THEIR PERSONAL LIVES

• MATCHES EDUCATION, CONTRIBUTIONS, TALENTS WITH BUSINESS NEEDS

• GIVES A “GLOBAL PICTURE” OF THE INDIVIDUALS WE SERVE

LET’S LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER INTO DISCOVERY

SPECIFIC PARTS OF DISCOVERY PROCESS

• CONDITIONS• CONTRIBUTIONS• PREFERENCES• INTERESTS• TASKS• SETTING PRIORITIES• SALARY/WAGE• DISCLOSURE

DISCOVERY SECTION I: CONDITIONS• DEAL BREAKERS• WHAT DO THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL?• WHY ARE THESE CONDITIONS IMPORTANT?

SECTION II: FOR CONTRIBUTIONS, CONSIDER…• SKILLS (MICROSOFT OFFICE, AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, FLUENT IN

ANOTHER LANGUAGE, ETC.)• EDUCATION• UNIQUE KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS (WHAT MAKES THEM STANDOUT?)• PERSONALITY TRAITS (PROMPT, DEPENDABLE, PROBLEM-SOLVER)

SECTION III: PREFERENCES• WHEN ARE THE BEST HOURS OF THE DAY FOR THE JOB CANDIDATE TO

WORK?• WHAT TYPE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT DO THEY PREFER-INSIDE,

OUTSIDE, OR A MIXTURE?• HOW WELL DO THEY INTERACT WITH OTHERS? (PERSON-TO-PERSON,

EMAIL, PHONE)• WHAT IS THEIR PACE/SPEED IN COMPLETING TASKS?• EXPECTATIONS OF COWORKERS AND SUPERVISORS

SECTION IV: INTERESTS

INTERESTS• WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTS THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE

THE JOB CANDIDATE WANT TO GO TO WORK DAILY?

• DIVIDE INTERESTS IN CATEGORIES

• THINK ABOUTT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THE NEED FOR THE AREAS THE JOB CANDIDATE IS INTERESTED IN AS WELL AS MEETS THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND CONDITIONS

SECTION V: TASKS

TASKS• WHAT BUSINESSES HAVE THE TASKS IDENTIFIED THAT JOB CANDIDATE CAN DO?

• WHAT TASKS CAN BE UNBUNDLED/BROKEN INTO SMALLER TASKS?

• WHAT EMPLOYER WILL ALLOW YOU TO UNBUNDLE/BREAKDOWN TASKS?

• HOW OR DO THE JOB TASKS MATCH THE JOB CANDIDATE’S CAPABILITIES, INTERESTS, STRENGTHS, CONTRIBUTIONS (IF THERE ARE NO BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, THEN DO NOT CONTACT THE BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE JOB CANDIDATE)

SECTION VI: SETTING PRIORITIES• WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT & WHY?• WHAT DO THEY WANT TO EARN?• WHAT HOURS DO THEY WANT TO WORK?• DO THEY NEED FLEXIBILITY? IF SO, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE TO

THEM?• WHAT TYPE OF WORK HAVE THEY CHOSEN?

SECTION VII: SALARY/WAGE

SALARY/WAGE…• FINANCIAL SITUATION/STABILITY• HOW MUCH DO THEY WANT TO EARN?• DO THEY NEED ADDITIONAL INCOME, AND WHY? WHAT’S THEIR REASONS

FOR WANTING EMPLOYMENT?• HOW WILL WORK IMPACT THEIR LIFE?• WHAT DO THEY WANT TO BUY? SAVE?• WHAT TRADEOFFS ARE THEY WILLING TO MAKE?• WHAT’S THE DOWNSIZE OF WORKING?• HAVE THEY SPOKEN WITH A BENEFITS SPECIALIST, IF THEY RECEIVE SSI, SSDI,

MEDICAID, FOOD STAMPS OR VA BENEFITS?

SECTION IIX: DISCLOSURE

DISCLOSURE….• WHAT INFORMATION DO THEY WANT TO SHARE AND WHEN?

• WHAT CAN CRP, VRC SHARE WITH EMPLOYER?

• WHAT’S REASONABLE TO SHARE? WHAT’S NOT? WHY?

• WHAT DO THEY HOPE TO GAIN FROM DISCLOSING?

SO NOW WHAT?.......

QUICK REVIEW

CUSTOMIZED OR PROGRE

SSIVE EMPLOYMENT

DISCOVERY PROCESS

RAPID AND

BETTER JOB

PLACEMENTS

STILL REVIEWING….• CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT• MATCHING JOB CANDIDATE’S CAPABILITIES, CONTRIBUTIONS & TALENTS

WITH EMPLOYER’S NEEDS• COULD BE USED WHEN JOB CARVING, JOB NEGOTIATION, SELF-EMPLOYMENT

• PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT• INTRODUCED/CREATED BY VT VR• RAPID JOB PLACEMENT VS PRE-VOCATIONAL TASKS• COULD BE OJT, TEMP-TO-HIRE, JOB SHADOWS OR WORK EXPERIENCES BEYOND 1 DAY• WORK AT PROGRESS OF JOB CANDIDATES

HOW DO YOU THINK DISCOVERY PLAYS A ROLE IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR YOUR JOB CANDIDATES? (DISCUSSION)

DISCOVERY & CE & PE• OBSERVATIONS• INTERVIEWS (JOB CANDIDATE, FAMILY, FRIENDS, ETC..)• SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS/JOB TRYOUTS• WORK EXPERIENCES BEYOND A COUPLE OF HOURS• INTEREST INVENTORIES

LOOKING AT MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING IN CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT• ASK THE “WHY, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, WHAT” QUESTIONS • WHAT ARE THE JOB CANDIDATE’S BELIEFS & VALUES?• WHAT’S THEIR TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN? HOW DO THEY PLAN TO GET

THERE? WHEN DO THEY PLAN TO START? WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO THEM? WHERE DO THEY START?

QUICK MI REVIEW OF STRATEGIES• OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS• AFFIRMATIONS• REFLECTION• SUMMARIZING

CUSTOMIZED

EMPLOYMENTDISCOVERY PROCESSPROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS

REFERENCESBrown, K. (n.d.) Connecting Youth and Communities: Customized Career Planning for Youth with psychotic disabilities. Butterworth, J. & Callahan, M. (2010). Re-establishing TASH’s leadership in Employment for Persons with Severe Disabilities. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 35(1).Citron, T., Brooks-Lane, N., Crandell, D., Brady, K., Cooper, M., & Revell, G. (2008). A revolution in the employment process of individuals with disabilities: Customized Employment as the catalyst for system change. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 28. “Discovering Your Potential: Using Discovery to Identify Your Employment Goals” Webinar hosted by LEAD CENTER led by National Disability Institute and Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2013) (www.dol.gov/odep/categories/workforce) Phillips, W. L., Callahan, M., Shumpert, N., Puckett, K., Petrey, R., Summers, K., & Phillips, L. (2009). Customized Transitions: Discovering the Best in Us. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 30. U.S. Dept. of Labor & Congressional Community Leaders Reflect on Office of Disability Employment Policy’s 10 year Anniversary. Education Letter (12.28.2011)

BEV GARDNER, Ed.DTACE 7-DISABILITY POLICY & STUDIES

98 CORPORATE LAKE DRIVECOLUMBIA, MISSOURI 65203

573-882-3807GARDNERBA@HEALTH.MISSOURI.EDU