 |
|
Transition News and Resources - March 15, 2016
|
|
Register now for the Montana Youth in Transition (MYT) Soft Skills Train the Trainer Sessions! For youth who are new to the job market, understanding soft skills is a difficult but important step in their growth. To support these students and young adults, and the professionals who serve them, the Montana Youth in Transition Project has developed a youth-oriented soft skills curriculum. The course includes free access to the MYT Soft Skills Curriculum (including updates), with a variety of activities and exercises proven to engage and motivate youth and young adults to enter the world of work, with a focus on effective communication and personal decision making. This training is appropriate for anyone supporting youth in preparing to be or who are currently employed. The MYT Soft Skills Curriculum also demonstrates techniques for teaching students with a wide variety of learning styles and abilities.
All sessions will be held from 9:30 AM until 2:30 PM.
April 1: Great Falls - RSVP by Monday, March 28 at 5:00 PM.
April 19: Libby - RSVP by Tuesday, April 12 at 5:00 PM.
April 21: Polson - RSVP by Friday, April 15 at 5:00 PM.
The registration fee is $30 per person, payable to "NCILS/MYTransitions". To register for this session, please email mylfjuneh@bresnan.net with "Insert Name of City Soft Skills Training" in the subject line. In your message, include the names of individuals attending the session and the name of their employer. Please include information about how payment will be made and if your agency will need to be invoiced. For more information, please email mylfjuneh@bresnan.net or call 406-442-2576. 4 CEU credits (OPI) and 4 SWP/MFT/LAC credits will be available.
Recruitment continues for the 2016 Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF)! If you know of high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors with disabilities who you think may benefit from this program, please invite them to apply. Those who have previously attended MYLF as delegates and others with an interest in youth with disabilities may volunteer to serve as staff members. MYLF is scheduled for July 18-22 on the Carroll College campus in Helena. The application deadline for both delegates and staff is March 25, 2016.
Montana Vocational Rehabilitation has partnered with the University of Montana's Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities to offer Movin' On in Montana, a free summer transition program for high school students. This is a four-day, on-campus experience for any Montana high school student (age 15-19) with a disability who is considering college. Students will stay in a residence hall, attend seminars, take campus tours, experience a college lecture, become familiar with student resources and participate in community activities. Seminar topics include assistive technology, self-advocacy and choosing a college major. This year's session will take place June 27-30, 2016. The registration deadline is May 1, 2016.
Save the date for the first-ever Disability Employability Conference to be held in Great Falls May 11-13, 2016. This conference will provide information to assist in exploring and understanding employment options. Employers, job seekers, educators, families, and program staff are encouraged to attend. More information will be available soon.
|
March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Learn about the social media Side-by-Side campaign celebrating the many contributions people with developmental disabilities make to society.
A new resource is available for transition services in the state of Montana. Through a contract with Montana Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services, the Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Technical Assistance Center will provide technical assistance to Montana schools and VRBS staff regarding Pre-ETS for high school students. If you would like to learn about Pre-ETS training opportunities, resources, technical assistance availability and more, join the Montana Pre-ETS online mailing list.
|
By Youth, for Youth: Employment was written by and for youth. It covers such topics as what makes a job right for each young person, job search and resume development, how to interview for a job, disability disclosure, and how to request accommodations.
The Office of Apprenticeship has released several Pre-Apprenticeship resources, including a webpage and a downloadable guide [PDF] on expanding quality pre-apprenticeship opportunities for women.
The January 2016 Disability Connection Newsletter addresses 10 Things Jobseekers Should Know. The online newsletter includes links to a variety of employment-related resources.
Customized Employment: A Review of the Literature by T. Riesen, R.L. Morgan, and C. Griffin (Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 43(3), 183-193) examines the existing literature "to identify the underlying conceptual and empirical basis for CE and to make recommendations for future research." (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
|
The Administration for Community Living's blog is featuring posts that highlight promising practices that "meet the needs of individuals, promote integrated employment, and comply with requirements of the HCBS settings rule and the Supreme Court's Olmstead v. L.C. ruling." Posts so far have featured the Arc of Washington's youth transition efforts and Community Link in Colorado's use of Medicaid and Vocational Rehabilitation funding to offer more individualized approaches to employment.
|
|
Self-Advocacy and Advocacy
|
Young Adult SSI and SSDI Beneficiaries [PDF], a DRC Data Brief from the Center for Studying Disability Policy, Mathematica Policy Research, compares the profile of young adult beneficiaries to other beneficiaries. Researchers report that young adult beneficiaries differ significantly from others in many ways that both justify targeting this group for intensive supports and highlight the challenges of helping young beneficiaries to become employed and achieve economic independence.
|
It's My Future! is a new iPad app designed to support individuals with developmental disabilities to become more self-determined and participate in their annual planning meetings.
|
The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition has developed a matrix of effective practices to promote positive post-school outcomes for young adults with disabilities.
Collaborative Assessment for Employment Planning: Transition Assessment and the Discovery Process by B.S. Stevenson and C.H. Fowler (Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals) describes transition assessment and the discovery process, and explores the potential for special education and vocational rehabilitation professionals to increase their level of collaboration around assessments. (Article abstract is free; the full text version may require a subscription or purchase.)
Work-Based Learning Jump Start describes the benefits of work-based learning and offers answers to questions frequently asked by specific audiences, including administrators, employers, youth service professionals, policymakers, and youth/families.
|
The VCU Autism Center for Excellence website has been reformatted for better mobile viewing and easier navigation. Visit the site to access autism-related videos, webcasts, seminars, online courses, and more.
The Employer Assistance & Resource Network's ADA Resource webpage provides an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act and links to a variety of ADA-related resources.
PASS Online offers basic information about the Plan to Achieve Self-Support, an SSI work incentive. The site also houses a tool to assist in developing an online PASS application, which can then be printed and sent to the Social Security Administration.
Understood offers state-of-the-art technology, personalized resources, access to experts, practical tips and more to support parents in helping their children with learning and attention challenges reach their full potential.
The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health has launched its new website. Visit the site to learn about the Foundation's work to improve the system of care for children with special health care needs. |
|
Learning Opportunities - Montana and Online
|
March 15, 2016
1:00-1:44 PM MT
This webinar will look at the subject of informed choice -- for example, what considerations come into play when someone with intellectual and developmental disabilities "chooses work"? Can the concept of "choice" become an excuse to hold people back from taking risks? What information and exposure or exploration does someone need in order to decide to leave a familiar setting, such as a sheltered workshop or day habilitation program, to work in their community?
March 15, 2016
12:00-1:00 PM MT
Learn about the basics of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, state program launch information, and major differences between ABLE accounts and specials needs trusts.
March 16, 2016
12:00-1:30 PM MT
Tune in to this webinar to learn about the employment rights of people with psychiatric disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
March 16, 2016
5:30-7:00 PM MT
Workshop participants will discover the most versatile and effective reading and writing apps for teens. This workshop is designed for students in middle school and up, their parents, and educators.
March 16, 2016
1:00-2:00 PM MT
This webinar will share strategies for success and lessons learned about effective employment services in higher education programs serving students with ID.
March 17, 2016
6:00-7:00 PM MT
Join PEAK and the Shift Transition Project for a NEW series of webinars! The four webinars will offer practical strategies for getting adult supports and services as youth move through transition and beyond.
March 17, 2016
12:00-1:30 PM MT
Tune in to this webinar from the Great Lakes ADA Center to learn about how the online workplace is affecting people with disabilities.
March 17, 2016
12:30-1:30 PM MT
Learn about the basics of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, state program launch information, and major differences between ABLE accounts and specials needs trusts.
March 22, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
This webinar will offer information that schools, service providers and families don't typically receive about guardianship. In addition, it will explore alternatives that can allow families to remain respectfully involved in their children's lives as they transition into adulthood. Supported decision-making, self-determination, and the importance of civic participation through activities such as voting will also be addressed.
March 22, 2016
12:00-1:00 PM MT
Learn about tools to promote savings opportunities for persons with disabilities.
March 22, 2016
2:30-4:00 PM MT
Join AT Consultant Shelley Haven as she demonstrates notetaking and knowledge organization tools, including smart pens, digital notebooks, annotation software, and multifunctional apps. This presentation is for students middle school and up with learning differences and the parents and professionals that support them.
March 22, 2016
1:00-2:00 PM MT
This Ablenet webinar will focus on providing supports to transition-age individuals with disabilities via mobile devices to increase independence in the areas of employment, community living and post-secondary education.
March 22, 2016
11:00 AM-12:30 PM MT
This webinar will highlight lessons learned in three states that recently convened broad cross-agency teams to plan for children and youth with co-occurring intellectual/developmental disabilities and significant mental health difficulties.
March 23, 2016 1:00-2:30 PM MT Join this webinar to learn how Ticket to Work and other Social Security work incentives can help beneficiaries reach their financial goals. Presenters will share tips, tools, and resources around basic financial knowledge such as budgeting and expense tracking; understanding tax benefits; and asset building.
March 24, 2016
10:30 AM-12:00 PM MT
This Montana-specific webinar will provide an overview of the Pre-ETS provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); specific activity ideas for each of the five Pre-ETS categories; and an introduction to services available through the Montana Pre-Employment Transition Services Technical Assistance Center.
March 24, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Join this webinar to learn more about the Independence through Employment Toolkit, a collection of resources for CILs and AJCs to deepen their understanding of each other's services and structure to improve the lives of job seekers with disabilities through employment.
March 30, 2016
2:00-3:00 PM MT
Visual supports help the person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder make sense of their environment, understand what is being asked of them, and complete tasks more successfully and independently. During this webinar, the presenter will give real-world examples ranging from early childhood to adulthood that address academic, communication, and social goals, plus daily living activities.
April 7, 2016
8:30 AM-12:30 PM MT
Billings, MT
This session will introduce participants to strategies that enable them to envision the possibility of community employment for everyone; assist in identifying interests, aptitudes and skills of people with significant disabilities; illustrate how to include all students in work-based learning opportunities; and provide strategies for approaching employers to negotiate a job for an individual with a disability. While this session will focus on students with significant disabilities, the content will be applicable for all students who need some flexibility and creatively to be successful in employment.
April 7, 2016
12:30-4:00 PM MT
Billings, MT
Presenters Abby Cooper and Roger Shelley and members of the Pre-ETS Technical Assistance Center team will meet with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and/or schools to strategize how the information and strategies shared in the morning session can be incorporated into school work plans with VR and identify additional technical assistance, training and support needed from the Pre-ETS TAC.
April 12, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Detailed description available soon.
April 12, 2016
1:30-2:30 PM MT
Joel Carver will discuss how he became who he is today and the path he took to be a William and Mary student in the center of the first college-supported Neurodiversity group in the nation.
April 13, 2016
April 20, 2016
April 27, 2016
4:00-6:00 PM MT
The first webinar session will focus on the process of building student portfolios. Session two will describe goal tracking tools and strategies for actively involving students in setting goals and self-evaluating their performance. In the third webinar, participants will learn strategies for helping students experience increased positions of leadership in the school community.
April 14, 2016
12:00-12:45 PM MT
The presenter will examine employer engagement strategies and demand-side factors associated with employment of people with disabilities. Effective strategies and tools will be presented.
April 18-May 16, 2016
Cost: $125
This course will take a closer look at customized employment and how it can facilitate employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. It will also review strategies for collaboration and braiding funding to support the needs of an individual with a disability to be successfully employed in the community.
April 20, 2016
1:00-2:00 PM MT
This webinar will share best practices in college program staff training and ongoing support, and offer several strategies for assuring that staff have the appropriate training to support students with ID in career development and employment activities.
April 25-June 6, 2016
Cost: $300.05
This course provides participants an understanding of the issues, challenges, and strategies that are involved with helping youth with autism transition to work and participate to the fullest degree in society.
May 2-July 25, 2016
Cost: $325
This course provides an extensive overview of supported employment and how to facilitate competitive jobs for individuals with significant disabilities.
May 10, 2016
1:00-2:30 PM MT
Detailed description available soon.
May 10, 2016
1:30-2:30 PM MT
This webcast will discuss the importance of using person-centered planning tools for individuals with ASD pre-k through adulthood.
May 23-June 20, 2016
Cost: $125
The course will cover Supported Employment/Customized Employment; Job Development; Business Research; Employer Relations; Job-seeker Representation; Employer Concerns; and more.
|
|
Learning Opportunities - Other States
|
|
April 6-9, 2016
Washington, DC
The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs annual conference that was canceled due to severe weather in January has been rescheduled. Information for current and new registrants is now available, along with details about the conference program.
April 17-19, 2016
Sioux Falls, SD
Plan to attend the University of South Dakota's Center for Disabilities 2016 Symposium, featuring nationally renowned keynote speakers, presentations on leading edge topics such as Supported Decision Making, multiple breakout sessions, and more.
|
|
|
|
|
