The document discusses using customized employment and universal economic development approaches to address West Virginia's employment crisis for individuals with disabilities. It describes discovering Christian's skills, interests and connections through activities in his community. This led to negotiations where Christian performed various tasks at Valley World's of Fun, resulting in a new customized job with negotiated duties, hours and pay supported by multiple funding sources.

1. Resource Ownership: Creating Opportunity and Jobs Using Customized Employment and Universal Economic Development Approaches to Solve the Employment Crisis in WV Presented by Christian Colborn and Michael Carpenter of Valley World’s of Fun; and Russell Sickles of Job Squad, Inc.

2. Resource Ownership Hear Christian’s Story. Learn how to create a job in any employment market using customized employment and universal economic development techniques. There are jobs everywhere!

3. A Suggested Stance Towards the World: The Beauty of it All Every sentence I utter must be understood not as an affirmation, but as a question. -Neils Bohr If I had asked people what they wanted, they’d have said faster horses. -Henry Ford

4. A Suggested Stance Towards the World: The Beauty of it All (Cont.) America is the country of the future. It is a country of beginnings, of projects, of vast designs and expectations. -Ralph Waldo Emerson If you want to succeed in life, do something—the others are doing nothing! -Oscar Wilde

5. A Suggested Stance Towards the World: The Beauty of it All (Cont.) Yes is a world, And in this world of yes Lives, skillfully curled, All worlds. -e.e. cummings

6. A Suggested Stance Towards the World: The Beauty of it All (Last Slide!) Law of Requisite Variety: “ A flexible system with many options is better able to cope with change…The application of the Law of Requisite Variety in business is obvious. Companies need to be sufficiently adaptable to cope with a changing environment. A company that is too rigid faces potential danger if its market changes or even disappears. ” http:// www.wyrdology.com/mind/creativity/variety.html ; Thanks to Griffin-Hammis!

7. A Quick Disclaimer! We are pretty new to this approach—began making the transition to Customized Employment/Universal Economic Development Practices in late Oct 2008 (about a year and a half ago). We are always learning. This stuff is a lot of fun! Special Thanks to The West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council and Griffin-Hammis, Associates.

8. Two Assumptions From the Title: There is an Employment Crisis for individuals with disabilities in West Virginia. This Crisis necessitates a different approach towards employment: A Universal Economic Development Approach.

9. 1 st Assumption: Why a Crisis? 2007 American Community Survey

10. Why a Crisis? 2007 American Community Survey

11. Why A Crisis?

12. Consider… A quick thought experiment: Contrast the attention and response to the “Great Recession” and a national unemployment rate of 10% with the attention and response to the data we just reviewed.

13. 2 nd Assumption: Why Universal Economic Development? Labor Market Approach—how we all know employment—has not worked for most people with disabilities. It is also not working well , in general, for most people. A rising tide does not lift all boats! Below: From Performance Matrix Handout, Grant Stewart, President, Located in Morgantown, WV; 304.594.9190; www.performancematrixllc.com

14. 2 nd Assumption: Why Universal Economic Development? There are jobs everywhere! How? What is Capital? How is Capital connected to individuals? From dictionary.reference.com: “any source of profit, advantage, power, etc.; asset” Types: Financial, Physical, Social, Human Our definition: “Anything that Adds Value…”

15. 2 nd Assumption: Why Universal Economic Development? Best outcomes occur when something is created. That is, the job did not exist before it was obtained. Job Seekers become so competitively advantaged that they exit the labor market/comparative approach to employment—think resumes, applications, and interviews—and create their own opportunities and jobs. This works best in small businesses; more challenging in large corporate environments (with HR bureaucracies).

16. 2 nd Assumption: Why Universal Economic Development? Why do this? Job Seekers gain the power to create a job that is a “good fit” and matches their skills, talents, interests, and support needs. Negotiate duties, hours, pay, supports. Is this one big reasonable accommodation? Another option: Self-Employment. In general, individuals who are self-employed are most likely to say that their job is a good match. It is expensive (costly) to not work! The cost of public benefits/services/programs; the individual and community cost of severe poverty; the impact of the lack of discretionary income on business environment (low growth, lack of jobs); dependency, disempowerment, and marginalization; and, most importantly , the loss of freedoms and options. (Un)Employment is a Community Issue.

17. Christian

18. Christian (From Job Squad’s Blog)

19. Using Customized Employment Techniques: How to get there? Start with Benefits Planning . (Learned that Christian has both SSI and SSDI and had not worked in a competitive work environment) -Fear of losing benefits is very high on the list of why people aren’t pursuing work. -Myths -Misinformation -Outright Falsehoods -Benefit Scenarios can be complicated—how many Community Work Incentives Coordinators are there in WV?

20. Next Step: Discovery Looking to answer: -Who is this person? -What is/are their personal genius(es): Skills, Talents, Interests? -What are the ideal conditions of employment?

21. Discovery (Cont.) Casual, conversational, not formal. Smooth listening. In the community. Build a team! Frame the conversations, look for: -Typical Skills and talents exhibited (find out when and where to observe); -Extraordinary skills and talents exhibited (find out when/where to observe); -Motivational Interests, People, and Activities; -Where the individual spends time and money (what does a typical week/day look like? Routines and Chores. Ask the person to show you their bedroom?) -Most effective learning styles and teaching methods; -Supports needed. From Griffin-Hammis, Associates Linking Discovery… Training .

22. Discovery (Cont.) Then go out and look for the verb (thanks to Vicki Vining!) Example: Loves Animals. Ok, what is the verb there? What will the job seeker do? Skills, skills, skills. Observing for accuracy what you’ve been told or read in paper evaluations. What if something (a job offer or opportunity for self-employment) comes up? Explore it! This is not the end, it’s the beginning.

23. Discovery and Social Capital Explore “who you know;” Family employment connections; community connections; where people work; friends, neighbors, others who may be helpful. Where do you spend money? Look at everything—6 degrees of separation. Surveys in Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam: Data from diverse surveys suggest that roughly one-half of people get their job through a friend or relative. An Atlanta study found that each employed person in one’s social network increases one’s annual income by $1,400.

24. Discovery with Christian Met with Christian and those that know him best (sister, mother, father). Inquired about community activities/interests/connections. Went out and did stuff, following routines and interests: bowling; visited favorite restaurant; toured local gyms (swimming interest); washed a car; visited local People First Chapter; grocery shopping; haircut; made a salad. What was learned?

25. The Result A conversation with, Mr. Martin and Michael Carpenter, owner of Valley World’s of Fun. Learned about his businesses needs (personnel and equipment). Talked about what was learned during Discovery with Christian. Christian spent a number of days over two weeks trying different tasks/potential job duties.

26. Tasks

27. Tasks (Cont.)

28. Resource Ownership Driven By Discovery. Most small Businesses in the United States are Under-Capitalized. Common forms of RO: College Degrees, Tools, Specialized Training, Social Capital; my car! If I don’t have a car, I don’t have my job. “… occupational licenses, tools, equipment, and initial stocks and supplies…” Rehabilitation Act, Title 1 From Griffin-Hammis Associates MNTAT Training.

29. Resource Ownership In Christian’s case, added leverage to exit the labor market and enter into negotiations regarding possible employment. More of what he wants, less of what he doesn’t want. Duties, Hours, Pay. Mutually Beneficial. A New Job!

30. Multiple Funding in Christian’s Job Creation Medicaid: Job Supports WVDRS: Clothing Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS): Purchase Ticket Counter, Co-worker supports, and transportation. Ticket-To-Work: Supplement Co-Worker supports. VWOF: Purchased equipment initially, Christian then purchased from VWOF. Didn’t need to wait for PASS funds to accrue. WVDDC: Grant to help us learn Customized Employment Tools with T/A from Griffin-Hammis, Associates.

31. Christian’s Use of Capital Human: Christian and his skills, talents, and interests Physical: Ticket-Counting Machine Social: Christian’s connections Financial: Funding sources which help create other capital

32. What is a Plan To Achieve Self-Support (PASS)? http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/pass.htm

33. What is a Plan To Achieve Self-Support (PASS)? SSI SSI/SSDI (Perfect PASS Potential) SSDI (can use a PASS to become eligible for SSI and use PASS towards a work goal—this is a bit more complicated)

34. WV PASS Potential

35. Whew! Last Slide—Any Questions? What is Customized Employment: Office of Disability Employment Policy: Customized Employment means individualizing the relationship between job seekers and employers in ways that meet the needs of both. It is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, requirements, and interests of a person with a complex life. The process is designed to meet the workplace needs of the employer and the discrete tasks of the position. When a customized relationship is developed, a shared employment alliance results. CE involves: Negotiation No subminimum wages Individualized Non-comparative techniques