Article

Changing the conversation: Engaging local communities in new discussions about competitive employment

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Conversations about improving employment outcomes for young people with severe disabilities have been pervasive in the field of special education since the concept of “transition” 􏰐􏰉􏰏􏰄􏰓􏰃􏰏􏰇􏰄􏰔􏰂􏰊􏰔􏰗􏰑􏰣􏰗􏰋􏰄􏰘􏰂􏰃􏰗􏰄􏰇􏰈􏰉􏰊􏰄􏰝􏰜􏰄􏰤􏰗􏰉􏰃􏰏􏰄was first conceived more than 25 years ago (Will, 1984). Despite many hard-fought developments in the areas of legislation, policy, research, and practice, changes in the employment landscape for youth and young adults with disabilities have been strikingly slow and often uneven (Carter, Austin, & Trainor, 2012). Far too many young people with severe disabilities living in communities across the country still do not receive the encouragement, instruction, supports, and linkages they need to share their talents and relationships within the workplace.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... It is through local communities that real change in an individual's status can be observed. A fellow grantee, the TennesseeWorks Partnership, implemented "community conversations" to generate ideas and solutions to employment within local communities in their state as a way to tap into the assets and resources of local communities rather than solely relying on formal systems of services and supports (Carter et al., 2016;Carter, Blustein, Rowan, & Harvey, 2014). Previous studies have applied this approach to uncovering community solutions to the employment of adolescents with disabilities (Trainor, Carter, Swedeen, & Pickett, 2012), increasing summer employment opportunities for transition-age youth with emotional and behavioral disabilities (Dutta et al., 2016), engaging parent leaders in community change efforts (Carter, Swedeen, Cooney, Walter, & Moss, 2012), and generating ideas for the employment of youth with IDD (Carter et al., 2016). ...
... Therefore, it is the communities that are tasked with identifying the solutions and strategies that work toward a particular goal. In line with previous research by Carter et al. (2014;Carter et al., 2016), we found that community conversations offer insights into existing solutions and available resources by a diverse group of community members toward addressing the intractable problem of employment for people with disabilities. Recommendations from our community conversations pointed to the potential influencers for change and specific strategies that can improve employment outcomes. ...
Article
In 2013, California enacted an Employment First policy that prioritized competitive integrated employment as the first option and preferred outcome for adults with developmental disabilities. State agencies are working toward anchoring their policies and practices for successful local implementation of the Employment First policy. This study conducted community conversations to generate recommended strategies by local communities to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Drawing upon the World Café process, an assets-based approach, we engaged 431 employers, educators, disability agency staff, local and state government officials, individuals with disabilities, and other community members in seven geographically diverse areas across California to answer the question “What can we do to increase the number of people with disabilities working in our community?” In addition, responses to participant feedback and follow-up surveys offered additional insight into the perceived ability and readiness of communities to take action toward this goal. Analysis of the conversation notes and responses to the surveys underscored the importance of building partnerships with employers. This study highlights a useful approach for mobilizing communities’ local assets, resources, and ideas that can be used to advance state policy for employment.
... What might it take to dramatically change the opportunities and supports young people with IDD receive to contribute their time and talents within the workplace? Carter, Blustein, Rowan, and Harvey (2014) raised three concerns about contemporary efforts to improve postschool employment outcomes. First, current efforts often focus too narrowly on using the formal system of services and supports designed exclusively for people with disabilities. ...
Article
Amidst decades of attention directed toward improving employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), few efforts have been made to engage communities in identifying local solutions for expanding integrated employment opportunities. We examined the implementation and outcomes of "community conversation" events held in 6 geographically and economically diverse locales. Each event used an asset-based dialogue approach called the World Café ( Brown & Isaacs, 2005 ) to solicit ideas from a broad cross-section of community members on improving integrated employment that reflect local priorities and possibilities. Six key themes encapsulated the 1,556 strategies generated by the almost 400 attendees. Although considerable consistency was found among the categories of strategies raised across events, the manner in which those individual strategies would be implemented locally reflected the unique accent of each community. Attendees also viewed these events as promising and productive pathways for identifying next steps for their community. We offer recommendations for community-level intervention efforts and suggest directions for future research.
Article
BACKGROUND: Expanding competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has remained an enduring emphasis of policy, advocacy, and research. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the pathways identified by two diverse communities for expanding employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Our particular interest was in comparing and contrasting rural and urban communities. METHODS:We used a mixed methods approach to examine (a) the ideas generated at two distinct "community conversation" events involving a diverse group of 146 stakeholders and (b) the findings from end-of-event and follow-up surveys. RESULTS: Although attendees at both events suggested actions surrounding a common set of themes (i.e., developing employment opportunities, undertaking community-wide efforts, enhancing inclusive workplaces, equipping competitive applicants, strengthening school and transition services, supporting families in transition), they varied somewhat in how they proposed applying those actions locally. Most attendees affirmed the value of this structured approach to community dialogue and many later reported enacting ideas they learned at the community conversation. CONCLUSIONS: We offer recommendations for guiding communities in identifying local pathways for increasing competitive, integrated employment opportunities.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.