Examining Employment among Adults with Disability: Toward Inclusion - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Examining Employment among Adults with Disability: Toward Inclusion and Engagement

Kevin Stoddart Barbara Muskat Wendy Roberts Margaret Spoelstra Sarah Duhaime Isabel Smith Cynthia Carroll Tom Jackman David Nicholas Lonnie Zwaigenbaum Margaret Clarke Herb Emery Laura Ghali Pat Mirenda Peter Gerhardt - USA

Funding is gratefully acknowledged from Autism Speaks and the Sinneave Family Foundation Canadian Association for Community Living Ready Willing and Able Employment Workshop/Roundtable Montreal, January 31, 2014

Objectives

} To explore the

vocational experiences

• f adults with ASD

} To identify barriers

and facilitators to vocational outcomes

Methods

Survey of Vocational Resources: n=103 Key Informant Interviews: n=141

• Individuals with ASD: 45
• Parents/Caregivers: 60
• Services Providers: 36
• Employers: 19

Delphi Consultation

Service Planning and Evaluation: How well are vocational services of the organization planned and evaluated? Organizational Capacity: How well is the organization able to meet the vocational needs of persons with ASD (within its resource capacity)? Enhancing Systems Capacity: How well does the organization support broader systems of adult services? Community Capacity: How well does the region or municipality meet the vocational needs of individuals with ASD?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 1

Domain 1: Service Planning and Evaluation

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not Applicable 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 1

Domain 2: Enhancing Systems Capacity

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not applicable 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 1

Domain 3: Organizational Capacity

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not applicable 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 1

Domain 4: Community Capacity

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not Applicable

Total responses by Domain (as Percentages): National

Male: 69%; Female: 31% 18-25 yrs: 54%; 26-40 yrs: 32% 41-65 yrs:14%; 65+ yrs: 0% Urban: 80%; Rural: 20%

Autism 26%; PDD-NOS 15%; Aspergers 59% English - 1st language: 84%; Other language: 18%

No supportive family members: 4% 1-5 supportive family members: 83% 6-11 supportive family members: 6% >11 supportive family members: 8%

Canada Wide Demographics – Persons with ASD

Psychological/Emotional/Mental Health Challenges

EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES:

• anxiety, mental health issues
• lack of confidence
• self-esteem

FOCUS/CONCENTRATION:

• “he can’t think about doing four things

at once…he can focus on one”

• study for hours see patterns, but

can't remember

ENVIRONMENTAL/PROCESSING:

• sensory issues
• verbal details
• time insufficient to process tasks or emotions/situations

SOCIAL/RELATIONAL:

• colleagues/supervisors
• others not direct
• too honest
• blunt communication misinterpreted
• eye contact
• difficulty with strangers

} Physical/Biological Issues (e.g., sleep, attention) } Logistical Issues (e.g., travel/transportation) } Disclosure of ASD } Market Issues (e.g., few jobs, difficulty competing) } Job Structures/Demands (e.g., tasks too great, “not

enough time to recuperate”, “You can’t have meaningless rules that muddle up my mind.”)

Relationship Formation with Employer

} familiarity with supervisor } employer has an understanding of ASD and

supports employee External Navigator/Advocate

} employer open to support person during

• rientation

} follow up between job coach and employer } individualized and regular support } employer letting job coach attend to crisis } intervention to both individual with ASD and employer

Strategies and Skill Development

} help with social skills } time to accomplish task/time to process emotions } visual triggers to facilitate memory retrieval } scripted role play } clarity of tasks and processes (tasks broken down)

Elements of Workplace Success…

Stability of Employment

} remuneration/incentives } consistency of job experience } employer open to work environment

adjustments

} ‘effective’, sensitive non-patronizing

support person/agency

} optimizing success } recognition for the value of contribution

Workplace Environment

} positions offer good fit with the skills/

aptitudes of the individual

} consistent with interest } commensurate with skills and strengths } individuals are permitted to work from their

skills and strengths, rather than from limitations or avoiding weaknesses

} balance in reaching to skills while generally

avoiding areas of challenge

Workplace Environment (cont’d)

} person-centered – oriented for success } clear, achievable job expectations } attention to detail } active communication including “checking in” } opportunity for skill development } awareness of potential sensory concerns } calm atmosphere } mutual understanding and respect for involvement

and support (balanced support/two-way support)

Workplace Preparedness

} supportive involvement of HR or

management

} some knowledge about issues of disability

relative to the workplace

} open communication between HR/

employer and employee

} openness to having a job coach } job coach communication with internal

mentor

} feedback mechanisms

Systems Issues

} overall lack of adult-focused community services } good intensions but limited understanding and pre-

conceived notions

} varying transition support } issues for families in poverty or isolated populations } support organizations - confusing as to what each agency

• ffers and who is eligible for programs

} lack of balance - more job preparation services than job

placement and retention services

Employment Engagement Model in Disability: Relational/Structural Interface

Structural/Programmatic Issues

• Service availability
• Service access
• Information navigation
• Coordination

Tailored Individual Support

• Job preparation – job

skills, life skills

• Job access – fit
• Job retention support

Community/Workplace Capacity

• Organizational/employer capacity

enhancement

• Workplace accommodations (e.g.,

sensory, environmental, challenge management)

• Associated supports (e.g., mental health,

housing, transportation, etc.) Family Navigation and Support

• Honoring family role
• Augmenting/easing

family role ACCESS ENGAGEMENT RETENTION ADVANCEMENT

Nova Scotia Results: Organizational Capacity

0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00% 45.00% 50.00% 1

Domain #3: Organizational Capacity

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not Applicable

Nova Scotia Results: Community Capacity

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 1

Domain #4: Community Capacity

Agree Neutral Disagree Don't Know Not Applicable

Employment Landscape in Nova Scotia

} National Results were very similar to results in Nova

Scotia

} Disability Community

} Employability table (meet monthly)

} Inform government of key issues around accessing employment

• pportunities and vocational training

} Ability Starts Here Newsletter

¨ Profiles organizations and employers doing good work in NS

Autism Nova Scotia (ANS)

} ANS Community Education and Training Programs

} Job Coach Training (2 day program)

} Looking at online options

} Autism Works Program

} Employer education (lunch and learns, HR, and Employer Manual) } T.R.A.A.C.E (Transition Readiness and Autism Community

Employment) Program (15-18 years)

} Supported Employment (18+ years of age) } Social Enterprise – Promise of a Pearl

} An Alliance of over 50 autism organization and individual members across

Canada, including Autism Society of Canada and the Autism Foundation Canada

} Current initiatives include working with the Public Health Agency of

Canada and Dr. Jonathan Weis to develop and implement a national needs assessment survey for parents/caregivers, professionals and individuals living with ASD in Canada

} Collaborating and supporting the RWA initiative with CACL } Working with the Federal government to develop and national framework

• r blueprint for ASD to enhance the quality of life for all Canadians

impacted by the disorder.