A Vision of Employment For All: From competitive to customized

Ellen CondonUM Rural Institute on Disabilities

www.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/transitioncondon@ruralinstitute.umt.edu

(406) 243-4134

What if we began with the vision that everyone will work?

You need to opt out of work rather than opting in or

demonstrating that you are ‘ready’ or able to work.

Customized EmploymentAccording to DOL:Customized employment means

individualizing the relationship between employees and employers in ways that meet the needs of both.

It is based upon an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, interests and conditions of the person with a disability, and is also designed to meet the specific needs of an employer.

What does this mean for youth with significant needs?

We presume that everyone can work in their community,

There are many ways to earn a living and contribute,

We can define “work” in many ways, We look for strengths, support

needs, interests, factors that motivate each person,

What does this mean for youth with significant needs?

Focus on supporting each person to make a contribution and maximize their participation in all activities,

Focus on identifying the conditions needed to be successful,

Eliminate the prerequisite to get ready and the need to be competitive.

Recognize that some job seekers have ongoing support needs

That will need to be met in order for them to work in the community,

They can be met in various different ways: natural supports, paid supports, accommodations or adaptations to the workplace,

And they may be minimized by increasing the quality of a job match.

Supported Employment

Offers additional support to enable people to compete successfully in the workplace.

Over 150,000 people with disabilities became employed through the strategy of Supported Employment.

Supported Employment

1 person 1 job In the community along side

coworkers without disabilities Paid (sometimes subminimum) Ongoing support for the life of the

job

Customized Employment

Uses the same base, and some of the same strategies as supported employment but:

Always starts with the job seeker, not the employer or the job

Initiates and assumes negotiation

Representation of a job seeker is typical

Is an option for anyone

Two Distinct ApproachesLabor Market Job Development:

Responding to the needs of employers with applicants who are “qualified” to meet those general needs.

Customized Job Development:Discovering the “strengths, needs and interests” of applicants and proactively negotiating a job description that meets both the applicant’s and employer’s specific.

Customized Job Development

Job Seeker initiates

Job seeker’s skills, tasks & contributions are emphasized

Employers are contacted because their needs might match what the job seeker brings

Job seeker or representative presents a proposal

A position is negotiated

Employer Reacts Considers proposal

Reviews their unmet needs or allows developer to I.D. unmet needs

If a match is identified, a new job description is created.

Discovery“Who is the

person?”Capture theInformation

Representational Portfolio

or proposal to an employer

Negotiate a job or

design a business

Plan forongoing

supports $$$PASS

WIA/ DD/MH

Planning Meeting“What will they

do forwork?”

The Process of Customized Employment

3 Vocational Themes

List of 20 places/theme

Features of Customization

Discover and describe vs. measure, compare or evaluate

Focus on discreet tasks instead job titles or existing positions

Follow what a person ‘does’ more so than being led by what they say they want to do

All of us customize to some extent… Most employees, once they have

secured a position, begin to subtly customize features of their position to meet their individual needs.

In Customized Employment, the negotiation process begins before developing the job. The conditions are on the table from the start.

Customized Jobs????

What are the tasks?When was it negotiated?

Who does it benefit?

Labor Market Job DevelopmentApplicants Potential

Employers

Job Developer

In Labor Market Job Development, Job Developers meet with both applicants and numerous employers in the

community to determine their needs.

First, employer presentations are made

Potential EmployersJob Developer

Job Developers meet with potential employers in the community to determine their needs and interest in hiring

someone with a disability.

Targeted Employer

Labor Market Job Development

Job Developer

Applicants

The Job Developer then considers each applicant in relation to the demands of the employer.

Labor Market Job Development

The arbitrary demands of each employer result in an inevitable sorting out of the applicants. Those with more skills and less complexity rise to the top. Those with less skills and more complexity are considered last.

Limitations of Labor Market approaches

Even after concerted effort, our friend with significant challenges is not selected.

He is told that he didn’t quite fit any of the job descriptions due to a variety of reasons.

Discovery allows us to determine who the applicant is, their complexities as well as their potential contributions to employers.

Discovery Process

Responsibilities

Challenges

Transportation

Complexities

Hobbies

Skills

Interest Areas

Education

Customized Job Development

The job seeker’s Conditions, Preferences and Contributions are identified through a Customized Planning Process as well as a Task List.

The Job Developer then meets with specific employers in an effort to negotiate a customized job description.

From a list of potential employers identified during the Customized Plan.

Customizing a job requires that we explore these five components from the job seeker’s perspective:

1. Conditions 2. Preferences and Interests 3. Contributions to Be Offered 4. Discrete Tasks to Be Performed 5. Specific Employers to Be

Contacted

Customized Employment

May include employment developed through job carving, self-employment, or other job restructuring activities that result in job responsibilities being customized and individually negotiated to fit the needs of an individual.

Categories of Customized Employment

Single source job descriptions based on tasks derived from a single traditional job

Multiple source job descriptions based on tasks derived from a variety of jobs

Created job descriptions based on heretofore unmet needs of a work setting

Contract jobs based on single or multiple source or created job descriptions performed under a contract

Micro-enterprises based on the unmet needs of a local market

Customization

Typically involves representation of an individual for the purpose of negotiation around the terms of employment and needed supports.

Employer Needs Analysis based on an Informational Interview Target individuals performing job

tasks to identify possible areas that might need additional support: Episodic duties Slower components of tasks Back-ups/Bottlenecks Material/tool supply Interruptions Wasted motions

Employer Needs Analysis based on an Informational Interview

Notice non-task related issues: Unattended materials Waste/scrap materials Customers waiting Misplaced materials/goods Dusty, broken, dirty goods/materials Missed opportunities Unsafe or unsightly conditions

In order to customize employment, we must begin by answering the question, “Who is this person?”

Interests, preferences, support needs, conditions where they are at their best, contributions to an

employer, tasks that the individual can do