2002-2005 NSIP Accomplishments: Tennessee Boling
October 15, 2005
Project Director: Elizabeth Bishop
Focus area and target population
The Tennessee NSIP targeted on basic information and dissemination/marketing to disability groups and organizations that focused on supported employment, volunteerism, and secondary/post secondary education. The project focused product development to highlight AmeriCorps and VISTA service streams.
Local & National Organizations and networks impacted
- Advance with Community Employment
- CBEE Employment Services
- Clovernook Center
- Corporate Connections
- Division of Rehabilitation Services
- Goodwill Industries
- Independent Supported Employment Services (ISES)
- Interpreting Services for the Deaf
- Lowenstein House
- Memphis Center for Ind. Living (MCIL)
- Memphis Housing Authority Resident Employment Training
- Memphis Works
- Mid-South Arc
- Midtown Counseling Center
- Partners in Placement
- Power Center
- Relational DataSearch
- Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
- Senior Services Employment Division
- SAVES
- Shelby Residential and Vocational Services (SRVS)
- Supports for Success
- Star Placement
- Tri-State Placement
- Center on Disability and Employment
- Valued Day Project
- West Tennessee Employment Network Provider Forum
- Workforce Investment Network
Significant Outcomes & Accomplishments
The collaborative relationships developed through this project consist of a networking with the State Commission Office. The agencies and groups listed above have shared products developed by the project with staff and clients. Direct impact is shown in that of the 48 Pre-tests that were conducted, 20% stated that they had previous knowledge about National Service programs and 67% stated that they had none. A total of 67 participants were introduced to National Service programs and the inclusion of persons with disabilities. In follow-up evaluation sent to agencies with a 38% response rate, agencies reported that 86 staff and clients had been trained on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in National Service and that 45 referrals had been made to National Service programs and that the products had been shared 74 times.
Activities & programs
The Boling Center participated in the Ladership Institute in California last August 2004 and has presented at a Regional conference on teh National Service Inclusion project with Commission officer personnel. Also, the Boling Center and the Commission Office have been accepted at the Tennessee Disability Mega Conference for this summer and AmeriCorps is a sponsor in helping plan the conference and supplying volunteers to help work the conference. Below is the link for the strategic plan that the UCEDD and Commission office have been working on along with members from the Council on Developmental Disabilities and other service stream program managers.
Tennessee's Strategic Plan to be inclusive of individuals with disabilities.