Employment First Resource

Guided Group Discovery – Youth Version – Facilitator Guide and Supplemental Slide Deck

~~The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and the LEAD Center are pleased to release this Guided Group Discovery Facilitator Guide. The purpose of Guided Group Discovery is to lay the foundation for competitive integrated employment as a Universal Design that can benefit all job seekers. For some people, Guided Group Discovery leads to Customized Employment. For everyone, the process assists job seekers in identifying employment that would be a good fit both for them and an employer. The process of Guided Group Discovery results in a positive written description of each job seeker that provides insight into the settings and circumstances in which he or she is most likely to be successful. The information in their Blueprint for Employment, described herein, is used to facilitate an employment planning process that matches people and businesses to meet the needs of both.

This Guided Group Discovery Facilitator Guide is designed to train people to facilitate Guided Group Discovery sessions with youth and/or adults with disabilities, and/or others who experience barriers to employment. LEAD Center has supported pilot projects implementing Guided Group Discovery in American Job Centers (also known as One-Stop Career Centers) in collaboration with a variety of partners, including vocational rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, behavioral health, Centers for Independent Living, homeless services providers, and others. By facilitating groups with partners, job seekers can get support from multiple systems and the agencies can leverage each other’s resources.

Guided Group Discovery materials include a Facilitator Manual, an accompanying PowerPoint slide deck and a Participant Manual, all of which can be downloaded from LEAD Center’s website at www.leadcenter.org.