Employers committed to the inclusion of qualified people with
disabilities in the competitive workplace and as consumers

Disability Mentoring Day

 
Disability Mentoring Day

** OCTOBER 17, 2007 **

HISTORY

In October 27, 1999, the White House sponsored "Disability Mentoring Day: Career Development for the 21st Century."  It was modeled after a variety of mentoring and job shadow days associated with African American History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, etc., and national programs like the February Groundhog Job Shadow Day.  That event was done on a very small scale with the White House and federal agencies, and participation in a few areas around the country.  Due to the positive experiences of all involved, Disability Mentoring Day was established, in 2000, as an annual event throughout the country - giving employers and people with disabilities a unique opportunity to learn from one another.

Disability Mentoring Day, officially commemorated on the third Wednesday of every October, now takes place in every state plus Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 14 other countries. It enhances the life experience of over 10,000 people with disabilities each year.

OVERVIEW

The ultimate goal of Disability Mentoring Day is to mobilize the employment of people with disabilities.  Ideally, employers can approach the day with a notion of identifying qualified job candidates for future employment, and participants can view the day as an occasion to learn about potential job opportunities and attractive workplaces. 

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.

Each company that participates is free to shape its Disability Mentoring Day activities according to its own preferences. Generally, one or more of the following components is included:

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING

Informational interviewing provides an opportunity for employers and disabled individual to exchange information about a particular career field. It is not a job interview, but an opportunity for both the employer and disabled individual to ask questions and learn from each other.

For the employer, the Informational Interview provides the chance to:

• access an untapped source of labor;

• get answers to work-related questions about disabilities; and

• gain insight into abilities that might not be available in a more formal setting

For the disabled individual, the interview provides the chance to:

• learn more about their chosen career field;

• meet individuals who have the authority to hire, or who can refer them to other potential employers; and

• practice their interviewing skills.

TOUR OF THE WORK SITE

As a part of the mentoring program, the employer provides the opportunity for the disabled individual to tour the work site. Throughout the tour, the disabled individual can provide the employer with the following information:

• general tips for making the work environment accessible for persons with disabilities; and

• concrete examples of accommodations that may be required for an employer to capitalize on the skills and abilities of employees with disabilities.

In addition, the tour of the work site provides the disabled individual with information on the type of work environment in his/her field, and the possible accommodations to discuss in an actual job interview.

JOB SHADOWING

In the job shadowing component, the disabled individual is paired with an employee to observe the different tasks involved in a particular job, and to discuss the accommodation that he or she would require in order to do the same job. Job shadowing provides the opportunity for:

• job seekers to better understand the work environment;

• employees at all levels within the company to gain an understanding of the skills of people with disabilities; and

• preparing the work force for a more diverse representation.

NETWORK SHARING

Network sharing occurs throughout the entire mentoring period; however, it most often occurs during the informal interview. Due to the educational nature of Face to Face, this portion of the program encourages both employers and disabled individual to share useful information about community resources. Some of the information shared may include:

• information about sources of potential employees with disabilities;

• names of community service providers who can assist employers to accommodate both existing and potential employees; and

• contacts in a specific industry which could assist the job seeker with an active job search.

RESOURCES

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