This training will cover the most effective strategies for staff supporting individuals in employment. Ways to foster a fruitful partnership with an employer will be reviewed such as first impressions, learning company culture, and adapting methods to match the environment and needs of the individual. You will learn about the critical importance of staff supplementing, not replacing, existing natural supports, the full range of support strategies, and the importance of facilitating full social inclusion in employment and community settings.

At this training, you’ll learn about the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the implications of the ADA in terms of supporting individuals to become successfully employed, and ensuring individuals understand their rights under the ADA. This session will also look specifically at the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA, and how to guide and support an individual through identifying and negotiating job accommodations.

The emergence of supported employment can be traced back to the work of Marc Gold, who demonstrated over 50 years ago that through breaking job tasks down to individual steps and identifying methods for prompting and supporting an individual to accomplish each step, individuals with significant disabilities can successfully perform a variety of tasks. At this session's completion, you will understand systematic instruction and how it can be applied as needed to teach individuals how to successfully perform various job tasks. Included in this session will be a discussion of learning theories, and how they are applied in supporting individuals to be successfully employed.