2.4.4 Person Centered Employment Planning Training (Orsag)
| TX-Center on Disability and Development, UCEDD | |||
| Program Type | UCEDD | Fiscal Year | 2020 |
| Contact | Meagan Orsag, Ph.D. | ||
| [email protected] | |||
| Phone | 979-485-4612 | ||
| Project Description | |||
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FY 2017 In collaboration with the Center on Disability and Development (CDD), the University of Texas Center on Disability Studies (TCDS), the Texas Division of Blind Services (DBS), the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI), Educational Service Center Region 6 (Huntsville) and Region 12 (Waco), and Fungineering, over 25 parents and 19 young advocates with visual impairments participated in the "Whose Life is it Anyways?" Person-Centered Practices Family Training. The curriculum for the parent and young advocates was developed by Jeff Garrison-Tate (Certified Mentor Trainer) and Aimee Day (Person-Centered Trainer Candidate) who are both affiliated with the Institute on Person-Centered Practices, which is a collaborative initiative between the CDD at Texas A&M University and TCDS at the University of Texas. Luis Castillo, Rick Moss, and Greg Mason from DBS played an important role throughout the development of the training and identifying the parent and young advocate participants. Lynne McAlister, Eva Lavigne, and Tad Doezema from TSBVI were integral to ensuring that students received appropriate accommodations throughout the training. Michelle Craig with Region 12 graciously provided the venue for the training as well as technology support. Diane Roberson with Region 6 was at the table from the beginning to provide her expertise in transition and working with students with visual impairments. Jeremy Steinshnider with Fungineering provided the young advocates with a fun and "hands-on" lesson with a focus on teamwork and leadership skills. The exciting new piece to the person-centered practices training was the development of the young advocate curriculum, which was facilitated by Aimee Day (Center on Disability and Development) and two peer-to-peer "People Planning Together" Trainer Candidates, Shelby Davenport and Justin DeLeon.The peer-to-peer trainers led the students through a day and half of activities focused on developing their own plans for their futures. The young advocates were guided to identify what was important "to" them and "for" them as they developed their plans. With the support of their peer-to-peer trainers, the young advocates also developed a short video on their smart devices as another way to share their plans. Aimee Day noted, "the idea was for these young advocates to be able to share their plans with others such as their parents, teachers, and ARD committee members in a way that was easily accessible and portable. The fact that the video was meaningful and something the student created was important and significant to the core beliefs behind person-centered practices." Although the training was a huge success and provided a meaningful learning opportunity for the family members and young advocates, one piece of this project that was integral to its success was the collaboration between the universities, service providers, and school regions. The idea for "Whose Life is it Anyways" project came about when Dr. Meagan Sumbera, Associate Director of the CDD, and Luis Casitllo with DBS sat down for one of their monthly brainstorming sessions at a local coffee shop. They were already working on the development of the Purposeful Life: Family Training Series in the Bryan-College Station area, and wanted to provide a more focused and specific training for area families.Once the idea was born, Aimee Day with the CDD and Jeff Garrison-Tate with the TCDS were asked to join forces to develop and deliver the training.Other partners were invited to the leadership team as the idea and project grew making this a true collaborative effort among all involved. Dr Sumbera, CDD Associate Director, stated, "...all of us have the same goal, which is to support people with disabilities and their families to create better lives for themselves. As a collaborative, we can provide opportunities to improve outcomes and their quality of community life. We might do this in different ways, but ultimately, we are here to help others. We are stronger together and we can accomplish more by connecting resources, personnel, and brainpower. It has been an absolute pleasure working with everyone on the 'Whose Life is it Anyways?' leadership team and I am thrilled to continue to work with DBS, TSBVI, TCDS, the Region Centers, and Fungineering in the future at this level. " The "Whose Life is it Anyways" Leadership team plans to continue to meet and develop a high-quality learning experience for families in Texas. _________________ FY 2019 _____________________ The Person-Centered Employment Planning Training (PCEP) is a two-day training that provides a training environment to support customers to gain the necessary skills and experiences in work readiness to successfully transition into postsecondary education and/or competitive integrated employment. In addition, project staff will be conducting follow up employment plan evaluations 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months following completion of the program. The program will allow for students ages 14 up to 22 to explore post-secondary education program opportunities through activities that further develop their plans for their future in relation to work. Certified Person-Centered Planning (PCP) and People Planning Together (PPT) trainers, who are part of the Institute for Person-Centered Practices, which is a collaborative with Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin, They will design and provide activities for students to identify future career goals, social skills and independent living skills necessary for that career, and the steps necessary to reach their career goals. Students will also practice self-advocacy skills with the support of project staff and trainers throughout the development and dissemination of their plan. The development of a person-centered employment plan that will inform the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) and the IEP has significant implications for the customers future work-related goals. Developing a person-centered plan will lead to the pursuit of a career, not just a job. This training focuses on the longitudinal outcomes, not merely the short-term goals. The Center for Independent Living, which is a natural and local support, will further track and report the success rate in regards to obtaining pre-employment goals in their perspective career goals. They will support in identifying and connecting the customers with resources in their local areas. This is related to accessing resources, participating in community trainings related to accessibility, assistive technology, independent living, and professionalism. This is person-centered training and the person at the center is the customer. This training program will not interfere with Summer Earn Learn (SEAL) because it will be conducted before the summer months. It is expected that it will assist in Waco and Bryan areas growing SEAL by preparing customers for that program. The PCEP Training focuses primarily on three of the five required Pre-ETS areas, which include: Counseling on Post Secondary Education Workplace Readiness that includes soft skills and some independent living; and Self-advocacy Purpose: To develop a pre-employment training model in which customers, along with the support of their family members and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs), establish goals for employment, community inclusion, and independent living throughout the development of a person-centered employment plan. Customers will receive support and guidance in career exploration, postsecondary opportunities, job readiness skills, and strategies in self-advocacy. High Level Agenda with Objectives There will be two two-day training sessions in each area Waco and Bryan-College Station for a total of four sessions. In early Spring, customers aged 14-17 will receive the training, and in late Spring, customers aged 18 up to 22 will be served. Curriculum is not modified. The rationale for separating the age groups is to provide a more appropriate environment for the customers to share their experiences with peers their age. In addition, customers will be able to identify and discuss career goals within their own age groups. Stage 1 will take place during the two-day employment planning training. Customers with disabilities (ages 14 up to 22) will work with the Person-Centered Practices (PCP) Trainer and a People Planning Together (PPT) Trainer, who is a self-advocate and the only certified PPT Trainer in Texas, to develop their employment plans. The customers will practice and learn specific person-centered thinking skills that serve as the foundation when developing an IPE. This plan will inform the IPE and Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Some trainers providing instruction for the customers also have disabilities. This peer-to-peer model offers customers opportunities to learn person-centered skills that lead to plan development from the successful experiences and examples presented by the trainers. The intended outcome is for customers to have a more informed choice in developing their IPE with goals that reflect their career choices as well as how to achieve these goals and the supports they will need to be successful. The intent is to inform the IPE not replace it. Customers will also develop a One Page Description, which is a brief snapshot of their employment goals and their plan to achieve them to share with family, counselor and educators. Customers will have opportunities to be creative to develop their plans in short film or PowerPoint formats (digital person-centered employment plan). Activities include the following: 1. Important to and For Maps - The foundation of person-centered planning is discovering what is important to a person and important for a person and finding the balance between the two. Historically, its easier for others to know what is important for a person, which are usually the things needed to keep them healthy and safe. Often overlooked are the things that are important to them- things that matter most which lead them to have a happy, content and fulfilled life. A 2015 study at the University of Warwick concluded that happy employees are 12% more efficient on the job. By teaching the customers to determine their own personal balance between what keeps them safe and healthy and what helps them feel happy and content, they are better prepared to advocate for themselves at the workplace. The development of a person-centered employment plan has significant implications for the customers future work-related goals. Developing a person-centered plan will lead to the pursuit of a career, not just a job. It is a tool that helps individuals sort important information about themselves that will help others know how to best support them to ensure they get to live a life that is balanced between what they need to be happy, comforted, and fulfilled and what supports they need to be healthy and safe. 2. Communication chart - A key indicator for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to maintain a career in an integrated setting is their ability to communicate with their co-workers. The Communication Chart is a person-centered approach that visually presents how a person with disabilities communicates, what the person is communicating, and how to listen and support that person. The Communication Chart is especially powerful to support people who do not use words to communicate to be a part of the culture of their work place 3. Digital Person-Centered Employment Plan (PCEP) - The Digital PCEP is an accessible tool that the customers will be able to use to communicate his/her plan for employment with peers, VRCs, teachers, prospective employers, and postsecondary education staff and faculty. Family members will simultaneously receive training on similar topic areas. They will learn and practice the same person-centered skills as the customers and will also develop employment goals based on what they envision for their child. Customers will then create their own One Page Description that reflects what is important to them and what supports they need to live their lives. The parent training session will be facilitated by trainers certified by The Learning Community on Person Centered Practices who are also parents who have children with disabilities. Parents will be challenged to listen and support their childs employment plan. The final part of the training will bring parents together with their child to compare employment goals and exchange ideas to support the customer to be successful. Stage 2 will take place throughout the year following the initial Person-Centered Training. An important and unique component to this training is the longitudinal data collection, support, and collaborations that will continue to occur following the initial training. Follow-ups and evaluations through a combination of by phone, in-person, and via email will take place 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months following the training. The Center on Disability and Development and Texas Center on Disability Studies staff, Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (BVCIL), and VR will work together to develop outcome-based goals (employment, transition, postsecondary education, independent living) specific to the cohort and customer. BVCIL and University Center staff will conduct follow-up evaluations to gain a better understanding of how the customer and family are (1) using their person-centered Employment plan (PCEP), (2) using what they learned from the training at school, home, and at place of employment, (3) implementing their communication chart, PCEP plan, and digital plan (which is a snapshot of their plan is visually appealing and can be used to lead thoughtful discussions of the PCEP) in their day to day lives and activities, and (4) progressing in making significant changes in their behaviors, perceptions, and attitudes towards employment and career goals and/or postsecondary education. Results and data will be shared in written feedback among VR Counselors 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months following their initial training. PERSON-CENTERED Goals and Objectives Based on the identified needs, the overall goals of the PCEP Program are (a) to train 15 customers to set employment goals, identify and share communication style, self-determination strategies, how to access services and supports, the importance of self-advocacy, and how to use peer and community supports, (b) to elevate pre-employment and self-advocacy training to a higher level to produce self-advocates who will become independent and goal-driven adults, and (c) to evaluate the effectiveness of the PCEP Program and enhance the program based on results of evaluation. Benefits to Person-Centered Employment Training: Developing Our Own Plan for a Career Customer-Level Increased capacity of customers ability to connect to their community and develop relationships to promote community inclusion Identify customers natural supports throughout career planning Identify and understand customers communication style Promote supported decision making throughout development of employment plan, housing considerations, socialization strategies, and personal goal development Increase work/employment-based outcomes Customer-developed products intended for immediate use: o Person-Centered Plan (PCP) o Digital PCP Plan o Communication Flow Chart Community Partner-Level Development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative and unique model transition demonstration project o Person-Centered Curriculum o People Planning Together o Use of Peer Trainers o Foster relationships among family members and caseloads o Identify Assistive Technology needs o Universally-Designed Curriculum and Implementation Strengthen relationships with Texas Workforce Solutions, Community Rehabilitation Providers, Education Agencies, Local School Districts, Advocacy Organizations, and Higher Education; Provide VRCs with a more robust data set throughout development IPE; and Influence systems-change through research-based evaluation methodology, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and conference presentations. Selection Criteria Customers are selected from transition customers ranging in age 14 up to age 22. Every effort will be made to accommodate customers who have the most significant challenges in all disability areas. Customers interested in participating must show the necessary level of interest, knowledge and skills, and commitment as assessed by program partners. Program Components An interagency contract between Texas Workforce Commission and Texas A&M University, College Station, TX will be needed. Also, Service Authorizations for training room rentals and hotel lodging will be needed, as well as customer travel to and from the training sites. Partners & Collaborators The PCEP Program will work with statewide and local partners. The majority of these partners have already been working with the Center on Disability and Development through collaborations. They will continue to support the PCEP Program. These partners include: - High schools in College Station and Bryan ISD will provide referrals and assistance in selection. - Brazos Center for Independent Living (BVCIL) will provide independent living training materials for participants, and conduct follow up evaluations to measure level of person-centered employment plan implementation. They will also assist with additional training needs related to social and independent living skills. - Texas Center for Disability Studies will provide a Person-Centered Practices Master Trainer, the Person-Centered curriculum, and a People Planning Together Trainer. - Institute for Person-Centered Practices will provide curriculum resources and instructional support. - The International Learning Community on Person-Centered Practices provides guidance, support and awards certification on person-centered practices to trainers and mentors. - The Institute on Person Centered Practices has developed training curriculum, provided training and certified Person Centered Thinking Trainers for Managed Care Organizations, The Department of Family and Protective Services, Health and Human Services, State Ombudsman, Local IDD Centers, Providers of Home and Community Based Services, People with Disabilities and Family Members throughout Texas and the United States. - Texas Workforce Solutions, including VR and other TWS programs will provide staff assistance in planning and implantation. In addition to these partners, we will continue to identify other partners during the project period. New partners will be added if they can assist with the implementation of the projects. FY 2020 : 9 students and their family members participated |
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