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>> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO
IMPLEMENTING CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT WEBINAR NUMBER 5.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU EACH OF
YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN
TODAY'S WEBINAR.
WE WILL -- AT THE END OF THE
WEBINAR, WE WILL REVIEW THE
COLLECTIVE RESULTS OF THE PREE
TEST AND POST-TEST AS WELL AS
THE SURVEY RESULTS OF THE
WEBINAR SERIES.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION
TO COVER TODAY SO WE WILL GET
STARTED RIGHT NOW, AND AT THIS
POINT IN TIME, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO JANET.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY, AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU,
IT WAS SO NICE TO MEET YOU ALL
IN MISSOURI A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
I FEEL LIKE I'M TALKING TO A
CROWD I KNOW NOW, SO THAT'S
GREAT.
AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR
ABOUT THE THINGS YOU'VE STARTED.
I KNOW WE TALKED SOME ABOUT THE
ASSIGNMENT, ABOUT THE HOME
VISITS THAT LOTS OF YOU GOT TO
DO, BUT SEVERAL OF YOU CAME UP
AND TOLD ME THAT YOU'VE BEEN
IMPLEMENTING OTHER PIECES OF IT
AS WELL, SO THAT'S REALLY
EXCITING AND WE'LL COME BACK TO
THAT LATER BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY
OUR TOPIC TODAY, IS IMPLEMENTING
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
SO LET'S START, I JUST WANTED TO
START WITH SOME OBJECTIVES, THAT
WE HOPE TODAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO
DISCUSS SOME STRATEGIES FOR
GETTING CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
STARTED IN YOUR AGENCIES, AND
DISCUSS SOME STRATEGIES FOR
STAYING ON TRACK.
AND ALSO TO LEARN FROM AN
EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST WHO
RECENTLY RECEIVED SOME TRAINING
AND MENTORING AROUND CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT.
SO SARAH STAFFORD IS WITH US
TODAY, WHO IS FROM ALBERTA,
CANADA, AND SARAH WAS INVOLVED
IN A THREE-YEAR PROJECT AROUND
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
SHE'S THE -- I'LL INTRODUCE HER
A LITTLE MORE LATER BUT SHE'S AN
EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR FOR BLUEL
HERON EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
CORPORATION, SO SHE'LL TELL YOU
FROM PERSPECTIVE HOW THAT WENT.
WE'RE ALSO AT THE END OF THE
CALL GOING TO HEAR FROM STATE
REPRESENTATIVES ON THE
EMPLOYMENT FIRST STATE
LEADERSHIP MENTORING TEAM
ROLLING OUT IN MISSOURI.
SO WITH THAT, SOME STRATEGIES
FOR GETTING STARTED.
LET'S START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
IN TERMS OF STARTING SMALL AND
LEARNING THE PROCESS, SOME
PEOPLE SAY LET'S THE START SMALL
AND SCALE QUICKLY, THAT COULD BE
TRUE.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU REALLY WANT
TO FOCUS ON FIRST IS GETTING TO
KNOW THE PROCESS WELL.
AND IT IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
I MEAN, THERE'S KIND OF LOTS OF
STEPS AND LOTS OF PIECES THAT
MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU
WERE DOING BEFORE.
SO WHAT I TYPICALLY DO IS
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO START WITH
JUST MAYBE ONE JOB SEEKER OR
MAYBE ONE OR TWO JOB SEEKERS,
AND REALLY USE THE DISCOVERY
STAGING RECORD AS YOUR GUIDE TO
GET THROUGH DISCOVERY, AND JUST
REALLY LEARN EACH STEP WELL.
AND SPEND SOME TIME GETTING TO
KNOW IT WELL BECAUSE IT'S LIKE
WITH ANYTHING, THE FIRST TIME
YOU DO IT, IT SEEMS A LITTLE
AWKWARD, IT SEEMS A LITTLE
UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT THEN AFTER
YOU DO IT SEVERAL TIMES, I MEAN,
IF I ASKED YOU ALL RIGHT NOW TO
PICK UP YOUR PEN AND WRITE YOUR
NAME WITH YOUR NON-DOMINANT
HAND, IT WOULD FEEL REALLY
AWKWARD, RIGHT?
IF YOU'RE WRITING WITH YOUR LEFT
HAND, IF YOU'RE RIGHT-HANDED OR
VICE VERSA.
BUT IF YOU IT EVERY DAY OR IF
YOU STARTED DOING IT ALL THE
TIME, IT BECOMES EASIER AND
EASIER AND MORE COMFORTABLE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IDEA IS
ABOUT, STARTING REALLY SMALL SO
THAT YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS AND
LEARN THE PROCESS.
AND ALLOW TIME TO LEARN THE
PROCESS.
SO THIS MIGHT TAKE SOME SUPPORT
FROM YOUR AGENCIES TO SAY, HEY,
THIS IS A NEW PROCESS, WE REALLY
WANT TO LEARN IT WELL AND WE
WANT TO BE ABLE TO DEVOTE THAT
TIME.
I WOULD SAY YOU NEED TO DEVOTE
AT LEAST A HALF A DAY A WEEK PER
JOB SEEKER TO GET THROUGH
DISCOVERY AND TO REALLY FOCUS ON
THE CREATIVE JOB DEVELOPMENT.
SO MAKE TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULE
FOR IT.
THE THIRD BULLET THERE IS TO
MAKE A PLAN BUT BE FLEXIBLE.
SO AT THE END OF THE ONSITE
TRAINING, ONE OF THE THINGS WE
TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT TEAM
CYCLE, AND IT WAS THAT CHART
THAT KIND OF SHOWED IF YOU GO
THROUGH DISCOVERY, THIS IS WHAT
YOU MIGHT BE DOING WEEK ONE
VERSUS WEEK TWO, VERSUS WEEK
THREE.
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF
PLANNING INVOLVED, SO SAY IN THE
VERY EARLY WEEKS YOU'RE DOING
THE HOME VISIT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD
OBSERVATION, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE
TO START THINKING ABOUT THOSE
DISCOVERY ACTIVITIES AND
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS AND
GETTING THEM ON THE SCHEDULE
AHEAD OF TIME.
SO A PLAN IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO
BE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON, YOU
KNOW, WHO HAS TO SCHEDULE THESE
THINGS.
YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE AROUND THE
JOB SEEKER'S AVAILABILITY,
SOMETIMES FAMILY MEMBERS'
AVAILABILITY, EMPLOYERS'
AVAILABILITY AND THEY MIGHT NOT
ALL BE AVAILABLE ON THE PLAN
THAT YOU SET, SO BE A LITTLE
FLEXIBLE AS YOU GO.
THE LAST TWO BULLETS, USE THE
RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE
AVAILABLE TO YOU AND THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS
RECOMMENDED.
WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH PEOPLE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, AND THE PEOPLE WHO
SEEM TO DO REALLY WELL WITH IT
ARE PEOPLE WHO INVEST TIME NOT
ONLY IN TRAINING, TRAINING IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT INVEST
TIME IN REALLY GETTING SOME
MENTORING OR GETTING TO LEARN IT
WELL.
SOME STATES HAVE EVEN STARTED
REQUIRING MENTORING AS PART OF
THE CRITERIA FOR BEING ABLE TO
PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES.
I KNOW PENNSYLVANIA DID A WHOLE
MENTORING MANUAL ON THAT.
SO WE DID A RESOURCE LIST THAT I
GAVE YOU LAST TIME.
THERE'S TONS OF RESOURCES OUT
THERE, AND I THINK DWAYNE WILL
TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT
SOME RESOURCES IN MISSOURI.
THE LAST PIECE IN TERMS OF
GETTING STARTED IS TO
COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS.
BECAUSE WITH ANYTHING, IT'S KIND
OF EASIER TO LEARN AND FUNNER TO
LEARN IF WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER
PEOPLE THAT ARE LEARNING WITH US
AND THAT WE CAN SHARE IN THE
LEARNING, SHARE IN THE SETBACKS,
SHARE IN THE SUCCESSES, ALL THAT
KIND OF STUFF.
SO YOU CAN FORM COMMUNITY ACTION
TEAMS, WHICH MIGHT BE A GROUP OF
PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LEARNING
ABOUT CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT WHO
MIGHT MEET REGULARLY.
IT'S SIMILAR TO A COMMUNITY OF
PRACTICE.
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ARE
PEOPLE THAT GET TOGETHER, THAT
SHARE A CRAFT AND PROFESSION
THAT EITHER COME TOGETHER
NATURALLY OR DELIBERATELY TO
LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT IS THEY DO
AND TO BE ABLE TO DO IT BETTER.
WE ALL WANT DO A GOOD JOB AT
WHAT WE DO.
SOME STATES HAVE IMPLEMENTED
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICES.
I KNOW IOWA HAS HAD ONE GOING
FOR SOME TIME.
IT'S MORE ON COMMUNITY
EMPLOYMENT IN GENERAL, NOT
SPECIFICALLY CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, BUT A LOT OF
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT STUFF
COMES UP, CALIFORNIA IS JUST
STARTING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
AROUND CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT,
AND AS WELL AS TO TAKE, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S OTHER LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE THAT
GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO
COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE ACRE, THE
ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY
REHABILITATION EDUCATORS,
PROVIDES TRAINING, IT'S A
40-HOUR TRAINING LEADING TO A
CERTIFICATE.
SOME OF THOSE COURSES ARE AROUND
COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT, SOME HAVE
AN EMPHASIS IN CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, AND I THINK THERE
WILL BE MORE BEING DEVELOPED AND
AVAILABLE SOON AROUND CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT BOTH AT THE BASIC AND
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL.
THE RESOURCE LIST THAT WE DIDN'T
REALLY GET A CHANCE TO GO OVER
AT THE ONSITE TRAINING HAS
SEVERAL AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS
THAT HAVE RESOURCES OR HAVE
TRAINING AVAILABLE AROUND
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, AND I'M
LISTING THE LEAD CENTER HERE
BECAUSE OFTEN THE LEAD CENTER
KIND OF HELPS ADVERTISE SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT THOSE OTHER
AGENCIES ARE DOING.
SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT RESOURCE
ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS, NOT JUST
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, BUT IF
YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, THERE
IS A SPECIFIC LINK ON CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT THAT CAPTURES A LOT
OF INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE
IN THE FIELD THAT CAN HELP YOU
WITH COLLABORATING.
YOU CAN GET ON THEIR WEBSITE SO
THEY'LL SEND YOU UPDATES.
THE LAST BULLET IN TERMS OF
ENSURING SUPPORT AT ALL LEVELS,
WHAT WE FIND IS AS PEOPLE
IMPLEMENT CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
THE, THAT REALLY YOU NEED TO
HAVE EVERYBODY ON BOARD, THE CEO
OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BOARD
MEMBERS, MID LEVEL MANAGEMENT,
EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS, THEY ALL
NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE
THE EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS OUT
THERE WORKING TO GET PEOPLE
JOBS, YOU'VE GOT MANAGEMENT
SAYING WHY ARE YOU TAKING SO
MUCH TIME TO DO DISCOVERY OR WHY
ARE YOU GOING OUT AND DOING
THESE ACTIVITIES?
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE JUST
HANGING OUT WITH PEOPLE.
BUT THEY NEED TO REALIZE THAT
YOU'RE HANGING OUT WITH INTENT,
THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU'RE
LEARNING FROM THAT.
SO GETTING EVERYBODY ON BOARD IS
REAL IMPORTANT.
SO THE MORE THAT YOU CAN SHARE
INFORMATION, MAYBE HELP INVITE
PEOPLE TO TRAINING EVENTS OR
MAKING THEM AWARE OF TRAINING
EVENTS TO SHARE YOUR SUCCESS
STORIES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING
AND WHY.
OBVIOUSLY THERE NEEDS TO BE
CHANGES IN POLICY AND FUNDING
AND STAFFING PATTERNS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, AND I THINK RIGHT
NOW, EVERYBODY'S CHANGING AT
ONCE, YOU KNOW?
PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO IMPLEMENT
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, AT THE
SAME TIME YOUR STATE AGENCIES
ARE LOOKING AT POLICIES AND
FUNDING AND HOW THAT HAPPENS.
BUT I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO
START.
THINGS WILL LINE UP AS YOU GO.
STATE AGENCIES NEED TO HEAR FROM
YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO SUPPORT
THAT CHANGE.
ALSO YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
PROCESS WE USE FOR HELPING JOB
SEEKERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
UNDERSTAND CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT.
IT'S VERY OFTEN I HEAR LIKE, OH,
YOU KNOW, SO-AND-SO'S FAMILY
DOESN'T REALLY WANT US TO COME
INTO THEIR HOME.
AND THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE IF
PEOPLE DON'T WANT YOU TO COME
INTO THEIR HOME, BUT SOMETIMES I
THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT HOW WE
PRESENT THE INFORMATION, BECAUSE
IF SOMEBODY ASKS ME TO COME INTO
MY HOME, I'D BE A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT TOO OR I'D BE
THINKING, OH, GEE, I HAVE TO
CLEAN THE HOUSE OR THINGS LIKE
THAT.
BUT IF YOU START BY REALLY
EXPLAINING THE PROCESS WELL AND
WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHY, I
THINK IT HELPS FAMILY MEMBERS
UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
STAYING ON TRACK.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO TO
HELP STAY ON TRACK AS WE GO ARE
TO FIRST IMPLEMENT CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT WITH FIDELITY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, LET'S
DO IT RIGHT.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO
GET OFF TRACK OR IT'S EASY TO
USE PIECES BUT NOT THE WHOLE
PROCESS.
AND NOT THAT THAT'S A BAD THING
NECESSARILY, BUT IF YOU SAY
WE'RE DOING CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, LET'S KIND OF STICK
WITH THE FIDELITY.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROBABLY
AD NAUSEAM AT THIS POINT, BUT WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
REALLY DOING THE KEY COMPONENTS
OF IT, AND AGAIN, YOU'VE HAD
LOTS OF RESOURCES THERE THAT ARE
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT IS GOING
TO BE A REALLY GOOD TOOL.
THE STAGING RECORD IS A GOOD
GUIDE BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU NOT
ONLY RECORD THE INFORMATION BUT
IT HELPS GUIDE YOU TO THE NEXT
STEPS.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THE
DISCOVERY FIDELITY SCALE IS
UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW, BUT
THAT WILL BE ANOTHER TOOL YOU
HAVE TO KIND OF STAY ON TRACK.
THEN I WOULD AS AN AGENCY TOO
SET SOME GOALS, LIKE, FOR
EXAMPLE, I WORKED WITH SOME
AGENCIES THAT REALLY HAVE CLEAR
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF
TIME TO COMPLETE DISCOVERY.
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT DISCOVERY
GOING ON FOREVER AND EVER.
WE WANT TO GET TO JOB
DEVELOPMENT.
SO TYPICALLY WE SAY SIX TO EIGHT
WEEKS IS A GOOD LENGTH OF TIME
FOR DISCOVERY, BUT I'M GUESSING
THE FIRST TIME YOU GO THROUGH
IT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER.
OR MAYBE THE FIRST FEW TIMES,
IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER.
SO THAT'S WHERE I COME BACK TO
THAT START SMALL AND LEARN THE
PROCESS WELL.
ONCE YOU KIND OF LEARN THE
PROCESS, THINGS WILL SPEED UP
NATURALLY.
SOMETIMES FUNDING AGENCIES KIND
OF SET GOALS FOR US, LIKE MAYBE,
YOU KNOW, FUNDERS MIGHT SAY WE
REALLY EXPECT TO SEE JOB
PLACEMENT WITHIN 60 DAYS OF
FINISHING DISCOVERY, OR SOME
STANDARDS LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK EVEN IF FUNDERS
DON'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF
REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU SHOULD SET
SOME GOALS FOR UR SO THAT YOU'RE YOURSELF SO YOU
HAVE A VERY FOCUSED
ACTION-ORIENTED PROCESS.
THEN AS AN AGENCY, WE ALSO
RECOMMEND DOING A PERIODIC
REVIEW.
MAYBE IT'S QUARTERLY, MAYBE
MONTHLY, TO LOOK AT REALLY HOW
YOU'RE DOING.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE REALLY
USING THIS APPROACH WITH, HOW IS
IT GOING, ARE WE GETTING PEOPLE
THROUGH DISCOVERY IN A TIMELY
FASHION, ARE WE GETTING TO JOB
PLACEMENT, IS THAT HAPPENING.
SO REALLY SET SOME GOALS FOR
YOURSELF AND SOME OPPORTUNITIES
TO REVIEW THOSE GOALS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN
IT OVER TO SARAH AND I HAVE TO
TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
SARAH FIRST.
SHE'S WITH BLUEL HERON SUPPORT
SERVICES ASSOCIATION IN ALBERTA,
CANADA, AND I HAD THE PLEASURE
OF GETTING TO BE THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PERSON THAT GOT TO
WORK WITH SARAH OVER A PERIOD OF
THREE YEARS.
SO IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY
INCREDIBLE PROJECT.
AND SARAH IS NOT ONLY THE
EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR FOR BLUEL
HERON SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT SHE
WAS ALSO ON THE STEERING
COMMITTEE FOR THE PROJECT, AND
SHE'S SOMEBODY THAT IS JUST
REALLY, REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT
EMPLOYMENT, AND EVEN THOUGH THE
PROJECT IS OVER, SHE'S
CONTINUING TO DO EXCELLENT,
EXCELLENT WORK IN HER COMMUNITY,
AS WELL AS REALLY TAKING
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
STATE-WIDE.
SHE'S BEEN A REAL PERSON TO
SPEARHEAD HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO
GROW CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
THROUGHOUT ALBERTA.
SO I'M GOING TO DRAG THIS OVER
AND I'M GOING TO HAND THE
MICROPHONE OVER TO SARAH.
I HOPE THIS WORKS.
OKAY, SARAH.
>> THANKS, JANET.
HI, EVERYONE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
JANET, YOU HAVE TO MUTE YOUR
MIC.
THAT'S BETTER.
I'M NOT GETTING FEEDBACK
ANYMORE.
ANYWAY, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY
DAY UP HERE, SO AS JANET
MENTIONED, MY NAME IS SARAH
STAFFORD.
I'M THE EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR
HERE AT BLUEL HERON SUPPORT
SERVICES.
I GRADUATED BOW VALLEY COLLEGE,
I HAVE MY DIPLOMA IN DISABILITY
STUDIES.
I'VE WORKED IN THE FIELD FOR 14
YEARS.
I'VE WITNESSED COUNTLESS TIMES
OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW THE
IMPACT OF THE RIGHT EMPLOYMENT
CAN IMPACT SOMEONE'S LIFE.
SO, LET'S KEEP GOING HERE.
SO WHEN I WAS TAKING THIS
TRAINING, ONE THING THAT I LOVED
WAS THAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL.
IT WASN'T ABOUT FINDING A JOB AN
THEN TRYING TO FIT THE
INDIVIDUAL INTO THAT JOB.
WE REALLY WENT THROUGH THE
DISCOVERY PROCESS.
ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WERE IN
THE FOUR DAYS CLASSROOM TRAINING
WERE REALLY INTERACTIVE AND
REALLY RELEVANT TO WHAT I WOULD
BE DOING LATER ON, WORKING WITH
THE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
SO I'D NEVER GOTTEN TO THE POINT
I AM, THOUGH, WITH CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING.
THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT MADE IT
STICK.
OFTEN I'D GO TO A CLASS AND 
THAT BOOK THAT I'D GET FROM THE
CLASS OR THE HANDOUTS OR
WHATEVER THAT I WOULD GET WOULD
JUST GO ON TO THE SHELF BECAUSE
I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
START.
SO WITH HAVING JANET AND THE
OTHER PERSON THAT WAS UP WITH
THE PROJECT WAS RUSSELL.
HAVING THEM COME OUT AND REALLY
WORK WITH US OVER THE LAST
COUPLE YEARS HAS BEEN JUST
AMAZING.
THE REASON THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE
TO HAVE THIS PROCESS WORKING SO
WELL WAS BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO
COMING OUT AND HELPING ME, AND
NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE ASKING FOR
THE CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
PROCESS BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUALS
HAVE BEEN FINDING AMAZING JOBS.
SOME JOBS ARE IN THE DIRT DUST
AND DISHES KIND OF AREA, BUT FOR
THE MOST PART, A LOT OF THEM ARE
OUTSIDE THE DIRT, DUST AND
DISHES, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.
THE ONE LADY THAT I WORK WITH,
HER NAME WAS ELIZABETH, AND SHE
REALLY LIKED WORKING READING AND
WRITING, SHE WAS PASSIONATE
ABOUT IT AND SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED
A JOB WITH KIDS, SO WE REALLY
WERE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS
AND WE FOUND HER A JOB AT THE
SCHOOL AS A T.A., AND SHE'S BEEN
DOING FANTASTIC.
SHE'S JUST CURRENTLY GOT THE
WORD THAT SHE'S GOING TO HAVE A
PERMANENT JOB THERE IN THE FALL
AND CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW
THAT POSITION THERE, WHICH IS
REALLY EXCITING.
THIS QUOTE IS ONE THING THAT I
HAVE UP ON MY WALL.
AND I CONSTANTLY REMIND MYSELF.
A GUARDIAN OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT
I WORK WITH STATED THIS TO ME,
AND IT PROVED TO BE TRUE TIME
AND TIME AGAIN, ESPECIALLY
AROUND EMPLOYMENT.
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE,
THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BLOW YOU
AWAY ON WHAT THEY CAN DO, AND
SOMETIMES THIS IS HARD, AT LEAST
I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO MAKE SURE
THEY DON'T GET -- OR FAIL, BUT
FOLLOWING THE PROCESS COMPLETELY
THROUGH, YOU'RE SETTING THEM UP
FOR SUCCESS.
SO BEFORE CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT,
WE WERE REALLY GUESSING AND
HOPING TO FIND RIGHT JOB.
WHILE RESUMEEÉS ARE GREAT, IT'S
NOT THE THING FINDING THE JOB,
IT'S THE CONNECTION, THE
PERSONAL CONNECTION THAT ALLOWS
EMPLOYERS TO COMPARE PEOPLE MORE
ON PAPER, AND ON THE RIGHT, IT
REALLY SHOWS THE EMPLOYER AND
HELPS US BUILD CONNECTIONS,
THOSE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.
SO ON THE LEFT, WE'RE GUESSING,
BUT ON THE RIGHT -- I REALLY
LIKE TO USE FACTS, AND I THINK
THE EMPLOYERS THAT I'VE WORKED
WITH OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS
REALLY LIKE KNOWING THOSE FACTS.
AND IF I CAN GO INTO THEM, GO
WITH AN INDIVIDUAL AND TALK TO
THEM AND MAYBE DO AN EMPLOYMENT
PROPOSAL, WHEN I HAVE THOSE
FACTS, AN EMPLOYER IS ALWAYS
LOOKING IF A NEED CAN BE MET.
SO THERE ARE SOME ROAD BLOCKS
THAT I'VE COME UP AGAINST.
MYSELF BEING ONE OF THEM.
I THINK I'M A VERY OPEN MINDED
PERSON, BUT WHEN I STARTED THIS
PROCESS, I DO REALIZE THAT I WAS
PUTTING LIMITS ON WHAT'S
POSSIBLE.
I DID NOT THINK THAT I WAS THIS
PERSON BECAUSE I KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT EMPLOYMENT IS TO
PEOPLE.
MY CO-WORKERS, AGAIN, THEY WERE
PUTTING THE SAME LIMITS ON WHAT
WAS POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES WE THINK WE NEED TO
PROTECT SOMEONE, BUT THIS ISN'T
THE CASE.
LET THEM SHOW US WHAT THEY CAN
DO, AND WE'LL BE AMAZED.
THIS IS WHY C.E. IS SO
IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S THE EMPLOYERS AS WELL.
IT WASN'T -- ROADBLOCKS AT THE
BEGINNING, MAINLY BECAUSE OF
LINGO, I'D SAY I'M COMING TO DO
AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW WITH
YOU.
THEY'LL BE LIKE, OH, WELL, I'M
NOT HIRING.
I SAID NO, I WANT TO INFORMATION
SEEK.
THE INDIVIDUAL I'M WORKING WITH
IS REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS
AREA AND WE JUST WANT TO COME
AND ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
AND WHAT I LEARNED IS, AN
EMPLOYER -- OR THE MANAGER OR
THE BUSINESS OWNER, THAT'S THE
WORD I WANT, IS ALWAYS WILLING
TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR BU
BUSINESS.
THEY WANT TO SHOW OFF THEIR
BUSINESS AND YOU CAN REALLY USE
THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
I ALSO CAME UP WITH A FEW THINGS
ABOUT OVERCOMING ROAD BLOCKS.
BELIEVE, TRUST AND FOLLOW THE
PROCESS.
THIS IS TRUE EVERY TIME I HIT A
WALL, IT'S BECAUSE I'M STARTING
TO VEER OFF THE PROCESS.
SO I GO BACK TO MY DISCOVERY
STAGING RECORD AND REALLY LOOK
AT WHERE I'M AT, THAT REALLY
HELPS ME MOVE FORWARD.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND, THIS IS HUGE.
POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.
YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT
ONE.
DON'T LET FEAR HOLE YOU BACK.
THIS IS SOMETHING I STRUGGLE
WITH BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE
THE INDIVIDUAL I'M WORKING WITH
FAIL OR SOMETIMES I THINK, OH,
WELL, THEY WON'T ACCEPT THEM
THERE.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF JANET SHARED
WITH YOU REJECTION THERAPY
VIDEO, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
IT.
IT'S A TED TALK.
YOU CAN WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
IT'S AMAZING.
FIND ALLIES, ONE PERSON AT A
TIME.
THE MORE YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, THE MORE
ALLIES YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE, AND
THOSE ALLIES ARE GOING TO DO
SOME OF THE WORK FOR YOU BECAUSE
EMPLOYERS DO TALK.
A FEW OF THE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE
COME BECAUSE OF THE ALLIES THAT
I HAVE AROUND THEM.
AND LET'S THE RESULTS ADVERTISE
FOR YOU.
SO WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THEY CAN'T
DO THAT, REALLY ASK WHY OR WHY
NOT.
THERE'S A FELLOW THAT I WORKED
WITH THAT REALLY WANTED TO HAVE
HIS OWN BUSINESS, LAWN CARE
BUSINESS, SNOW REMOVAL BUSINESS,
AND HE WANTED TO HAVE A TRUCK.
SO WE STARTED TO ASK HIS
GUARDIAN IF HE COULD GET HIS
LICENSE IN, THEY'RE LIKE, NO OH.
BUT THAT DIDN'T MEAN THAT WE
QUASHED HIS DREAM ABOUT GETTING
A TRUCK.
SO HE BOUGHT HIS TRUCK, HE
INSURED HIS TRUCK, HE IS GROWING
HIS BUSINESS.
HE JUST HAS SOMEONE THAT DRIVES
IT FOR HIM.
AND THIS YEAR, HE'S GETTING SO
MUCH BUSINESS THAT HE HAS HIRED
ANOTHER PERSON TO HELP HIM, AND
THAT PERSON ACTUALLY CAN DRIVE.
SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD
MATCHUP.
ANY TIME YOU HIT A ROADBLOCK,
LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT
ANGLE.
HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THAT
ROADBLOCK?
SO JANET KIND OF TOLD ME SHE
SHARED WAYNE'S STORY A LITTLE
BIT WITH YOU GUYS.
WAYNE WAS THE VERY FIRST PERSON
THAT I WENT THROUGH THE
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT PROCESS
WITH, AND SO HE IS THE ONE THAT
I LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT BECAUSE I
THINK HIS STORY IS KIND OF COOL.
WAYNE WAS REALLY OVERLOOKED.
NO ONE REALLY GAVE HIM A LOT OF
ATTENTION.
AND I STARTED WORKING WITH HIM
AND THEN I STARTED WORKING
THROUGH THE CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT PROCESS WITH HIM.
WAS IT AN ADVANTAGE THAT I
WORKED WITH HIM FOR A WHILE?
NOT REALLY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT
THAT I DIDN'T NEED TO GO THROUGH
THE PROCESS PROPERLY, BUT I
FOUND IT VERY IMPORTANT TO GO
THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS
BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION THAT
I FOUND.
THERE WERE THINGS THAT I FOUND
OUT ABOUT WAYNE THAT I WOULD
HAVE NEVER FOUND OUT UNLESS I
WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO I THOUGHT I'D JUST SHARE,
WAYNE IS ACTUALLY KIND OF
NON-VERBAL.
HE HAS A HARD TIME SPEAKING.
AND OFTEN WHEN I ASK HIM WHAT HE
WOULD WANT TO DO FOR A JOB, THIS
WAS BEFORE CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, HE WOULD TELL ME
THAT HE CLEANS.
AND SO OFTEN I FIND THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT I WORK WITH
WILL GIVE ME THAT ANSWER, SO
AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW
IMPORTANT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS
IS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAYNE
HAS AT HOME IS A HUGE MOVIE
COLLECTION.
LIKE HUNDREDS OF MOVIES.
SO I THOUGHT, HOW CAN I USE THIS
TO HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHAT WAYNE
LIKES AND WHAT HIS DISLIKES ARE.
AND SINCE HE LIKES MOVIES, A
COUPLE THINGS I LEARNED FROM
THAT, HE HAS AN AMAZING MEMORY.
EVERY SINGLE MOVIE HE TOOK DOWN,
HE PUT BACK IN THE SAME SPOT
AFTERWARDS.
BUT THE MOVIES THAT HE PICKED, I
LEARNED ABOUT HIM THAT HE LIKES
ANIMALS, HE LIKES HELPING
PEOPLE, HE LIKES AN ADRENALINE
RUSH, LIKES TO BE SCARED, AND
REMEMBERS WHERE THINGS GO.
I ALREADY MENTIONED THAT.
SO THIS WAS REALLY GOOD.
HE DEFINITELY LIKED -- ALSO
LIKED COOKING, HE IS A REALLY
GOOD COOK, BUT FOOD WAS KIND OF
A BARRIER FOR HIM BECAUSE HE
KIND OF GOT FOCUSED ON IT, SO WE
KIND OF DECIDED TO STAY AWAY
FROM THAT AND I THINK WE WERE
QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
SO THE THEMES THAT STARTED
EMERGE FROM ALL THE DI COVER
RETHAT WE DID WERE NATURE,
HELPING PEOPLE, AND ADRENALINE.
THE MORE THAT I GOT TO KNOW
WAYNE AND THE MORE ACTIVITIES
THAT WE WERE DOING THROUGH
DISCOVERY, HE REALLY DID LIKE AN
ADRENALINE RUSH.
HE'S THE BIGGEST PRANKSTER THAT
YOU WOULD EVER FIND.
HE LIKES TO PULL PRANKS ON
PEOPLE, HE LOVES TO SCARE THEM.
BUT THEN HE LIKES TO HELP PEOPLE
TOO.
HE'S ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO
COME OUT AND IF YOU'RE TURNING
SOMETHING IN, HE'LL COME OUT AND
CARRY IT IN.
REALLY IMPORTANT, TAKE LOTS OF
PICTURES.
ESPECIALLY FOR WAYNE, IT WAS HIS
WAY OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE HIS
STORY WITH OTHERS.
BUT IT'S ALSO USEFUL FOR
PORTFOLIOS, EMPLOYER PROPOSALS.
ACTUALLY DONE QUITE A FEW
EMPLOYER PROPOSALS, AND I PUT A
LITTLE PICTURE OF THE PERSON ON
THEM SO THEY REMEMBER THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A PERSON.
AND THE BENEFIT THAT THIS PERSON
CAN HAVE ON THEIR BUSINESS.
I ALSO SHARED WAYNE'S STORY
QUITE A BIT AT -- BECAUSE IT'S
SUCH A GREAT STORY.
ELIZABETH IS WORKING AT THE
SCHOOL.
I DON'T HAVE AS MANY PICTURES OF
HER, BUT I'M GOING TO GO IN AND
GET SOME JUST SO THAT SHE, TOO,
CAN SHARE HER STORY AND OTHER
PEOPLE CAN LEARN OF THE SUCCESS
THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING HERE.
SO ONE THING THAT I FOUND OUT
ABOUT WAYNE, HE DIDN'T REALLY
HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY
CONNECTIONS, AND THAT'S WHY
BECOMING PART OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT WAS SO GREAT.
SO WE ACTUALLY DID A COUPLE
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS, SO WE
WENT TO THE EMS STATION AND
THERE WAS NOTHING REALLY THERE,
AND WE WENT TO THE FIRE HALL AND
THE FIRE CHIEF JOHN, HE JUST --
HE COULD HAVE TALKED ALL
AFTERNOON.
HE WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS
JOB.
AND AT THE END, HE REALLY SAID,
YOU KNOW, WAYNE, IF YOU THINK
THIS IS SOMETHING FOR YOU, WE'D
LOVE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND WAYNE WENT AWAY FOR A WEEK
OR TWO AND THOUGHT THE ABOUT IT,
AND HE CAME UP TO ME AND HE'S
LIKE, SARAH, I WANT TO BE A
FIREFIGHTER.
AND SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, LET'S GO
BACK AND TALK TO JOHN.
SO WAYNE BECAME A FIREFIGHTER,
AND WHEN HE DID, HE KIND OF GOT
THIS FAMILY.
IT'S LIKE A BROTHERHOOD UP
THERE.
THEY REALLY TOOK HIM UNDER THEIR
WING.
I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO
INTERVIEW JOHN FOR A PROJECT
THAT I WAS DOING AND I WAS ABLE
TO ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS, AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY
STOOD OUT ABOUT THAT INTERVIEW
WAS HE SAID, SARAH, AS MUCH AS
WE'VE GIVEN TO WAYNE, WAYNE HAS
GIVEN BACK TO US.
THE GUYS ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
COMMUNICATE WITH SOMEONE THAT
HAD A DISABILITY.
THEY WERE ALWAYS KIND OF WORRIED
ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO
SAY, HOW THEY SHOULD ACT, BUT
HAVING WAYNE ON THE TEAM REALLY
CHANGED THAT DYNAMIC.
AND THE GUYS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT
MORE COMFORTABLE DEALING WITH
PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DISABILITY
WHEN THEY GET CALLED OUT ON
CALLS.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY
AMAZING.
TO HEAR THAT.
AND IT GOES TO SHOW THE IMPACT
THAT SOMEONE CAN HAVE IN A
WORKPLACE.
HERE'S A COUPLE GREAT PICTURES
OF WAYNE JUST IN ACTION.
YOU KNOW, SINCE HE'S BEEN ON THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, I CAN'T BELIEVE
JOHN DID THIS BUT HE'S ALLOWED
WAYNE TO GO OUT AND START FIRES
FOR PRACTICE NIGHTS.
HE'S GOTTEN TO GO OUT ON FIRE
CALS.
NOW WAYNE NEVER GOES INTO THE
BUILDINGS, BUT HE'S OUT THERE
HELPING WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
HE COULD BE GETTING THE WATER
FOR SOME GUYS, HELPING MAYBE
SOME OF THE KIDS THAT ARE
SCARED, JUST BEING THAT PERSON
THERE IF YOU NEED SOMETHING,
HE'LL HELP YOU.
SO WAYNE OFTEN COMPLAINED THAT
HE HAD A REALLY BAD HIP.
AND SO HE WAS A PRETTY BIG GUY.
HE LOST 80 POUNDS SINCE HE
STARTED AT THE FIRE HALL.
HE NO LONGER HAS HIP TROUBLE.
HIS CONFIDENCE HAS GROWN.
I SUPPORTED HIM AT THE WORKPLACE
FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND WE WERE
IN THE MEETING AND EVERYBODY HAD
TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND I
WAS REALLY WORRIED THAT WAYNE
WASN'T GOING TO INTRODUCE
HIMSELF.
SORRY, I'VE GOT TO TAKE A DRINK.
SO I WAS THINKING ABOUT SNEAKING
UP THERE TO PUMP HIM, AND I'M
LIKE, NO, WAYNE CAN DO THIS.
AND SURE ENOUGH, WHEN IT CAME TO
WAYNE, HE STOOD UP AND WITH A
LOUD VOICE, HE GOES, I'M WAYNE
AND I'M A FIREFIGHTER AND SAT
DOWN.
IT WAS JUST SO GREAT TO SEE.
SO HE'S ONLY NATURALLY SUPPORTED
ON THE WORKPLACE 80% OF THE
TIME, WE GO UP THERE AND WE HELP
HIM LEARN HIS NEW TASKS.
HE'S TAKEN PEOPLE FIRST AID,
HE'S EVEN HELPED A FRIEND THAT
WAS CHOKING IN A RESTAURANT.
THE FRIEND STARTED CHOKING WENT
TO THE BATHROOM, AND WAYNE
FOLLOWED, AND THE DOOR LOCKED
BEHIND AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
STALLS THAT WAYNE WAS ABLE TO
CRAWL UNDERNEATH AND OPEN THE
DOOR SO HE COULD GET MORE HELP
TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
SO I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO BE
ABLE TO GO AND SPREAD THE WORD
ABOUT CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
THROUGH CONFERENCE
PRESENTATIONS.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO DOWN TO
RENDEZVOUS, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT
TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE DOING
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT AND
HEARING THEIR SUCCESS STORIES.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS FOR ME
IS HEARING THOSE SUCCESS STORIES
AND THOSE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOUND.
IT JUST SPURS ME ON TO THINK
OUTSIDE THE BOX AND MAKE EVEN
THOSE CONNECTIONS WHEN DOWN AT
RENDEZVOUS THAT I CAN CALL UPON
LATER TO CHAT WITH.
I'VE BEEN OUT TALKING WITH
GOVERNMENT PEOPLE OR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.
AND WE'VE STARTED WORKING WITH
SPECIFIC GROUPS LIKE THE FETAL
ALCOHOL SYNDROME DISORDER GROUP,
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUSION, AND
ALBERTA COUNCIL FOR DISABILITY
SERVICES.
IT'S A GREAT PROJECT, AND WE'VE
HAD A TON OF SUCCESS, AND IT'S
THE ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY TO
YOU GUYS IS TO REALLY FOLLOW THE
PROCESS AND TO TAP IN TO SOME
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IF YOU CAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF
YOUR PLAN OR NOT, BUT THAT'S THE
BIGGEST THING THAT I REALLY
FOUND USEFUL, WAS BEING ABLE TO
HAVE THAT PERSON COME UP AND
MENTOR ME THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN TO THE
PLACE THAT I AM AT CURRENTLY
WITHOUT THAT HELP  BECAUSE THAT
BOOK MIGHT HAVE STAYED ON MY
SHELF FOR A WHILE AND THEN I
WOULD HAVE JUST FORGOTTEN ABOUT
IT AND JUST WENT BACK TO THE OLD
WAYS OF DOING THINGS.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND SEND THIS
BACK TO JANET NOW.

>> THANK YOU, SARAH, THANKS FOR
ALL YOUR ADVICE AND YOUR WORDS
AND I'VE GOT TO SAY, SARAH HAS
JUST BEEN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE,
INCREDIBLE SUPPORTER OF
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT AND HAS --
I MEAN, WAYNE IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE, BUT SHE'S GOT DOZENS OF
GREAT EXAMPLES THERE.
SHE'S JUST GONE CRAZY WITH IT.
IT'S GREAT.
SO WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO FLIP
NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE
AGENCY PERSPECTIVES ON
IMPLEMENTING CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT.
BECAUSE THIS IS -- YOU KNOW,
LIKE I SAY, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON
ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS AND MAKE
SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE
SUPPORT YOU NEED TO IMPLEMENT
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, SO I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
DWAYNE, AND I DON'T SEE DWAYNE'S
NAME ON HERE SO I'M THINKING
HE'S WITH YOU, HEIKE.
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
I'LL PASS TO YOU.
>> OKAY.
FOR EACH OF THE STATE LEADS THAT
ARE ON, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE
WILL PRESENT THE ORDER IN WHICH
JANET HAS IT ON THE SLIDE, AND
WE WILL UNMUTE EACH OF YOU AS
WE'RE READY TO TURN IT OVER TO
YOU.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD ADD ALSO
FOR PARTICIPANTS, IF YOU DO HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR SARAH OR ANY ONE
OF US AT THE STATE AGENCIES OR
JANET, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE
THE Q & A BOX, BECAUSE WE DO
WANT TO HAVE PLENTY OF
DISCUSSION TOWARDS THE END OF
TODAY'S WEBINAR, AND WE'LL BE
ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS THROUGH
THE Q & A BOX.
SO WITH THE DIVISION OF
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, WE
DEFINITELY SEE CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT AS THE NATIONAL BEST
PRACTICE AND THE PREFERRED
IMPLEMENTATION OF EACH OF OUR
WAIVER SERVICE DEFINITIONS.
THROUGH THE DIVISION OF DD, WE
DO HAVE CAREER PLANNING WHERE
DISCOVERY CAN BE COMPLETED AT.
WE ALSO HAVE PRE-VOCATIONAL
SERVICES WHERE DISCOVERY COULD
BE OCCURRING AT, AND THEN WE
HAVE JOB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
WHERE INDIVIDUALS COULD BE DOING
NEGOTIATED HIRES AS WELL, AND
THEN DEFINITIVELY ON THE JOB,
THROUGH OUR SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES, WOULD BE WHERE THE
PLACEMENT SUPPORTS OCCUR AT AND
THEN FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF NATURAL SUPPORTS, AND SO WE
HAVE MADE AN INVESTMENT AS THE
DIVISION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF
MASSACHUSETTS-BOSTON, THE
INSTITUTE OF COMMUNITY
INCLUSION, WHERE WE HAVE HIRED
TWO TRAINING ASSOCIATES TO WORK
IN MISSOURI THE NEXT THREE TO
FIVE YEARS WITH PROVIDERS WHO
ARE CONTRACTORS OF THE DIVISION
OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO
ASSIST WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF
PROGRAM DESIGN AND BEST
PRACTICE.
WE ARE ALSO INTENDING TO
CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH
GRIFFIN ASSOCIATES ON TRAINING
AS WELL AS ONGOING TOOL DESIGN
AND RESOURCE AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.
MYSELF, I WILL BE ATTENDING THE
GRIFFIN HAMMIS RENDEZVOUS IN
AUGUST THAT SARAH DISCUSSED, AND
HOPEFUL OF GATHERING INFORMATION
FROM OTHERS AROUND THE NATION
AND ACTUALLY BEYOND THE NATION,
AND BRINGING THOSE TOOLS AND
RESOURCES AND IDEAS AND
STRATEGIES BACK TO MISSOURI.
LASTLY, THE DIVISION OF
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IS
WORKING IN TANDEM WITH MISSOURI
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION TO
LOOK AT DEVELOPING SOME PILOT
PROJECTS AROUND CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT WHERE WE WILL BE
UTILIZING SOME EXISTING SERVICE
STRUCTURES, BUT REALLY HELPING
INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFY HOW WE CAN
LAYER AND BRAID EFFORTS BETWEEN
THE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES AND VOCATIONAL
REHABILITATION.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO BIANCA FARR WITH THE
DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
>> HI, THIS IS BIANCA.
FOR THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH, WE TRULY DO SEE THE
VALUE IN CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT,
AND HOPE THAT THROUGHOUT THIS
SERIES, THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO
GRASP ON THE STRATEGIES, LOOKING
AT JOB SEEKERS INTERESTS,
PREFERENCES AND TALENTS TO DRIVE
THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN ALSO HONING IN ON SMALL
BUSINESSES AND NATURAL SUPPORTS
TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE STILL
EVALUATING OUR NEXT STEPS FOR
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU POSTED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO REBECCA MAYNARD
FROM VR.
OH, I'M SORRY.
MICHAEL ST. JULIEN.
>> I THINK REBECCA'S NAME IS
ACTUALLY UP THERE NEXT BUT IF
SHE'S NOT READY, I'LL GO AHEAD
AND START.
WHY DON'T I GO AHEAD, MY NAME IS
MICHAEL ST. JULIEN,
REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE
BLIND HERE IN MISSOURI.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS
IMPORTANT ABOUT CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, CERTAINLY ABOUT
REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE
BLIND BEING A VOCATIONAL
REHABILITATION AGENCY, SO MANY
OF OUR SERVICES ARE
INDIVIDUALIZED AND IT'S KIND OF
INHERENT WITHIN OUR STRUCTURE IN
TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS
FOR EMPLOYMENT OR IN PARTICULAR
OUR COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS AN
AGENCY MOVING FORWARD IS FOR
CONTINUED TRAINING ON WORKING
WITH OUR COUNSELORS ON THAT
COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PIECE
OR THE DISCOVERY PIECE FOR OUR
CLIENTELE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE MATCHING THE JOBS
APPROPRIATELY AND REALLY, I
THINK, THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT
ON THE FRONT END, TO HELP MATCH
THOSE JOBS TO THAT PERSON'S
STRENGTH AND THEIR INTEREST AND
CAPABILITIES, AND I THINK IF WE
DO THAT, THEN WE'RE CERTAINLY
GOING TO BE A LOT MORE
SUCCESSFUL EVEN THAN WE HAVE
BEEN ALREADY.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE CERTAINLY
TRAINING AND WORKING WITH OTHER
AGENCIES IN PARTNERING WITH
OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS MB R AND
D D TO CONTINUE TO BUILD
STRATEGIES FOR THAT.
I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS THE
USE OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OR
DIFFERENT INCENTIVES FOR
EMPLOYERS TO WORK WITH OUR
CLIENTS, WHERE WE PROVIDE
SERVICES SUCH AS ON THE JOB
TRAINING, I THINK WE DON'T USE
THAT ENOUGH, AND CERTAINLY IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TO
HELP EMPLOYERS GET THAT PERSON
AND GET OUR CLIENTELE IN THE
DOOR, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE
USED IN TERMS OF HELPING US
BUILD OUR STRUCTURE AND CAPACITY
FOR CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
>> THANK YOU, MICHAEL.
AND WE WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO
KRISTIN FUNK WITH DIVISION OF
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
>> HI, DWAYNE.
THIS IS KRISTIN FUNK WITH THE
MISSOURI DIVISION OF WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, REPRESENTING
MISSOURI JOB CENTERS.
I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THIS TRAINING, AND I BELIEVE
THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THIS, AND
WHAT I REALLY LIKE IS THAT IT
ADDRESSES PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS
BARRIERS, SO REGARDLESS, SINCE
WE SERVE A WIDE VARIETY OF
PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, WITHOUT
DISABILITIES, BUT A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BARRIERS, WE CAN
USE THESE TECHNIQUES TO HELP
SERVE THEM.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT.
AND I LIKE JUST THE WAY THAT IT
HELPS US PROVIDE UNIVERSAL
ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AS A
RESOURCE.
AND I HOPE THAT WE DO HAVE MORE
MOMENTUM WITH THIS AND WE CAN
GET THE WORD OUT TO MORE OF OUR
STAFF.
I THINK IT WILL BE REALLY
HELPFUL TO EVERYONE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
FUTURE.
>> REBECCA MAYNARD HAD INTENDED
TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S CALL
WITH VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
BUT SHE WAS UNEXPECTEDLY
REQUIRED TO ATTEND A 511
WORKSHOP MEETING TODAY AND SO
SHE DID WISH TO EXTEND HER
APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE, BUT AGAIN,
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AS
WELL AS EACH OF THE STATE
AGENCIES WHO YOU'VE HEARD FROM
TODAY ARE COMMITTED TO
CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER AS
INDICATED THROUGH OUR EFFORT
WITH THIS EMPLOYMENT FIRST STATE
LEADERSHIP MENTORING PROGRAM AND
AGAIN, THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR
WITH THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD
AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU,
JANET.
JANET, CAN YOU ADDRESS MAX'S
QUESTION ON WHEN AND WHERE COULD
INDIVIDUALS ATTEND A RENDEZVOUS?
>> YES.
YOU'VE GOT TO PASS IT BACK TO
ME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
THERE WE GO.
OKAY.
I THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW.
HI.
YES, WELL, FIRST THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY , I THINK
IT'S REALLY EXCITING WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN MISSOURI AND IT'S A
REALLY EXCITING TIME, AND YOU'VE
GOT SUCH A GREAT STATE TEAM
THAT'S SO ON BOARD WITH THIS,
AND ON BOARD WITH NOT ONLY
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT BUT ALSO
UNDERSTANDING THAT OTHER PIECE
ABOUT BENEFITS, WHICH YOU ALL
HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THE TRAINING
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR.
SO -- AND MAX, I WAS TRYING TO
TYPE IN THE CHAT BOX AND IT
WOULDN'T LET ME FOR SOME REASON,
BUT THE RENDEZVOUS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE MENTIONED IS AN EVENT, IT'S
ACTUALLY CALLED "THE BEST GO
WEST."
THE SHORT TITLE FOR IT IS "THE
RENDEZVOUS."
IT'S A FUNCTION THAT GRIFFIN
HAMMIS ASSOCIATES SPONSORS EACH
YEAR, IT'S HELD IN IDAHO, IT
PULLS TOGETHER PEOPLE WHO ARE
DOING SOME REALLY COOL WORK
AROUND CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT,
AND ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.
IT COULD BE STATE AGENCY LEVEL,
LOCAL PROGRAM FOLKS, DB COUNCIL
PEOPLE, VR, JUST A WHOLE MIX OF
FOLKS.
AND IT'S JUST A PLACE WHERE WE
CAN KIND OF SHARE AND LEARN
ABOUT CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
IT IS AN INVITE-ONLY EVENT
BECAUSE THERE'S PRETTY LIMITED
SPACE BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
THAT DUANE IS GOING TO BE ABLE
TO COME THIS YEAR AND LEARN AND
TAKE BACK TO MISSOURI WHAT HE'S
LEARNED.
SO GOOD QUESTION THERE.
I WANTED TO, TOO, LET ME SEE IF
I CAN PULL IT FORWARD, IS JUST
TO HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO DO A
DISCUSSION WITH SO MANY PEOPLE
ON THE PHONE, BUT I THOUGHT IF
WE USE THE Q & A BOX, I'M JUST
GOING TO TRY THIS, I'D LIKE YOU
TO GET READY TO TYPE, AND I JUST
WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, LIKE HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO
IMPLEMENT CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
WITHIN YOUR AGENCY.
SO GO AHEAD AND TYPE IN YOUR
RESPONSES IN THE Q & A BOX.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY THIS.
THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE YOU TO
DO IS YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S A
WAY TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO I'D LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
STARTED ON THIS AND EITHER HAVE
STARTED SOME STEPS IN CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT OR HAVE SOME EXAMPLES
TO SHARE, I'D LIKE YOU TO RAISE
YOUR HAND AND WE CAN PASS THE
MICROPHONE TO YOU AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO I'M STARTING TO SEE SOME
THINGS.
I SEE A "VERY LIKELY," HOPING TO
SEE MORE OF OUR PROVIDERS
EMPLOYING CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
GREAT.
>> JANET, INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE
TO TYPE THEIR COMMENTS IN THE
Q & A BECAUSE IF THEY TALK FROM
THEIR END, IT WON'T BE PART OF
THE ARCHIVED RECORDING.
>> OH, OKAY.
SO TYPE IN.
OKAY.
>> AND YOU WILL JUST NEED TO
ENSURE THAT YOU READ WHAT IS
TYPED IN SO IT'S PART OF THE
RECORDING.
>> OKAY.
I SEE SOMEBODY HAS THAT "I HAVE
SEVERAL VERY CHALLENGING CLIENTS
THAT I WOULD -- THAT WOULD
BENEFIT FROM CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT PROCESS.
ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS."
FOR SURE.
FOR SOME REASON I'M ONLY SEEING
A LITTLE BIT OF THE SCREEN SO I
HAVE TO SCROLL.
VERY LIKELY TO IMPLEMENT.
I SEE A COUPLE OF "VERY
LIKELYS," HOPING TO SEE MORE OF
OUR PROVIDERS.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALREADY DOING
COMPONENTS OF THE PROCESS IN A
LESS STRUCTURED WAY.
FOR SURE.
>> JANET, TO THE LEFT OF THE Q &
A, THERE'S A LITTLE TWIST TIE,
AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE
IT TO WHERE IT'S FULL SCREEN SO
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE COMMENTS.
AND YOU MAY HAVE TO CLOSE THE
OTHER PANELS.

>> I DON'T SEE THE TWIST TIE
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YES, FOR SURE -- I CAN SEE THEM
SLOWLY.
DEVELOPMENTAL CONNECTIONS WILL
BE USING THIS PROCESS.
SUPER.
SUPER.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME ENTHUSIASM AND
SUPPORT HERE.
LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION
THEN.
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN GETTING
STARTED OR STAYING ON TRACK?
AND THIS KIND OF LEADS TO THE
NEXT QUESTION TOO IS, WHAT WOULD
YOU LIKE FROM YOUR MISSOURI
EMPLOYMENT FIRST LEADERSHIP
TEAM?
MAYBE WE COULD COMBINE THOSE TWO
QUESTIONS.
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN GETTING
STARTED AND STAYING ON TRACK,
AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FROM THE
MISSOURI EMPLOYMENT FIRST
LEADERSHIP TEAM?
I SEE ANOTHER COMMENT, AN
INDEPENDENT CENTER, WE FOLLOW
THE IPS MODEL NICELY.
I FEEL LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN
SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT -- I'M
SORRY.
WHEN I MOVE, I DON'T SEE IT ALL.
SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT -- DUANE,
COULD YOU READ THE QUESTIONS?
I'M HAVING TROUBLE.
>> THE INDEPENDENT CENTER HAD
INDICATED THAT WE FOLLOWED THE
IPS MODEL AND I FEEL THAT
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT TIES IN
REALLY NICELY.
I FEEL LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN
SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE
WORKED WITH THAT NEEDED THIS
TYPE OF THINKING TO REALLY HELP
THEM FIND THE RIGHT TYPE OF JOB.
>> AWESOME.
>> THEN PAM INDICATES ON SITE
VISIT TO ASSESS EXISTING
STRUCTURES AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
ON HOW TO IMPROVE THEM WOULD BE
AN AREA FOR ONGOING ASSISTANCE
AND SUPPORT.
SANDY KAISER NOTED ONGOING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, REGULAR
CONSIDERATIONS TO ADDRESS
HURDLES AND OBSTACLES, AND THEN
MAX INDICATES "POSSIBLE INTERNAL
COACHING."
THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION
EARLIER ABOUT HOW THE PILOT
SITES WERE CUSTOMIZEIZED EMPLOYMENT
WILL BE IDENTIFIED.
THAT WILL BE A JOINT EFFORT FEEN
VOC REHAB AND DD, FOCUSING ON
THOSE PROVIDERS WHO ARE WORKING
IN BOTH FUNDING STREAMS THAT
WERE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS
WEBINAR SERIES.
AND SO THE TWO STATE AGENCIES
WILL CONTACTING POTENTIAL
PROVIDERS FOR THOSE SITES.
SOME OTHER FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE
RECEIVED IS THAT FOR EFFORTS
RELATED TO CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT
AND EMPLOYMENT FIRST STATE
LEADERSHIP TEAM WOULD BE --
INCREASED COORDINATION AND
SHARED RESOURCES.
AND THEN ALSO A GUIDEBOOK SO
PROVIDERS KNOW IF THEY'RE
FOLLOWING THE WAIVER DEFINITION
STILL OR NOT, AND I DON'T KNOW
THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AT
ALL AS PART OF THE WEBINAR
SERIES, BUT MISSOURI HAS BEEN
KIND OF LOOKING AT A NEW
FIDELITY TOOL WHICH GRIFFIN
HAMMIS HAS DEVELOPED AROUND
IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, AND JANET, DO YOU
WANT TO TALK JUST A FEW MINUTES
ABOUT THE FIDELITY TOOL AND KIND
OF WHAT GRIFFIN HAMMIS IS DOING
WITH THE FIDELITY TOOL?
>> SURE.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A
BIT IN THE TRAINING, BUT TO
BECOME AN EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICE, THERE'S A CERTAIN
PROCESS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN SO
TSH THAT'S MORE RESEARCH-BASED.
SO WHILE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
WORK AROUND CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT THREA BEEN A LOT OF
DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, THERE'S
BEEN A TON OF GREAT SUCCESS
THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED, IT
HASN'T NECESSARILY HAD THAT
RESEARCH COMPONENT LIKE THERE
HASN'T BEEN GROUPS AND THINGS
LIKE THAT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO GET
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT AS AN
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE.
AND CURRENTLY, THERE'S A
DISCOVERY FIDELITY SCALE THAT'S
BEEN DEVELOPED AND IS GOING
THROUGH THE VIGOROUS PROCESS
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO BECOME
AN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE.
SO I KNOW THAT INITIALLY THEY
PULLED TOGETHER A LOT OF EXPERTS
IN THE FIELD TO GET INPUT ON
WHAT REALLY WERE THE KEY
COMPONENTS OF DISCOVERY, THERE'S
BEEN SOME -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY CALL IT, BUT THEY KIND OF
SEND OUT THOSE COMPONENTS AND
GET FEEDBACK AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES
JUST ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE
WORDED, AND THEY'RE RIGHT NOW
DOING SOME FIELD TESTING IN
CALIFORNIA TO GET SUPERVISORS
TRAINED IN USING THE TOOL AS
PART OF THAT PROCESS TO GET SOME
FEEDBACK.
SO THAT IS AVAILABLE, EVEN
THOUGH IT'S NOT COMPLETED YET,
IT IS AVAILABLE IF PEOPLE WANT
TO SEE -- IN FACT I THINK I PUT
IT IN THE MATERIALS -- I CAN'T
REMEMBER WHERE IF I PUT IT UNDER
THE ONSET MATERIALS OR THE
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS, I'LL MAKE
SURE IT'S IN THERE FOR SURE.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE
CAN USE TO KIND OF GUIDE
YOURSELVES, MAKING SURE THAT
YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE IPS
FIDELITY SCALE IN THAT THERE'S A
RATING SYSTEM, SO EACH ITEM IS
RATED AND THE RATING SYSTEM IS
BASICALLY LIKE A ZERO WOULD BE,
THIS IS NOT CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, 1 WOULD BE THIS IS
ADEQUATE CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT,
THIS IS REALLY GOOD CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT IS A 2, AND A 3 MIGHT
BE THIS IS EXCEPTIONAL
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
SO IT COULD BE USED AS A TOOL TO
KIND OF KEEP YOU ON TRACK AND
KEEP YOU ON COURSE.
>> AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO HERE
REAL QUICKLY IS SHOW THE SURVEY
RESULTS AND PRE AND POST-TEST
RESULTS OF THIS WEBINAR SERIES.
AND SO I BELIEVE ON THE SCREEN,
INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO
SEE SOME GRAPHS, THESE WOULD BE
THE COMBINED SURVEY RESULTS
THROUGHOUT THE WEBINAR SERIES
AND ONSITE TRAINING.
THE OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THIS
TRAINING SERIES HAS BEEN VERY
FAVORABLE, ALMOST 89% FELT IT'S
BEEN EXCELLENT OR GOOD.
WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT THE
RELEVANCE OF THIS TO THEIR JOBS,
YOU CAN SEE THAT 43% SEE THIS AS
BEING VERY RELEVANT TO THEIR
JOBS, AND 28 SEE IT LIKELY AS
BEING RELEVANT TO THEIR JOBS.
AND 29% AS SOMEWHAT RELEVANT TO
THEIR JOBS.
I FORGOT THE HOW TO DO IT
MYSELF.
THE LIKELIHOOD OF ADOPTING, YOU
CAN SEE THAT 49% INDICATE THEY
ARE LIKELY TO ADOPT WHAT THEY'VE
LEARNED, 18% SAY THEY ARE VERY
LIKELY, NOT JUST LIKELY BUT VERY
LIKELY TO ADOPT IT.
32% SAY THAT THEY ARE SOMEWHAT
LIKELY TO ADOPT, AND THEN ABOUT
2% DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY WOULD
BE ADOPTING THE TRAINING OR THE TRAINING OR
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT HAS
BEEN PROVIDED.
THEN AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION,
NOT JUST ADOPTING THE PHILOSOPHY
AND STRATEGIES BUT REALLY TRYING
TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIES.
YOU CAN SEE THAT 14% FEEL THAT
THEY ARE VERY LIKELY TO
IMPLEMENT IT, 58% ARE LIKELY TO
ADOPT IT, SO AGAIN, ABOUT 72% OF
YOU ALL BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE
LIKELY, VERY LIKELY TO ACTUALLY
IMPLEMENT THESE PRACTICES.
AND AS FAR AS THE TRAINING
ITSELF, 76% FELT THE LENGTH OF
THE TRAINING AND CONTENT WAS
APPROPRIATE.
WE HAD ABOUT 10% FELT LIKE IT
MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY
LONGER.
OR EXCUSE ME, 11% SLIGHTLY
LONGER, 10% SLIGHTLY SHORTER.
AND THEN ABOUT 3% OF INDIVIDUALS
FELT THAT IT WAS MAYBE A LITTLE
BIT LONGER THAN NECESSARY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PRE AND
POST-TEST RESULTS, WHAT YOU CAN
SEE ACROSS THE BOARD IS THAT
INDIVIDUALS, PARTICIPANTS, EACH
OF YOU ALL, SHOWED A VERY
SUBSTANTIVE INCREASE IN
KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS AROUND
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT.
EACH OF THE COLUMNS ARE THE TEST
QUESTIONS THAT ARE RELATED TO
EITHER THE WHAT IS CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, WHAT THE OUTCOMES
ARE OR WERE OF CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, LOOKING AT THE
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS, WHAT JOB
CREATION MEANT, HOW TO DELIVER
DISCOVERY, LOOKING AT USE OF
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS, THE
TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT ONE
SHOULD APPROACH FOR CUSTOMIZED
EMPLOYMENT, INFORMATION AROUND
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS AS PART
OF JOB DEVELOPMENT, HOW TO GO
ABOUT TARGETING OR WHO THE
TARGET POPULATIONS WOULD IDEALLY
IS THAT WOULD IDEALLY BENEFIT
FROM CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, AND
THEN ALSO UNDERSTANDING
AWARENESS ON THE USE OF
REPRESENTATIONAL PORTFOLIOS.
SO ACROSS THE BOARD, INDIVIDUALS
SHOWED AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE
AND AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING,
AND TOTAL AS YOU CAN SEE THERE,
WE HAD NEARLY 100% OF
INDIVIDUALS, ABOUT 90% COMPLETED
THE POST-TEST WITH FULL
ACCURACY.
SO AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS
BEEN A VERY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
FOR MANY OF YOU ALL.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF
GOOD IDEAS TO IMPLEMENT AND
ADOPT THESE PRACTICES.
WE DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE WE HAVE
SCALED PRACTICE TO A POINT IN
MISSOURI AND THEY'VE ASKED US TO
CONTINUE TO GROW IT AND HELP IT
MOVE FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT
BACK OVER TO JANET.
>> OKAY.
WITH THAT, WE'RE AT TIME.
THANK YOU, DUANE, FOR SHARING
THAT DATA.
I THINK IT'S REALLY -- IT'S NICE
FOR ME TO SEE FOR SURE.
A HELP FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
AGAIN, I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR
YOUR EFFORTS IN IMPLEMENTING
CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT
THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL DO IN
THE FUTURE.
SO WE'RE JUST BEYOND TIME.
I'M GOING TO SIGN OFF, BUT THANK
YOU AGAIN, AND THANKS TO DUANE
AND HEIKE FOR COORDINATING THE
EVENTS HERE AND TO THE WHOLE
EMPLOYMENT FIRST TEAM FOR
COORDINATING THIS EFFORT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.