August 24, 2011
Transition and Employment Projects Tidbits
Welcome to the August Transition Tidbits!

Here are a number of transition-related resources we thought might be helpful as you prepare for the new school year ahead. 

Learning Opportunities - Montana or on the Internet 
The Rural Institute Transition and Employment Projects, in partnership with Children's Special Health Services at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, is pleased to offer a variety of upcoming webinars:

9/20/11:    "Using Portfolios for Health Care Needs"             

10/18/11:  "Identifying and Communicating Support Needs"

11/15/11:   "Rural Work Experience"                                                                                     

All sessions are from 1:00-2:30 Mountain Time. There is no cost to register. Archives of previous webinars are available.

 

National WISE Webinar

August 31, 2011

1:00-2:30 PM MT

Cost: None

Learn more about the Social Security Ticket to Work and other work incentives.

 

Disability and Stigma: Are you Creating it or Dispelling it?

September 8, 2011

11:00-12:00 PM MT

Cost: $50 APSE Members/ $100 Non-Members

In this session participants will learn how to recognize stigma in marketing (including a set of humorous logos gone awry); strike a balance between the message of social justice and community inclusion; and formulate respectful images of job seekers without pity or myth.

  

Rejecting Recession: Connecting with Customers (Featuring Tim Gard)

September 29, 2011

8:30-11:30 AM MT

Flathead Valley Community College, Arts & Technology Building, Room 139

Cost: $65/person or $55/person for 4 or more from the same organization

Contact: Roberta at 758-6273 or [email protected],  or Terri at 758-6279 or [email protected]. Sponsored by the Flathead Job Service Employer's Council (JSEC)

 

Partnering to Increase Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities 

October 6, 2011

12:00-1:00 PM MT

Cost: $50 APSE Members/$100 Non-Members

This webinar will provide an overview of the array of national, regional and state initiatives underway to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

 

Montana Youth in Transition Conference 

November 9-11, 2011

Great Falls, Montana

Transitioning from life after high school is a big process. You are not alone! Come meet other youth, parents, teachers and professionals to see all the resources that are waiting to work with you.

Learning Opportunities - Other States

Discovery & Job Development for Individuals with Autism

October 4-5, 2011

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Cost: $245

Everyone can work, and this training, in collaboration with Blue Sky Planning, using examples from across the country, reveals best practice in Customized Employment meeting the unique and often complex circumstances of individuals with significant disabilities. This training also partially fulfills Certification in Community Employment from the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE). RSVP to [email protected]; for questions about training content, contact Cary at [email protected] 

 

October 20-21, 2011

Timonium, Maryland

This conference brings together nationally recognized experts to address critical topics for autism professionals, educators, and family members, including early diagnosis, the latest intervention strategies, and issues for management across the lifespan.

 

October 21-22, 2011

Burbank, California

This conference will offer 1) analysis of key issues in autism from a human and civil rights perspective, 2) networking opportunities with family members, professionals, and individuals with autism who are at the frontier of social change, and 3) the AutCom Bookstore featuring the most progressive titles and authors in the field of ASD.


2011 State of the Art Conference on Postsecondary Education and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

November 3-4, 2011
Fairfax, Virginia

The conference will provide an opportunity for colleges and universities, researchers, program staff, parents and self-advocates to discuss the current state of research and practice in the field.

 

Montana News

Visit the Montana Transition Training, Information and Resource Center Facebook page and let us know if you "like" what you see!

Announcements

Creating a Pathway to a Better Financial Future: Developing State Strategies for Asset Development and Wealth Creation for People with Disabilities [PDF] by Candace Baldwin and Megan O'Neil examines successful asset-building strategies that states can use to increase the employment and financial independence of persons with disabilities.

 

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. NDEAM posters can be ordered in English and Spanish, and downloadable versions are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, French, Navajo, Lakota and Cherokee. 

Employment

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently released Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 31-10 to provide information and resources on promising practices and successful strategies that promote the enrollment, education, training and employment outcomes of youth with disabilities.

 
The Arc wrapped up its Achieve with us Contest with the selection of 10 finalists from 119 entries highlighting stories of achievement from people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Check out the finalists' stories.

Parents

The Institute for Community Inclusion's latest Tools for Inclusion addresses The Influence of Families on the Employment ProcessLearn how families can help their sons and daughters make decisions throughout their lives, and assist them to find and keep jobs.
Post-Secondary Education
The federal government provides financial assistance for students attending colleges, career schools and universities. Enter the word "disability" in the search to find scholarships that are specifically for students with disabilities. 

 

The College Preparation Checklist is for students of all ages who haven't attended college or trade school, and parents of students in elementary and secondary school. It includes a "to do" list, starting with elementary school, to help students prepare academically and financially for education beyond high school. 

 

The AHEAD White Paper on Students with Intellectual Disabilities and Campus Disability Services discusses developing inclusive programs in higher education for students with developmental and intellectual disabilities and the impacts on traditional DRS services.

  

A Practical Guide for People with Disabilities Who Want to Go to College [PDF] includes information about finding the right school, paying for college, and locating disability-related supports.

 

The August Think College Newsletter is now available.

Transition

The National Service Inclusion Project at the Institute for Community Inclusion, UMASS Boston, has added a new resource section designed to help educators plan, implement and evaluate service-learning projects.

 

This month the Council on Quality and Leadership explores Supports and Services as one of the key factors of person-centered excellence.

 

The Autism Speaks Transition Tool Kit was created to serve as a guide to assist families on the journey from adolescence to adulthood. It may be downloaded for free.

 

In Intersection: Navigating the Road to Work, Volume 8, Number 7,  NCWD/Youth profiles First Jobs Academy (FJA), a program of the Annie E. Casey Foundation  a youth staffing initiative that provides initial and transitional employment opportunities for in-school and out-of-school youth with and without disabilities who are in the foster care system, and Minnesota's Pathways to Employment (PTE), an initiative of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). PTE brings together employers, businesses, government, and service providers to help increase competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to meet state workforce needs.

 

The Youth Transition Toolkit: A Guide for Young People with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood is now available online from Talent Knows No Limits (TKNL), a public information campaign of the California Health Incentives Improvement Project (CHIIP).

 

Web Sites
Disability.gov was recently updated with several new resources, tips and tools for people interested in becoming self- employed or starting a home based business. You'll also find information about writing a business plan and financing to get a small business off the ground. 

Find us on Facebook

 

Please note: the Transition and Employment Projects at the University of Montana Rural Institute shares information and resources our listserv members may find of interest. We do not endorse the web sites or workshop contents or their providers, and we assume no responsibility for the validity of information provided on sites or in sessions not hosted by our agency. 

 

Transition Tidbits is produced by the University of Montana's Rural Institute Transition and Employment Projects, which is funded in part under a contract with the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities. The representations, if any, contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Council.