Self-Advocacy and Peer MentoringPeer Mentoring Models for Transitioning Students with Disabilities

Peer MentorWork Opportunities Unlimited

“ We both learned from each other in this experience. He learned dedication and patience pays off and I learned

about the power of persistence.

“

Wynetta “Wyn” Kumar2

AGENDA

Peer Mentoring

PART ONE 02:00 The Legacy of PM WIPP

Fidelity of Program and PracticeProgram Model, Training Model, Service Model, and Community of Practice Model

PART TWO 02:15 PMW CoP and PMW ToolsuiteYesLMS - Peer MentoringWorks ToolSuite

Peer MentoringWorksCommunity of Practice

PART THREE 02:20 Sustainability

COVID-19 Emerging Strategies

PM WIPP Status Update

The promise of Peer Mentoring services for students w/disabilities. 3

Fidelity Model for Peer Mentoring Programs

How do State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (SVRAs) and Community Rehabilitation Providers turn the promise of peer mentoring into an effective practice?In 2017, the National Mentoring Resource Center released a review that identified key findings and resources:• The most significant impacts on peer mentoring program

effectiveness appear to be the mentors’ attitudes and motivations, clarity of programmatic infrastructure, and fidelity of its implementation.

• The means by which programs have positive effects on mentees appears to be largely through the consistent and affirming presence of mentors, and the clarity and predictability resulting from a clear program structure.

Source: National Mentoring Resource Center’s Peer Mentoring article.4

Fidelity Model for Peer Mentoring Programs

National Mentoring Resource Center suggest practitioners and peer mentoring providers:

• Build a strong foundation by selecting the right coordinators and the right mentors.

• Provide lots of training and supervision to peer mentors.

• Let the youth lead as much as possible.

Source: National Mentoring Resource Center’s Peer Mentoring article.

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WINTAC/PolicyWorks Pilot Project Support Elements

PolicyWorks as part of the WINTAC provided

technical support to SVRAs in the development and

implementation of peer mentoring pilot programs.

The onboarding of Peer Mentoring Services

Providers including the training and certification of

Peer Mentor Coordinators and Mentors is building

an expanded network of service providers to meet

the growing demand of referrals. This program

growth and expansion is a direct impact of intensive

technical assistance from WINTAC. It includes:

WINTAC Pre-ETS Subject Matter Expert support to establish VR fee schedules, service referrals and reporting requirement and tracking.

Customized in-person or web-based training and orientation for Community Rehab Provider Networks and Peer Mentoring Coordinators including optional field assignments to support early implementation of PM Services.

Participation in VR Community-of-Practice calls and webinars supporting implementation during program initiation, development and expansion.

Access at no-cost to the Peer MentoringWorksSuite of certification modules and tools.

Technical Assistance for evaluation and impact assessment through WINTAC partners.

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Program Structure Model

VR or LEA Counselor: Referral Agent for student with a disability eligible for Pre-ETS Services

identified to benefit from peer mentoring service

* VR Peer Mentoring Service Approved Provider Agency/Entity** Trained and Certified PM Coordinator (Peer MentoringWorks Coordinator Modules plus training and support per PM WIPP Pilot)*** Peer Mentor Certification (Peer MentoringWorks Mentor Modules)

Peer Mentoring Service Plan

Report: Documentation of

PM Service (DATA) and

evaluation of progress toward

referral goals

Referral:Identification of goals and terms of service

Peer Mentoring Community Rehab Provider (CRP)*

Peer Mentor Coordinator **

Peer Mentor ***

Peer Mentees: Students with disabilities (14-21)

Peer Mentor *** Peer Mentor ***

Feedback

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Common Program/Project Goals and Referral Objectives

Common Program Objective Across Peer Mentoring WIPPs:1. The development of Self-Advocacy skills through

mentoring connections for students and youth with disabilities to develop:

• Community Networks• Social Networks• Professional Networks

2. Peer Mentors supporting students with disabilities to increase post-secondary retention and transition success.

3. Development of self-advocacy skills

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Youth Peer Mentoring Service Provider• Community Rehab Provider (CRP) must be a non-profit organization• CRP must be Employment Services Provider (ESP)• Complete application documenting certification to be designated as Peer Mentoring Service

Provider • Complete a Peer MentoringWorks Field Assignment with consultation and review from

PolicyWorks• Staff Requirements: Maintain Certified Peer Mentor Coordinator and Peer Mentor

Training Requirements

Peer Mentor Coordinator Peer Mentor • FL DVR Vendor Service Training (5 Modules)• 13 PMW Online Mentor Training *• 5-hour PM Coordinator Training (Web based)• Certification as an Employment Specialist• Required Background Screening

• 13 PMW Online Mentor Training and Certification

• Required Background Screening• 18 years of age/within 6 years of mentee• Annual recertification

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The Peer MentoringWorks ToolSuite

Peer MentoringWorks training and

certification modules have been reviewed

for use by WINTAC’s Pre-ETS Subject

Matter Experts. WINTAC’s Peer Mentoring

Pilot Projects utilized PMWs suite of

certification modules are provided at no

cost through a WINTAC intensive technical

assistance agreement.

The fully accessible* PMW ToolSuite supports the peer mentoring Community of Practice:

Ensures common self-advocacy and mentoring competencies for the role of Peer Mentor Coordinator and Peer Mentor.

Provides Peer Mentor Coordinators and Peer Mentors with required “Certificate of Completion” to meet a SVRA’s on-boarding requirements.

Includes additional tools and supports for mentors and coordinators (mentoring handbooks, toolkits and templates).

*includes alternate formats on YesLMS Accessible Learning Management Platform.

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Peer MentoringWorks Online

Base ModulesPeer Mentoring EssentialsRole of Self-Advocacy & Self-DeterminationDisability EtiquetteCommon Communications EssentialsGuide to Mentor CommunicationsTime ManagementAttitude & Behavior AwarenessDecision Making Basics

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Peer MentoringWorks Online

Employment ModulesEmployment & Disability RightsEmployment & Disability BenefitsEmployment & Transition Services

Resource ModulesCampus and Community *Division of Vocational Rehabilitation*

*AK, FL, MD, ME, MS & VA

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Post-Secondary Education Transition Modules • Independent Living• Financial Literacy• Disability Self Disclosure

ToolSuite Elements• PMW Networking Guide• PMW Field Guide with field templates and

fact sheets

Peer MentoringWorks Online

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Peer MentoringWorks Community of Practice

www.peermentoringworks.org

The Peer MentoringWorks Community of Practice (PMW CoP) connects a network of peer mentoring providers for the purpose of mentoring other providers to develop and expand peer mentoring programs as a VR service.

The PMW CoP seeks to:

Identify emerging best practices,

Capture and share early success stories,

Build a library of resources and technical assistance materials, and

Explore the development of new tools and practices that will improve its efficacy and provision of inclusive peer mentoring.

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FL DVR COVID19 Guidance: Peer Mentoring Services

This guidance provides options for delivering Youth Peer Mentoring services virtually as a means for allowing services to continue safely amid the travel restrictions, shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders, and physical distancing requirements associated with the COVID-19 outbreak.• To ensure physical distancing does not mean social

disconnection, Youth Peer Mentoring providers are encouraged to identify virtual platforms (Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, etc.) to continue youth peer mentoring services for students. Providers are permitted to create an online curriculum that channels components of self-advocacy as it relates to Youth Peer Mentoring.

• VR Counselors (VRCs) should be flexible approving youth peer mentoring services and expect alternative monthly activities. VR Counselor should still expect the monthly activities report to describe length of time during contact and topics of conversation conducted virtually, and all other deliverables should reflect what was done virtually.

• Additionally, Providers should ensure a safe and monitored platform for mentors and mentees to continue their relationships while they may be separated due to COVID-19.

In addition, in response to COVID19, PolicyWorks began offering the 5-hour Peer Mentoring Coordinator training via zoom in May of 2020.

• Youth Peer Mentoring activities should continue to focus on connecting peers to long-term community resources and social supports needed to effectively transition into postsecondary training, education, and employment.

Vocational Rehabilitation will continue its efforts in identifying alternative methods to service delivery and ensuring the safety of our staff, providers, and customers. Examples of Virtual Youth Peer Mentoring options may include but not limited to:

• Virtual participation activities (Screen Sharing)• Online Learning Modules (See PMW options)• Virtual Campus Tour Navigation and Resource Identification

VR is working closely with PolicyWorks in the development of specific activities for virtual mentoring through the Peer MentoringWorks (PMW) Learning Management System.

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By the Numbers - FL VR Peer Mentoring

WINTAC and PolicyWorks (PW) through Intensive Technical Assistance continues to expand capacity through participation in FL Division of Vocation Rehabilitation (FL DVR) hosted monthly Community of Practice webinars followed by PolicyWorks hosted Peer MentoringWorksCoordinator training in 2020. FL DVR is currently modernizing its referral system and plans to expand peer mentoring to students in post-secondary transition with an increase service fee schedule (Up to $40/hour) and an expansion of training and certification requirements for the new service. PW is developing program specific training for PMW to meet the new post-secondary transition self-advocacy service and direct service guides and modules to be used in virtual mentoring.

Description: QuantityEmployment Service Provider Agency/NPO PM Service Providers 43FL VR / PMW Certified Peer Mentor Coordinators 68PMW Certified Peer Mentors 78Student/Youth Peer Mentee w/ Referral (2018-2019) 205Average $16.50/Hour/Month/Referral per Mentee (3 to 6 Month Term) 15-20

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Peer Mentoring WIPPs – To date

Peer Mentoring WIPPs under the 5 Year WINTAC grant consisted of two groups of pilot states. Early pilot states included Alaska, Florida, and Mississippi then the subsequent group of pilot states included Maine, Maryland and Virginia.

The pilot projects shared common peer mentoring objectives around self-advocacy instruction with peer mentoring and the mentee’s personal development of professional, community, and social networks.

A1st Pilot Group A – *Implementation and Expansion

• Alaska – PM for summer youth program and post-secondary transition/retention at pilot universities.

• Florida – Expansion of pre-WIOA peer mentoring pilot program and expansion to post-secondary transition support.

• Mississippi – Post-secondary transition/retention at two university pilot locations.

B2nd Pilot Group B – **Development/Pending Due to COVID19

• Maine – Pre-ETS student peer mentoring self-advocacy/networking model.

• Virginia – Regional-to-statewide Pre-ETS Employment Services Organization provision for self-advocacy and networking.

• Maryland – An LEA based Pre-ETS model focused on self –advocacy for students with disabilities in the IEP process.

*Recertification for PM and PMC coordinators on PMW online as part of WINTAC beginning in Aug 2020.**An Offer to extend access to PMW ToolSuite training and certification tools will be available.

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Peer MentoringWorks in the NEWS

NDMC Webinar _JUNE 5, 2020

Peer MentoringWorks presented WINTAC Peer Mentoring WIPP with Independence Works and a Work Opportunities Unlimited Peer Mentors who shared her direct experience working with peer mentees.

PW presented the Peer MentoringWorksCommunity of Practice and the WINTAC pilot design and service model design.

Sue Abel, Director Independence Works and Jenni Payne, a Peer Mentoring Coordinator shared experiences in building their successful peer mentoring program.

Peer Mentor Wyneeta Kumar highlights the impact of peer mentoring on three of the mentees she serves as a peer mentor.

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Contact

Steve Allen, President & CEO, PolicyWorks

1.Steven.Allen@gmail.com

850-879-2631

www. peermentoringworks.org

www.disabilitypolicyworks.org

Join us for our PMW Community Meeting on August 19, 2020

Hosted on Zoom 1:00-2:00pm EDT

Visit Peer MentoringWorksOnline

www.peermentoringworks.org

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THANK YOU

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