Oahu Family Talk Story About Employment 2015 – May 21-22, 6-7:30pm

From: Tarver, Robert Allen, Jr.
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2015 1:54 PM
Subject: Oahu Family Talk Story about Employment – Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22, 2015 6-7:30 PM

Attached are two flyers for the Talk Story events scheduled for two evenings on Oahu – on May 21st and May 22nd 2015 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. Please distribute to families and individuals with disabilities so they may attend one of these evening events.

These evening sessions are being organized by the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program. You may find more information about this project at the following web page. http://health.hawaii.gov/ddd/efslmp/

On Oahu we will be holding these Talk Story sessions at the following locations:

DATE: Thursday, May 21, 2015
PLACE: Catholic Charities Hawai`i
LOCATION: 1822 Ke‘eaumoku Street, Honolulu
TIME: 6:00 – 7:30 pm

DATE: Friday May 22, 2015
PLACE: Easter Seals Hawai`i
LOCATION: 92-461 Makakilo Dr., Kapolei
TIME: 6:00 – 7:30 pm

FAMILY TALK STORY SESSION
“EMPLOYMENT”
Most adults with disabilities are either unemployed or underemployed, despite their ability, desire, and willingness to work in the community.
Join us in a conversation about the possibility of employment for our family members with a disability. 

Agenda for the evening

• Stories – What is happening now in our community around employment?
• Goals and dreams?
• Barriers? Conflicts in cultural value systems. Myth about Social Security going away. Video of People Working; Reid, Trepp and Becca.
• Why work? Supporting our adult children to have more choices. A broader community of support. Purchasing power!
• Next Steps – Capture and Share your success stories

Talk Story Facilitator: Jennifer White, CEO
Able Opportunities, Inc.
PO Box 468 · Hansville, WA 98340 jennifer@ableopps.com
Jennifer White has worked in the field of rehabilitation since her first paid job with the ARC of Bucks County, PA. After a career as a special education high school transition teacher, she opened Able Opportunities, Inc., a national consulting company. She works with a broad range of people, specializing in vocational, education, and communication goals and programs for children and adults. She has worked as a researcher at the University of Washington to develop accommodation strategies and tools to increase integration for those with more severe disabilities. In Alaska she helped to design vocational, residential and educational programs that serve First Nation People and communities, and has developed and trained nationwide on non-linguistic communication strategies that promote self-determination and autonomy. In 2006 she created the Work Independence Network (WIN) program, a replicable business model for hiring and retaining employees with developmental disabilities in collaboration with Harrison Medical Center and Kitsap County DD. Jennifer is known for innovative, business-minded strategies and for working in minority populations where issues of privilege and cultural respect are vital to long-term success. In 2014, she launched the Work Autonomy App, a person-centered accommodation tool. As a technical assistant in Washington State, she works with schools, employers, families, county coordinators and vocational rehabilitation providers offering training on low and high tech tools that lead to successful placement in paid employment.

Mahalo,
Rob
Rob Tarver
Program Specialist
Hawai`i State Council on Developmental Disabilities
54 High Street, Room 301
Wailuku, HI 96793
Email: robert.tarver@doh.hawaii.gov
Phone: (808) 984-8218 Fax: (808) 984-8222
Website: http://www.hiddc.org