Oregon DHS: Seniors and People with Disabilities Division
Office of Developmental Disability Services
March 29, 2012
Moving Employment First
Forward
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Spring is such a great time to take pause and notice
what is going on around us and within us. It's a time
when things start anew. So, in this spirit, it is a good
time to take notice of what is going on with
employment across Oregon and consider a few key
questions in our collective work on Employment First.
First, what is different this spring than last and how
are we leading and organizing around moving
Employment First forward?
Last spring we were all in the midst of forming new,
local employment first teams across the state. Nine
initial teams formed to begin the work of implementing
Employment First at the local level. In the formation of
a new team, the first question that needs to be
answered is why am I here? The conversations last
spring were about definition of the work together and
the organizing required to function as new teams
together.
This year there are nine local teams in action and
leading Employment First activities within their
respective communities. Teams are setting goals for
the work ahead and currently building applications for
local grants to deploy strategies that will result in new
job placements.
As the teams continue to take root at the local level,
Cesilee Coulson
Executive Director
W.i.S.e.
_______________
REMINDER TO EF
TEAMS - EF Team
grant applications
are due by
tomorrow, March 30,
at 5 pm!
________________
Multnomah County "A
Call to Action" and
"Portrait of
Competence" Trainings
a success and
expanding! Click here
the potential for new growth will continue to emerge.
Continuing to cultivate local leadership and local
action is a guiding principle of moving Employment
First forward. Team building will continue this year
and focusing some attention on team building
activities will result in better performance over time.
There is great information on the stages of team
performance outlined at
http://www.iridiumconsulting.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/Drexler-and-Sibbet1024x768.jpg.
Next, what are some new tools and how can we use
them to move Employment First forward?
Traditionally we look to the formal service system to
build new tools that will support our work in the
employment services field. While still an important
place to anchor our view, the business community is
also retooling at warp speed and is offering a range of
new tools that can assist with job development,
marketing, on-the-job supports and natural supports.
Consider that we now have hand-held devices (e.g.,
smart phones) as a tool for natural supports! Keeping
an eye on the trends and tools being created by
business is an important practice in moving
Employment First forward. A piece of work springing
up for our field is how best to use the new tools of this
generation. Here is an interesting read on some
creative ways to use social media in the quest for
employment,
http://12most.com/2011/11/16/creative-ways-jobsocial-media/
In addition, what's in the news? How is the job
recovery in Oregon going?
Taking time to survey the employment landscape can
generate new ideas and strategies for partnering with
business and for marketing job candidates. On a
quick review of emerging markets in Oregon for 2012,
I stumbled across this great article on Green jobs,
http://www.ktvz.com/news/30372110/detail.html. It is
not a completely new set of information but I found the
data presented in the article to be of interest and
to read the article
________________
Click here to read
about the "Tapping
Fresh Talent" Career
Expo, April 12, 2012 in
Portland
_______________
SIGN UP NOW!!!!
UPCOMING FREE
WEBINARS...
April 30, May 7, and
May 17
Webinar: Job
Development for
Beginners - A 3 part
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________________
worth sharing.
The state of Oregon does a great job of posting
monthly employment outcome data,
http://www.qualityinfo.org/pubs/pressrel/0312.pdf. It is
a good look at the breakdown by industry of how the
job market is functioning. This information offers us
trends in prospecting for new employers and an
opportunity to form strategies to match to our job
candidates' employment goals to connect to future
local employers.
Lastly, a time of noticing new beginnings includes
noticing what we are personally feeling. Do we believe
people with significant challenges can and do work?
Are our actions aligned with this belief? If so, from our
individual seats, what are we doing to assist more
people to get jobs? What do we need to learn to
actualize our belief? What do we need to unlearn?
What can I do now and in the next few years to move
Employment First forward?
Whether it's through ourselves, local teamwork, use of
new tools, and/or influence on the greater
employment community, this spring is a great time to
be working together to move Employment First
forward.
Happy Spring!
April 19
Webinar: The ADA &
Reasonable
Accommodations
Click Here for More
Information & to
Register!
___________________
April 24
Webinar: Working
Together Successfully:
Becoming a Better
Negotiator
Click Here for More
Information & to
Register!
_________________
Sincerely,
Cesilee and the Employment First Outreach Team
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