AIDD Employment Learning Community

2017

The Employment Learning Community has been developed to assist states in improving employment systems and services that will increase inclusive, competitive employment for individuals with IDD. Funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the Employment Learning Community (ELC) has three key components: A Delphi panel will be used to identify issues and emerging and promising practices that will info the work of the Employment Learning Community. Three to five communities of practice will be convened annually that will provide members an opportunity to engage in time limited but intensive work on issues that will support their state level systems change efforts and lead to the development of products that can be used by other states. Five states will be selected for more intensive engagement in the project. These states will receive technical assistance to support the development of a state level consortium to assist in local employment systems change. Lead by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the project partners include TransCen and the National Association of State Developmental Disabilities Directors. The Delphi Panel The Delphi Panel will be comprised for national leaders in the field of employment for individuals with IDD including representatives of other national employment systems change initiatives, self advocates, family members, local and state leaders, educators service providers and employers. The Panel will identify and consider issues and practices that emerge over the life of project informing the work of the ELC Communities of Practice as well as the state level consortiums. The ELC Communities of Practice The ELC will convene two communities of practice in 2013 with three to five convened in subsequent years. In year one the topics will be driven by the work of the Delphi panel, while in subsequent years the Delphi panel priorities will be supplemented by the experiences of the state consortiums. The ELC Communities of Practice will include a maximum of 15 members who have a strong interest in the topic and investment in developing a body of work that will inform their efforts as well as the work of their peers in other states. They will share methods, tools, practices and stories that can be used in expanding effective employment policies and practices. ELC Community of Practice members will be drawn from the state level systems change states as well as participants in the other national employment systems change initiatives. State Level Systems Change Five to ten states will be selected to participate in the state level systems change component of the project. These states will be required to develop and implement a consortium that will assist in local employment systems change. Each state will have a ELC liaison who will provide technical assistance to the consortium and facilitate peer learning across the project. States will have access to project staff who can provide further assistance in targeted areas. Additionally the ELC will provide online training to support the work of the consortia and quarterly webinars will be held addressing topics the emerge from the Delphi panel, the ELC Communities of Practice and the consortiums themselves.

employment, systems change, policy

Employment-Related Activities

Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers

None

National

N/A