employment specialists

Training, Assessment and Placement Program (TAPP) Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center Seattle, Washington

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

The client profiles focused on during this discussion were traditionally underserved special populations. These include:

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

DISCUSSION

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

Topic: How SSI, SSDI and welfare benefits affect Deaf people and their attitudes toward gainful employment and ways to educate clients on changing their attitudes.

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

Topic: Strategies & techniques for empowering clients in the job seeking process, including advocating for their rights to gainful employment under the ADA.

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

B) Employers

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

Topic: Dealing with attitudinal barriers/initial employer resistance

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)

Topics: How to effectively "sell" the employer on hiring Deaf, Deaf-Blind or hard of hearing clients

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

CONCLUSION

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.