SSA Hiring Plans for 2009: Linking Candidates with Disabilities to SSA Jobs

Date: April 21, 2009, 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern

The Social Security Administration has recently received funding to hire a significant number of employees throughout the country. This hiring initiative offers a unique opportunity for individuals with disabilities who may want to get a job with SSA. These jobs will be at various skill levels including a number of entry-level positions.

Website: http://www.cessi.net/ttw/SSAHires/index.html

For more information, please click on the title above.

The 2008 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities

By the Editors of DiversityInc.
Date Posted: May 27, 2008

This very important list is calculated differently from most of the other demographic lists because we do not have real demographic data on these companies--many people with disabilities do not self-identify. We ascertain this list by factoring in the questions we ask about people with disabilities, such as whether the company actively recruits them and has employee-resource groups for them. We also examine work/life benefits that help this population, such as telecommuting and flex time. We factor in whether the company has vendors owned by people with disabilities and/or veterans with disabilities. And we separately examine each company's web site for images of people with visible disabilities and content on reaching all people with disabilities as employees, suppliers and customers.

Consider these facts about this top 10 list:

• All of them have specific programs to recruit employees with disabilities, compared with 88 percent of the Top 50
• hey all offer the ability to work at home and/or telecommute, as do all of the Top 50
• They all offer job sharing, as do 80 percent of the Top 50
• Eighty percent of them offer alternative career tracks for those with long-term family-care issues, as do 56 percent of the Top 50
• All of them have employee-resource groups for people with disabilities, as do 71 percent of the Top 50

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

"Making Connections for a Brighter Tomorrow" Seminar

April 17, 2008
Colleton County DSS Office
215 S. Lemacks St. Walterboro, SC 29488

**RSVP BY APRIL 14, 2008**

Hosted by Social Security Administration and Department of Health & Human Services in Walterboro, SC

Do not miss out on this great opportunity to learn what is new for advocacy organizations to better serve the working disabled!!

Who should attend?
Local agency representatives associated with aiding persons with disabilities who are looking for, or returning to, work.

How do I register?
You may RSVP, no later than April 14, by emailing the following information to Venita Billingslea at Venita.Billingslea@ssa.gov :

• Name(s) of Attendee(s)
• Agency
• Email Address(es)
• Phone Number(s)
• Work Address(es)

Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible.

South Carolina Transition Summit

Transition in South Carolina: Catch the Wave!

2008 South Carolina Transition Summit
Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort
April 6-8, 2008

Conference topics include DDSN services, VR services, transition curricula, supported employment, job coach panel, curriculum projects, assistive technology, SIMS study strategies, higher education issues, self advocacy, transition IEPs, transition assessment, labor laws for youth, OCR panel, WIA, IEP meetings, and drop out prevention.

For more information and how to register, please click the title above.

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Employment Two Day Workshop

Thursday & Friday, June 5-6, 2008
Midlands Collaborative Training Center
8301 Farrow Rd. Columbia, SC
Registration starts at 8:30
Workshop hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

This workshop will provide participants with information about autism and how it affects the transition/employment process. Participants will learn about assessment of functional transition/employment skills for individuals with autism and some of the strategies and supports used to enhance employment opportunities and independence in the work place.

Target Audience
This course is designed for professionals, educators, transition and employment specialists, job coaches, and parents interested in assisting individuals with autism prepare for, obtain and maintain employment opportunities.

Goals and Objectives

• Learn to identify the characteristics of autism that affect employment for individuals with autism
• Learn to assess the vocational skills of the individual with autism
• Learn the various strategies associated with teaching vocational skills to adults with autism
• Learn how the job development process needs to be adapted to meet the needs of the individual with autism.
  

About the Speaker
S. Michael Chapman is currently the statewide Director of Services for Division TEACCH's Supported Employment Program. He went to work for the Supported Employment Program soon after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998. Mr. Chapman advocates for Supported Employment services for individuals with autism around the state of North Carolina and has trained audiences both nationally and internationally about the TEACCH model. Mr. Chapman is one of the coauthors of Division TEACCH's new transition assessment tool, the TEACCH Transition Assessment Profile (TTAP). The TTAP is a revision of the older Adolescent and Adult Psycho Educational Profile (AAPEP). In addition, Mr. Chapman also helped coauthor the Chapter on Adult Services in TEACCH's new book, the TEACCH Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Registration Fees
APSE Members
*Early Bird: $40.00
Regular Registration: $50.00

Non-APSE Members
*Early Bird: $55.00
Regular Registration: $65.00

The 2008 South Carolina IT and Web Accessibility Conference

South Carolina Information Technology and Web Accessibility Conference 2008 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center Columbia, South Carolina

This year's featured speaker is Debra Ruh.

Ms. Debra Ruh is the Founder of TecAccess, the leading provider of comprehensive accessible technology programs, disability employment services, and marketing solutions that allow organizations to better serve the worlds largest and fastest growing minority group of people with disabilities and the mature audience.

In addition, this year's conference will broaden its focus into more than just web accessibility. Below are the issues that will be addressed. (Note: These session descriptions are subject to change.

• Section 508 Compliance: An overview of Section 508 and other accessibility legislation
• Return On Investment (ROI) of Accessibility
• Buying Accessible IT Products
• Moving into the Future: The impact of total technology immersion in our everyday life

To view more information, please click the title above.

National Job Site to Connect Employers with Disabled Workers

"Large gap between disabled unemployment rate of 44.2% compared to national unemployment rate of 4.7%"

"TRENTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today marks the launch of a new national job board dedicated to including disabled employees in today's workforce. AccessibleEmployment.org is designed to provide employers with one central place to post employment positions and
search resumes of qualified disabled candidates. In addition, AccessibleEmployment.org also allows potential job candidates to post their resumes for review by prospective employers who have made a commitment to include people with disabilities in their workforce."

To view this entire article, please click the title above.

Employment, Education, & Resource Fair for People with Disabilities

Mayor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities present their annual

EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, & RESOURCE FAIR

October 9, 2007
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Employers, educators, and service organizations will all be in one place to provide complete information to match your needs. Panel discussions will be held to discuss SSA benefit information, available services, & more!

To be held at the Shandon Presbyterian Church
607 Woodrow St. (off of Devine St.), Columbia, SC

Free to the public! Dress to impress with resumes in hand!

How can you help?

We will also be holding a Professional Clothing Drive with drop off point in front of the building. Clothes will be given at no cost to individuals with disabilities returning to the workforce.

For further questions, volunteer opportunities, and information, please contact Catherine Bishop Vincent, Chairperson, (803) 779 - 5121 x 32 or Sandy Bostick, Secretary, (803) 737 - 0193.