What is Supported Employment?
Supported Employment is based on the idea that with support, individuals are better able to achieve their vocational goals. It is an individualized process where clients work one-on-one with a Triumph Vocational Coach to explore vocational opportunities. The client and Coach work collaboratively to determine what skills and abilities are required for various occupations. What may appear to be a barrier for a client in one job might actually be a positive attribute in a different position. The assumption is that all persons with disabilities have the capacity to meaningfully contribute to vocational pursuits. If necessary, ongoing support is provided to both the client and the employer. Should a client’s job description change or if they are promoted, Vocational Coaches are available to provide support and training through the transition.
Supported employment provides ongoing training and support to the person while he/she is a paid employee working at an existing business or industry in the community. This provides the opportunity to work with people who do not have disabilities and who are not paid caregivers or service providers as well as a way to earn a wage. The Arc’s Partners In Business program serves both the employee and employer.
Supported employment is a gateway for people with learning difficulties (or disabilities) to help them find employment in the community in which they live. The support is ongoing and each member of staff on the supported employment program is paid the same as any other employee, for the work that they undertake. The support service is available for employers Monday to Friday during office hours and each member of staff on the program is assigned their own support worker. Meetings are often scheduled in advance, so that upon visiting the employee at work, their supervisor can keep the support worker informed of the progress made and any issues they would like to deal with.
Supported employment programs provide people with severe mental illness with direct placement in jobs in competitive, real-world settings with accompanying on-site and as-needed support services, which are designed to help individuals perform their job. Unlike more traditional approaches, supported employment programs use a rapid job search and placement approach to help recipients obtain jobs directly, rather than providing them with pre-employment vocational experiences. Importantly, staff and recipients find individualized job placements based on recipient preferences, strengths, and work experiences. Supported employment services offered to recipients can include job coaches, specialized job training, and transportation. An important feature of supported employment is equitable compensation: wages and benefits must be the same as other workers in similar jobs receive. Supported employment provides opportunities for individuals to foster independence via gainful employment. Why Is S
A. Supported employment is paid, competitive employment for people who have severe disabilities and a demonstrated inability to gain and maintain traditional employment. Supported employment occurs in a variety of normal, integrated business environments. Further, supported employment includes: • Paid minimum wage or better: • Support provided to obtain and maintain jobs; and • Promotion of career development and workplace diversity. Q. What are the facts about employment? A. Prior to 1986, people with disabilities had few employment options. They were either unemployed or placed in segregated employment. Today, nationwide, there are over 105,000 individuals with multiple and profound disabilities experiencing independence, integration, and empowerment in competitive, community-based careers accessed through supported employment.Real employment provides an opportunity for long-term dignity, a chance at upward mobility, and an opportunity to break out of the perpetual problem of unemplo
