This highly informative module examines current disability statistics, ADA definitions, and the value proposition for employing individuals with disabilities. Together, participants collaborate and document the positive impact including individuals with disabilities in your specific organization’s recruitment and workforce development strategies has on your staff, customers, and suppliers/community. Through the use of mini-lecture, a small group interactive exercise and videos, participants will be able to:

• challenge a personal misconception that surrounds persons with disabilities and employment
• define disability and identify at least 3 benefits to including persons with disabilities in the workplace
• share at least 1 disability statistic and 1 promising practice of leading employers

EVALUATION COMMENTS

“As a parent of a child with disabilities, I am proud to work for a company that is promoting this information and embracing this topic.” 

“You are a resource that has curated excellent content to help us. Thank you!!”

“Great start to the conversation. I wish we had more time to cover even more. We should have more of these!” – Elastic employee

This highly interactive and impactful workshop examines the common fears, misconceptions and stereotypes that surround people with disability. This experience demonstrates how easily emotional reactions to disabilities can be transferred to the work setting, and how attitudes can affect the willingness to hire individuals with disabilities. Taken from the Tilting at Windmills disability awareness and sensitivity training program, this experience is guaranteed to evoke participation ranging from simply raising one’s hand and being counted to sharing personal and professional experiences and insights with the group. After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

• recognize personal attitudes about disability
• challenge personal and public stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions that surround persons with disabilities and employment
• articulate the impact our attitude about people with disabilities has on building a culture of inclusion

This 6-hour interactive workshop prepares attendees to increase their comfort level and expertise with disability. Attendees will come away from this training with the knowledge on how to effectively engage with and educate job seekers with disabilities around corporate disability inclusion practices, characteristics of disability inclusive employers and navigating self-identification and disclosure during the interview process. The workshop is best suited for staff of universities and community colleges, one stop career centers, state agencies, and community-based organizations that provide job search support and placement assistance services to job and intern seeking students and adults with disabilities.

Topics covered include disability sensitivity, awareness and etiquette, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, self-identification, disclosure and interviewing, leading recruitment practices used by employers, and the value proposition for employers to include individuals with disabilities in their recruitment and workforce development strategies. After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Challenge personal and public stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions that surround persons with disabilities and employment
• Articulate the importance of ‘person-first’ language and demonstrate related language do’s and don’ts
• Describe basic norms for interacting with individuals with specific types of disabilities including apparent disabilities such as vision, hearing and mobility impairments as well as mental health, learning and other non-apparent disabilities
• Explain why disability is important to business and identify at least 3 benefits to including persons with disabilities in the workplace
• Differentiate between self-identification and disclosure and counsel job seekers on if, when, and how to share this information with an employer
• Identify at least 3 characteristics of a disability inclusive employer
• Coach job seekers on successful interviewing techniques to increase focus on their ability, not their disability