Family Engagement in Competitive Employment
QWE Practice Guideline: 162 – Empower employees with disabilities to maximize their employment potential
Target group: Employment professionals supporting individuals with disabilities
Practice Summary
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has developed a train-the-trainer program to be used by employment professionals. The training prepares employment professionals to engage families of individuals with disabilities in the employment process. The curriculum includes step-by-step instructions, videos, and handouts.
Practice Implementation
- Review the training materials and download all relevant documentation
- Two training options are available and either one or both can be conducted depending on client and community needs
- A Future that Includes Employment: A Workshop for Families
- Lighting the Way: Helping Families See Possibilities in Competitive Employment
- Both trainings provide presenter notes, presentation documents, worksheets, handouts, videos, and example documents
- Both trainings include a Positive Personal Profile, which is used to assess an individual’s interests, knowledge, abilities, and skills
- Materials are free and reproduceable
- Two training options are available and either one or both can be conducted depending on client and community needs
- Conducting the training should take into account the size of the training space and capacity of the organizations staff. Also consider the needs of participants, including
- Learning methodologies
- Accessibility
- Accommodations
- Time constraints
- Travel constraints
- After training, follow-up with families should be conducted to ensure
- Understanding of training and associated materials
- How to access shared resources
- How to attend additional training opportunities
Outcomes
- Trained employment professionals will gain the capacity to engage families of individuals with disabilities in the employment process.
- Organizations will benefit from the improved support of employees with disabilities as family members are able to help employees better meet the challenges of navigating the disability employment landscape.
- A decreased disruption in work attendance and productivity should also occur as family members become partners in the employment process.
NPA: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Location: Detroit, MI Date Submitted: 2022 Website: https://www.michigan.gov/som