ToTo whatwhat extentextent dodo employmentemployment specialistsspecialists implementimplement thethe jobjob developmentdevelopment practicespractices recommendedrecommended inin thethe literature?literature? A National Study

Alberto Migliore Institute for Community Inclusion University of Massachusetts Boston

20102010 APSEAPSE ConferenceConference –– Atlanta,Atlanta, GAGA JuneJune 99th,, 20102010 “…“…RegardlessRegardless ofof thethe jobjob seekerseeker’’ss levellevel ofof motivation,motivation, skill,skill, experience,experience, attitude,attitude, andand supportsupport system,system, hishis oror herher abilityability toto getget aa jobjob willwill oftenoften dependdepend onon thethe effectivenesseffectiveness ofof employmentemployment specialists.specialists. SimplySimply stated,stated, ifif theythey areare good,good, jobjob seekersseekers getget .jobs. IfIf theythey areare not,not, thethe barriersbarriers toto employmentemployment forfor jobjob seekersseekers cancan becomebecome insurmountableinsurmountable…”…” ((LuekingLueking etet al.,al., 2004,2004, p.p. 29).29). WhatWhat doesdoes thethe literatureliterature recommend?recommend?

1.1. GettingGetting toto knowknow jobjob seekers:seekers: InvolvingInvolving peoplepeople whowho knowknow jobjob seekersseekers well;well; observingobserving jobjob seekersseekers 2.2. SearchingSearching forfor jobs:jobs: Networking;Networking; negotiatingnegotiating newnew jobjob descriptionsdescriptions 3.3. EngagingEngaging employersemployers toto hire:hire: ConductingConducting formalformal analysesanalyses ofof employersemployers’’ needs;needs; offeringoffering toto dodo jobjob trialstrials 4.4. FacilitatingFacilitating jobjob seekersseekers’’ transition:transition: PromotingPromoting naturalnatural supports;supports; addressingaddressing disabilitydisability--benefitbenefit planning;planning; maintainingmaintaining contactcontact HowHow waswas thisthis studystudy organized?organized?

1.1. Participants:Participants: 163163 employmentemployment specialistsspecialists 2.2. IndividualIndividual responseresponse rate:rate: 81%81% 3.3. SelectionSelection procedure:procedure: WeWe contactedcontacted 170170 employmentemployment programsprograms fromfrom aa nationalnational list.list. 4.4. ProgramProgram responseresponse rate:rate: 51%51% 5.5. StatesStates involved:involved: 2828 6.6. SurveySurvey timetime frame:frame: JanuaryJanuary 20092009 toto JuneJune 20092009 WhatWhat werewere thethe characteristicscharacteristics ofof thethe employmentemployment specialists?specialists?

Years of -development experience Proportion of monthly time spent in job development Number of job seekers assisted in getting in one year WhatWhat diddid employmentemployment specialistsspecialists dodo toto getget toto knowknow jobjob seekers?seekers? Percentage of employment specialists performing these activities for most or all job seekers hired in the past year

Talked to acquaintances 17%

Talked to former employers 19%

Situational assessment 38%

Observation in non-work environment 43%

Talked to family members 54%

Talked to referral and funding agencies 59%

Facilitated/attended person centered planning 61%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ……toto searchsearch forfor jobs?jobs?

* In the past three months ……toto engageengage employers?employers? ……toto facilitatefacilitate jobjob seekersseekers’’ transition?transition? Summarizing:Summarizing: WhatWhat isis thethe goodgood news?news?

SomeSome ofof thethe practicespractices recommendedrecommended inin thethe literatureliterature areare implementedimplemented byby many:many:

•• PersonPerson--centeredcentered planningplanning •• NetworkingNetworking •• StayingStaying inin contactcontact withwith employersemployers andand withwith jobjob seekersseekers afterafter hiringhiring InIn whatwhat areasareas cancan wewe improve?improve?

1. InvolvingInvolving peoplepeople whowho knowknow jobjob seekersseekers wellwell 2. ObservingObserving jobjob seekersseekers inin workwork andand nonnon--workwork settingssettings 3. DoingDoing fewerfewer coldcold calls/adscalls/ads andand moremore networkingnetworking 4. NegotiatingNegotiating newnew jobjob descriptionsdescriptions 5. PerformingPerforming formalformal analysesanalyses ofof employersemployers’’ needsneeds 6. OfferingOffering jobjob trialstrials toto employersemployers 7. PromotingPromoting naturalnatural supportssupports 8. ProvidingProviding disabilitydisability--benefitsbenefits counselingcounseling StudyStudy LimitationsLimitations 1.1. ReliesRelies onon selfself--reportedreported datadata 2.2. BiasBias towardtoward moremore recentrecent activitiesactivities 3.3. DoesDoes notnot accountaccount forfor jobjob seekersseekers’’ supportsupport needsneeds StudyStudy StrengthsStrengths 1.1. ContributesContributes toto fillingfilling gapgap inin thethe literatureliterature onon evidenceevidence--basedbased jobjob developmentdevelopment 2.2. CloseClose toto beingbeing nationallynationally representativerepresentative studystudy ConclusionsConclusions EmploymentEmployment specialistsspecialists needneed toto implementimplement moremore closelyclosely thethe recommendationsrecommendations fromfrom thethe literature.literature.

ThisThis willwill requirerequire collaborationcollaboration fromfrom multiplemultiple parties,parties, including:including:

1. TrainingTraining programsprograms 2. EmploymentEmployment programsprograms 3. FundingFunding agenciesagencies 4. AccreditationAccreditation programsprograms 5. ResearchersResearchers BibliographyBibliography 1. Bissonnette, D. (1994). Beyond traditional job development: The art of creating opportunity. Granada Hills, CA: Milt Wright & Associates, Inc. 2. Callahan, M., Shumpert, N., & Condon, E. (2009). Discovery: Charting the course to employment. Gautier, MS: Marc Gold & Associates. 3. Drake, R.E., & Becker, D.R. (2003). A working life for people with severe mental illness. USA: Oxford University Press. 4. Gilbride, D., & Stensrud, R. (1999). Demand-side job development and system change. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 42, 329–342. 5. Granovetter, M. (1995). Getting a job: A study of contacts and . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 6. Griffin, C., Hammis, D., & Geary, T. (Eds.) (2007). The job developer's handbook. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. 7. Hoff, D., Gandolfo, C., Gold, M., & Jordan, M. (2000). Demystifying job development: Field- based approaches to job development for people with disabilities. St. Augustine, FL: Resource Network, Inc. 8. Levinson, J.C., & Perry, D.E. (2009). Guerrilla marketing for job hunters 2.0: 1001 unconventional tips, tricks, and tactics to land your dream job. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 9. Luecking, R.G., Fabian, E.S., & Tilson, G.P. (2004). Working relationships: Creating opportunities for job seekers with disabilities through employer partnerships. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. CreditsCredits ¾ Team members: John Butterworth, Ph.D., Alberto Migliore, Ph.D, Allison Cohen Hall, Ph.D., Jean Winsor, Ph.D., and Jennifer Bose, M.A. ¾ Web-survey development: David Clark and Pamela Harrison ¾ Data management: Molly K. Alesch ¾ National list of day programs: Heike Boeltzig, Ph.D., Frank Smith, M.A., and a number of graduate assistants at UMass Boston

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of our colleagues, who assisted with advice in designing the protocol of research; three employment programs in MA, FL, and VA, who piloted the survey; and the 73 executive directors of the employment programs and 163 employment specialists who participated in this study.

This study was funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (grant #90DN0216). The opinions contained in this presentation are those of the grantees and do not necessarily reflect those of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities policy. ContactContact informationinformation

Alberto Migliore, Ph.D. Institute for Community Inclusion University of Massachusetts Boston

[email protected] (617) 287-4306