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Inclusion@Work

SEPTEMBER 2006 ISSUE
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Hello. Welcome to the SEPTEMBER 2006 edition of Inclusion@Work - the e-Magazine of the Oregon Business Leadership Network. Please share it with your friends and colleagues.     In this issue: * New Video: Creating an Inclusive Culture * OHSU’s Experience as a Partner in a new Internship and Summer Hire Center linking business and students with disabilities *OBLN Employer Breakfast on October 31: Tapping fresh talent: Students with disabilities * Incight: Resources for Self-Empowerment * Oregon Commission for the Blind: Summer Work Experience Program * QUESTIONNAIRE: Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities * SPEAKING ABOUT THE OBLN… What Business and Policy Leaders have to say   NEW VIDEO: Creating an Inclusive Culture SunTrust Bank has developed a multi-faceted strategy to employ people with disabilities. This eight-minute video features interviews with employees, with and without disabilities, which highlight the exemplary policies and practices of SunTrust’s inclusive corporate culture. Follow this link to watch the SunTrust video...   “We want the Internship Center to bring community organizations together in this area – instead of competing with each other for internship placements.” - Aubrie Abbott, Incight “It makes you, as an employer, comfortable - knowing that they are following up with the individual and not just dropping them on your doorstep.” - Kathleen Miller, OHSU “The experience was a real eye-opener for us at OHSU. It expanded our perception about what people who are considered to be blind can do.” - Joe Tonn, OHSU (Read full articles below.) OHSU’s Experience as a Partner in a new Internship and Summer Hire Center linking business and students with disabilities Work experiences and internships are crucial experiences for any young person as they explore careers and refine their general and specific work skills. Young people with disabilities are too often excluded from these kinds of opportunities – adding to the obstacles that they already face in preparing themselves for the futures in the workforce. The Oregon Business Leadership Network has partnered with Incight (See the brief profile of Incight below.) to collaboratively develop an Internship Center that will link the budding talents of students with disabilities with Oregon employers who are ready to make these opportunities available to them. As Incight’s Aubrie Abbott explains: “We want the Internship Center to bring community organizations together in this area – instead of competing with each other for internship placements. It will minimize employers’ frustration with the current fragmented approaches and it will provide them with a larger pool of student interns to draw from.” Collaborators, including Oregon’s Youth Transition Program, the Commission for the Blind, and others have been excited about the opportunity to partner with business in designing the new center. As the OBLN, Incight and their collaborating business and service partners tested the wings of their venture this past summer, one story evolved that highlighted the kind of success that they hope to have on a much broader scale in the future. The employer was Oregon Health & Science University and, facilitated by the OBLN and Incight, they welcomed a student from the Oregon Commission for the Blind’s Summer Work Experience Program.   DEVELOPING A PARTNERSHIP Aubrie Abbott, explains how, in seeking community partners for the Internship Center, they included the Oregon Commission for the Blind; “Last spring Lucy Baker of the OBLN and I met with the Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB). We spoke to Mike Ray and Linda Van Doran about their services and let them know about the OBLN/Incight partnership on the Internship Center. We learned that OCB has an internship program called the Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) that is for students with visual impairments and runs for six weeks during the summer.” (Read more about the SWEP program below.) Mike Ray, who is a counselor with the OCB liked what he heard about the Internship Center and how it might support the SWEP program; “Months ago, before the summer SWEP program began, Lucy Baker and Aubrie Abbott met with us to discuss their Internship Center concept. At that time, I mentioned that we were in need of a few more job placements for our students.”   THE OBLN BOARD BRINGS BUSINESS INTO THE DESIGN Also last spring, the Oregon Health & Science University developed an interest in an internship placement. According to Joe Tonn, Director of HR Information Services for OHSU; “Our President at the time, Dr. Peter Kohler, was the Honorary Chairperson of the OBLN. We were approached to consider having a student intern for the summer. Incight had a student that was specifically interested in computers. By the time we got our act together, however, we learned that that particular student had already been placed. So we then developed a list of potential duties that would be helpful to our institution that any intern could do.” Once OHSU had expressed its interest, the OBLN’s Lucy Baker put Joe in touch with Aubrie Abbott to develop the actual placement. Aubrie was quick to respond to OHSU’s interest: “When Lucy let me know that OHSU, an OBLN member company, was interested in hosting an intern with a disability, I contacted Joe Tonn and talked with him more about it. Since they didn’t have an established internship position, I worked with him to create a job description, time frame and the skill set needed for the position.”   SELECTING AN INTERN Based on her understanding of the job description, Aubrie felt that it might be a good fit for a student that was part of the Oregon Commission for the Blind’s SWEP program; “I contacted Mike Ray and he told me that he might have a great student for the position.” Mike had a student in mind for the position but, before committing, he wanted to confirm that he was the right candidate; “Aubrie sent me the job description and I thought it would be a good fit for one of our students – Nathan. I checked it out with both Nathan and his teacher. They confirmed that he had all the necessary skills to perform the tasks in the job description.” Once Mike confirmed that he had a student for the job, Aubrie connected him to OHSU: “Letting them both know that the OBLN and Incight were available for any support they might need, I introduced Joe and Mike. They worked out all the details together.”   THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE AT OHSU Before his internship actually began, Nathan went to OHSU and was interviewed by both Joe Tonn and Kathleen Miller, Manager of HR Services, who was to be his immediate supervisor. Joe says that this initial interview quelled any misgivings that he had held; “When Aubrie first connected me to the Oregon Commission for the Blind, I had a little apprehension, wondering ‘How will a Blind person do filing, sort mail, make photo copies, etc.?’ This was running through my head as an unspoken concern until Nathan arrived for his interview. When I went over the list of duties with Nathan and asked if he could do them, he was very readily able to say ‘Yes, I can absolutely do them.’ And he did!” Early on, Kathleen was given the phone numbers for two OCB counselors that she could contact if ever she needed to, but that never happened. The OCB counselors both initiated regular phone calls to check in and find out how things were going. This kind of involvement was welcomed by Kathleen; “It makes you, as an employer, comfortable - knowing that they are following up with the individual and not just dropping them on your doorstep.” While this was a work experience for Nathan and he was compensated through the Commission for the Blind. He was treated like any other employee. Kathleen even signed time cards for him that Nathan turned in to the commission on a regular basis. Joe emphasizes that Nathan’s placement wasn’t make-work; “We weren’t manufacturing work to keep him busy. We had him take on things that we routinely do all the time in our business.”   According to Kathleen, “Nathan had ongoing daily responsibility for sorting the incoming mail for Human Resources which comes in four times a day. He would work on other assigned tasks that would take several days or several weeks to complete. While Nathan is visually impaired, he was able to do data entry, open and sort mail, do filing by simply holding documents closer that most people would and by enlarging the font size on his computer screen.” Both Joe and Kathleen enthusiastically recount their experience of this internship placement. Kathleen was particularly impressed with how keen Nathan was about his duties; “Nathan was like a sponge. He listened and absorbed. He was curious and eager to learn and wanted to do it right.” Joe was pleased with how readily Nathan was accepted throughout the workplace; “He proved himself to the people he was working with. Kathleen was hearing regularly from her staff; ‘Here is something that we could have Nathan help us out with.’ ”   THE FINAL ANALYSIS: SUCCESS! In the end, this internship was an important and valuable experience for everyone involved. Mike Ray knows that this experience will prove valuable in Nathan’s future endeavors; “This is the first year we have had the opportunity to develop a partnership with the new Internship and Summer Hire Center in its effort to link business with students with disabilities. We are one of the supply side partners for the Center. This work experience is going to look great on Nathan’s resume!” Aubrie Abbott feels that it exemplifies the value of the collaborative approach of the new Internship and Summer Hire Center; “The end result was a six-week internship that was very successful for everyone involved. We consider this the first collaborative success of our evolving Internship Center!” Joe Tonn readily expresses the value of this internship to OHSU; “The experience was a real eye-opener for us at OHSU. It expanded our perception about what people who are considered to be blind can do. The period that Nathan worked for us was our busiest time of the year. I was concerned that the internship might be an impediment to us. Rather than an impediment, Nathan was definitely a help to us throughout this period. I’ve already told Lucy at the OBLN that we are ready for an intern next year again.” (Note: Joe Tonn and Kathleen Miller say that they are both willing to speak to any employers who would be interested in learning more about their internship experience. Joe and Kathleen can be contact through the OBLN office.) Follow this link to learn more about the Internship and Summer Hire Center...     OBLN Employer Breakfast on October 31: Tapping fresh talent: Students with disabilities Aubrie Abbott, Joe Tonn, and Mike Ray will be part of an exciting OBLN breakfast meeting scheduled for October 31 in Portland. Students with disabilities are a budding source of talent coming from Oregon high schools, colleges, community colleges, and universities. In fact, 26% of people with disabilities in Oregon have degrees or advanced degrees. This student pool is historically overlooked by business as a great source of interns and summer hires filled with talent, problem solving, and budding skills. Join us for breakfast and an informative panel presentation on October 31! Follow this link for complete details...     Incight: Resources for Self-Empowerment (From an OBLN interview with Aubrie Abbott) Incight’s mission is to educate and employ people with disabilities with a current emphasis on youth. We serve both high school students and college students. With the high school students, we work mostly in the Portland area. We work with groups of students on empowerment skills training – opening up their vision for their success in education and future employment. We are also available to them for one-on-one meetings with the student, their counselors, and their parents. For the college set, we have scholarships available for students around the nation. These scholarships are for students attending full-time programs at postsecondary trade schools, community colleges, or universities. With those scholarships, students receive help with internship placement and an “E-mentor”. E-mentors are people in business, government or non-profit work who can help the student with his/her specific career and educational goals. E-mentors and students communicate primarily through weekly emails. Incight is well-connected to a large group of high school and college students with disabilities in Oregon. To provide more internship opportunities, we have developed a working relationship with the OBLN (Oregon Business Leadership Network). Together, we are working to create a virtual internship center that will serve businesses and students throughout the State of Oregon. This website will encourage and support businesses to hire students with disabilities as interns and it will make students aware of the internship opportunities available to them. Follow this link to visit Incight's website...   Oregon Commission for the Blind: Summer Work Experience Program (From an OBLN interview with Mike Ray) For over twenty-five years the Oregon Commission for the Blind has operated its Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) to provide employment opportunities for young people at an early age. Participants are high school students who are least sixteen years old. The SWEP program provides them with work experiences or internships similar to what their sighted peers have at that age. About seventy percent of the students who have participated in SWEP have eventually become competitively employed. Every year, between thirty and forty students participate in the program. Students are all considered legally blind - from those who have a lot of usable vision, to those who are totally blind. Students are drawn from across the state to participate in the main Portland-based program and out-of-town students are housed in a college dorm for the duration of the program. A similar program is available to students in their own local communities. In the first week of the Portland-based program, before starting their jobs, students have an initial interview with their employer and they learn and practice the transportation routes to and from their work sites. In that first week, they are also coached in employment preparation skills – job search techniques, interviewing, etc. This year’s students were engaged in a wide range of jobs, including: Receptionist, teaching assistant, research assistant, recreation assistant, clerical worker, technology assistant, food services worker, ground maintenance worker. While participating in this work experience program, most students’ wages are paid through the SWEP program, but a few students are employed directly by the company they are working for. Many of the employers that participate in the program do so year after year. About half of the employers, however, are new each year. We go out and contact employers, explain the program, and develop new work experience sites. We go to the work site and see how jobs are done and what adaptations or accommodations might need to be made for the students. Any adaptive technology that is required on their jobs is provided by OCB. The OCB also covers workers compensation for the students. We let the employers know that we are only a phone call away - that our staff are always available to answer any questions or to come in and intercede in any situation where our help is needed with the employment placement. We also initiate weekly contact with the employer to monitor the placement and get feedback on the student’s performance. At the conclusion of the work experience, we ask the employer to prepare a final evaluation which they present and discuss with the student. We share these evaluations with the students’ teachers so they have an idea what skills to work on - to better prepare the students for next year’s work experiences. We are always looking for more Oregon employers who are willing to open their workplaces to our students. Follow this link to visit the SWEP website...     QUESTIONNAIRE: Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities Since 1978, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has published a Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities - an alphabetical listing of professionals with disabilities holding at least a bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field. The Directory has helped students with disabilities to find role models, scientists and engineers to share information on job accommodations, and has been a resource for many related organizations and employers. The AAAS is currently updating the Directory and is encouraging scientists and engineers with disabilities to register online. Please alert any coworkers or associates that might be interested in registering. Follow this link to the AAAS Questionnaire…     SPEAKING ABOUT THE OBLN… What Business and Policy Leaders have to say Business and Policy leaders have been generous in their complements and in their support of our work to help Oregon businesses become more inclusive of people with disabilities. We have recently compiled a number of their statements on our website. Among the other contributors are: Duncan Wyse, Executive Director of the Oregon Business Council, Dr. Peter Kohler, President of Oregon Health & Science University, and Lita Colligan, Workforce Policy Advisor for the Oregon Governor’s Office. Follow this link to read what people are saying about the OBLN…   NDEAM – Is your company taking advantage of it? October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Many companies use NDEAM as an annual opportunity to increase the disability-friendliness of their companies through educational events, special recruiting initiatives, etc. The theme for NDEAM 2006 is "Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce." Read more about NDEAM and how you can participate…   Disability Mentoring Day – October 18, 2006 Disability Mentoring Day provides public and private employers with an opportunity to recruit interns, tap a pool of potential future employees, learn more about the experience of disability, develop lasting relationships with disability community leaders, and demonstrate positive leadership in their communities. Join Nike, Wal-Mart and other Oregon companies who are actively participating in Disability Mentoring Day! More information on Disability Mentoring Day...   ABLE: How one company's disabled workforce became the key to extraordinary success! Now available in our store!! This terrific little book testifies to the phenomenal success of Habitat International, a Tennessee-based carpet manufacturer that proactively seeks out employees with disabilities. Based on experience, they shatter the erroneous myths about employees with disabilities that are commonly-held by employers. In a time when companies are outsourcing abroad, Habitat International, a Tennessee-based carpet manufacturer, has managed to achieve superior levels of productivity at home, often two to three times greater than its competition. Habitat’s business has grown enormously, with much of its new business coming from work outsourced to them by competitors who could not come close to matching its productivity. At Habitat three of every four workers have a physical or mental disability. They earn normal wages and are cross-trained on every job. They work harder, with less supervision, lower turnover and an unparalleled level of loyalty. 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