Project Description:
The project was initiated by the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to build the capacity of the DVR system to effectively serve individuals with significant disabilities by adding Discovery, a component of the customized employment process, as an alternative to traditional vocational evaluation.
Course Description:
The Discovery Course is a 14-week intensive training that combines online learning with a community-based experiential component involving direct work with a job seeker. The online component is offered through six (6) on-demand, web-based learning modules and a series of scheduled group technical assistance webinars.
An experiential component will be paired with the course content so that participants can immediately apply what they are learning with a real job seeker. This enhances comprehension and allows for technical assistance from the instructor(s) as course participants work with a job seeker to complete the Discovery process and develop a viable vocational profile. Job seekers for the experiential component of the course will be referred to course participants from their local Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) office.
Course Objectives:
Participants will:
1. Gain an understanding of the customized employment process.
2. Learn about Discovery, a component of the customized employment process, and gain practical experience through applying skills learned with a job seeker.
3. Develop a viable vocational profile-the product of the Discovery process.
4. Receive training and technical assistance throughout the course and process.
5. Learn next steps for utilizing what was learned through Discovery to assist the job seeker to achieve a competitive, integrated employment outcome.
The course is offered three (3) times per year in September, January, and May. The course content is taught through online modules with individual technical assistance provided by course Stewards who are MGA national experts representative(s) to ensure the highest level of quality, model fidelity, and outcomes.
Providers seeking certification in the Discovery process register for the online certification course through a TouchNet system operated by the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities. This system allows community members to enroll in online courses without the need to become a student of the University. Course registration fees are paid directly to FCIC. This fee is used to pay the Stewards, developer royalties, and other administrative and training fees.
Materials for the online course are provided by Mark Gold & Associates and will consist of an approved curriculum, associated Power Point slides, two (2) training manuals, and a fidelity checklist. Course participants purchase the training manuals ($15 for online access). This cost is included in the course fee. Revenue for course materials is remitted to the developers/suppliers (MGA).
Sustainability of the certification process will occur through promotion of the online certification course by VR and USF. Course participants will complete an evaluation at the end of the course and a summary report of the collected data will be provided to VR along with a list of participants with an indication of successful and unsuccessful candidates. MGA also provides additional quality assurance measures to ensure continued fidelity of the model.
