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OCTOBER 2008 ISSUE
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Hello!
Welcome to the OCTOBER 2008 edition of Inclusion@Work
- the eMagazine of the Oregon Business Leadership
Network.
Please be sure
to share this issue with your friends and
colleagues!
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In This Issue:
Project SEARCH comes to OHSU – New Job
Opportunities for People with Developmental Disabilities.
Learn how this new program promises to contribute to
diversity goals and reduce turnover rates at OHSU.
Superior Employment Opportunities for
People with Developmental Disabilities – DePaul
Industries
and Project SEARCH
Oregon
Business Leadership Network Chosen as Recipient for
"Making A Difference In Disability" Award
Sneak Preview:
New OBLN Video on Diversity and Disability
"Live
Resume" - A Unique Recruiting Event Planned
For Salem Businesses
Incight is
awarded USBLN 2008 "Partner of the Year" Award
 Watch
OBLN Executive Director, Lucy Baker speaking on
Comcast NewsMakers about the OBLN and employment
of people with disabilities in Oregon.
Real Player
Windows Media
Player |
Now in our
Store:
 Getting
It Right: Etiquette Tips
Limited
Time Offer $149.95
Particularly geared to the workplace,
this is a fun and engaging new tool for teaching
basic disability etiquette and developing
greater disability awareness.
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LEAD
STORY:
Project SEARCH
comes to OHSU – New Job Opportunities for People
with Developmental Disabilities
 "Under
the Project SEARCH model, an employer like OHSU
partners with a community agency to make job
opportunities available to people with
developmental disabilities... Giving people the
opportunity to get off of social security, to
earn a living, and to build a pension for
themselves, ultimately benefits all of us."
-
Ellen
Rensklev, Oregon Health and Science University
 "Project
SEARCH... is the best employment program model
that I have ever seen for people with
developmental disabilities."
- Dave Shaffer, CEO, DePaul Industries
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For
Your Calendar:
November 13, 2008 -
Salem LIVE RESUME event: a terrific networking event for
employers and selected job seekers with disabilities!
December 3, 2008 -
United Nations International Day of Disabled Persons.
January 13, 2009 -
Milwaukie/Clackamus area LIVE RESUME event: a terrific
networking event for
employers and selected job seekers with disabilities!
(Details TBA)
More on the OBLN
Calendar of Events... |
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Oregon Speaks Out! ... on disability and employment.
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Debbie Alsop
Health Care Recruiter
Kaiser Permanente
"In my opinion, people
with disabilities are a largely untapped piece
of our workforce... From a sourcing, recruiting,
and retention standpoint, there is tremendous
opportunity for employers who establish the
infrastructure to employ people with
disabilities."
Read more from Debbie...
Here |
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Read more quotes from Oregonians concerned with
employment issues for people with disabilities! |
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Project SEARCH comes to OHSU – New Job Opportunities for
People with Developmental Disabilities
Oregon
Health and Science University (OHSU) will soon be
launching an exciting new program intended to give them
access to a new talent pool. The program is based on the
Project SEARCH model developed at Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital. Ellen Rensklev, Risk Insurance Administrator
in OHSU’s Department of Risk Management has spearheaded
the project and shares her thoughts with us in this
issue of Inclusion@Work.
OBLN:
Ellen, can you briefly explain what the Project SEARCH
model is?
Ellen Rensklev: Under the
Project SEARCH model, an employer like OHSU partners
with a community agency to make job opportunities
available to people with developmental disabilities. The
partner agency helps the employer to identify suitable
jobs and to recruit appropriate employees. It provides
on-the-job support and training for the new employees
with disabilities. It also provides ongoing on-site job
retention staff to ensure that the employees can
successfully maintain employment and advance in their
chosen careers.
OBLN:
Ellen, how did you, as someone involved in Risk
Management, become engaged in this innovative recruiting
program?
Ellen Rensklev: Part of
my job responsibility is overseeing OHSU’s workers
compensation program. This includes our return to work
program for injured workers. We place employees who are
on modified or restricted duty back into jobs in their
departments.
We do a lot of training with our
managers on understanding how best to work with people
with disabilities and I always try to keep informed
about best practices in returning folks to the workplace
- whether it is folks with lifelong disabilities,
disabilities acquired later in life, or issues related
to the aging workforce. In January of 2007, I had the
opportunity to attend a luncheon co-sponsored by the
Oregon Business Leadership Network. The speaker was Erin
Riehle from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and she spoke
about the Project SEARCH program.
From Erin’s
remarks, I gleaned a lot of good information for
retaining some of our existing employees who, because of
workers compensation or personal health issues, are
precluded from doing their regular jobs. However, I was
also persuaded that the Project SEARCH model itself was
the right thing for us at OHSU to do. We strongly
believe in multicultural and diversity issues as well as
the employment of folks with disabilities. I took on
this project as a “side job” and, with a passion,
continued to find out more about Project SEARCH. Early
on, I traveled to Cincinnati to attend a Project SEARCH
conference. I came back convinced that there wasn’t any
good reason why we couldn’t do the same thing here.
OBLN:
What did you do to build support for this initiative at
OHSU?
Ellen Rensklev: I began
speaking to different people at OHSU about the Project
SEARCH program, educating one person at a time. I even
discovered that we already have a number of employees
here who are developmentally disabled who would likely
benefit from the additional supports, like job coaching,
that are part of the Project SEARCH model.
About a year ago, we invited
Erin Riehle to come to OHSU to speak about Project
SEARCH. This introductory meeting was attended by some
high level directors in human resources, our affirmative
action group and a variety of managers. It was
well-received and generated a lot of interest.
OBLN:
As we understand it, the Project SEARCH model is a
partnership between a company and a community agency. Do
you have a partner agency?
Ellen Rensklev: Here in
Oregon, DePaul Industries has a contract with Project
SEARCH. We have partnered with them and have been
actively working with them for about six months. As our
partner, their role is to help us to identify
appropriate jobs at OHSU, to find the right employees,
and to provide on-the-job support to those employees.
Without DePaul Industries and a signed contract with
Project SEARCH, this would not be happening at OHSU.
While you need businesses like OHSU to open their doors
to make something like this happen, it cannot be done
without a partner agency like DePaul.
OBLN:
You have been very thorough in developing this project
at OHSU. How close are you to launching it?
Ellen Rensklev: We
brought Erin Riehle back again for a meeting on October
6.The presentation was attended by OHSU directors,
managers, human resources staff and others. To show
their commitment, the Board of Directors of DePaul
Industries also attended.
Late in October, I also made a
presentation to the OHSU Diversity Advisory Council.
This created a whole new level of interest in Project
SEARCH and I am getting more people calling me about how
they can get involved.
Megan Brynelson is the Job Coach
from DePaul Industries who is assigned to us and will be
our on-site support person. She is currently working
very closely with two or three of our managers and we
have already identified three jobs which we think
Project Search employees can be successful at. They are
in our departments of Transportation, Food & Nutrition,
and Environmental Services. She is working with the
managers to further understand and refine the job
descriptions.
Next week, Megan is meeting with
two people who are candidates for the program. That is
how close we are. We hope to have our first Project
SEARCH employee within the next 2 -3 months. I would
like to see 10 to 15 people employed by the end of our
first year.
OBLN:
You have made it clear that the Project SEARCH model
fits well within OHSU’s focus on workforce diversity.
Are there other business reasons that make the Project
SEARCH program attractive to OHSU and other companies?
Ellen Rensklev: In the near
future, as baby-boomers leave the work place, employers
are going to be facing a work force shortage. All
employers will be looking for new sources of employees.
Employers involved with Project SEARCH repeatedly tell
me that their Project SEARCH employees are more
dependable, have lower absentee rates and higher
production rates than many of their other employees.
Many employers have entry level
positions or repetitive jobs that are hard to fill or
have very high turnover rates. Folks with developmental
disabilities can do well and even thrive in these kinds
of positions. Companies that have these kinds of
positions should definitely work with Project SEARCH to
see if there are individuals with the skill sets to
perform those duties.
Getting involved with Project
SEARCH is also certainly the right thing to do. I have
met with over forty individuals with disabilities who
have been employed through Project SEARCH. All of these
individuals want to work and are very proud of the fact
that they work. They all now have health benefits,
retirement benefits, and vacation benefits.
Giving people the opportunity to
get off of social security, to earn a living, and to
build a pension for themselves, ultimately benefits all
of us.
Visit the OHSU website:
http://www.ohsu.edu/
Read OBLN's 2006
Interview with Erin Riehle,
Director of Project SEARCH
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2008
flexAbility Toolkit -
Free
Guidebook for Oregon employers!
Newly updated, the 2008 version of the
flexAbility manual contains almost 200
pages of resources developed
specifically to support Oregon
employers. Key chapters include: |
Introduction
A matter of respect
Employment strategies
Vocational rehabilitation
Financial incentives
Workplace accommodations
2008 flexAbility
Toolkit Here |
Real people, real jobs
Disability legislation
Small Business Guide: The ADA
Glossary of common terms
Employer resource guide |
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Superior
Employment Opportunities for People with Developmental
Disabilities – DePaul
Industries
and Project SEARCH
DePaul Industries
is the Project SEARCH partner agency that is working
with OHSU. DePaul Industries mission is “to help people
with disabilities have the opportunity to work” and in
working with the business community they focus on
“providing best-in-class value to our customers”. We
learned more about their role in Project SEARCH when we
spoke to Dave Shaffer, CEO and Megan Brynelson, Project
SEARCH Program Coordinator.
OBLN: How did DePaul Industries become involved as a
Project SEARCH partner agency?
 Dave
Shaffer: When I learned about the Project SEARCH
model it really attracted my interest. In my mind it was
well put together, readily marketable to the business
community and it provided superior employment
opportunities for people with developmental
disabilities. In fact, bar none, it is the best
employment program model that I have ever seen for
people with developmental disabilities. Getting involved
was a very clear and easy decision.
Several months ago,
DePaul Industries struck a formal working relationship
with Project SEARCH to be the local agency that will
partner on projects with both Oregon Health Sciences
University and with Legacy Health System.
OBLN:
When you partner with a company in developing a Project
SEARCH initiative what role do you play?
Megan Brynelson:
The company’s managers identify open positions, and
I do a job analysis to learn the working environment.
From that, I develop a detailed report that will help to
recruit the best possible job candidate. Once I am
working on-site in the workplace I can build
relationships with other managers and provide them with
similar reports for other positions identified for
Project SEARCH.
Dave Shaffer:
This process is driven by the needs of the business.
When they identify a specific position, we go out and
recruit an individual with a developmental disability
who, in our opinion, is most likely to succeed in that
job.
 Megan
Brynelson: Once a Manager hires the job candidate of
their choice, I can provide on-site employment
consultation to create the best accommodations and tools
for the new employee, educate the employer, and ensure
that they have a great working relationship.
OBLN: So, Megan, you have an ongoing presence in the
workplace?
Megan Brynelson:
Yes, I will be on-site to ensure job retention –
anticipating any problems and/or solving them as soon as
they arise.
Dave Shaffer:
It is really a consultative role. Megan will be there on
an ongoing basis, working with the supervisor and the
employee to help them work through issues that arise and
ensuring that the individual succeeds.
OBLN: OHSU is obviously sold on the Project SEARCH
model. As you reach out to other companies, what do you
consider to be the “selling points” of this approach?
Dave Shaffer:
This model works best in companies have a fairly large
employee base – at least a couple of hundred. If a
company has difficulty filling specific jobs
(particularly if they are complex and systematic) or if
they have difficulty in keeping jobs filled, the Project
SEARCH model can be a very solid solution for their
needs. The type of employees that we recruit tend to be
very loyal, have very good attendance records, and be
very good employees in general.
Through Project
SEARCH, our recruiting services, ongoing on-site support
and technical assistance are a no-cost solution for the
company. In order to make it work, companies may need to
invest some effort over and above their normal
recruiting routines, but the payoff is also going to be
way over and above their normal results.
Visit the DePaul Industries website:
www.projectsearchdepaul.com
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Oregon Business Leadership Network Chosen as
Recipient for "Making A Difference In Disability" Award
 (PORTLAND,
OR) The Oregon Business Leadership Network (OBLN) was
chosen as a recipient for the 2008 “Making a Difference
in Disability” award, presented on Tuesday, Oct. 21 in
the Portland City Council chambers. The “Making a
Difference in Disability” award recognized the
outstanding contributions by the employer-led,
non-profit organization in its efforts to improve
employment prospects and consumer choices for people
with disabilities.
Lucy Baker, OBLN’s Executive
Director accepted the award on behalf of the OBLN Board
of Directors and staff for its dedication and commitment
to people with disabilities.
OBLN was selected by the
Portland Citizens’ Disability Advisory Committee
consisting of community leaders and advisors to Portland
Mayor Tom Potter and the City Council.
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Sneak Preview: New OBLN Video on Diversity and
Disability
Take a sneak
preview (2 minutes) of our new teaching video on
diversity and disability which is being produced by the
OBLN in partnership with Steve Hanamura, a well known
speaker, author on diversity and leadership issues, and
owner of Hanamura Consulting. The documentary titled,
“I Hurt, You Hurt, We All Hurt,” was filmed by Morgali
Films, during the long and grueling relay race - the
197-mile Hood-to-Coast Relay. The race, which takes
place in August, starts near the top of Mount Hood and
ends in Seaside, Oregon.
 Each
of the relay teams has 12 runners except Hanamura’s team
who has thirteen members. That’s because Hanamura is
blind and uses a sighted runner who guides him by voice
and a bungee cord.
Hanamura’s reasons for wanting
to film this year’s race was to create a video that
could be used as a training tool - demonstrating the
relationship between leadership, diversity and
disability.
The documentary, Hanamura said,
will show how people work through adversity and how the
needs of each individual can be met. It’s also important
to be included despite having a disability, he said.
Sneak Preview on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEDRi-CqX-o
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 Next
Month in Inclusion@Work...
An Interview with Luke Visconti
We are please to announce that the November issue of
Inclusion@Work will feature an Interview with Luke
Visconti a partner and co-founder of DiversityInc, the
magazine and
DiversityInc.com.
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"Live Resume" - A Unique
Recruiting Event Planned For Salem Businesses
Salem businesses and employers
are invited to meet a small group of untapped talented
workers in a more relaxed atmosphere when they attend
“Live Resume,” a unique recruiting event to be held on
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at
Salem’s American Treasure – Mission Mill Museum in The
Card Room, 1313 Mill Street SE, Salem.
 Live
Resume provides employers with the opportunity to meet a
small group of polished, motivated, skilled, and
dependable job seekers with disabilities and hear their
“live resumes.” This event is designed to give
employers the opportunity to tap into the talent they
need as well as help them meet their workforce diversity
goals and strategies. There are some 400,000 Oregonians
with disabilities who are of “working age,” and two, out
of three of those who are not working, say they can and
want to work.
Come and have fun, do some
networking and enjoy breakfast. Mission Mill Museum is
providing a one year membership as the door prize and
you could be the lucky winner. But space is limited for
this event, so please RSVP by Nov. 10 to
obln.events@obln.org.
The cost is $15 per person. For more information call
503-281-1424.
Live Resume” is a
collaboration of the OBLN and Oregon Office of
Vocational Rehabilitation Service to provide a job
networking opportunity between employers with job
openings and selected job seekers with disabilities.
See
November 13 LIVE RESUME Flyer
Read about the
August 15 LIVE RESUME
event in Salem
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Incight is awarded USBLN 2008 "Partner of the Year"
Award
 At
its 2008 Conference, held in Portland last month, the
USBLN announced the winners of its national Exceptional
Leadership Awards. Included in the recipients was
Portland-based Insight - recognized for its innovative
partnership with the Oregon Business Leadership Network.
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
The Oregon Business Leadership
Network nominated Incight for the Partner of the Year
award. Since 2006, Incight partnered with the OBLN to
jointly develop our Internship and Summer Hire Center.
Together they collaborated with other partners to link
Oregon business with the emerging talents with students
with disabilities.
AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR
Wilson Resources nominated the
First Coast BLN for Affiliate of the Year award. The
First Coast BLN established a strong partnership with
the Job Opportunity Consortium, an organization of more
than 25 service providers assisting people with
disabilities to become employed. The BLN and the JOC
have partnered on training programs for job seekers with
disabilities and training for JOC service providers on
how to work with employers.
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
The Connecticut BLN nominated
Travelers for Employer of the Year award. Travelers, a
leading insurer, has been involved in championing
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Because of the company's strong belief in and support of
equal opportunity and access for all employees,
Travelers uses a multifaceted approach in it's
commitment to meet this effort. Not only does Travelers
strive to improve employment opportunities for
individuals with disabilities through their community
outreach efforts, but continually strives to improve
awareness as well as the sensitivity and education of
it's employees.
Read the USBLN
Press Release
Visit
Incight website
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Employers:
Looking for great employees who think outside the box?
View "Look At My Ability" now!
 The OBLN and the Oregon Business Plan are co-sponsors of
Look At My Ability, a new two minute video on the
largely under-tapped skilled labor pool of Oregonians
with disabilities. The video addresses the work
ethic and skills represented by this labor pool.
The video was produced with a grant from the Oregon
Department of Human Services by Morgali Films.
Click here to view
Look At My Ability |
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Learn More About the Oregon Business Leadership Network!
OBLN
Executive Director, Lucy Baker, was recently interviewed on a
broadcast of Comcast NewsMakers. This concise little
interview will give you a great overview of how the OBLN
is working to help Oregon businesses make their
workplaces more inclusive of employees with
disabilities.
See Comcast NewsMakers Interview with Lucy Baker on
Windows Media
Player
or
Real Player |
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The Oregon Business Leadership Network
Oregon's business forum on inclusion of people with
disabilities
in the competitive workplace and as consumers.
www.obln.org
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