Northwest Outreach Center

Donna B. Platt, M.S. Janel L. Stromme, M.Ed.

ABSTRACT

Deaf employment specialists face more challenges in the job placement field than hearing employment specialists in working with Deaf and hard of hearing clients. Factors that account for this include communication and attitudinal barriers (with both clients and employers), initial employer resistance, and lack of a strong network base and support system.

The roundtable discussion allowed Deaf employment specialists to exchange ideas, concerns, and effective strategies in working effectively with both clients and employers. Discussion centered on six issues divided into two categories, clients and employers.

To better understand the needs of the audience, the workshop presenters gleaned the following audience demographics:
 

• Hearing status of participants:
• Hearing - 25
• Deaf - 16
• Hard of Hearing - 3
• Deaf-Blind - 0

 
• Participants from:
• WA - 22
• OR - 6
• AK - 5
• ID - 6
• NM - 1
• WY - 1
• BC - 1
• CA - 5
• IL - 1
• SD - 1

 
• Rural - 1
• City - 15

 
• Participants' occupation:
• DVR - 16
• Employment Specialists/Job Developers - 12

• Participants work with:
• DVR clients - 9
• Non-DVR clients - 8
• Independent Vendor - 2
• Other (specify)
• Division of Services for the Blind (DSB)
• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
• State of Washington Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness

• Low Functioning
• Developmentally Disabled (DD)
• Minimal Language Skills (MLS)
• Limited Cognitive Skills (LCS)
• Mental Health Issues
• Older, Homemakers, Late Deafened
• Ethnic & Cultural Minorities
• Drug & Alcohol Dependencies
• Grassroots

 

Workshop participants were asked to provide ideas, strategies and suggestions on the following topics:

A) Clients

Topic: Strategies and solutions in developing effective job access for clients whose minimal work skills, education and work experiences are not up to job market standards.

• Job Shadowing
• Volunteer Jobs
• Internships (paid and unpaid)
• Job Assessment (1-2 weeks)
• Community -Based Assessment (CBA)
• On-the-job evaluation (OJE)/On-the-job training (OJT)
• Job Coaching (with someone who can communicate in sign language)
• Job Carving/Job Restructuring
• Mentoring/Matching with a role model
• Job Analysis

• Educate about SS system by using pictures and giving details
• Attend workshops given by Social Security personnel
• Contact the Northwest Center on Deafness for information about SS workshops
• Explain in more understandable terms (use pictures and visual communication)
• Show a captioned video about the Social Security benefits and how they work
• Set up meeting with SS personnel and go as client's advocate
• Encourage clients to develop pride in themselves and not to depend on system
• Explain to clients that there's no chance for life improvement if depend on SS
• Encourage dependency on self - SS benefits could be cut in the future

• Go with client and interpreter out into field for the day and apply for jobs
• Sit with client at a TTY & have them call employers for follow up assessment
• Set aside time to meet at the local employment security department (ESD) - have clients learn how to use the resources there (part of one-stop shopping system)
• Introduce clients to Deaf role models in diverse work environments
• Role play potential situations that clients could experience during job search
• Include a letter advocating on the client's behalf - to go with cover letter and resume
• Provide and make available education and training workshops
• Learn about the client's interests to find job opportunities (their favorite activities or hobbies)
• Have clients check out resource rooms at their local DVR office

Topic: Communication issues (utilizing TTY and relay services, arranging for and utilizing interpreters for events such as meetings, job tours, job interviews and on-the-job training)

• Utilize the computer and e-mail to communicate back and forth instead of writing
• Utilize fax machine
• Utilize relay services - 2-line voice carry-over (VCO)
• Video Relay Interaction (VRI) - computer interpreting services
• Workshops - employers speak about their jobs and recruiting new employees
• Panel discussions

• Share success stories/social justice
• Acknowledge their fears regarding safety - share information about employers who have hired Deaf workers
• Role play good & bad attitudes & then have a group discussion in workshops
• Approach employers with business sense
• Assure employers that each Deaf client is different - focus on strengths, not weaknesses
• Meet employers with interpreters present
• Pay careful attention to job developer's attitude towards employers
• Offer to provide in-service training (Deaf culture awareness and sensitivity training)

• Offer employers on-the-job (OJT) training and other hiring incentives
• Set up a face-to-face meeting with the employer to discuss hiring incentives
• Set up a meeting with HR personnel and explain self, agency and purpose of meeting
• Have client go with advocate to meet with employer & hand in application
• Have client volunteer with the possibility that the position will become a paid position in the future, with no expectations

The presenters and workshop participants closed this roundtable discussion with a brief exchange of ideas on how to establish an ongoing support network using the technology available today.

Workshop participants were asked if they were interested in establishing an ongoing support network via email or snail mail. Participants were asked to sign-up on the contact list. The workshop presenters will develop a network list from the sign-up sheet to be made available to interested participants.
 

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Last modified 20AUG1999