Questions and Answers Regarding Our Preparing for Employment Program
What is the Preparing for Employment program?
The Preparing for Employment (An Advancing Employment Initiative) focuses on supporting people with spinal cord injuries entering or reentering the workforce. The Preparing for Employment (An Advancing Employment Initiative)’s goal is to increase the number of Georgians with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) access to information and support regarding re-entering the workforce. The Preparing for Employment project is now looking to support 50 individuals with spinal cord injuries in employment endeavors. This program is offered in two parts. First, we ask for everyone to take our short online course (options will be explained in a moment). It’s about two hours long. For our internal evaluation, we ask some pre-/post-questions. After completing the course, we offer ongoing assistance. Here is a promotional video about our project:
Who is the target group for this project?
Anyone who has acquired any type and level of spinal cord injury after September 2017 and is interested in pursuing employment. Individuals do not have to be unemployed or looking for traditional employment. We are here to help people who want employment situations that work for them. Therefore, if someone is currently employed and needs a different career path or customization, this program is for them. If someone is unemployed and looking only to work a few hours a week, this program is for them. If someone wants full-time employment, this program is for them. If someone wants to work for themselves, this program is for them.
What if people have multiple disabilities/health issues and/or are unsure if they can work?
Even if people are unsure if they can work or are wavering about returning to work, they should at least take our course and talk with our staff. Our staff has helped people get employed who were deemed “unemployable” by state services. We use techniques to facilitate customized employment. Customized employment is “an approach to hiring, retention and return to work that matches a job seeker’s strengths, the conditions under which they will be successful and their interests to the needs of an employer.” (National Disability Institute, 2023). Therefore, we are happy to help those with the most significant spinal cord injuries and those with co-occurring disabilities.
Can people who were injured before September 2017 still benefit from the program? Yes! While our target group is those who acquired any type and level of spinal cord injury after September 2017, it costs us very little to enroll people in our course. Therefore, all are welcome to take our course. Our ongoing support is prioritized for our target population. However, our staff is involved in many activities potentially benefiting those outside our target population.
How do we define employment?
Employment is any legitimate means of earning income. This includes such things as microenterprises, self-employment, and contractual gigs. How do we address the fear of losing benefits? We will refer all people who have these fears to benefit navigators. Benefit navigators provide information to persons aged 14 and up who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or both. Information is provided about how earned income will affect Social Security benefits as well as other Federal or State benefits people may receive so that they can determine how to maximize earnings while retaining necessary benefits.
What is the course, how do people access it, and how do I sign up to take it?
Our course covers civil rights, assistive technology, employment in times of crises, and managing bureaucracy (including navigating benefits while working). The core course content takes about two hours to get through. We also ask all participants to take brief pre-/post-questionnaire and offer optional content. We have developed three ways of accessing the course. We offer an option for those who would like to complete the course at their own pace. We can enroll people in our e-learning system (or let them access modules via links). For another option, as of May 2022, we offer virtual live Zoom versions of the course at least once a month. Finally, if people meet together regularly and want us to come in person to give the course, please let us know. To enroll or find out more information, please contact Tracy Rackensperger at trackens@uga.edu.
What exactly is the “ongoing support” people receive from this program?
We are here to offer advice and support to people. We aren’t a provider of many direct services. However, we provide assistance with creating a roadmap to employment, vocational counseling and guidance, referral to vocational training, support to access assistive technology services, problem-solving barriers to customization of employment, job search and job placement, and referral to other agencies for needed services. Our Project Lead is very big on looking outside the disability service system for assistance. Can people under the age of 18 participate in this program? The short answer is yes! However, we do require that peoples’ legal guardians either be present at the live sessions or oversee their children’s participation in our self-paced course. Technical assistance directly involving children will happen under the supervision of legal guardians.
Is this considered research by the University of Georgia’s Institutional Review Board?
The University of Georgia’s Institutional Review Board does not consider the Preparing for Employment program to be research. Rather, it’s a programmatic program with a nonscholarly evaluation component. Who do I contact for more information about this program? For more information about our Preparing for Employment program, please contact the Project Director, Tracy Rackensperger at trackens@uga.edu.
