Partnerships to Support Successful Customized Employment

Customized Employment (CE) continues to open doors to employment and careers for youth and adults with disabilities. This informative webinar shared how Oregon and the District of Columbia have implemented CE through partnerships involving schools, vocational rehabilitation, the workforce system, community employment providers, and more. This webinar also explored applications of Guided Group Discovery, adapted for different populations, as a first step in the CE process. Presenters highlighted successes and funding options for Discovery and CE, including ways to blend, braid, and sequence resources across systems.

Participants learned:

• To identify a variety of approaches to achieving Customized Employment outcomes through partnerships.
• To implement Guided Group Discovery, adapted as needed to their clientele, through partnerships with vocational rehabilitation, schools, Centers for Independent Living, American Job Centers, developmental disabilities, behavioral health, and more.
• To explore funding options and ways to blend, braid, and sequence resources across systems.
• About people who have benefited from Customized Employment, including how it worked and why it was important, from the perspectives of the jobseeker, employer, and employment staff.

Featured Speakers and Individual Success Stories:

• Tikeya Milburn, Project Manager, Transition Services, DC Rehabilitation Services Administration, DC Department on Disability Services
• Wendy Parker, Manager, Postsecondary Transition, Division of Specialized Instruction, Office of Teaching and Learning, District of Columbia Public Schools
• Jhiya Cooper, Former Guided Group Discovery participant
• Toni DePeel, Pre-Employment Transition Service Coordinator, Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation
• Nancy Boutot (Moderator), LEAD Center Subject Matter Expert and Manager, Financial Empowerment, National Disability Institute