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Conducting a Successful WISE
2
Susan OMara

• Virginia Commonwealth Univ
• WIPA National Training Center

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WIPA is a NEW Service!

• WIPA is NOT just the same old service with a new
  name WIPA services represent an important
  paradigm shift!
• The new WIPA initiative is focused on 3 things
• Promoting paid employment
• Enhancing self-sufficiency
• Collaborating with key stakeholders to accomplish
  1 and 2 above

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CWIC Role in Promoting Employment

• Helping beneficiaries identify, select and/or
  clarify their career goals
• Helping beneficiaries determine what services,
  supports or accommodations may be necessary to
  achieve the desired career goal
• Explaining SSAs Ticket to Work program and the
  array of vocational services supports available
  to individuals with disabilities in the local
  service area

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CWIC Role in Promoting Employment

• Connecting beneficiaries with the specific
  services and supports needed to obtain and/or
  maintain paid employment and
• Assisting beneficiaries with disabilities to
  resolve problems related to work efforts, higher
  education, occupational skills training and work
  attainment or continuation of work.

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WIPA is all about Partnerships!

• To support the work efforts of beneficiaries, the
  WIPA initiative must be fully integrated with
  employment and support services in the community
• CWIC's must be familiar with the employment
  services and resources in the community, and
  should partner and maintain strong working
  relationships with these agencies

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Outreach Obligations of WIPA Programs

• WIPA programs are required to target their
  outreach activities toward beneficiaries who
  desire to work.
• WIPA programs work closely with the PMRO in the
  delivery of outreach services.
• WIPA programs should devote no more than 10 of
  their resources to outreach activities

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Outreach Considerations for WIPA Projects

• Outreach is an ongoing, never-ending activity
• WIPAs must carefully budget staff time to perform
  outreach
• Work smart by doing research and developing a
  written outreach plan
• Stay focused outreach should result in
  appropriate referrals!

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WIPA Outreach WISE

• WISE events are the primary method for directly
  marketing WIPA services to beneficiaries
• WISE events are key to jumpstarting and growing
  collaborative partnerships over time.

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Conducting a Successful WISE

• Mary Ridgely, M.S.
• CESSI Consultant

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Purpose of the WISE

• Outreach to beneficiaries who want to learn
  about
• service and supports available through the Ticket
  To Work Program
• Other Work Incentives
• More than a work incentives education session
• Forum where beneficiaries can explore the
  possibilities, connect with people, learn about
  resources

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WISE host

• WIPA are expected to host the WISE
• Other partners can assist the day of the event,
  e.g. AWIC, DPN, VR Ticket Coordinator
• Greet attendees
• Help with presentation, answer questions
• Secure a room in their agency

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WISE Host

• Coordinate logistics with the PMRO
• Tools available to help with preparations
• Checklist
• Website - Toolkit
• Procedure Guide - detailed instructions
• Orientation phone call
• Ongoing coordination

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Separate or Combined?

• First decision - separate events for SSI and
  Title II or combined event
• WIPA choice
• Base on what works best for your
  community/customers
• Pros and Cons

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Separate or Combined?

• Separate sessions
• Requires partners to commit to an entire day if
  separate events on same day
• Concurrent beneficiaries must choose one or the
  other and miss half the information they need
• Beneficiary attends wrong event

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Separate or Combined?

• Combined sessions
• Allow for event to be half-day easier for
  partners to schedule
• More information on work incentives will be
  presented, some will not apply to all
• Require a larger room to accommodate more people
  affect intimacy
• Have more frequent events and limit the number of
  participants

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Getting Started - what you need

• Beneficiaries wanting to work
• Comfortable, accessible location
• Coordinate with PMRO
• Community Partners
• Presentation with clear message about work/work
  incentives/supports
• Experienced presenter

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Who is your audience?

• WISE targets beneficiaries between 21 and 45
  years
• Receiving Title II and/or SSI
• Interested in going to work, increasing work
  activity, and plan to work at a substantial level
• Needs resources available through TTW

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Location/Site Selection

• Variety of locations to cover service area
• Large enough to accommodate at least 25-30 people
  
• Must be accessible - easy to get to AND
  physically accessible
• Use the site selection questionnaire

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Location/Site Selection

• If geographic area is small but number of
  beneficiaries large - use same space
• Hold events at different times of the day or
  evening
• Consider One-Stops as first option
• Other locations WIPA office, Libraries,
  Community Centers, schools, churches, businesses,
  other partner facilities

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Logistics/Invitations

• Coordinate with PMRO - contact assigned
• Select your venue verify your date
• Invitations sent by PMRO - WIPA supplies zip
  code(s) 60 days prior to event
• PMRO will run the data to get names/addresses of
  beneficiaries
• Invitations customized for each WISE - sent 4
  weeks before event

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Logistics/Invitations

• PMRO will invite ENs
• WIPA host should contact ENs planning to attend -
  discuss their brief presentation
• Point of Contact list is created by PMRO for
  each WISE

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Advertising the WISE

• In addition to invitations, flyers announcing the
  WISE are provided by PMRO
• Sent to community partners - WIPA should identify
  others
• Flyers encourage people to register - to reduce
  walk-ins

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Registration

• Participants register via website or toll-free
  telephone number
• PMRO handles registration - if callers have
  specific questions, will refer to WIPA
• WIPA can download the list of registrants for use
  at the event

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Materials

• Download from the Website Powerpoint
  presentation/handouts, evaluation forms, sample
  agenda, Fact Sheets
• www.cessi.net/wise/presentations.html
• Provided by PMRO Point of contact list, anything
  unique to your WISE
• Day of event, use agenda, presentation handouts,
  Point of Contact list, Fact sheets
• Other materials Red Book, Brochures from SSA and
  other partners

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Materials

• Alternate format 3 copies in Braille and large
  print provided by PMRO
• Fact Sheets
• Point of Contact list
• If you use customize the materials, e.g.
  presentation, you are responsible for alternate
  formats

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BPQY

• Work with your AWIC or WIL to have BPQYs
  available for beneficiaries who want to schedule
  a work incentives analysis
• Must have a dedicated phone line and a printer

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Materials

• Evaluations are important
• Use feedback from beneficiaries, EN, WIPA to
  improve WISE
• Responses are compiled by the PMRO

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Presentation

• Standard Powerpoint presentation for separate
  SSI/Title II events
• Standard presentation for combined events
• Customized presentation using specific slides
  developed by PMRO
• Alternate presentation format

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Presentation

• WIPA host expected to do the presentation
• Use the resources you have, e.g. other partners,
  to assist with presentation content or questions
• Engage the audience

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Special Accommodations

• Responsibility of the PMRO
• Attendees must request accommodation in advance
• Sign language interpreters, listening devices,
  large print materials, braille copy
• WIPA provide PMRO with local sources

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Post event Tasks

• WIPA will submit to the PMRO
• Completed evaluation
• Sign-in sheet with all names of attendees
• Beneficiary outcomes, e.g. connections made with
  EN, WIPA, DPN, AWIC, appointments made
• Feedback and suggestions

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Follow-up Tracking

• WIPA must track beneficiaries that attend a WISE
• Report the following
• of people assigning their Ticket to EN
• who get a work incentives plan
• who begin working
• who earn above the SGA level
• who leave the rolls due to work

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Summary/Review

• Pre-event activities
• Coordinate with PMRO contact to develop a plan
• Select a site
• Decide on separate or combined
• Contact partners you want to attend
• Contact ENs
• Get familiar with the Powerpoint and materials
• Participate in orientation teleconference

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Summary/Review

• Post-event
• Submit sign-in sheet, evaluations to PMRO
• Update registration system
• Provide feedback to PMRO
• Track beneficiary outcomes and report to PMRO

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Other considerations

• Conflict of interest
• EN presentations
• Be a host - make sure the beneficiary gets the
  most out of the experience
• A lot of information is overwhelming
• Many need help but wont ask

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www.cessi.net/wise/presentations.html
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WISE Planning

• Jennifer Eckel
• New Editions

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WIPA Checklist

• Record WISE Coordinator contact information
• 703-356-8035 x 116
• mbui_at_neweditions.net

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WIPA Checklist

• 8 weeks prior to event provide the following
  information to WISE Coordinator
• Location of event (address)
• Confirmed date and time of event(s)
• Driving directions
• Public transportation information
• Phone and p.o.c for meeting location
• Any special instructions for getting to mtg.

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WIPA Checklist

• 7 weeks prior to event
• Submit site selection form (assuring
  accessibility of site)
• Submit signage requirements
• Provide zip codes for invitations
• Provide local interpreter recommendations

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WIPA Checklist

• 6 weeks prior to event
• Participate in WISE teleconference training to
  cover
• Goal of WISE and importance of success
• Logistics
• On-Line registration system
• Materials
• Review presentation
• Post-event activities

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WIPA Checklist

• 4 weeks prior to event
• Invite PA, AWICs, One-Stops, State Vocational
  Rehabilitation, others as appropriate
• Distribute WISE flyer to community organizations,
  agencies, partners
• Download materials from website
• Presentation with speakers notes
• Agenda
• Handouts
• Evaluation forms ( beneficiaries, ENs, WIPA)

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WIPA Checklist

• 1 week prior to event
• Conduct introductory call with ENs
• Update attendance count from on-line registration
• Print nametags for presenters
• Copy handouts, evaluations

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WIPA Checklist

• Day of Event
• Post sign in prominent location
• Have greeters welcome and direct guests
• Have registration available for walk-ins
• Have name tags for all presenters (optional for
  guests)
• Provide location for ENs and other partners to be
  available after presentation

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WIPA Checklist

• Post WISE
• Collect evaluation forms and send to WISE
  Coordinator
• FAX or mail a copy of the event registration form
• Update the event report on the WISE registration
  site
• Who attended, no-shows, walk-ins
• Who requested BPQY or follow-up appts.
• What were outcomes from meeting?

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WIPA Checklist

• Finally, whatever feedback you can provide about
  the event will be helpful in planning future
  events for you or other WIPAs!

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• WISE Coordinator will contact WIPA who has
  indicated interest and readiness to host event.
  They will determine
• WIPA staff contact person
• Contact information including
• Address
• Phone
• E-mail
• FAX

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 8 weeks prior to event
• Coordinator will obtain
• Location of event (address)
• Date
• Time of session(s)
• Driving directions
• Public transportation information
• Phone number and p.o.c. at meeting location
• Any special instructions for getting to meeting
  location

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 7 Weeks prior to event
• Request completed site selection questionnaire
  (accessibility survey)
• Request signage requirements
• Order invitation cards and envelopes
• Pull beneficiary lists based on WIPA identified
  zip codes
• Generate mailing labels

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 6 weeks prior to event
• Conduct teleconference training to
• Review goals of WISE and importance of success
• Logistics
• Using the on-line registration system
• WISE materials
• Presentation
• Post-event activities

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 5 weeks prior to event
• Pull EN list for service area
• Upload materials to password protected WISE
  website for WIPA to download
• Presentation with Speaker notes
• Agenda
• Handouts
• Evaluation forms

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 4 weeks prior to event
• Mail beneficiary invitations
• Invite ENs
• Send WISE flyer to WIPA to distribute to
  community organizations, partners
• Schedule sign language interpreters
• Other accommodations as requested

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 2 weeks prior to event
• Create and mail signs
• Create and send alternate formats

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 1 week prior to event
• Contact ENs to confirm or participate on
  conference call with WIPA/ENs (per WIPA
  preference)
• Assure all materials were received
• Respond to questions from attendees
• Be available to trouble-shoot!

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 1 Week Post-WISE
• Discuss event obtain recommendations for
  improvement, lessons learned
• Track WISE Outcomes
• Compile evaluations
• Download WISE Registration reports

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WISE Coordinator Checklist

• 4 weeks Post-WISE
• Follow-up with WIPA
• Was there further contact with beneficiaries?
• If yes, how many?
• Referrals?
• Follow-up with ENs
• Was there further contact with beneficiaries?
• If yes, did they schedule appt.? Accept ticket?

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EN Recruitment Efforts

• Tom Gloss
• CESSI Ticket to Work
• Program Specialist

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Contacts

• Mary Ridgely mrid2252_at_aol.com
• Jennifer Eckel jeckel_at_neweditions.net
• Susan OMara soevans_at_vcu.edu
• Tom Gloss tom.gloss_at_ssa.gov