Employment 1 st Philadelphia Workgroups
The Steering Committee
Steering Committee Goals:
1. Increase the number of Philadelphians with intellectual disabilities working
2. Increase collaborations and partnerships within and outside the service system
3. Improve practices for providing employment support
4. Influence stakeholder attitudes and beliefs about employability
5. Assess performance and progress through data analysis and a focus on employment outcomes
The role of the Steering Committee is to promote the goals of the Employment 1st Philadelphia initiative and to coordinate and direct initiative activities. The Committee supports and empowers Workgroups to reach their identified goals as well as reviews and approves workgroup materials. The Steering Committee is composed of the Workgroup representatives, and meets monthly. They strive to keep the initiative on track and moving forward. The main goals of the Steering Committee include increasing the number of individuals with intellectual disabilities working in the community; increase collaborations and partnerships within and outside of the service system; improve practices for providing employment support; and assess performance and progress through data analysis and a focus on employment outcomes.
Capacity-Building / Provider Practices
The Capacity Workgroup works to increase successful employment outcomes by promoting best practices and identifying incentives for implementing best practices in the provision of employment supports. The workgroup focuses on ways to assist job developers and job coaches to improve and refine their skills as they support individuals to get and keep the job of their choosing, and works with employment support providers to develop and implement a professional development plan for their staff, focusing on the skills and competencies needed to maximize successful employment outcomes for the individuals they support. The Capacity
Workgroup is looking to expand their membership and is developing a timeline for completion of future workgroup activities.
Employer Relationships / Public Relations
The Employer Relationships Workgroup is working on developing a Business Advisory
Committee and partnering with employers to increase the number of individuals employed. The workgroup shares the message with employers that employing individuals we support makes good business sense. Every day, employers are benefiting from hiring motivated, dependable employees. Nothing is as powerful as hearing someone say, “I love my job!” Not only are

Employment 1 st Philadelphia Workgroups employers seeing people grow as individuals, they are seeing the benefits for coworkers and their business’ bottom line. We recognize the importance of developing relationships with employers in various ways, including presenting our annual Employer Awards, promoting our
“One City, One Vision” video that speaks ‘employer-to-employer’ about how some of
Philadelphia’s most visible employers have discovered a talent pool of motivated, productive workers, and developing the Business Advisory Committee to improve the ‘bottom line’ of employers and the Employment 1st Philadelphia initiative.
The Public Relations Workgroup strives to promote Employment 1st Philadelphia! and share the message about the power and benefits of employment for all in the community. Within the service system, all stakeholders are hearing the message that everyone can work. More and more, individuals and families, Supports Coordinators, Employment Support Providers, school district staff, employers and others understand that employment in the community is a huge part of realizing personal satisfaction and community inclusion for people we support. Sharing individual success stories, increasing the media profile of Employment 1st Philadelphia! and award-winning employers, and supporting the various workgroups to share their messages are the ongoing focus of the Public Relations Workgroup.
Supports Coordination
The Supports Coordination Workgroup works to provide information to Supports Coordinators
(SCs) and empower them as they support individuals and families to learn about the power and benefits of employment in the community, and choose Employment 1st! Workgroup members support SCs and family members by offering training and tools to encourage, support and monitor quality employment support services so that individuals achieve successful employment outcomes. Areas of focus for the workgroup include offering technical assistance regarding the referral process, and offering training and support to maximize the opportunities and benefits of the Transition process, leading to employment after graduation. Based on input received at the
2011 Employment Supports Symposium regarding topics of interest and importance, the workgroup is continuing to develop and offer training and technical assistance on timely topics to all stakeholders, including school district staff, supports coordination organizations, IDS and
Commonwealth staff, and individuals and families.
Data
The Systems and Policy Workgroup uses data collection and analysis to help identify systemic and provider issues, strengths and weaknesses, trends, and unit costs, as well as enabling a closer focus on individual outcomes. In 2008, a web-based, user-friendly data collection system was introduced. Each employment support provider enters their own data, which yields both provider-specific and systemic data. Providers can evaluate their performance and access aggregate data. Data collected includes type of job, longevity on the job, age range, and dollars

Employment 1 st Philadelphia Workgroups earned, among others. Moving forward, the workgroup will strive to improve the quality of data and ease of reporting and its usefulness to all stakeholders.
Transition
The Transition Workgroup works to inform, educate and empower students, family members, faculty and service providers regarding the school-to-work transition process for students ages
14-21. Among the goals of the workgroup are to strengthen collaborations with the School
District, Charter and Archdiocesan schools, OVR and employment support providers to Make
Employment Happen for transitioning students. The workgroup is in the process of creating an up-to-date Transition Guide, designed to provide useful information for individuals and families on topics such as the IEP process, the importance of paid, on-the-job experience while still in school, Social Security and other benefit information, and employment success stories from students and parents. The Transition Guide will be distributed by the School District, SCOs and providers. An Outreach Event also will be held, bringing transition-age individuals and families together with school district personnel, SCOs, employment support providers and others as they begin the process of transitioning from school to work.
Systems and Policy
Description to be developed.