Work Toolkit:
We all have beliefs and experiences with employment, and personal or implicit biases can bubble up as you support people to think about and pursue work.
It's important to be aware of your own fears and background, and how these factors could impact your decisions and actions. Take the self-assessment below to get insight into your own thoughts and views on employment for people with disabilities.
Read the statements below and click the response that best describes you.
That's great! Believing that the people you support can succeed in employment may be the difference in whether they work or not. Everyone can work, given the right supports.
In your daily interactions:
Believing that the people you support can succeed in employment may be the difference in whether they work or not. Everyone can work, given the right supports. To see how work is possible, check out success stories.
In your daily interactions:
Everyone can work, given the right supports — and believing that the people you support can succeed in employment may be the difference in whether they work or not. To feel more comfortable talking about employment, check out tips to address concerns. To see how work is possible, check out success stories.
In your daily interactions:
Yes! Work can be a great solution for many issues, helping people earn more money to do the things they want, get out and connect with others, and try new things. For more ideas, see how work is a solution.
Work can be a great solution for many issues. In your daily conversations, listen for places where work could be a solution — like having more money, making friends, or feeling bored or frustrated. For more ideas, see how work is a solution.
Work can be a great solution for many issues. In your daily conversations, listen for places where work could be a solution — like having more money, making friends, or feeling bored or frustrated. For more ideas, see how work is a solution.
That's fantastic! People with all kinds of disabilities can and do work. Check out success stories and additional resources and tools to support people in reaching their employment goals.
People with all kinds of disabilities can and do work. Check out success stories to read about people who challenged low expectations and overcame barriers to work. See resources and tools for ways to support people in reaching their employment goals.
People with all kinds of disabilities can and do work. Check out success stories to read about people who challenged low expectations and overcame barriers to work. See resources and tools for ways to support people in reaching their employment goals.
Great! There are many roles in supporting someone in their employment journey. Check out roles and responsibilities to see what you can expect from other members of the employment team. If you'd like a better understanding of the informed choice standard, take the introduction to informed choice training.
There are many roles in helping someone explore, find and keep employment. Check out roles and responsibilities to see what you can expect from other members of the employment team. If you'd like a better understanding of the informed choice standard, take the introduction to informed choice training.
For a national perspective on informed choice and employment, refer to this overview document on informed choice and employment (PDF) by the Institute for Community Inclusion.
There are many roles in helping someone explore, find and keep employment. Check out roles and responsibilities to see what you can expect from other members of the employment team. If you'd like a better understanding of the informed choice standard, take the introduction to informed choice training.
For a national perspective on informed choice and employment, refer to this overview document on informed choice and employment (PDF) by the Institute for Community Inclusion.
Great! If you'd like a refresher, review these FAQs about work. For other tips, check out ideas for supporting people who are not working and have concerns (if you're supporting adults who are out of school), as well as the youth in transition toolkit (if you're supporting school-age youth or youth in transition).
That's OK. Talking about work can take time and practice. You don't have to know everything. Start by reviewing these FAQs about work. Introduce employment conversations with person-centered tools (PDF), asking questions and providing information.
For other tips, check out ideas for supporting people who are not working and have concerns (if you're supporting adults who are out of school), as well as the youth in transition toolkit (if you're supporting school-age youth or youth in transition).
That's OK. Talking about work can take time and practice. You don't have to know everything. Start by reviewing these FAQs about work. Introduce employment conversations with person-centered tools (PDF), asking questions and providing information.
For other tips, check out ideas for supporting people who are not working and have concerns (if you're supporting adults who are out of school), as well as the youth in transition toolkit (if you're supporting school-age youth or youth in transition).
Great! Understanding how work will affect their benefits is an important step in moving forward with employment goals. If you'd like additional training on benefits planning, check out the benefits planning toolkit. As always, contact the Hub if you have questions.
That's understandable. Benefit rules can be confusing, and it's important to have the right information. To learn more about work and benefits, check out the benefits planning toolkit. As always, contact the Hub if you have questions.
That's understandable. Benefit rules can be confusing, and it's important to have the right information. To learn more about work and benefits, check out the benefits planning toolkit. As always, contact the Hub if you have questions.
That's terrific! Use the tools on Disability Benefits 101 to identify which work incentives will help the people you support. Join the Hub's benefits planning learning community to stay up to date on policies and connect with other benefits planning professionals. For further training on work incentives, take the level 2 training in the benefits planning toolkit. As always, contact the Hub with questions.
That's OK — we can help! To identify work incentives that will help the people you support, use the tools on Disability Benefits 101. Then, use this information to target your conversations to those specific work incentives.
For further training on work incentives, take the level 1 or level 2 trainings in the benefits planning toolkit. Join the Hub's benefits planning learning community to learn from others, stay up to date on policies and connect with other benefits planning professionals. As always, contact the Hub with questions.
That's OK — we can help! To identify work incentives that will help the people you support, use the tools on Disability Benefits 101. Then, use this information to target your conversations to those specific work incentives.
For further training on work incentives, take the level 1 or level 2 trainings in the benefits planning toolkit. Join the Hub's benefits planning learning community to learn from others, stay up to date on policies and connect with other benefits planning professionals. As always, contact the Hub with questions.
Fantastic! It's great to know where to go for help when you need it. Your Options: Work is an easy place for people to start — and options counselors at the Hub can suggest tools and resources for specific situations. Contact us anytime!
Your Options: Work is an easy place for people to start. There, the people you support can find information, tools and resources to explore and maintain work. And remember that options counselors at the Hub can suggest tools and resources for specific situations. Contact us anytime!
Your Options: Work is an easy place for people to start. There, the people you support can find information, tools and resources to explore and maintain work. And remember that options counselors at the Hub can suggest tools and resources for specific situations. Contact us anytime!
That's great! Anticipating concerns is important to keep the people you support engaged and on track. On this page, review common concerns and potential responses. In addition, options counselors at the Hub can suggest tools and resources for specific situations. Contact us anytime!
That's OK — we can help! Addressing concerns and knowing how to overcome challenges is easier when you have the right information and tools. On this page, review common concerns and potential responses. Using person-centered tools like the integrated supports star (PDF) and the life trajectory (PDF) can also help people think through their concerns and identify solutions. And as always, you can contact the Hub anytime you need help.
That's OK — we can help! Addressing concerns and knowing how to overcome challenges is easier when you have the right information and tools. On this page, review common concerns and potential responses. Using person-centered tools like the integrated supports star (PDF) and the life trajectory (PDF) can also help people think through their concerns and identify solutions. And as always, you can contact the Hub anytime you need help.
Now you can move on to the agency assessment.