Dependable Alternatives in the Community (DAC)

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Dependable Alternatives in the Community(DAC)
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Best PracticesMicro-enterprise and Other
Employment Options

• Presented by
• Mary Green-Edmonds
• Chris Carlson

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Outline

• Vision of Inclusive Employment Services
• Vision of DAC
• Diversifying funds
• Service Provisions
• DACs approach to Supported Employment
• Best Practice (5 Year State Plan))
• Supporting Members
• Interagency Collaboration
• Supporting Staff
• Outcome Based
• Question and Answers

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Vision of Inclusive Employment Services

• To provide an environment of inclusion while
  preparing to begin the employment journey
• Inclusion Integrated Competitive Employment
• Moving beyond labels

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The Fit

• Provide a needed service to community members who
  have been underserved
• Use progressive approaches within the services to
  the community members that are best practices

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Diversifying Funds

• Alternative Funding streams allow for multiple
  populations to be served.
• Provide appropriate service to the community
  member.

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DACs Approach

• People with disabilities find jobs the same way
  people find jobs who do not have disabilities.
• People experience the process of job searching,
  interviewing, and employment.
• DAC Employment Specialists act as the persons
  personal agent for employment services. (Similar
  to a personal banker.)

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Supporting Members

• Employment Strategies How does this fit into
  the members lifestyle?
• Living arrangements
• Basic needs
• Transportation
• Other Supports
• Identifying resources
• The Ultimate Goal Competitive Employment

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Interagency Collaboration

• Connecting people to needed services and supports
  according to their Person Centered Plan.
• Ensuring that the plan is being implemented, and
  that everyone is on the same page.

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Supporting Staff

• Applying the same principals of Supported
  Employment to your staff
• Flexibility
• Supervision (Coaching)
• Experiential Training
• Staff Mentoring

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Outcome Based

• Number of people in employment
• Desired outcome of the person being served
• Number of people in Job Development
• Volunteering (building resumes)
• Networking with community and employers
• Developing hard and soft skills for desired
  employment
• Number of people in closure/follow up

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Question and Answers
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Service Provisions

• DACs approach to Supported Employment
• Meeting people where they are
• A creative and open approach, saying Welcome.
  Since you are here that means you are ready.
• Assisting people to find their work of choice
• What are your strengths, priorities, and natural
  supports?
• What is it that you are not doing that you want
  to be doing?
• What is your dream job?
• What do you need to get there?
• A fluid approach that is flexible and can change
• The dream job wasnt all what it was cracked up
  to be. What did you learn from the experience?
  What do you want to do next?
• Accommodating people and supporting their choices
  and assisting them to develop personal networks.
  Embracing the dignity of risk.