Put on your reading glasses (or gear up your screen reader) and grab a cup of coffee. This issue will require more that a cursory scan...

Back in June, we published an article by Shayn Anderson that, among other issues, raised the concern that the organizations that work with people with disabilities are not adequately preparing them for the “real world”. In Shayn’s words; “It is an absolute disservice to clients with disabilities to not give them the true picture of the business world. To not empower clients with the soft skills they will need to effectively operate within the business norms that they will face is irresponsible.” Last month, Deb Dagit followed up on this theme in her article “We Have Found The Enemy and They Are Us”. Deb emphasized the need for people with disabilities to be well-prepared as they enter the job market, noting that “People with disabilities as well as their service providers, families and teachers are not getting the message.”

Both of these articles struck a chord with many of our readers and generated an astonishing amount of reader feedback. Because they add more perspective to this important dialogue, I have included several of the responses to Deb’s article in this issue. You will note that John Colby provided a particularly thoughtful response – taking exception to some of the notions expressed in Deb’s article. Deb, in turn, contributed a response to John that drives home her belief in the poignancy of this entire discussion – going as far as to say; “I believe people with disabilities are at war”.

On another front, we are including a “Guest Article” by Bruce Ferris. It is unlike any other article that I’ve read by a Vocational Rehabilitation professional. I admit to have been totally intrigued by his opening line: “Comprehensive assessment is a beautiful process…” Beautiful? Well, read on…

Sorry, I didn’t have time to include other “Resources” in this issue. I’ll just have to bundle them up for inclusion in our September issue.

- Rob McInnes, Diversity World

“Wow! Coming on the heels of Shayn's great article, this is fantastic. All to often, we 'hand hold ' our consumers by not holding them to the same standards set for non-disabled individuals in the employment arena. In today's world and business environment, we need to understand a bottom-line philosophy-if it does not enhance and support the organization, it drains needed resources.

We spend money and time training our consumers in technical skills and then do not teach them how to effectively market themselves. There needs to be a change in the manner in which we interact with our consumers from our first meeting. The emphasis needs to be on employment and accessing those services needed to reach that goal. We also need to work with our Job Development Provider Organizations to continue the message that employment is our key goal. Many of our Provider Organizations see themselves as Social Service entities asking employers to hire our consumers rather than professional job developers with a valuable commodity to market-our consumers as the answer to the organization's employment needs.

Please keep the message going that our consumers must be prepared to compete in today's labor market.”

- Loran F. Vetter, MS, Statewide Coordinator for Workforce Development, California LVetter@dor.ca.gov

“Thanks to Diversity World for your keen insights on disability and assimilation, and in particular for this recent emphasis on employment among candidates with disabilities. As a 23 year professional with a disability and currently Manager of nAblement Solutions for SPR, a 30 plus year IT consulting firm in Chicago and Milwaukee, I genuinely appreciate this insightful probing of this complex, and yet simple, challenge of encouraging the placement and long-term success of greater numbers of PWD in the workforce. We are continually challenged to identify college students and new grads with disabilities who exhibit the markers necessary to succeed in the IT field.

Our Apprenticeship program's success hinges on our capacity to identify these quality young people and then help to mentor them toward success. As Deb noted, before we can genuinely sell those characteristics that we perceive to be prevalent among PWD heading into the workforce such as perseverance, creativity, and the ability to work effectively with their peers, we must genuinely see that in these candidates. Our nAblement recruiter is continually pressing and probing these candidates when reviewing their resumes to note any internships (and often encouraging them to do the work to identify internships or other opportunities to hone work skills), and transferable skills gained while in school or related to social or organizational roles, as well as to fully expound on the technical classes they've taken so that we can more effectively "sell" them to recruiters and IT hiring managers.

We are creating open and honest dialogue with the IT hiring community in an as yet candidate rich environment. In order to capitalize on the genuine interest of these clients to bring on qualified PWD into their operations, we must have an available pipeline of candidates with the aforementioned skills and more whom we can help groom for a long-term, prosperous career.”

Sincerely,

Patrick Maher, nAblement Manager, SPR Inc., Chicago, IL pmaher@sprinc.com

“I found the articles in the last 2 months very interesting. It seems that adjustments need to be made on both ends, from people with disabilities and the non-disabled.

I am a guidance counsellor working in a Community College in New Brunswick and I was wondering how I could be of help to people with disabilities, especially learning disabilities. We have students who when they begin college already know that they have a learning disability, and we have students that will learn of their learning disability while in college. Let me tell you it’s a real blow for them and I find it difficult to help them cope and adjust. We have a learning support center so there are a few of us on hand, but I’m always looking for ways to improve the services. I find that the learning disabled students don’t necessarily integrate well with their classmates and in general, in the college. This worries me because I would love to have them fit in more and I know that the disabled students would love that as well, since they usually share their concerns with me. We rush to put accommodations in place, such as part-time studying, tutoring but nothing is done t o improve the social integration and how to deal with their disability.

I do know that everyone and I mean every staff member has to pitch in. It’s not just the student services problem, as some like to put it. It’s a collective thing. Would you happen to have ideas or programs that have worked well and that could be of inspiration to me?

Thanks.

- Brigitte Landry, Guidance Counsellor, New Brunswick Community College, Campbellton, NB Brigitte.Landry@gnb.ca

“I am writing in response to a recent article in your online newsletter by Deb Dagit. While I agree with some of the points she makes, the spirit of her article concerns me. First the title "We Have Found The Enemy and They Are Us" frames disability issues in a semi-deprecating manner. The tone of the title and her article suggests self-blame rather than self-responsibility. The disabled are not in a war - there are no enemies and no victims. Her article frames the workplace in competitive terms: one must do whatever is necessary to make oneself attractive to employers and outpace one's competitors. Arguably, the most successful and innovative companies are those in which employees cooperate and feel respected by their bosses. Deb essentially turns the view that the disabled need accommodations on its head, and if you take her views to their logical conclusion then if you don't 'succeed' it is your 'fault': you weren't prepared, didn't have the right attitude, etc.

While I believe in self-responsibility I also accept that the struggles life hands us are varied and beyond our control. The disabled, if you choose to use that term, are a very diverse community. How can one equate someone with a serious mental illness with someone else having a neurological disorder or to another who is blind. Also, individuals have different support systems and healthcare services. Personally, I have been very successful in dealing with my condition. The medicines I take are very effective, I have a supportive community of health-care professionals and friends. Yet it has taken me ten years to reach the point of nearly finishing my doctorate. I established a student group for disabled students at my university, and I was constantly impressed by the intelligence, persistence and kindness, (yes kindness), of my group peers. That said, I saw many students drop out of the group and even school because of adverse medical situations. I have also worked in the me ntal health system. I found the system condescending towards those who were very functional, yet I also observed that many clients, even with medication, were nowhere close to the point of working in a 'competitive' job. People, disabled or not, are individuals with individual gifts and needs. The cycles of their lives may not synch with those of the business world.

I respect and honor Deb's experiences and achievements. Kudos to her. But I find her views somewhat myopic. Many people with 'disabilities' are struggling just to get through each day, and are in no position to compete. Some might never reach that point. Emphasizing competition so strongly is internalizing the worst aspects of the dominant system. This is the same system which tells a poor working single mother that she is poor because she deserves to be or chooses to be - which is like saying that a child born into wealth deserves all that they receive as a matter of nature. Moreover these attitudes internalize a world-view which is exploitative. It says, I must do whatever is necessary to make myself attractive to an employer who need not have any sense of responsibility towards me beyond their bottom-line. While Deb seeks to empower the 'disabled' she also disempowers them. Economies and businesses can be built upon very different principles and produce different work envi ronments.

Finally, I agree with Deb's thoughts about education, parents, and teachers. Yet I take issue with her 'message': one must prepare to compete in the global job market, one should study subjects that have applicability in the job market, and encourage people to compete. Deb and I have two conflicting world-views: she seems to adhere to the dominant paradigm in this country which seemingly encourages individuals but really objectifies them and does not recognize their individual talents and desires. On the other hand, I struggle for a world where achievement nourishes the spirit and celebrates the individual. In Deb's world, Cezanne would have followed his father's wishes and lived out his days as a banker rather than becoming the father of modern art.

There is no need for any of use to be victims, or enemies. Our only obligations are to be who we are, to mutually respect ourselves and others. Empowerment comes in many forms."

- John Colby, Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science, Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz colby@soe.ucsc.edu

“John provides an important point of view regarding the importance of strong self esteem for people with disabilities.

I completely agree that there are people who have conditions that either chronically or intermittently keep them from being able to work in a full time competitive work setting and these individuals should be provided with opportunities to fully participate in society and feel valued.

The thoughts I shared were not about the self esteem of people with disabilities, they were about why people with disabilities who can work and want to work are so frequently unemployed or underemployed. It did not seem that this was the topic John was speaking to.

I believe people with disabilities are at war. We are fighting public perception and stigma. We are suffering from a "crisis in expectation." Too few people expect us to want to or be able to fully and competitively participate in school and in the labor force. The level of expectation is not mitigated by degree of ability. The stigma of having any type of disability is magnificently and equally oppressive. Whether a disability is visible or not, knowledge of its existence rarely elicits a positive response/expectation. Yes, we are often featured in the living section as being inspirational as we cope with challenges that others cannot fathom with grace and humor, but how often are we included in the business section?

I am not sure I follow John's logic about accommodation. Yes, anyone who requests a reasonable accommodation should receive it in an appropriate and timely manner. I spent a good deal of time driving that point home when I was placing people with disabilities into jobs for 4 years and lobbying for these provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act. I do not think that employers have an obligation to create jobs for people, they need to prepare for the ones that exist based on labor market needs.

I have 3 kids with 3 different types of disabilities. By making sure they can compete educationally and socially to the best of their abilities, they have options in their life, not forced choices. If they want to be painters, singers, or some other pursuit that does not involve the business world that is fine, but the choice is not pre-ordained by not being as prepared as possible to choose from a broad menu.

My condition is such that I could easily make the case that I cannot work and qualify for government assistance. There are days when that sounds very appealing as I struggle to manage pain and get from point A to point B without injury. The point is, I have a choice because I can compete if I want to. In the world of people with disabilities I think we should all have the opportunity to live up to our full potential, whatever that is. I have 5 younger brothers who do not have disabilities who have chosen much less stressful lives in the arts, construction, and the clergy. They work much fewer hours, have months off at a time annually, and have very little in the way of demands placed on their performance. They had the educational preparation and encouragement to choose their life path and make informed choices.

Empowerment is not only supporting people's choices, it is making sure they have the access and encouragement needed to be prepared for a full range of options.”

- Deb Dagit

- by Bruce C. Ferris

Comprehensive assessment is a beautiful process and critical part of the casework delivery system in Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). When assessment instruments administered by our profession are joined with the competent and caring hands of the VR professional, a miracle occurs. It is a miracle often unnoticed by the media and, in some cases, the customer we serve but a miracle just the same. The miracle takes place when a customer is recognized as an individual having unique gifts and talents and assessed by a time-proven process designed to bring those "potentials for working" to the surface.

Comprehensive assessment is where the "rubber of informed customer choice meets the road." We must remember that although a customer's gifts and talents manifest in different ways, one is no less worthy as a person than another because of them. If the human heart behind the work speaks its love through the gift of "working with wood", or "cooking a gourmet meal" or "helping a stranded motorist" is not each an equal voice of service and worthy of our respect? A customer's autonomy is the key to ownership and successful partnership in the VR process. How unfortunate that one gifted to play a professional sport or provide an academy award winning role or perform a Grammy winning song is often elevated over others in society as "specially-gifted", "superstars" or worthy of the envy and emulation of others. Vocational Rehabilitation proudly says the opposite: "Every person has value and each person's gifts and talents, when discovered through comprehensive assessment, are a unique expression of what that person may be destined to achieve." How exciting to be in a program that brings "the discovery of dreams to the reality of life" for persons with disabilities.

How sad in society when people equate one person over the other or view one medium of expression less caring than the other when it comes to considering gifts and talents. It is as ludicrous as giving one wing of a plane greater importance than the other when it comes to flying. Who are we to say one's gift and talent in working must be expressed in a certain way? Gone are the days "of the same old job for the same disability group." Such thinking limits the many facets and layers of human potential that are often waiting to spring into action if given the chance. That is why "customer interest" and the counselor "thinking outside the box" play key roles in the partnership of comprehensive assessment. Comprehensive assessment when properly used sees the beauty where the hand has equal status with the foot and the ear equal status with the eye. May it never be said of Vocational Rehabilitation that we categorize people as "introverted", "unloving" "unintelligent" or "different" simply because they do not fit into someone's preconceived "box" or because they communicate through a different medium that may not comply with society's expectation or accepted norm of the day.

Our challenge is to creatively bring to the surface a customer's potential so they can grasp it. Look for the customer's passion in the expression of their gift and not the difference in the expression of it. If we do this, it will expand our own capacity to see untapped potential in our most limited customers while allowing them to live independently and enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of American society.

Bruce C. Ferris is a Research and Training Specialist with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in Tallahassee, Florida. Phone: (850) 245-3399 Email: ferrisb@vr.doe.state.fl.us

Please consider sending us your opinions, perspectives, experiences or related resources on this topic. Unless you specify otherwise, your comments and contact information may be edited/published in a future edition of this Newsletter.

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Is your organization holding an event that might be of interest to our 3000+ readers? Would you like to add your event to our listings?

September 26 & 27, 2005 – San Francisco, CA

“Empowering Employers to Build an Inclusive Workforce”

For over 21 years, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has provided focused, trusted, and informed answers to these and other questions. This annual conference unites JAN consultants with featured speakers who have expertise in employment law, innovative employment practices, and disability issues.

October 19, 2005

Disability Mentoring Day is a nationwide event that promotes career development for youth with disabilities. Both public and private employers are encouraged to provide one-on-one mentoring for students to learn about the preparation necessary to qualify for a range of jobs opportunities. The U. S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy is the lead agency for federal sector participation in Disability Mentoring Day and the American Association of People with Disabilities is the national coordinating body.

November 1-3, 2005 - Pittsburgh, PA

“Ignite Business to See Ability”

This three-day event provides networking, education and resources related to the business case for employment of people with disabilities and marketing to customers with disabilities. Attendees typically include employers whose corporate policies include workers and customers with disabilities and those that want a good resource for starting to develop best disability practices.

I have inherited the task of finding an internship and employment for a visually impaired paralegal student. Quite unfortunately my predecessors spoon fed this student through the education process. He has had the required text read to him and notes are usually taken for him, I must now attempt to put him in a real world situation where none of the latter will be done for him. We have failed him miserably and now we are telling him he is prepared to go to work. Personally I only see him making it if he has an assistant and is not applying to be a legal assistant. I am open to any and all advice.

- Wendell Myers

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