In this issue:
It's National Disability Employment Awareness Month!
ODEP funded initiative keeps asking, "What Can YOU Do?" -- Campaign continues to raise awareness and change attitudes about disability and employment
By Lisa Kaslyn
For the past 22 years, October has been designated National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). But this effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment actually began back in 1945.
"A lot has changed since 1945, but NDEAM continues to shine the light on the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. From wounded warriors returning from Iraq to older employees with disabilities to a young person with intellectual disabilities, the message is the same, the U.S. needs to fulfill its promise of equal opportunity for everyone," says Lou Orslene, co-director of the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). JAN is a free service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor, and a member of the GettingHired.com Service Provider network.
NDEAM has grown to be more than a celebration of disability and employment. The focus on abilities in the workplace has been embraced by employers and disability related organizations alike. Today, through the leadership of ODEP, NDEAM has moved beyond awareness to the provision of actionable steps and tools towards more diverse and inclusive workplaces. NDEAM posters and a four-step reference guide to Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Employees with Disabilities are available for free at http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/rc/odep.htm.
While workplace practices and attitudes affecting people with disabilities have come a long way, there's still work to be done. "The ADA has made significant strides in generating awareness and increasing accessibility for PwDs," says Kevin Fetterplace, a 48 year-old Spina Bifida survivor and founder of Mojo Working, an international music marketing company. "I think the greatest impact of NDEAM and the ADA is on the attitudes of disabled youth. Greater accessibility to education and information has resulted in a younger generation of people with disabilities who demand access and employment -- they are speaking up and gaining political influence. Now we need more corporations to listen and build more accessible workplaces," adds Fetterplace.
How Mentors Helped Me Swim in the Mainstream Job Market
By Jim Hasse
If you're a job seeker with a disability who wants to build a meaningful career in today's mainstream job market, you need mentors who will guide you along the way.
At least, that's what I've learned from my 45 years of business experience as a person with lifelong cerebral palsy, which means I walk and talk with quite some difficulty.
A mentor is any adult who guides the development of another person. He or she provides individualized feedback and guidance with your specific tasks and adjustment issues in mind.
A mentor does not necessarily just teach you how to reach a goal. He or she teaches you how to be the person who can and will achieve it. As an employee with a disability, for instance, you may need someone to help you go beyond the "how to do the task" to "how to be a skillful and reliable performer of a task."
A good mentor assesses all sides of a situation. He or she gives you freedom to grow at your own pace but always challenges you to test unchartered, often uncomfortable territory so you continually make progress toward your goal.
For years, companies have had formal mentoring programs for their employees. But, gaining a mentor also sometimes happens through happenstance as you push yourself into mainstream society. In fact, in my 67 years of life on this Earth, I've found mentors often find me first instead of me finding them. Let me give you a few examples from my own experience.
I didn't realize it at the time, but my mother, Eileen, had a strong influence on the career I would eventually pursue. She was a teacher and a writer, and she passed those skills on to me, not necessarily through innate talent but through deliberate, sustained (often not exciting) practice.
Did You Know?
You Complete Your Profile and We'll Match You with Great Job Opportunities
More than 60,000 great jobs are being listed by the Employer members of GettingHired.com right now. There are jobs in every state. There are jobs that are entry level positions, and there are jobs at the highest levels of the company. There are full time jobs, and there are part time jobs. There may be a job that is ideal for you.
But Employers can't find you, and we can't send you notices of jobs that may be great matches for your skills and interests, if you don't complete your GettingHired.com Profile. With your Profile complete, we will know about your education and work history, and about the type of job you are seeking and how far you are able to commute. After you complete your Profile, simply check the RightMatch box, and we'll start sending you notices of great jobs tailored to your qualifications and interests.
You can mark your Profile Private if you want, but if you want our Employers and your Friends & Associates to be able to search GettingHired.com and find you, you should mark your Profile Public. But whether you choose to have a Public or Private Profile, make sure you check the RightMatch box. And get ready to open the door to opportunity.
Highlighted Article
Recognizing Disability Mentoring Day, Wednesday, October 20th
The Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) Program is a national job-shadow and career exploration program designed to link students and jobseekers with disabilities to employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the largest national cross-disability membership organization in the United States and a member of the GettingHired.com Advisory Council, coordinates DMD nation-wide through a network of more than 350 volunteer DMD Coordinators.
DMD is recognized nationally on the third Wednesday of every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month. AAPD encourages its network of DMD Coordinators to center their local DMD activities around this date; however DMD activities can and do occur around the country on many different dates. Please visit www.DisabilityMentor.net for more information on DMD programs.
DMD connects nearly 20,000 job-seekers with disabilities with thousands of employers in more than 300 locations in every U.S. State and Territory and in more than 24 countries worldwide each year. In addition to job shadowing and career exploration activities, the DMD Program provides a structure for ongoing mentoring leading to internship and employment opportunities.
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