Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD) Unveils a New Employment Website for TennesseeWorks
April 23, 2014
|
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD) unveiled a new website for TennesseeWorks last month, which promises to be the state's "go-to" resource for professionals, families, employers, and others committed to helping young people with intellectual and development disabilities find and maintain meaningful employment. While developed and administered through the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, the website is the fruit of the collective efforts of more than 50 partners working to improve employment outcomes across the state.
TennesseeWorks was formed in 2011 with the goal of strengthening state policies and systems to promote the employment of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is made possible through funding from a Projects of National Significance: Partnerships in Employment Systems Change grant from the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
In exploring the new website, visitors will find user-friendly navigation tools leading to a searchable database of employment-related resources, video success stories, a calendar of events, and employment news from around the state.
The informative section "Getting to Work" highlights evidence-based recommendations that families and educators can follow to better ensure young people with disabilities are connected with employment.
"The 'Getting to Work' section should be very helpful for our visitors," said TennesseeWorks dissemination coordinator Rachael Jenkins. "It outlines nine practices that have promise in making an impact for families. Each practice is described and explanations are shared about why they are important, how to make them happen, and then where to find out more information. Another useful feature of the new website is the resources section. Having both local and national disability employment resources in one place on the Web is a great accomplishment, and we are excited to provide that for our users."
The "Resources" section is a database searchable by topic and audience. It also allows for searches to be filtered by resource "type," such as books, downloads, videos, webinars, or websites. Tennesseeworks.org visitors also can submit resources, subscribe to a monthly newsletter, and connect through social media.
Still under development, are sections for youth, which will address topics such as how to find a job, how to impress employers, and how to develop friendships at work. Another section under development is "By the Numbers," which will focus on data reporting.
"There is much we know as a field about how to equip young people with the skills, supports, and experiences that lead to a good job in the community," said Erik Carter, Ph.D., associate professor of Special Education and principal investigator on the TennesseeWorks grant. "With this website, our goal is to ensure that the best of what we know really works penetrates the practices of schools, agencies, and communities in every corner of our state."
Visit: www.tennesseeworks.org
