Customized Employment Solutions ECHO®
Target Audience:
Employment Specialists, VRCs, Transition Teachers, Pre-service Teachers
Every Tuesday:
October 22, 2024 – December 3, 2024
3:30pm – 4:30pm CST
View Recorded Sessions
ECHO Resources
View Participant Guide
For more information, contact Krista Opstedal
krista.opstedal@minotstateu.edu
By mastering Customized Employment techniques, transition teachers can better advocate for inclusive work environments, foster stronger partnerships with employers, and ultimately empower students to achieve meaningful, sustainable employment. This approach not only enhances the employment outcomes for students with disabilities but also contributes to building a more inclusive community where everyone’s potential is recognized and valued.
Barriers to Customized Employment (CE) include:
- Time Constraints: Developing customized job opportunities takes time for each student.
- Inadequate training: Not all transition teachers receive comprehensive training in CE strategies.
- Lack of collaboration: Effective CE often requires collaboration between various stakeholders, including educators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, families, and employers. A lack of coordination or communication between these parties can impede the success of CE initiatives.
Participants will gain practical insights into how CE can be incorporated into their daily work, improve their understanding of VR processes, and learn to overcome common misconceptions about social security benefits and competitive integrated employment. The goal is to empower educators and specialists to create meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities for students with disabilities through these sessions.
Key Focus Areas:
- Equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement customized employment skills and strategies.
- Provide insight into VR referral processes and service options.
- Address common misconceptions about social security benefits and competitive integrated employment.
In this series, participants will:
- Learn best practices from industry leaders
- Collaborate and share resources/strategies as a community of practice
- Join sessions online via Zoom
- Earn free continuing education credits
There is no cost to participants
What is ECHO®: Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) is an interprofessional practice network where education and/or healthcare professionals learn together. Short didactic lectures and case presentations are conducted during recurring video conferences. Participants learn best practices to support the individuals they serve by implementing real-time solutions, improving systems, and removing barriers to care
Target Audience:Â Employment Specialists, VRCs, Transition Teachers, Pre-service Teachers
Every Tuesday: October 22, 2024 – December 3, 2024
 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm CST
| Session Title | Date | Archived Recordings |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1: What is Customized Employment and All of The Components Customized Employment is a flexible process designed to personalize the employment relationship between a job candidate and an employer in a way that meets the needs of both. (U.S. Department of Labor, 2009). This presentation will inform attendees on the belief that everyone can work and the basics of Customized Employment. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: - Differentiate between CE and SE - Identify strategies that help anyone have the ability to work. Speaker: Malinda Kragh & Zoey Winkler | October 22, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 2: How Vocational Rehab (VR) Can Work for You Partnering with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) can be a game-changer for transition-age youth, helping them bridge the gap between education and employment. This session will detail how partnering with VR help to assist transition age youth to improve their CE opportunities. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: - Describe VR services and CE supports. - Understand the VR referral process. Speaker: Cheryl Anderson | October 29, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 3: Common Myths About Social Security Benefits and Competitive Integrated Employment Some CE clients have DD extended services who are outliers for traditional services can be confusing for service providers. This session will provide clarification on common myths surrounding social security benefits, outline different service authorizations, and provide resources for benefit planning. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: -Navigate through common misconceptions about social security benefits and competitive integrated employment. Speaker: TBA | November 5,2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 4: Customized Employment in Transition Services As a transition coordinator/educator you’re in a position to know the strengths, interests, and abilities of the students you work with. Utilize this knowledge to incorporate CE into your workday. As a result of this session, participants will: - Explore strategies to incorporate CE into a transition curriculum Speaker: TBD | November 12, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 5: Customized Job Development Supports The session will provide tools, techniques, models, and strategies proven to effectively provide individualized community-based employment services for people with disabilities. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: - Apply current tools and techniques to engage employers, prepare job candidates, and secure individualized jobs matched to a job seekers goals and skills, along with identifying an employer's needs. Speaker: Malinda Kragh and Zoey Winkler | November 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 6: Partnering with VR's Business Specialists for Successful Customized Employment Learn how to partner with VR’s business specialists. This session will outline how to effectively collaborate with VR’s business specialists to enhance practices and outcomes. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: -Understand how to collaborate with their regional business specialist as a resource. -Adapt business specialists strategies into one’s own work Speaker: TBA | November 26 , 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |
| Session 7: Discovering Your Personal Genius Participants will explore approaches to providing customized employment supports for individuals with disabilities, focusing on identifying and leveraging personal strengths—often referred to as "personal genius." This strengths-based approach emphasizes uncovering unique abilities, talents, and interests that can lead to meaningful and sustainable employment. As a result of attending, participants will be able to: -Identify individual job seeker’s personal genius. -Adapt employment situations to align with individual job seeker’s strengths, interests, and abilities. Speaker:Malinda Kragh and Zoey Winkler | December 3, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30 pm CST | Recording will be available approximately one week after the session |