Supported Employment

1
Supported Employment

• Session 3
• Career planning and
• Marketing

2
Timetable Session 3

• Typical ways of Career planning
• The steps of person centred career planning
• BREAK
• Marketing Supported Employment to employers
• Assignment 1

3
Example of changing careers

• Paper round
• Shop assistant (weekend)
• Waitress (holiday job)
• Chambermaid (holiday job)
• Telesales (Eircom)
• Nursing home assistant (holiday job)
• Nurse (Crumlin hospital)
• Sister (Crumlin hospital)
• Clinical Nurse Manager (Beaumont Hospital)
• Sales rep. (Aida Drug Company)
• Head of sales team (Aida Drug Company)
• Manager of sales team (Aida Drug Company)

• 12 jobs in total
• 6 jobs not connected to any particular career
  path
• 2 careers

4
Typical career development

• Most people have a series of jobs prior to
  starting their careers
• Most people will change jobs several times in the
  course of their working life
• Many people will have more than one career

The average person will hold 8 10 jobs and have
2 - 3 career changes
5
Lessons from our first jobs

• We have to be there on time
• The boss is always right
• Our wages will be taxed
• We might only get paid once a month
• If you are sick you have to ring in first thing
• Some people might be paid more for doing the same
  job
• You can only take breaks at allocated times
• Experience of different types of jobs
• Etc. etc.

6
Early experience re. work/careers

• Low or no expectation that the child with a
  disability will have a future career
• Disability allowance as an adult, therefore no
  financial need to work
• Unlikely to have experienced holiday/weekend jobs
  as a teenager
• Special schools do not always offer career
  guidance
• Adult services are often activity based, rather
  than employment based

7
Career planning Step 1

• Does the person want paid work?
• Does the person understand what this means?
• What are the reasons the person wants a job?

8
Key characteristics of person centred planning

• The focus person is supported to make their own
  choices about their life
• The person is supported by a circle of support
  consisting of people willing to commit to
  supporting them to develop their personal
  profile, to identify their dreams and goals and
  to achieve those goals
• The focus of the person centred plan is on the
  persons skills, capacities and preferences
• Person centred planning is an ongoing process
  that is both flexible and dynamic

9
Information for the vocational profile

• Work preferences
• Type of career
• Work tasks
• Work environment
• Working hours and days
• Formal qualifications
• Education (school, adult education courses, FETAC
  etc)
• Previous work experience/ past employment
• Other relevant qualifications e.g. driving
  license
• Personal qualifications
• Personal skills (hygiene, punctuality, mobility
  etc.)
• Social skills (communication, manners, response
  to criticism etc.)
• Academic skills (reading, writing, numbers, time
  concept, concentration etc.)

10
Supporting choice of careers

• Talk to people doing different types of work
• Gather information about jobs/careers through
  brochures, media, etc.
• Visit different types of work places
• Provide a variety of work experiences

11
Work Experience

• Is a situational assessment
• Is time limited usually up to 6 weeks
• Does not involve an employment contract
• Is not paid
• Has clear goals related to experiencing and
  learning
• Is evaluated

12
Evaluation of work experience

• Timeliness
• Demeanor/Social skills
• Response to environmental factors
• Response to instruction
• Task preferences
• Attention to task

13
Careers break down into skills and steps

• Beautician
• Vet
• Librarian
• Bank clerk
• Nurse
• Garda
• Fireman

14
Career Plan
15
7 step career planning process
7. Make realistic informed choices about a
career plan
6. Identify the obstacles and support strategies
5. Identify the individuals skills for the
career
4. Identify the career steps and Skills required
3. Identify the dream career
2. Develop a vocational profile?
1. Why do you want to work?
16
Customer Relations Skills

• Listening to the needs of the customer
• Effective written and oral communication
• Positive friendly attitude
• Quick response
• Good organisational skills
• Creativity
• Follow through
• Flexible

17
Questions to an employer focus group to identify
employer needs

• What is your biggest need at this time?
• Have you ever hired people with disabilities?
• Do you have concerns about cost or other issues
  in hiring people with disabilities?
• Are you satisfied with your current recruitment
  resources?
• Have you heard of our programme?
• How can our agency help you with your business
  needs?