Accessibility Education Center partners with Department of Education on Information Panel
by Jan Janes on Nov 14, 2019Representatives from the Department of Rehabilitation’s (DOR) Gilroy office joined students, clients and area employers to discuss services, successes and a new job coach training program in development during the fourth annual collaboration with Gavilan College’s Accessibility Education Center (AEC).
Panelists included DOR employees, clients and employers, who shared their journeys with the goal of informing others and dispelling myths. Themes throughout were the hope of re-employment after disability, along with the fear of losing hard won benefits.
A number of panelists addressed misconceptions. Individuals who want to return to work can become paralyzed by the fear they will lose all their benefits. Their message: this is a new start, and people can return to work and keep their benefits. Through DOR and its partners, the focus is educating people and their families so individuals can return to productive work and retain the safety net.
Attitude and Motivation – Keys to Success
Employers were represented on the panel as well. Chris Evans, founder of Growing Hearts Garden Center, offered his perspective on recruitment of employees with disabilities. His extended family has personal experience with disabling injury and illness. “We’re out of Hollister, just starting out,” he said. “We have hired two employees with disabilities.” He cites the individual’s desire to work, along with DOR identifying their strengths, as vital factors to success for both employer and employee.
Adam, an employee at Growing Hearts Garden Center, builds his skills working on projects that market the organization. He manages social media, photography, tutorials and online marketing. “I won’t give up what I do and what I love,” he said.
“This is an opportunity to help an employee with their portfolio,” said Evans. “We can measure the impact of Adam’s work on our success.”
Barriers – Visible and Invisible
A former client of DOR, Michelle described recovering from a brain tumor and traumatic brain injury. Currently she does not drive, and family members help with transportation. She worked with DOR to take special driver training in order to avoid license revocation. “The hardest thing I have had to do was driving five hours a day, for five straight days, in Los Angeles,” she said. She is also receiving DOR support for visual training.
“With my illness and injury, I lost my job, my home, my boyfriend, my independence,” Michelle said. On the path to recovery, she spent time volunteering at a hospital rehab center. “It was nice to feel whole again, and the work built my confidence.”
Job Coaching Helps Everyone
During audience engagement, Kim spoke of the benefits of being a job coach. “I developed a disability while working at a major computer company,” she said. After not working for 20 years, her self-esteem and confidence were really low. “DOR offered me a position as a job coach,” she said. “I was able to practice what I preached and regain confidence.” Her role included training DOR clients, along with helping their employers advocate for the employees. But, she said, job coaches aren’t always trained.
In development for the past year, Gavilan College has finalized curriculum for job coach training, a non-credit program.
“This idea developed through the Gavilan Workability program in partnership with DOR,” said Stephen Gaitan, with AEC. Research for this type of training revealed few existing resources on the Central Coast. “We formed a work group of community partners, employers, Gavilan and DOR staff.” The group collaborated for more than a year to develop the course.
The curriculum is being evaluated at the state level, with tentative plans to launch in fall 2020.The plan, with two levels of job coach training, will have Gavilan students and employers connected and includes steps to scale the program after it launches.