To what extent do employment specialists implement the job development practices recommended in the literature?

Transcription

1 To what extent do employment specialists implement the job development practices recommended in the literature? A National Study Alberto Migliore Institute for Community Inclusion University of Massachusetts Boston 2010 APSE Conference Atlanta, GA June 9 th, 2010

2 Regardless of the job seeker s s level of motivation, skill, experience, attitude, and support system, his or her ability to get a job will often depend on the effectiveness of employment specialists. Simply stated, if they are good, job seekers get jobs. If they are not, the barriers to employment for job seekers can become insurmountable (Lueking et al., 2004, p. 29).

3 What does the literature recommend? 1. Getting to know job seekers: Involving people who know job seekers well; observing job seekers 2. Searching for jobs: Networking; negotiating new job descriptions 3. Engaging employers to hire: Conducting formal analyses of employers needs; offering to do job trials 4. Facilitating job seekers transition: Promoting natural supports; addressing disability-benefit benefit planning; maintaining contact

4 How was this study organized? 1. Participants: 163 employment specialists 2. Individual response rate: 81% 3. Selection procedure: We contacted 170 employment programs from a national list. 4. Program response rate: 51% 5. States involved: Survey time frame: January 2009 to June 2009

5 What were the characteristics of the employment specialists? Years of job-development experience

6 Proportion of monthly time spent in job development

7 Number of job seekers assisted in getting employment in one year

8 What did employment specialists do to get to know job seekers? Percentage of employment specialists performing these activities for most or all job seekers hired in the past year Talked to acquaintances Talked to former employers 17% 19% Situational assessment Observation in non-work environment Talked to family members Talked to referral and funding agencies Facilitated/attended person centered planning 38% 43% 54% 59% 61% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

9 * In the past three months to search for jobs?

10 to engage employers?

11 to facilitate job seekers transition?

12 Summarizing: What is the good news? Some of the practices recommended in the literature are implemented by many: Person-centered planning Networking Staying in contact with employers and with job seekers after hiring

13 In what areas can we improve? 1. Involving people who know job seekers well 2. Observing job seekers in work and non-work settings 3. Doing fewer cold calls/ads and more networking 4. Negotiating new job descriptions 5. Performing formal analyses of employers needs 6. Offering job trials to employers 7. Promoting natural supports 8. Providing disability-benefits benefits counseling

14 Study Limitations 1. Relies on self-reported data 2. Bias toward more recent activities 3. Does not account for job seekers support needs Study Strengths 1. Contributes to filling gap in the literature on evidence-based job development 2. Close to being nationally representative study

15 Conclusions Employment specialists need to implement more closely the recommendations from the literature. This will require collaboration from multiple parties, including: 1. Training programs 2. Employment programs 3. Funding agencies 4. Accreditation programs 5. Researchers

16 Bibliography 1. Bissonnette,, D. (1994). Beyond traditional job development: The art of creating opportunity. Granada Hills, CA: Milt Wright & Associates, Inc. 2. Callahan, M., Shumpert,, N., & Condon, E. (2009). Discovery: Charting the course to employment. Gautier, MS: Marc Gold & Associates. 3. Drake, R.E., & Becker, D.R. (2003). A working life for people with severe mental illness.. USA: Oxford University Press. 4. Gilbride,, D., & Stensrud,, R. (1999). Demand-side job development and system change. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 42,, Granovetter,, M. (1995). Getting a job: A study of contacts and careers.. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 6. Griffin, C., Hammis,, D., & Geary, T. (Eds.) (2007). The job developer's handbook.. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. 7. Hoff, D., Gandolfo, C., Gold, M., & Jordan, M. (2000). Demystifying job development: Field- based approaches to job development for people with disabilities. St. Augustine, FL: Training Resource Network, Inc. 8. Levinson, J.C., & Perry, D.E. (2009). Guerrilla marketing for job hunters 2.0: 1001 unconventional tips, tricks, and tactics to land your dream job.. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 9. Luecking,, R.G., Fabian, E.S., & Tilson,, G.P. (2004). Working relationships: Creating career opportunities for job seekers with disabilities through employer partnerships. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

17 Credits Team members: John Butterworth, Ph.D., Alberto Migliore,, Ph.D, Allison Cohen Hall, Ph.D., Jean Winsor, Ph.D., and Jennifer Bose, M.A. Web-survey development: David Clark and Pamela Harrison Data management: Molly K. Alesch National list of day programs: Heike Boeltzig,, Ph.D., Frank Smith, M.A., and a number of graduate assistants at UMass Boston We would like to acknowledge the contributions of our colleagues,, who assisted with advice in designing the protocol of research; three employment ent programs in MA, FL, and VA, who piloted the survey; and the 73 executive directors of the employment programs and 163 employment specialists who participated ted in this study. This study was funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (grant #90DN0216). The opinions o contained in this presentation are those of the grantees and do not necessarily reflect those of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities s policy.

18 Contact information Alberto Migliore,, Ph.D. Institute for Community Inclusion University of Massachusetts Boston (617)