Region VI CRP-RCEP eNewsletter file:///C:/Sites/Unnamed%20Site%202/crptraditional/Design/publication... The Region VI CRP-RCEP e-News Bulletin is published monthly through a grant awarded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work & Addictions at the University of North Texas. Editor Martha Garber Project Director Contributing Authors Yvonne Raffini Zach Sneed Jim Humes Marcy Haag Principal Investigator Linda Holloway Any comments about the content or design of this e-Newsletter should be directed to Martha Garber Click here to go to our Subscription From the desk of: Martha Garber Vocational experiences and exposure to the world of work are extremely important for youth with disabilities to make a smooth transition from school and find their place in the community. This e-News Bulletin highlights career planning services to youth in transition. Dorothy Brooks of Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) authored an article about a summer program to enhance vocational opportunities for youth who are blind or significantly visually impaired. We've also included some websites we hope you will find useful. Finally, we have provided a link to our CRP Brief: Meeting The Needs Of Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities: Core Competencies For Youth Service Professionals by Curtis Richards & Joan Wills issued today that focuses on the competencies needed to provide youth with disabilities with adequate services. Career Planning with Youth in Transition The Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) recently held its annual Jump Start program, a transition course for high school students who are blind or severely visually impaired. Students came from across Arkansas for a three-week summer program. Jump Start exposes students to the world of work and helps them in transitioning from high school to employment/adulthood. DSB places the students in part-time stipend jobs in the mornings followed by activities in the afternoons and evenings to develop career awareness and self-sufficiency. One of the Jump Start students, Alex Watkins, was featured in an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette about junior volunteers at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She worked in the hospital’s third floor playroom, Camp Wanna Play, because she wants to study child psychology. She said her visual impairment helped her relate to the children at the hospital because she doesn’t judge people by what’s wrong with them. Students went on field trips to businesses and colleges. During the tours of Training Schedule September 18-19, 2007: Building Employer Relationships: Marketing & Job Development, Albuquerque, New Mexico September 28, October 5 & 12, 2007: Diversity Intelligence for Practicing VR Service Providers, Online October 16-18, 2007: Certificate in Employment Services Session I, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Session II: November 27-29) October 19 & 26, 2007: Employment Services & Ethics: The Basics, Online October 30-31, 2007: Supported Employment: Basic Skills Clinic, Hot Springs, Arkansas November 8-9, 2007: Supported 1 of 3 9/4/2007 6:04 PM Region VI CRP-RCEP eNewsletter file:///C:/Sites/Unnamed%20Site%202/crptraditional/Design/publication... Page where you can add or remove your name from our email list. businesses, employers spoke to the students about applying for jobs, the hiring/interview process, and employers’ expectations. Students were taught job search skills and computer technology. They took trips to the mall and grocery stores to learn how to do their own shopping. In addition, they learned how to do their own menu planning, cooking, laundry, budgeting money, banking, and other needs. They also received orientation and mobility training at various locations throughout the city. Learning these skills will help them to be more independent as they go to work or to college. Working part-time and interacting with other students increases the student’s confidence, social skills, and self-esteem. For more information on the program, contact Kandy Cayce with DSB at 501-682-0332. More research on evidence-based practices and transition can be found at the following resources: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/odep.html1. http://www.dol.gov/odep/audiences/youth_family.htm2. http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=205&type=topic&id=113. www.COSDonline.org4. Another New Training Program! EMPLOYMENT SERVICES & ETHICS: THE BASICS Professional practice requires us to ensure that what we are doing is in the best interest of the people we serve. This is often easier said than done when balancing the needs of people with disabilities, our agencies, vendors, the public, employers, and, of course, ourselves. The study of ethics, specifically related to employment services, can help serve as a guide through difficult times, creating a level of confidence that we are taking appropriate actions which are in the best interest of everyone affected by the decision. Zach Sneed will lead this course that explores the intersection of providing employment services and professional ethics in service delivery. An introduction to ethics and major ethical principles involved in the field of rehabilitation and employment services will be presented and discussed. The program is offered in Webinar format so that you can learn from wherever you are. Next Month: Celebrating National Disability Awareness Month! Send Martha an email about how you are celebrating National Disability Awareness Month and we'll mention it in next month's issue of eNews! Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is October 17th and is another way to celebrate disability awareness. Check out the website below for a fact sheet on DMD and a list of DMD coordinators in your state. Employment: Basic Skills Clinic, Dallas, Texas Upcoming Conferences National Rehabilitation Association 2007 Conference & Exhibit, Sept 6-9, 2007, Tucson, Arizona US Business Leadership Network's 10th Annual Conference & 2nd Annual National Career Fair, September 23-26, 2007, Orlando, Florida NCRE/RSA/CSAVR National Training Conference, October 13-16, 2007, Arlington, VA. CSAVR 2007 Fall Conference, October 28-31, 2007, San Antonio, TX National ADA Symposium & Expo, May 12-14, 2008, St. Louis, Missouri There are a lot of "freebies" on the Internet. Here's a link to a bookmark on Transition that you can print out and use at your 2 of 3 9/4/2007 6:04 PM Region VI CRP-RCEP eNewsletter file:///C:/Sites/Unnamed%20Site%202/crptraditional/Design/publication... http://www.dmd-aapd.org/ office to remind you of this month's topic! There's more information on the back too! Click on the bookmark to go to http://youth.eeoc.gov and print out a copy for yourself! What Would You Like to Hear About in Future Issues of e-News? Send your comments and story ideas to e-News Bulletin Project Director & Editor, Martha Garber. This project is in part supported under a grant from the Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and endorsement by the Federal Government should not be assumed. 3 of 3 9/4/2007 6:04 PM