Contents
Partnership: The Transforming Force in Rural Rehabilitation ..................................................................... 3
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Assistance Not Assessment: Getting at the Heart of Small Business Feasibility ..................................... 6
Self-Employment vs Entrepreneurship ................................................................................................. 6
Risk ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Evaluating a Business Idea ................................................................................................................... 7
Business Research Example.................................................................................................................. 9
Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Job Analysis: Key to Job Retention ........................................................................................................ 11
Montana’s Diverse Abilities Project: Training for One-Stop Employment Providers ........................... 13
Project Activities ................................................................................................................................. 14
Project Accomplishments ................................................................................................................... 15
How Work Impacts Multiple Benefits: A Quick Overview for WIA Partners ...................................... 15
Other Work Incentives ........................................................................................................................ 16
Income and Resources ........................................................................................................................ 16
Work/Benefits Analysis: Sources of Income and Resources to Consider .............................................. 17
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................ 18
Considerations for Customers with Disabilities in the WIA System ...................................................... 19
Access ................................................................................................................................................. 19
Etiquette and Language....................................................................................................................... 20
Examples of People First Language .................................................................................................... 21
What do I do if…? .............................................................................................................................. 21
Legal Considerations and Resources .................................................................................................. 22
Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Carley’s Story of Walmart ...................................................................................................................... 24
Employment as a Transition Goal ....................................................................................................... 24
Supporting Students to Participate Fully ............................................................................................ 24
The Marketing Call ............................................................................................................................. 25
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................ 26
Owner-Oriented Business Planning BOLD Consulting Group, LLC: A Case Study ............................. 27
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ 27
Owner’s Experience ............................................................................................................................ 28
Bold’s Owner-oriented Business Plan ................................................................................................ 28
BOLD’s Home-Business Strategy .......................................................................................................... 29
BOLD’s Primary Tactics .................................................................................................................... 31
Operations Strategy ............................................................................................................................. 32
Sales and Marketing Strategy ............................................................................................................. 34
Market Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 35
Financial Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 37
Creating Opportunity .......................................................................................................................... 39
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................ 39
“Traditional” Self-Employment Process Created from RESEED Project .................................................. 39
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 41
Success through the RESEED Project ........................................................................................................ 41
PASS Plans ............................................................................................................................................. 41
Other Successes ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 42
Supported Self-Employment at Challenge Industries ................................................................................. 43
Intake ...................................................................................................................................................... 44
Publicity .................................................................................................................................................. 45
Mentors ................................................................................................................................................... 46
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) ............................................................................................. 47
Business Plans......................................................................................................................................... 48
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 49
The Long Route to Self-Employment ......................................................................................................... 49
From Disability to Masters Degree ......................................................................................................... 49
Help That Didn’t Help ............................................................................................................................ 50
Self-Employment .................................................................................................................................... 53
Agency Collaboration for Small Business Development............................................................................ 55
Cooperation ............................................................................................................................................. 56
Launching my Business .......................................................................................................................... 56
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 57
Never Give Up: My License to Independence ............................................................................................ 57
Finding Resources for Drivers Education ............................................................................................... 57
Overcoming Obstacles ............................................................................................................................ 58
Purchasing a Vehicle with a PASS Plan ................................................................................................. 59
My License to Independence .................................................................................................................. 60
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 60
Directing My Own Job Search .................................................................................................................... 60
Contact Information ................................................................................................................................ 62
The Contradictions of Leadership: Ten Considerations for Leaders at all Levels ...................................... 62
Ten Contradictions of Leadership ........................................................................................................... 65
The Rural Independent Living Leadership Mentoring Initiative ................................................................ 66
Expectations ............................................................................................................................................ 66
Training ................................................................................................................................................... 66
Technical Assistance ............................................................................................................................... 67
Board Development & Recruitment Strategy ............................................................................................. 68
Board Member Profile ............................................................................................................................ 68
Talents and Skills .................................................................................................................................... 69
Training and Expertise ............................................................................................................................ 69
Q&A on Staff Retention ............................................................................................................................. 70
Who is responsible ultimately for staff retention? .................................................................................. 70
Why is staff retention so important anyway? .......................................................................................... 70
What are the basic elements of a sound retention policy? ...................................................................... 70
How can I compete in a rural area for the best available staff? .............................................................. 71
What is the cost of initiating and maintaining a retention program? ...................................................... 71
Is there an acceptable level of retention? ................................................................................................ 71
Managing the Space Between ..................................................................................................................... 72
The Peer Approach to IL Technical Assistance .......................................................................................... 74
Could Your CIL Use the Services of a Peer Mentor? ............................................................................. 74
Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment, & Disabilities .............................................................................. 75
Partnership: The Transforming Force in
Rural Rehabilitation
Introduction
By Cary Griffin, Director of Special Projects at The Rural Institute
As I write this, it is one year to the day that my friend and colleague Joe Schiappacasse died. Joe
was perhaps the most intuitive behaviorist I have known in my career. But he was so much more.
An incredible father and husband whose strong values permeated every part of his life, a friend
of uncompromising loyalty, and a professional who never ignored the desires of people with
disabilities. One of the many, many things Joe tried to teach me was that coercion in any form
was dis-empowering, manipulative, and usually the wrong thing to do. Joe helped people rethink behavioral change (what he called “providing enviable behavioral supports”) and I
struggled to change bureaucracies from funding and supporting the segregation of adults with
disabilities in sheltered workshops and group homes. He used to laugh at my efforts and tell me
that systems change one person at a time and that bureaucracies simply wait you out or wear you
out. He was right, of course. Systems do change, but almost always after watching one individual
after another succeed at something the bureaucracy both passively and actively discourages.
Change happens one person at a time, one organization at a time, one system at a time. Slowly.
That is the lesson we have learned working with people with disabilities in rural communities. At
the University of Montana’s Rural Institute, we work internationally with rehabilitation and
human service organizations. Although these organizations are often small (frequently located in
small cities and towns with populations under 50,000), they are part of the much larger
community and disability service system. Large systems are like lumbering bears: they move and
change slowly, but when they do change, they impact everything in their paths.
Working with or in rural rehabilitation services is not like working in metropolitan areas. While
popular myth holds that change is more difficult in rural areas, systems change is often easier. In
metro areas power is concentrated in large groups of people and organizations. Change threatens
the systems they’ve established. They are behemoths that lumber slowly, and sometimes
dangerously, over the human services landscape. Often in rural areas, a single agency, a single
leader, a single family can make unobstructed changes because there is little local influence from
the governing system. In rural areas ideas take hold in smaller groups with fewer resources or
empires at risk. And so, in our experience, the individual in frontier communities has a clearer
picture of necessary outcomes than their urban counterpart who must navigate the labyrinth of
rules, regulations, and professional resistence. In rural areas commonsense outcomes are easier
to see, and the results of bad services are likewise more visible in the community. In an urban
setting it is easier to hide people away and make disability disappear. In small towns everyone
there knows people with disabilities, because people know their neighbors. Of course, the
dominant disability industry has tried its best, succeeding over the past 20 years, in building
facilities that hide people away. But, in these same communities, the change to supported living,
community employment, and small business ownership is continuous.
The Organizational Consultants at the Rural Institute’s Adult Community Services and Supports
Department, in partnership with many agencies and allies such as local Vocational Rehabilitation
(VR) Counselors, Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs), individuals with disabilities and
their families, and specifically the Montana Job Training Partnership, the Montana Community
Development Corporation, and dozens of others make change happen. Our projects, funded by
the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S.
Department of Labor, offer small, rural agencies opportunities to collaboratively develop best
practices in supported employment, self-employment, and organizational leadership. Each year
we select (CRPs) and Independent Living Centers (ILCs) as demonstration sites for our
development projects. We show up in their towns and work with them side-by-side. Those
agencies receive one-to-one technical assistance and training that transforms the way they serve
people with disabilities. We show up in rural communities all over the U.S. (and internationally)
and make change happen one person at a time, one agency at a time. We show up, and that is one
way to make lumbering systems change. Through partnerships on many levels, remaining
focused on one person at a time, we put best practices to work, assist people with disabilities to
transform their lives, and demonstrate in partnership with local rehabilitation systems that
substantive progress is possible in any community.
In this monograph we feature articles about the best practices used to transform systems. The
first section focuses on the work in supported employment and self-employment, some with VR
counselors, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs, and CRPs nationwide who invest in
their staff and consumers to make change happen. The second section has articles written or cowritten by customers of disability services. Customers are the best and ultimate judges of success
and their stories demonstrate the personal impact best practices can have. The third section is
devoted to organizational development—systems change when organizations change, and we
provide technical assistance and training nationally to Boards and managers who understand that
change means learning new ways to solve old problems. Finally, we’ve included some of our
RuralFacts sheets in a resource section.
This publication could have been 400 pages long. Our diverse partners teach us lessons daily. If
only there was time to record all the incredible work the rehabilitation field and people with
disabilities are doing right now. In times of political and economic change, it is refreshing to see
so much excitement about new options. What is especially exciting is that most of the changes
are being accomplished at the local level, without the need for major policy shifts, endless
meetings, changes in University curricula, lengthy memoranda of understanding, or pitched
battles between the old guard and the new. A quiet revolution is rebuilding the foundation of
rehabilitation in rural America. Of course, as Joe used to tell me, once you've built the new
system it isn’t long before it’s outdated, too. And so the cycle of change continues. Enjoy.
Assistance Not Assessment: Getting at the Heart of Small
Business Feasibility
By Cary Griffin, Director of Special Projects at The Rural Institute and David Hammis,
Organizational Consultant
The big question in everyone’s mind when someone points to self-employment as a vocational
option is, “will the business be successful?” While there is almost universal agreement that this is
a critical question, the literature on business feasibility testing is sparse. Fortune 500 companies
have huge research and development budgets to test new ideas, but such resources are not
available to most prospective business owners, especially prospective business owners with
disabilities. Public funds from developmental disability services, mental health agencies,
Vocational Rehabilitation, Workforce Development, and/or Social Security are almost always
used to fund business start-ups for a person with a disability. Consequently, these funding
agencies are anxious about risk and frequently call for a test or evaluation to predict success.
Vocational testing can’t always predict business success because it measures an individual’s
deficits, not the individual’s dreams, desires, and determination. Still, the need for assessing
business risk persists. Vocational counselors can predict success more accurately by analyzing
the feasibility of a business concept, rather than relying on traditional vocational testing.
Evaluate the business idea, not the person with disabilities.
Self-Employment vs Entrepreneurship
Business feasibility for any potential business owner begins with self-analysis. Many experts ask
questions of the prospective business owner, such as:
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Are you self-motivated?
Do you get along with people?
Do you have a positive outlook?
Do you enjoy making decisions?
Are you competitive by nature?
Do you practice self-control?
Do you plan ahead?
Do you get tasks done on time?
Do you have high amounts of physical stamina and emotional energy?
Can you work many hours every week?
All of these questions have some legitimacy for someone starting a business, but they can easily
be used to screen out potential business owners with significant disabilities. These questions
come from the folklore about entrepreneurs. Allegedly, an entrepreneur can do it all—singlehandedly fighting off customers with one hand while designing spreadsheets on the computer
with the other. She makes quick decisions, is in control, and never sleeps. In reality, most people
who own businesses are self-employed, but they are not entrepreneurs as characterized by the
description above. Self-employed people often do work hard, take risks, and make decisions.
However, most self-employed people rely on other people to compensate for skills or talents they
lack. People with significant disabilities are just as well equipped to run a small business as the
next person, as long as they can rely on available and affordable support.
Any feasibility study of a business design must include all forms of support. As the business idea
evolves, paid supports such as accounting, sales, and marketing, must be figured into the price of
the company’s goods and services. A vocational counselor will save public resources by
determining and creating appropriate supports for someone, instead of relying on personality
testing, interest inventories, and other traditional vocational evaluations. The issue is support, not
personality or readiness. If a person has a disability that does not even allow him/her to go into
work everyday, he/she can still own a business—if it generates income enough to hire someone
who can go in everyday.
Risk
The fact remains that most transition-aged youth and adults with significant disabilities face a
life of poverty, isolation, and underemployment. Generally, their only employment option is
“Plan A,” day programs or high-turnover, entry level wage jobs. “Plan A” has resulted in an
unemployment rate of approximately 80% for people with significant disabilities. Let’s assume
that a person with a disability draws down $10,000 a year for special education services,
followed by a sheltered workshop placement. Multiply that by 40 years for a total of $400,000
spent for “Plan A” employment outcomes for one individual.
“Plan B” is self-employment. Imagine spending $10,000 to purchase a franchise, say a popcorn
business. Add another $10,000 in job coaching services. A $20,000 investment can lead to a
conservative savings of $380,000 over a lifetime. In an actual case, a young man with Down
Syndrome, and a family member who shares the income, purchased just such a franchise (which
cost only $5,000), operated it only two days a week, and generated $48,000 last year. The
average financial investment for small business start-ups for people with disabilities is currently
under $5,000, not counting on-going support. Diverting only one-year’s worth of day program
funding to experiment with a business idea (“Plan B”) is worth the risk.
Evaluating a Business Idea
Rather than the questions asked earlier in this article, more relevant and cost effective questions
to ask when refining a business idea might include:
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Does this business address a recognized need in the marketplace?
Can this product or service be produced at a profit?
Can this business compete with other similar businesses?
Does this business match your dreams and goals?
Are you really interested in owning this business?
How much time can you invest in operating this business?
How much money can you invest in this business?
Do you have, or can you afford, the necessary business and personal supports required to run this
enterprise?
Do you have, or can you acquire, the skills necessary to perform the parts of the business you
wish to perform?
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How will this business affect your family?
One commonsense and low-cost technique for testing business ideas comes from Rosalie
Sheehy-Cates, Executive Director of the Montana Community Development Corporation.
Rosalie recommends simply: “Sell a few.” Sell a few of your products and then assess the
business idea.
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What did buyers think of the product?
Did they want more?
Would they pay more for it?
Should it be a different color or size?
Can you deliver it?
Is wholesale pricing available?
Is it as good as other similar products or services?
Selling a few items or services and having a short discussion with the customer provides crucial
information. If no one buys, it might suggest there is no market for the product/service, it is
overpriced, it is considered low quality, or it simply does not address a need. Some serious
thought goes into the analysis, but the concept of selling an item before staring a company is
logical and ecologically valid.
The Internet provides one of the best, cheapest, and easiest ways of comparing business ideas,
seeing what others with similar ideas and businesses are doing, and linking up with business
owners across the globe. Not only are other existing businesses easy to find through a search
engine (e.g. www.yahoo.com), but their pricing, product line, terms of purchase and shipping,
seasons of operation, advertising strategies, and other key business components are offered for
the Internet researcher to see.
Another on-line resource is www.zoomerang.com. This on-line survey service is free when used
with small survey samples and has already helped several individuals poll their local
communities to establish market demand. And local, state, and federal economic development
assistance is available over the Internet. Local Small Business Development Centers are always
listed, as are state Small Business Administration resources. A great site for finding government
assistance for small business ideas and financing is www.firstgov.com and is often the beginning
point for determining available resources, regulations, and expertise.
Some important web sites for testing business ideas and getting a sense of feasibility by
examining similar business plans, reading reports and research studies, checking regulations,
finding financing, or other related topics include:
U.S. Gov - www.usa.gov/
U.S. Small Business Administration - www.sba.gov
Association of Small Business Development Centers - www.asbdc-us.org
Forum for Women Entrepreneurs - www.fwe.org
On-line Women’s Business Center - www.onlinewbc.gov/
National Association of Women Business Owners - www.nawbo.org
Entrepreneur.com - www.entrepreneur.com
Inc Magazine - www.inc.com
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture - www.usda.gov
Senior Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) - www.score.org
The University of Montana Rural Institute - http://ruralinstitute.umt.edu
Rural Institute Pass Plans on-line - www.passplan.org
U.S. Dept. of Labor - www.dol.gov
U.S. Dept. of Education - www.ed.gov
Job Accommodation Network - www.jan.wvu.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University Research & Training Center - www.worksupport.com
The Abilities Fund - www.abilitiesfund.org
Business Research Example
Another way of testing an idea is simply asking potential customers what they think.
Telemarketers call every night, around dinner time, to ask questions about buying products and
services. While this is annoying, a short survey that asks a person’s opinion, with no sales pitch,
is an effective and inexpensive way to get advice and public opinion on a business idea. While
large corporations spend millions of dollars on statistically correct surveys, most small
businesses launch successfully by asking small samples of customers very simple questions.
For instance, if the business idea is a mobile dog washing venture, it makes sense to call citizens
in the early evening, asking first if they own a dog. A mobile dog wash would also be of
potential interest to boarding kennels, veterinarians, pet stores, and the Humane Society. Calling
and/or making personal appointments to discuss their interest in the business is a terrific way of
getting information on the potential demand, pricing, and grooming options. A phone survey
approach to the retail mobile dog grooming might go as follows. First, determine the
demographic profile of a likely consumer:
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They own at least one dog;
They have disposable income to afford the service;
They do not have time to wash their own dog;
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They do not have children who earn their allowance washing the dog.
If there is a particular part of town where folks who have these characteristics live, look through
the phone book for phone numbers of people on those streets. Make a list to record their answers
so that data can be shared with other advisors. While the same questions should be asked of
everyone called, being conversational is a much better approach than a rote monotone
interrogation. Call enough people that a pattern of responses begins to form. Chances are you
will hear new ideas and have discussions that challenge the business idea, improve it, or spark a
new idea. Follow these leads if they are promising. Rewrite or modify the questions to clarify the
idea, if that’s indicated.
The phone script might sound something like this:
"Good evening. I am developing a new business in town and I am calling to get some advice. All
I need is about three minutes of your time." Wait for acknowledgment. If the person is annoyed
or busy, thank them and say goodbye. Otherwise, continue:
"I am considering starting a mobile dog grooming business. Customers make an appointment for
their dog and I drive to their home and groom their dog in the rear of my van. My van is custom
built and features a washing tub, hair dryers, pedicure equipment, a full line of dog grooming
products and shampoos. I graduated from the Belmont School of Dog Grooming last year and
am licensed by the state. Can you tell me if you would use this business or if you have friends or
family who might use it?" Record response and follow up on questions they might have.
"How often do you suppose you (or your friends) might use this service?" Record response.
"Do you think you would use the basic washing service, or would you prefer the full-service
grooming?" Record responses. Again, pursue questions and comments in a friendly manner.
"What day(s) of the week and times do you think would work best for you and your friends?"
Record responses.
"I am thinking of charging $11.00 for the basic grooming. Does that sound reasonable to you?"
Record Responses. They may or may not agree with you. Do not argue about pricing. Collect the
information and make decisions later.
At this point more questions may be appropriate, but the three minutes is up. Move on and say
goodnight, unless the person continues to be enthusiastic.
This is simply one hypothetical scenario. There is no one correct way to approach the survey.
But do keep it simple, conversational, and friendly.
Summary
There are many ways to test a business idea, but there are no sure things in this world. In the end,
the owner needs to enjoy the work. Adequate and sometimes creative supports will be necessary,
and changing or modifying the business model to attract and retain customers is probable.
Job Analysis: Key to Job Retention
by Cary Griffin and David Hammis
The importance of job analysis for individuals with significant disabilities cannot be overstated.
Job analysis is a critical element in the overall job match. Job matching melds personal
aspirations, talents, and attributes to specific jobs or careers. Job loss is closely tied to the
absence of or the improper development of a job match. Job matches are often viewed as
expensive and time consuming, but the savings resulting from lasting job stability and the
cultivation of a quality reputation with employers, families, and funders substantially offsets the
initial investment of time and effort. Writing down the job analysis is critical to learning the
technique and to improving future efforts. In our office the saying “where is an idea if it is not
written down?” refers specifically to the commitment we make when performing a job analysis.
Best employment practice today relies on various person-centered approaches (e.g., MAPS,
Personal Futures Planning) to discovering the vocational attributes and aspirations of an
individual. The planning process is the first half of a job match. Once these clues are revealed,
finding good employment can begin.
The job analysis process follows consumer and employer approval to develop a specific job.
Sometimes the job analysis process is also used to set-up the training regimen for a work tryout
or work experience, although we are finding that simply developing some “first” jobs with pay is
preferable. After all, most of us did not have work experiences, we simply went to work and our
employers paid us and trained us. Most of us discovered our career paths by securing jobs that
we liked, and by leaving those we disliked.
Taking our cue from natural supports philosophy, the process should be much the same for
individuals with disabilities. Most of us serve individuals who have little or no work experience,
so first jobs are an important resume builder; they refine career choices and lead to job
satisfaction, which means retention, which means happy customers.
Once a hiring commitment is secured from the employer it is time to perform the Job Analysis.
The job analysis is the first step in devising a training plan. One of the best ways to approach job
analysis is to spend at least one work-shift observing the targeted job. Make sure that it is a
typical day so that the analysis reflects what the employee will experience.
Steps of the job analysis include:
1. Observe the job as performed by a typical employee and note any special operations, tools, or
techniques.
2. Observe environmental factors: noise, temperature, speed requirements, coworker interaction,
unwritten rules of the work place.
3. Ask for explanations of the steps of the tasks, if necessary.
4. Have whoever typically trains new employees train you in the task.
5. Perform the task yourself for a shift or until you understand it and the rhythms of the work day.
6. Record all the expectations of the tasks on a Job Analysis form.
7. Confirm with the employer that these actually are the expectations of the job. Do not rely on the
job description.
8. Ask about atypical work expectations, such as the frequency of rush orders or if new techniques
or production equipment will be introduced (so you can anticipate assisting with re-training).
The Employment Specialist analyzes the job and the work environment and compiles a list of job
tasks the worker will need to learn to perform the job. Some of these tasks will occur with
repetition and will, therefore, be easier to learn because of the many opportunities to practice
during each shift. These tasks are called core routines and are typically the primary task(s) in a
job. Other parts of the job may be required on an irregular basis or, maybe just once or twice a
day. Such tasks are referred to as episodic routines. The job analysis tells the trainer when these
duties are performed and provides the foundation for on-site training design.
The new employee also will need to understand the dress code, times for talking and times for
being busy, what clothes to wear, and other corporate culture concerns. Since job loss is almost
always caused by problematic personal interactions with others on the job, the understanding of
corporate culture is key to job retention and, therefore, must be studied closely. Further, the
Employment Specialist and new employee need to understand the supports necessary to get to
work on time, to pack a lunch or bring money for the employee cafeteria, how to manage
medications, which bus to take, and all the other work related routines that help minimize
differences, enhance credibility of the new worker, and that guarantee the employee gets to work
and keeps the job.
Examples
Core Routine: pumping gas at a filling station.
Episodic Routine: refilling the toner in a Xerox machine
Work Related Routine: packing a lunch before work
Culture of the Company: bringing donuts for co-workers
Understanding and identifying work routines is critical because it determines the training plan
design. Routines that occur repeatedly throughout the day give the worker many opportunities to
learn the task. Routines that occur only once or twice a day (or week) may require significant
instructional assistance to gain mastery and this impacts the training and support design.
Knowing the most difficult lessons to be taught going into the job makes the employment
specialist’s task easier and more predictable. Depending on the worker, the employment
specialist may need to teach these routines differently. Sometimes to assist an employee in
performing an episodic, or job related routine, the employment specialist will adapt the task or
the method in which the task is performed. For example, a worker may need a checklist that he
follows to remember to punch in and out for his shift. Before creating an adaptation or changing
a piece of the job, have the employee attempt to perform it just as any other employee does.
Adaptations can make the employee appear different and thus be a barrier to “fitting in.” When
in doubt, ask a co-worker or supervisor how they mastered the routines and if they use any
special adaptations to remember tasks. Most workers carry checklists like Day Timers, have
computer prompts when entering data, use various gauges or specialized tools, or have
supervisors who remind them of their duties. Always, however, start with the most typical
performance approach and add support from co-workers and typical supervisors before
increasing employment specialist assistance.
One other suggestion: when working with someone who is particularly challenging due to
severity of disability, get help with a job analysis. Team meetings are a terrific resource;
employment specialists can swap ideas and ask for assistance. Another favorite technique is
video taping a typical employee performing tasks and then viewing the tape with the consumer,
other employment specialists, family members, and friends who know the person and who can
offer ideas on training techniques or job modifications that will minimize errors and increase job
retention. Always remember to use natural supervision and instruction first. Reposition the role
of employment specialist as the supporter of the co-worker and supervisor. Business is used to
training their employees; help them do that.
There are a variety of Job Analysis forms available. The best, in our opinion, is located in the
book Keys to the Workplace by Callahan and Garner (www.amazon.com), which is highly
recommended reading for all employment staff.
Montana’s Diverse Abilities Project:
Training for One-Stop Employment Providers
by Roger Shelley, Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
How does the person with a disability access a system that is comprehensive by definition, and is
designed to serve all state citizens in their search for decent employment? What about all of the
benefits that the person may receive from the various federal and state agencies? How will these
be affected when the person begins to earn income from a job?
Editor’s Note:
With the passage of the Work Force Investment Act and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives
Improvement Act, the landscape for employment service providers has changed dramatically.
This newsletter was developed to be a resource for those service providers who will be serving
people with disabilities seeking employment.
In March of 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor and the President’s Committee on Employment
for People with Disabilities released requests for Work Incentive Grants that were meant to
address, through training and technical assistance, these and other problems confronting people
with disabilities accessing this new One-Stop system. The projects were subsequently awarded to
twelve states, among them Montana.
The ultimate goal for the Montana “Diverse Abilities Project” was to “make universality and
seamless services a reality so that the same employment and training services are available to
individuals with disabilities as to individuals who do not have a disability.”
Various barriers in the state and local Workforce Investment Act (WIA) system were identified,
among these were:
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Front-line WIA staff had limited knowledge of federal employment and training programs and
resources associated with disability related systems
Service providers did not have access to appropriate assessment and screening instruments in
order to determine whether or not customers have learning or other disabilities that may cause
barriers to self-sustaining employment
Complexity of Social Security Work Incentives, their implementation, and impact upon work
Accessibility and assistive technology in the Workforce Centers
Lack of knowledge by local disability services providers concerning resources available under the
WIA
Project Activities
In order to address the identified barriers, five activities were to be initiated:
1) Training and technical assistance to establish a Benefits Analysis Certification Program
for One-Stop staff and partner agency staff
2) Provide professional development and technical assistance on topics including:
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the Workforce Investment Act,
Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA),
Medicaid and health issues,
Social Security Work Incentives,
Plans to Achieve Self Support (PASS),
job development and job carving for people with disabilities,
supported employment,
assistive technology, and
self-employment for people with disabilities
3) The marketing of Workforce Investment programs to other state and local entities such as
Vocational Rehabilitation, disability organizations, educational institutions, School-toWork and transition teams, and all other interested agencies
4) Creation of an Assessment Task Force charged with the testing of assessment and
diagnostic tools in the One-Stop Centers; developing guidelines for providing services to
people with learning and other disabilities; and identifying training opportunities for
front-line staff operating in the Workforce Investment system
5) To convene a statewide conference to highlight implementation issues and “best practices”
pertaining to the service coordination of the One-Stop partners for job seekers with disabilities
Project Accomplishments
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The first round of benefits analysis training has been completed. These training sessions were two
and one-half days in length and covered topics related to the effect of employment and wages on
people’s Social Security benefits, Medicaid, housing costs, and food stamps. Information
concerning accessing WIA funding for employment goals was made available to participants by
representatives of the various Workforce Investment partners, and Social Security Work
Incentives were covered. WIA personnel, vocational rehabilitation counselors, provider
personnel, and people with disabilities attended the sessions.
Nearly 2,000 hours of technical assistance and training have been provided to project participants,
and almost 3,000 people have received these services from project personnel.
Dissemination of project materials and information beyond the original scope of the grant has
occurred, and will be on-going.
Some WIA Montana Department of Labor personnel have become involved in funding support
services, and writing PASS plans to fund employment goals for people with disabilities.
Eight, one-day training sessions for WIA personnel are being planned for the summer and
fall of 2002. These sessions will be held in eight locations around Montana, in order to
better serve the WIA partner organizations. Emphasis will be on serving people with
disabilities in the state’s One-Stop Centers.
How Work Impacts Multiple Benefits:
A Quick Overview for WIA Partners
By Marsha Katz, Organizational Consultant at The Rural Institute
While not a guarantee, many people with disabilities receive, or could be eligible for, Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Both benefits
are administered by the Social Security Administration. Each includes monthly payments based
on disability (typically at poverty level or below), and health insurance (Medicare with SSDI,
and Medicaid with SSI). When SSI/SSDI recipients contemplate or engage in work, there are
often well-founded concerns about the impact of work on their benefits, particularly the risk of
losing Medicaid and/or Medicare. Along with routine health care, Medicaid pays for mental
health and developmental disability services, prescriptions, glasses, and personal assistance
services. For persons who depend on any of these services, preserving Medicaid is an essential
component of a successful work plan.
When recipients of SSDI consistently earn over a particular amount per month, (Substantial
Gainful Activity, or SGA), they face loss of their benefits altogether. The loss is compounded if
a spouse and/or children are also receiving benefits on the worker’s record. Unless earnings from
work can replace both the lost benefit amount and the attached health benefits, working does not
improve a person’s situation, no matter how much the person wants to work.
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was passed in 1998, guaranteeing equal access to
employment services for everyone, including people with disabilities. This change means that
Workforce Investment Act partners may be serving people with disabilities for the first time in
their careers. The more that employment providers, networks, and WIA partners learn about the
potential impact of earnings on benefits, the more effectively they can partner with workers with
disabilities. Together they can employ strategies that will achieve successful employment
outcomes without resulting in workers losing more than they gain by working.
While there are some real pitfalls that can accompany work for SSI and SSDI recipients, there
are also some great bonuses. For instance, by using an SSI work incentive called a Plan for
Achieving Self Support (PASS plan), a worker with a disability can create an “extra pot of
money” to blend with Workforce Investment and Vocational Rehabilitation funds in order to
achieve a vocational goal.
Other Work Incentives
Workers on SSDI can protect their benefits by using other work related provisions called
“subsidy,” “Impairment Related Work Expenses,” and “Blind Work Expenses,” even when they
earn over the SGA amount. SSDI recipients can also use a PASS.
Subsidies apply to SSDI beneficiaries and in limited circumstance also to SSI recipients. The
dollar amount of subsidies is subtracted from gross monthly earnings of the person. If the amount
of subsidy is large enough, it will reduce countable earnings below SGA. For SSI, subsidies only
apply at application if there are wages being evaluated for SGA. For SSDI recipients, however,
subsides apply anytime SGA is a consideration.
Subsidies exist when employers pay workers with disabilities more in wages than the reasonable
value of the actual services performed, therefore subsidizing them. To qualify, the person must
produce less when compared to the typical worker (employer will document this on the SSA
Work Activity Questionnaire, provided by the local SSA office), need extra support or
supervision, have fewer or easier duties, more rest periods, special equipment or transportation,
fewer hours, irregular hours, or frequent absences, etc.
Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) enable SSI recipients to recover some of their
work expenses incurred as a result of their disability, and they allow SSDI beneficiaries to reduce
earnings counted toward SGA. They are much easier to apply for than PASS plans.
Blind Work Expenses (BWE) are only available to persons who receive benefits based on being
blind. An allowable BWE is any work-related expense incurred by the person, and includes those
expenses that would be considered impairment related work expenses for persons with other
disabilities.
Income and Resources
Following are lists (not all inclusive) of common sources of income and resources that persons
with disabilities may receive and/or own. Some of these may impact eligibility for SSI/SSDI
benefits, and others may be affected when the person on SSI/SSDI begins to work and have
earnings. Some of these sources of income and resources are countable, some are excluded, or
not countable. Some are countable in certain situations, for only certain benefits, or in certain
amounts.
Because the rules are many and varied, they cannot all be reprinted here. However, when
assisting persons with disabilities to enter or return to the workforce, it is wise for WIA partners,
Employment Specialists, and benefits analysts to go through the following lists with them. If
they answer yes to any items, you and they can contact Social Security, and other benefit offices,
to get more information about the effect on benefit eligibility, and the effect of earnings on
benefits.
Work/Benefits Analysis: Sources of Income and Resources
to Consider
Unearned Income
SSDI-Social Security Disability
VA (Veterans) Benefits: Retirment, Agent Orange, Disability, Disabled Children
Railroad Retirement Benefits
Black Lung Benefits
Section 8/HUD Subsidy
TANF Benefits
Food Stamps/WIC Coupons, milk, free lunch programs and breakfast programs
Unemployment Benefits
Workers’ Comp Benefits
Child Support
IIM (Individual Indian Money)
Interest and/or Dividends
Lease/Rental Income
Alimony
Adoption Subsidies
Food/Shelter in lieu of wages (e.g. Religious Orders, Military)
Personal Assistance Payments
Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants
Long Term Disability Payments
Cash/In-kind Support from others
Civil Service Retirement
Military Retirement
Military Disability Retirement
Military Allotment
Free Housing on Military Base
Pension/Retirement Payments
Legal Settlement
Periodic Trust Income
Medicare Waiver
Americorp
State General Assistance, Energy Assistance, Home Energy Assistance
Tax Refunds
Foster Grandparent Payments, RSVP Payments, Meals for Older Americans, Senior Companion
School Loans
Inheritance, Lottery, Gambling Winnings
BIA Payments to Students, Assistance, Foster Care Funds
Earned Income
Wages
Net Income from Self-Employment
Food/Shelter in lieu of wages
Indian PerCapita Payments (Casino)
Work Study
Honoraria
Royalties
Bonuses
Resources
U.S. Savings Bonds
IIM Accounts
Safe Deposit Box Contents
Bank Accounts
Insurance Policies
Retirement/Pension Plan
IDA-Individual Development Accounts
Non-home Real Property
Coin/Stamp Collections
PASS plan Accounts
Trusts
Bonds or Stocks
Home
Valuable Antiques
Vehicles-cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles
Art Collection
Livestock
IRA, 401K
Property Essential for Self Support
Funeral/Burial Agreement
Cremation Agreement
Cemetery Plot
Head/Foot Stones, Markers
Contact Information
Marsha Katz, Organizational Consultant
(406) 243-2821
adaptmt@aol.com
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Considerations for Customers with Disabilities in the WIA
System
by Marsha Katz, Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
Since the enactment of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), every worker in America seeking
employment has the freedom to enter a WIA One-Stop Center and expect to be equitably and
respectfully served. One-Stops can also help workers get connected with other services and
assistance for which they may be eligible. In order for this seamless service to become a reality,
workers with disabilities need to know:
1) that the One-Stops are there waiting to welcome and serve them;
2) who the WIA partners are; and
3) what services are available.
At the same time, the One-Stop professionals need to know about the resources and
considerations that come with workers with disabilities. Many WIA professionals have years of
experience serving people with disabilities, some have served an occasional worker with a
disability, and still others have virtually no experience with people with disabilities. Many may
have served people with disabilities without even realizing it because those disabilities were not
visible and/or people chose not to disclose their disabilities. This article provides professionals
serving people with disabilities an overview of some of the considerations for customers with
disabilities
Access
Serving the disability community means—first and foremost—that your building, offices,
bathrooms, and communications need to be accessible. Access means being responsive to
disability-related needs, whether the disability is physical, cognitive, emotional/psychiatric,
sensory, or the result of a chronic health condition. Examples of access include:
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Physical consideration
o widened doorways
o grab bars in bathrooms
o enough room for wheelchairs to navigate and turn
o lowered counters or raised tables
o clear paths of travel
Sensory considerations
o
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having information available in alternative formats (e.g. braille, large print, on disk, or
audio tape)
o having furniture and pathways laid out to make navigation using a cane easier
o having a TDD/TTY available for deaf callers or using a state Relay system
o using sign language interpreters and real-time reporting to assure accurate and reliable
communication
Cognitive/other communication considerations
o giving information and instructions in clear, concrete, uncomplicated language
o being willing to go over things several times
o supplementing written and oral communication with pictorial representations of concepts
or audio tapes
o accommodating the use of letter boards or other assistive/augmentive communication
devices and tools
Time considerations
o allowing more time for appointments to accommodate someone with difficult to
understand speech, slower comprehension, slower physical movement, difficulty writing
and filling out forms
o need for gradual movement toward employment rather than sudden change
o flexibility in scheduling to accommodate health and other disability related needs.
Etiquette and Language
If you have never worked with a persons who have disabilities, you may feel awkward the first
time. The key to having a good relationship with that individual is simply treating that person
with respect. Remember the Golden Rule we all learned as children. It taught us to treat everyone
the way we want to be treated. Speak directly to the person, not his/her aide or interpreter. Ask if
you aren’t sure if a person needs help, or if you aren’t sure what to do next. Courtesy counts and
will earn you satisfied customers.
One of the best ways to demonstrate courtesy and respect is through your language. When
working with people with disabilities, the bottom line is “Person First” language, which as it
says, puts the person first, before the disability. By using “person first” language, you avoid
outdated, stereotypical, and pejorative labels. Some examples are listed below.
There are several excellent resources on disability language and/or etiquette. Our favorite is a
small booklet published the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association (EPVA) called “Disability
Etiquette: Tips on Interacting with People with Disabilities,” by Judy Cohen of Access
Resources. It is available by calling EPVA at (800) 444-0120 (toll free) or order on line at
www.unitedspinal.org.
In addition to “Disability Etiquette,” there are also:
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“Person First: A Language Guide to Help you Put the Person First when Communicating about
People with Disabilities” from the Axis Center for Public Awareness of People with Disabilities
(800) 231-2947 (toll free)
“Guidelines to Reporting and Writing about People with Disabilities” from the Research and
Training Center at the University of Kansas
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“Beyond the AP Stylebook” by Advocato Press © 1992, www.ragged-edgemag.com/mediacircus/styleguide.htm.
Examples of People First Language
Say . . .
Instead of . . .
people with disabilities
the handicapped or disabled
he has a cognitive disability
he’s mentally retarded or he’s slow
she has autism
she’s autistic
he has Down syndrome
he’s Downs
she has a learning disability
she’s learning disabled
he has a spinal cord injury or CP
he’s crippled or spastic
she’s of short stature
she’s a dwarf (or midget)
he has mental illness/psychiatric disability
he’s crazy
she uses a wheelchair
she’s wheelchair bound or she’s confined to a wheelchair
brain injury
brain damage
accessible parking
handicapped parking
she is deaf or hearing impaired
She is a deaf- mute
From: Kathie Snow, People First Language, a commentary by Kathie Snow;
www.disabilityisnatural.com and Beyond the AP Stylebook, The Advocado Press
What do I do if…?
Many WIA staff have asked a number of “What do I do if/when…?”questions about serving
people with various disabilities.
For instance, “What do I do when I don’t understand what someone is saying? Should I just
smile and nod like I do understand?” The answer is no, don’t pretend to understand. How you
respond may vary, based on the person and the disability. If the person has had a stroke or has
cerebral palsy, for example, don’t hesitate to say, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand what you
were saying. Can you please repeat that for me?” On occasion, you may need to ask the person to
repeat several times before you understand. That’s okay, because if you don’t understand, you
can’t respond appropriately. And, you’ll be glad to know that as you have continuing contact
with the person and get to know her/him better, you will grow accustomed to the sounds and
rhythms of her/his speech and find yourself understanding nearly everything the first time.
“What do I do if I get a call through a Relay system?” If you’ve never been on the receiving
end of a Relay call before, don’t hesitate to let the operator know, and feel free to ask for help.
The operator will be happy to talk you through the call and help you learn the shorthand words to
indicate when you are done with your question or response (“go ahead”), or when you’re done
with the call altogether (“S-K”).
“What do I do when someone comes in with a service/guide dog?” The first thing to know is
that you shouldn’t pet the dog; it’s working and needs to focus on its owner’s needs. The dog and
owner have been through intensive training together and know how to work as a team to get the
owner’s needs met. Beyond that, don’t be shy about asking the person if there is anything you
should or should not do.
“What do I do if I’m not sure someone can fill out the paperwork I need?” It’s always okay
to say to someone, “I need these papers filled out, will you need any help?” Some people have
cognitive disabilities and can’t read and write, while others with typical IQs might have severe
learning disabilities. Still others use English as a second language and feel unsure about their
ability to communicate in a foreign language. The bottom line is, if a person accepts your offer
of help, or asks you for help, provide the assistance and assume it’s really needed.
A safe rule when you’re not sure what to do, or how to do it, is simply to ask the person.
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“ How can I help?”
“ Do you need any help with the door?”
“Can you find your way to Ray’s office or would you like me to walk down with you?”
“ Do you need a clipboard to write on, or will the desk work?”
"Do you need any assistance getting out to the bus?”
“ Here are your copies of the papers we filled out. Would you like me to put them in the back
pack on your wheelchair? Which pocket?”
“Does this room layout work for you, or should we move/raise/lower anything?”
“ Do you want paper copies of these brochures, or do want me to put them on disk for you, or
email them to you?”
Legal Considerations and Resources
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws, persons with disabilities are a
“protected class” when it comes to discrimination on the basis of their disability. In other words,
employers can’t choose to NOT hire or promote an otherwise qualified worker, just because he
or she has a disability. Employers also are required by the ADA to make “reasonable
accommodations” that will assist a worker with a disability to perform the essential functions of
the job.
For instance, if a qualified candidate for a front office accounting job uses a wheelchair, the
employer can’t say “I’m sorry, you are very qualified, but I can’t hire you because a wheelchair
in my front office might offend my customers.” That’s discrimination, and it’s illegal. If the
accountant needs her desk raised a bit to accommodate her wheelchair so she can do her job, the
employer needs to raise the desk, and can’t fire her to avoid raising the desk
The above example is simple and clear. But what if the worker has seizures and needs to work in
an environment with natural or full spectrum lighting, not flickering artificial lighting that
triggers seizures? Theoretically, the protections are the same. The lighting accommodation
should be made, if it is doable. However, it is not uncommon for persons with epilepsy (and
psychiatric disabilities, too) to hide their disability because they fear discrimination. Therefore,
they may have been hired under the assumption they didn’t have any disability because they
didn’t “disclose” that disability at hiring, or at any time after that. If a worker hasn’t disclosed his
or her disability to the employer, he/she can’t insist on an accommodation and is not afforded
protection under the ADA.
In the case of the accountant with a seizure disorder, if she stays home too often because she
fears that she will have seizures from the flickering artificial lights, she will likely jeopardize her
job because of missed work. She can’t ask for, and expect to be provided with, a reasonable
accommodation unless she discloses her disability to her employer. If her poor attendance causes
her employer to give her a two week notice, she can’t use the ADA to help keep her job unless
she discloses the epilepsy to her employer and asks for the reasonable accommodation of an
office with full spectrum or natural lighting.
On the other hand, if her employer hired her knowing about her seizure disorder, and then tried
to fire her rather than give her the office with full spectrum lighting, she is protected by the ADA
and can file a complaint or take other legal action.
When Workforce Investment partners serve persons with disabilities, they need to know that no
one is required to disclose a disability in order to receive services or get hired. But it makes sense
to advise all persons seeking Workforce Investment assistance that if they have a disability, they
will only have protection under the ADA if they disclose their disability.
For workers who do disclose, they, their WIA partners, and their employers have free resources
available to assist with appropriate job accommodations. One of these resources is the Job
Accommodation Network (JAN), which can be reached at (800) 526-7234 (toll free), or
jan@jan.icdi.wvu.edu, or www.jan.wvu.edu.
Summary
In the beginning of any new relationship, things can be awkward and tentative. And having
Congress as your matchmaker in an arranged marriage can cause foot dragging all by itself.
Progress may be halting as the parties learn about one another and get used to each other. But
with a little time and effort, and a common goal, there’s every reason to expect a full, rich,
fruitful life together.
Carley’s Story of Walmart
By Ellen Condon, Project Director at The Rural Institute
Employment as a Transition Goal
When the concept of Carley working for pay in the community and eventually without a job
coach was first introduced to her Individual Education Plan (IEP) team, several members of the
team balked, thinking this was not possible, realistic, or feasible at all. Her family had always set
high expectations for her and supported her to be as independent as possible at home, and
employment seemed like the next logical step in her preparation for transition from school to
adulthood. At this time, Carley was 16 and had two more years of high school. She lived in a
small town of about 10,000 people in western Montana. National statistics indicate that people
with cerebral palsy and ongoing support needs are still not gaining access to employment. If
Carely’s team could support her to gain a real paid work experience prior to graduation, her
chances to be employed after she graduated would improve.
The impact of Carley’s disability can distract you from thinking in terms of what she could bring
to an employer and a job. It is easy to focus on what she can’t physically do and all the daily
activities with which she needs support and will always need support. At school she had always
had a one-to-one support person with her, from the time she arrived on the school bus in the
morning until she got on the bus to go home at the end of the day. Her support person performed
various therapy routines, provided all of her personal care needs, fixed her meals, assisted her to
eat, and basically directed her day, much of which was spent in a classroom with several other
students with significant support needs. There wasn’t an expectation for her to be as independent
as possible or to participate in events and classes with non-disabled peers, much less become an
employed adult and tax payer upon graduation from high school.
Before we could develop a job for Carley, we needed to discover what her interests, skills, and
actual support needs were so that we could confidently approach employers and market Carley to
them. At first we didn’t have a vision of what she could bring to an employer or what the ideal
job tasks or work environments for Carley looked like. This made job development impossible.
At age 16 she hadn’t had any work experience or preparation.
We needed to start with a Discovery process, which would help us get to know what Carley’s
interests, skills, support needs, and strategies were for accomplishing activities during her day.
The team began by spending time with Carley, observing, letting her show us what she could do
before we “helped.” We included people on her team who knew her well. Her mom guided us
with her years of experience implementing strategies to enable Carley to participate and do for
herself. We encouraged school staff to see what Carley could do on her own.
Supporting Students to Participate Fully
The biggest eye opener for her teacher was learning what support Carley needed to come in from
the bus and get to her classroom by herself in the morning. He had always assumed that she
needed a one-to-one support person to get in the door and take the elevator to the second floor.
As he began to analyze what he was providing for support and why, Carley basically
demonstrated that she didn’t need this level of assistance. A paid support person didn’t always
need to be with her. Steps she couldn’t physically perform could be done in a different manner or
with an adaptation. Steps she didn’t know how to perform she could be taught and other students
were naturally available and could eliminate some of the barriers for her, such as the outside
door. Another student opened the door to the school. With minimal training she learned how to
operate the elevator, what to do if it got stuck, and how to maneuver the elevator door and her
wheelchair. Rethinking Carley’s support needs in this situation set the tone for the school staff to
begin helping her to be as independent and competent as possible. The para-professionals and
teachers began supporting and teaching other students to perform activities as independently as
possible, too, rather than always providing support and fostering dependence on paid staff. The
students began expecting to do things more independently and began offering their own ideas of
supports or adaptations they might need.
Carley had participated in two different community-based work experiences over two years and
a variety of in-school jobs. As Carley was given the opportunity to show us what her interests
and capabilities were, her strong work ethic became evident. She strived to be independent on
each job and was highly motivated to earn her pay checks, which she is saving to pay for a
wheelchair accessible van and items for her own home after she graduates from high school.
We discovered that Carely was great at showing people how to get places; she knew where
things were and she had a great memory. She was a very social young woman. When we went
out in the community with her, it appeared that she knew half of the town. At school she wrote
notes to friends or emails using the computer, and when she got home she was on the phone
using her new Delta Talker. Through several work experiences, we learned that Carley was
highly motivated to do things independently, took her job seriously, had a strong work ethic, and
loved to please her supervisor.
As we gathered more information about Carley, the picture of the ideal employment situation
emerged. She needed an accessible environment, with enough room for her to get around in her
wheelchair, and with job tasks and materials that she could physically maneuver. She did best
with an established routine. She needed support initially with new tasks to identify or create
adaptations when she couldn’t physically perform a portion of the task as anyone else would. She
could deliver items, give directions, assist customers to find things, perform data entry on the
computer, identify things that are out of place, and return them to the appropriate location. The
IEP team identified Walmart as a work environment that matched Carley’s ideal characteristics
of a job environment and job tasks.
The Marketing Call
The job development team consisted of her teacher, her para-professional, and her mom. When
they met with the manager of Walmart, they had a clear vision of what Carley could contribute to
his store. They had actually listed over 70 items, categorized by department, they knew she could
re-shelve in the store. Before meeting with the Walmart manager, the team assembled a list of
contributions that they knew Carley could make to Walmart as an employee. They described her
skills and abilities as:
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Carley wants to work. She is looking for long-term employment where she can be employed now
and remain employed after graduation.
Carley is a dedicated worker. She will be reliable and consistent at work.
She has a great smile and is well known in the community. People who shop at WalMart look for
her.
Carley has a good knowledge of where things are in the store.
She has “eyes like a hawk.” She sees things on the shelves that have been abandoned and
misplaced and is able to re-shelve them in their appropriate locations.
Carley has a great memory for instructions and where items are located.
Carley is resourceful. When she has a question or a need she finds a way for someone to help her.
She is meticulous. If she doesn’t know where an item goes she will find the manager of the
department and ask for help rather than putting the item in the wrong spot.
The manager asked about Carley’s ability to communicate with customers and was assured that
her Delta Talker is programmed with “Walmart words and vocabulary.” She can ask for help
from department managers and greet and converse with customers. (Part of her ongoing support
plan is to continuously identify new vocabulary she needs on the job and program it into her
computer). The manager also wanted to know how she would handle items and her team was
able to explain that she uses her right hand to drive her power chair, use her Delta Talker, and to
put items away on the shelf. Her mom explained the exact dimensions of items, weight
limitations, and sizes that Carley can physically lift.
Carley was hired to stock the end cap displays and the check-out candy and the clip strips located
in various departments throughout the store. She continues to do returns for Customer Services
as needed. She completed her 90-day probationary period and moved into permanent employee
status. She works at the store three hours each day and then proceeds on to school. Her job coach
will have faded from the job site soon. Carley plans to continue her employment at Walmart after
graduation and she would like to increase her hours. During the summer her sister and mom
served as her job coaches and were paid by Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation.
She is on the waiting list for local Developmental Disabilities employment services, but in case
she remains on the waiting list for services, she could pay for employment supports with a Social
Security Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan). As a student, Carley can earn up to
$5,410 a year and still keep receiving her full Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check. Carley
only receives SSI. When she graduates, her SSI check will be reduced by $1 for every $2 she
earns over $85/month, or she could shelter these wages in a PASS plan. If she is working 20
hours a week at $5.15 an hour she could shelter over $160/month, and use that money to pay for
employment supports.
Contact Information
Production of this article was funded through the Work Incentives and Alternative Resource
Development for Student Employment project at The Rural Institute, funded through the U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
Ellen Condon, Project Director
(406) 243-5927
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Owner-Oriented Business Planning BOLD Consulting
Group, LLC: A Case Study
By Sally Dale, Alice Weiss Doyel, and Nancy Pollok
BOLD Consulting Group, LLC
* Editor’s Note: this is an example of an actual business plan written by and for a person with a
disability through the Rural Institute’s Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion
Design (RESEED) project.
Executive Summary
BOLD Consulting Group, LLC is a home-based business owned and run by Alice Doyel and
Kimberly Doyel. The business vision of BOLD is to improve the level of success and quality of
life for small business owners who are at the point of growing their businesses, who are trying to
do too many of the operational functions themselves, or who are continually “off-balance” due to
the neglect of these major business functions. The mission of BOLD is to help small businesses
become more successful by providing a full range of services for the operational functions that
support their business mission, goals, and culture.
Alice Doyel is a small business owner whose achievements since the 1960s support this new
division of the existing BOLD Consulting Group. BOLD assists business owners with
disabilities. This new division will offer services that assist businesses with approximately two to
ten employees in assessing their business operations needs and improving their operations
strategies and implementation. A distinguishing element is BOLD’s network of professional
business associates who offer specialized services.
Marketing often will be done jointly with the network associates, who have established
relationships with ongoing clients. BOLD’s eye-catching marketing folder and brochure includes
information on how BOLD works with clients, and its methods to succeed in operations
management.
BOLD will initially have two part-time employees, each working only a few hours per week.
These employees provide BOLD with the necessary assistance for start-up. Job descriptions are
developed to expand employee roles and to hire additional employees as BOLD grows.
Computer technology will be used extensively to maximize BOLD’s productivity and work
quality.
The new focus of BOLD must be financially sound as a stand-alone operation. The main source
of revenue will come from consulting fees. The average monthly revenue, as well as expenses,
will vary with the number of clients. BOLD will operate at a comfortable level when client
billing averages $5,000 per month. Funding for start-up expenses will come from the existing
operations and a personal loan from Alice Doyel.
The primary risk to BOLD is the threat to Alice’s health. While this undertaking is aimed at
protecting Alice’s health and allowing her to work from home, the potential for a health problem
is present. BOLD employees and the network of associates will function as a safety net for Alice.
Owner’s Experience
Alice Doyel has been a small business owner with disabilities for 18 years. The central focus of
all her operations has been assisting others who run their own small companies. After graduating
with a degree in Business Administration, Alice began her career as a market research and site
location analyst in the 1960s. Her goal was always to own her own business.
In 1984 Alice began operating her first company serving small businesses of 2 to 100 people,
with most firms employing fewer than 30 people. This operation focused on helping business
owners to effectively utilize the “new” personal/desktop computers. This business evolved over
time to focus on consulting on financial aspects of small business–helping small business owners
to increase their efficiency in financial practices and reporting, e.g., accounts receivable,
accounts payable, payroll, and inventory. This enterprise gave Alice considerable experience in
the field of financial management of small businesses.
The next leg of Alice’s career came as the CFO of Effective Compensation Incorporated, owned
by Alice and her husband, Hoyt Doyel. This firm assisted other businesses in the area of human
resources. As CFO, her experience evolved into computer strategic planning, management of
employee benefits, payroll, and managing vendor and outside support staff relationships.
The most recent experience for Alice has been assisting business owners with disabilities and
training non-profit and government organizations in this area. From this extensive experience
and knowledge, Alice wrote the book No More Job Interviews! Self-Employment Strategies for
People with Disabilities, TRN, Inc. Order Toll Free: (866) 823-9800
Alice will now apply her years of business experience and her love of collaborating with others
to the new BOLD Consulting Group, offering consulting and facilitation services that assist
small businesses in assessing and improving their business operations.
Bold’s Owner-oriented Business Plan
Business Name
BOLD Consulting Group, LLC
BOLD is the acronym for Business Operations with Leadership and Direction
Business Structure
Limited Liability Company
Alice Doyel and Kimberly Doyel, Owners
Business Vision
The business vision of BOLD is to improve the level of success and quality of life for small
business owners who are at the point of growing their businesses, who are trying to do too many
of the operational functions themselves, or who are continually “off-balance” due to the neglect
of these major business functions.
Business Mission
To make small businesses more successful by providing a full range of services for the
operational functions of these businesses that support their mission, goals, and culture.
Strategic Objectives
BOLD currently focuses on helping people with disabilities take advantage of their strengths,
while supporting their weaknesses in business operations. Alice’s newest venture will be a small
consulting business that assists other small business owners to deal with everyday business
operations. Many of these businesses are family owned, and there is a great need to balance
business operations with personal and family life. Helping business owners overcome business
challenges will allow them to move away from the 80-to-90 hour workweek. BOLD will provide
a team of consultants who specialize in various areas of business to help find solutions for the
small business owner.
Business Goals
Provide a line of services for the operational needs of small businesses including:

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Assess and consult on operations needs, strategies and implementation.
Implement recommendations or specific requests.
Function as out-of-house operations management.
Provide BOLD employees for ongoing or one-time operations work.
Coordinate and/or manage relationships with associates providing operations, marketing, or
financial services.
Quality of Business and Life Goals

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Network only with people who have high levels of skills in their specialty area; who are ethical,
collaborative, and communicate well.
Work only with clients who want to succeed and who will take those actions that will allow
themselves to succeed.
Set up the business in a manner that will allow Alice to balance her health needs with her
business needs.
Create a successful business that Alice owns and manages, a business that will expand gradually.
BOLD’s Home-Business Strategy
Determining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of expanding the existing
BOLD Consulting Group operations (see the following table) helped Alice to make some key
decisions regarding BOLD, the type of work being considered, and how it affects her health. The
primary threat in having a home-based business lies in having too much demand, potentially
causing Alice’s health problems to recur and reducing opportunity to engage in other activities
that she enjoys, even significantly harming her health. A primary reason for having this business
is to eliminate isolation and to help others. Making a profit is necessary, as in any case, but
secondary to the other issues.
SWOT Analysis of New Business Focus for BOLD
Goals: BOLD: Business Operations Consulting
Opportunities:

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Having a potentially successful, for-profit business
Socializing with people who have a common interest
Means for personal growth
Helping small businesses be more successful
Threats: Doing too much, causing a significant health problem
Element
Strengths
Weaknesses
Actions
Alice
• Extensive experience
• Health concerns
• Love of learning for self • Recent loss of husband and
and clients
business partner
• Love of collaboration with
Associates
• Love of collaboration with
clients
• marketing beliefs
• Continuous health
control
• Working closely with
Core Associates and
employees
• Continuous updating of
business plan
Employees
• Have jobs and experience • Not having the income for fullin the field
time employees causes
• Treat Alice with respect
scheduling constraints
• Willing to work part-time
• Jointly define effective
roles
• Do job analysis
• Do scheduling analysis
Core
Associates
Network
• All extremely experienced • Needing to communicate and
in their area
coordinate consistently
• Most are long-term
relationships
• Work with collaboration
and respect
• Provide a quasi-partnering
function
• Finalize information
and marketing materials
• Discuss each
Associate’s role and
approach
• Have a meeting of all
Associates
Wide
Associates
Network
• Provide a wide-range of
• Needing to communicate and
products and service for
coordinate consistently
BOLD clients
• A way to utilize
businesses owned by people
with disabilities
• Continue developing
information and
marketing materials
• Meet with each on a
one-on-one basis
BOLD’s Primary Tactics
BOLD will use six tactics to achieve its strategy of operating a home-based business with a
network of consultants that will help Alice protect her health.
1.
BOLD’s first tactic will be to provide a full line of services for assisting in a small
business’s operations needs.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
2.
Assessing the business’s current operations functions.
Working collaboratively with clients to develop improved operations systems.
Helping to implement the operations systems and procedures.
Functioning as the out-of-house operations manager or coordinator.
Providing BOLD employees for one-time or ongoing operations projects.
Second tactic will be assisting a defined, targeted market niche of small business. This
tactic requires clearly identifying the type of business that BOLD can best assist;
a.
b.
c.
d.
Companies that are in the growth phase of the business and need to expand operations.
Companies where growth has halted, but in which the business is basically successful.
Companies where the business needs more effective operations management.
Companies where the business owner’s time needs to be freed up or to become more
focused.
e. Companies that require operational changes.
f. Companies whose business has recently undergone ownership or management changes.
The third tactic in building BOLD is to create a network of business associates who
specialize in various areas of business. The associates will work collaboratively with
BOLD in order to provide a full-range of consulting services to small businesses,
including marketing planning and development, sales training, financial planning and
management, and computer technology services.
4. The fourth tactic is defining how BOLD Consulting Group works with prospects and
clients. BOLD will:
3.
a. Consult with companies that are currently successful or that have a strong potential for
future success.
b. Focus on business-to-business services companies with two to ten employees. This will
include small wholesalers and manufacturers on an individual basis.
c. Consult in or near Denver County, preferably within a three-mile radius of BOLD’s
home-based office.
d. Collaborate with BOLD’s marketing consultant to qualify the potential client by
assessing the viability and financial stability of the business.
e. Determine if the potential client is willing to take the steps that are necessary to improve
the operations practices of the business in a reasonable manner and time frame.
f. Take the time to understand each client’s culture and its business goals.
g. Work collaboratively with clients to create and implement realistic operations goals.
h. Develop operations systems such as policies, employee needs, vendor relationships,
professional resources, and computer networks in order to determine the resources
needed for the business to operate effectively and profitably.
i. Assist in documenting operations methods and procedures so that there is control and
consistency, even during times of economic and business change.
j. Stay in contact with clients on an ongoing basis in order to provide the necessary support
for the operations management of the business.
k. Support clients having an annual company review of their operations practices and
procedures, moving forward each year with a fresh perspective.
5.
The fifth tactic is for Alice to monitor any health issues on an ongoing basis in order to
avoid potential relapses and a significant work stoppage. In order to do that, Alice has
identified and taken the following actions that should limit downtime from illness.
a. Control work schedule as much as possible and work early in the day.
b. Walk to meetings and other business-related chores when possible, as portion of her
physical therapy.
c. Limit out-of-town travel.
d. Rest to prevent or alleviate fatigue.
e. Prepare and eat the proper foods.
6.
The sixth tactic is to use computer technology whenever possible to make BOLD a more
effective consulting firm both in regard to its internal operations and its ability to work
most effectively with its clients.
Operations Strategy
Organizational Structure
Alice wants BOLD Consulting Group LLC to function as a home-based business. This means
that the organizational structure will be kept simple. Alice and her daughter Kimberly Doyel will
function as co-owners. Employees and the network of associates will operate under the BOLD
guidelines. Employees and network associates will be added when appropriate.
Organization Chart
Co-Owners: Alice Doyel; Kimberly Doyel
Core Associates: Marketing Specialist; CPA; Computer Network and Systems Specialist
Partial List of Outer Ring Associates: Insurance; Conflict Resolution; Advertising; Accounting
Software
Employee Functions: Consultants; Faciliators
Project Management Team
As BOLD begins to consult with clients, initial contacts will be made either directly with BOLD,
or through one of the network associates. Either BOLD or that associate will be directly
responsible for the client. As other associates are brought into a project with a client, the initial
associate who has been working with the client will remain as the project manager.
Network Associates
There are two levels of network associates: core associates and outer-ring associates.
The core associates are essential to the underlying concept of BOLD: to provide a full range of
high quality professional services to small business. Within this core of associates, BOLD
specializs in business operations. Other associates specialize in financial management, marketing
and sales, and computer systems and technology. These core associates all have long established
track records in their field. They also have strong business relationships with Alice. When
appropriate, any or all of the core associates can function as a virtual company for a client.
Outer-ring associates are those vendors known to BOLD or any of the core associates who do
quality work in their specialized fields. They will be called in when their area of expertise is
needed for a client. They are also a marketing focus for BOLD, to refer BOLD to their clients
and customers when appropriate.
Human Resource Plan
BOLD will open with Alice and two part-time employees. Everyone’s initial duties include
developing BOLD’s start-up concepts and materials. Alice will head the marketing effort, with
assistance from the other employees. She is the senior consultant; however, she will function as a
facilitator when appropriate. The part-time employees will be facilitators. All three employees
are involved with the various administrative and clerical aspects at this point in the business’s
development.
Job descriptions, expected proficiencies, and career paths have been written for the positions of
senior consultant, operations consultant, operations facilitator, and administrative assistant.
Currently, the only benefit is health insurance for full-time employees. As the business grows, a
sound benefits package will be established.
Customer Service Policy
The following policies have been set up to assist the employee in understanding BOLD’s
customer service policy.





Respect the capabilities of the client company, both the owners and the employees.
Work collaboratively with clients and with our network associates.
Introduce our network associates to clients by outlining their background, skills, and why they are
suitable to work with the client.
Work at each client’s comfort level for developing and improving his/her business.
Make clients feel comfortable to call anytime with questions or for support.













Respond to clients’ calls and emails promptly, or let them know when to expect a reply.
Provide clear, understandable, and professional information and materials.
Determine the best long-term solutions, balancing cost with effectiveness.
Work toward independence for our clients and their business.
Present a commitment letter allowing the client to understand both BOLD services and the
client’s requirements in regard to the relationship.
Document the work and the methodologies for BOLD’s files and for the clients’ files.
Work with clients in the morning when possible, especially if the topic is training or decisionmaking.
Determine the appointment length beforehand, as much as is possible.
Always arrive on time; if unavoidably late, call ASAP.
Set next appointment before leaving the client, if possible.
Take regular clients to lunch on occasion to talk outside of the office setting.
Do three-month and six-month follow-ups after a project is completed, assessing the results and
providing any necessary further assistance.
Contact clients when appropriate to see if any additional services are needed.
Technology
BOLD has installed a computer network with two workstations in the BOLD home-based
business office. These workstations use laptop computers with docking stations, so that the
computers can function as desktop computers in the office and as portable computers to take to
client sites. These workstations use the Microsoft Windows XP Operating Systems and
Microsoft XP Office–Business Version, as well as other software applications and utility
software. All of the software has been updated to the latest versions.
The BOLD computer network server has Microsoft Exchange Server on a Microsoft Window
2000 Operating System. This allows BOLD to have employees and associates Virtual Private
Network (VPN) directly into the BOLD files on the server for easier access, less confusion, and
less lost data. The security systems limits employee VPN access to BOLD working files, keeping
employees other than Alice away from program files. Microsoft Exchange Server also allows
BOLD to host its own web site and be its own email provider. This greatly reduces the
complexity of vendors to handle these operations. BOLD uses a firm for all of its computer
support, including a monthly contract with four-hour response time for critical problems.
Sales and Marketing Strategy
Primary Marketing Strategy
Referrals are key to BOLD’s marketing success.
Ultimately, BOLD will develop a customer base defined by ongoing relationships. These
satisfied customers will provide referrals for expanding BOLD’s client base.
Initially, marketing will be done through direct contact with both core and outer-ring associates.
Associates may have customers needing BOLD’s services. The associates can refer these
customers to BOLD. Alice will have a one-on-one visit with potential associates to:


Identify what the associate would like to gain from the initial meeting.
Define the associate’s business.



Distribute marketing materials explaining BOLD.
Provide the associate with the BOLD associates application.
Allow the associate and BOLD to market to prospective clients.
A major strength of this method is that BOLD has excellent marketing materials presented in a
boldly designed folder:

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


The folder’s design reflects the BOLD name with colors that speak loudly.
The folder provides flexibility to gear marketing materials to each potential client.
It includes BOLD’s promotional four-page brochure, with compelling images and bright colors.
Additional information sheets outlining BOLD services, who BOLD serves best, how BOLD
works with clients, and what BOLD expects of associates.
Business cards.
Associates can present these materials to their clients in their own marketing efforts. This allows
BOLD to initiate warm leads, and to consider associates and network resources as lead
generators. These marketing pieces also serve as guidelines to associates for referring companies
to BOLD Consulting Group.
A future marketing tool will be to jointly host, fee-based seminars with associates on various
topics and areas of common concern or on problems in stimulating new customer contacts. These
seminars will take place two to four times a year. In them, two to three associates will focus on a
45-minute presentation.
E-Marketing
Monthly e-bulletins on topics drawn from a variety of network participants will help to stimulate
new customer contacts as well as create awareness. Topics would reflect the needs businesses
might have and would show solutions or strategies that help to resolve problems. These ebulletins will be short, approximately two to three paragraphs long, hitting the main point
quickly.
A web site is planned that will mirror the marketing materials mentioned above. Copies of past
e-bulletins will be available on the website for access by potential customers. Also, links to
services offered by associates will enhance and supplement BOLD’s services.
Market Analysis
Market Niche
BOLD’s targeted market segment is:






small business-to-business companies with 2 to 10 employees
“service businesses,” but (sub) contractors, small distributors, and small manufacturers are
considered on an individual basis
businesses which have seen moderate to good success but have needs in the operations area
companies in a growth phase, needing to expand or modify their operations
successful businesses that have reached a growth plateau and need more effective operational
strategies and management
businesses whose owners need to free up their time for more focused management activities

future: someone purchasing a business who lacks experience in business operations
Physical Market Area
The physical extent of BOLD’s service offering will be in the Denver SMSA. Alice has a
challenge in reaching a wide marketing area because she does not drive. There are many
businesses within a three-mile radius of Alice’s home-based office, so she will work to develop
her practice in that physical area. Since Alice does not pay rent, she can put money into having
an employee drive for her or she can use taxis. When she markets with Associates, they are often
willing to drive her.
Alice strongly believes that working at a client’s location and working face-to-face with clients
are important aspects for successful small business consulting. Although some work can be done
at Alice’s office and some through telephone and email contact, she will not reduce the quality of
her client services by reducing meetings at client locations.
Key Competitors





Small business consulting firms, especially those with the same focus.
Accounting firms focusing on the small business.
Family and friends of the small business owner.
A business partner, existing or potential.
An employee, existing or potential.
Promotion Methods
BOLD will actively promote its services by:





Marketing jointly with the core associates who have established relationships with their ongoing
clients.
Marketing to the outer ring of associates or resources, the companies that BOLD and its
associates will be recommending, to encourage them to bring in BOLD when they feel one of
their customers is in need of BOLD’s services.
Marketing to small to medium-size CPA firms, whose customers are small businesses. If they are
not providing these services themselves at the level that BOLD can provide, they may be
excellent referral sources for BOLD. BOLD works with the day-to-day aspects of the business,
something CPA firms often do not want to undertake.
Working with a few good customers. BOLD has defined whom it will and will not work with as
prospective clients. This will keep BOLD from wasting time and energy on non-productive
prospects and on clients who do not work effectively and can sap a small business’s time and
energy. This will also provide BOLD with customers who will be strong referral resources.
Limiting the time spent on an individual prospect, such as those who try to get free information
by asking for more and more in the proposal process, then often just walking away. BOLD will
also “fire” the rare client who is a drain on the business.
Initial Sales Strategy
Alice does not want to start with more than two or three primary clients in the first six to nine
months, both to test her health and to test the concept. There could be additional smaller projects
or work that BOLD would only be involved with on a limited basis.
It is absolutely necessary that the BOLD Consulting Group concept fits into Alice’s life style.
The biggest threat to BOLD is the threat to Alice’s health. During the initial months of operation,
guidelines for future growth of the company will be determined. During that time frame,
guidelines will emerge on how BOLD employees and associates will handle potential downtime,
should a health issue arise for Alice. Projecting potential sales beyond the initial six to nine
months is not currently determinable, but as BOLD accrues clients, these projections will be
made.
Financial Strategy
Income
The pricing structure will be based on an hourly rate that can be quoted to potential customers in
price tiers depending upon that customer’s needs. The three tiers will include:



Highest fees for pure consulting.
Moderate fees for consulting and assisting with implementation of consulting recommendations.
Lowest rates for ongoing project work such as organizing, file work, or general office tasks.
Based on these factors:


Alice - $75 to $175 per hour, depending on the activity.
Other BOLD employee - $40 to $75 per hour with the average being $60.
The assessment of customer needs will be billed on an hourly basis. The length of time required
will vary, based on the individual situation for each company. Projects or assignments that result
from the assessment may be billed either on a strict time and materials basis (usually based on a
reasonable estimate) or on a flat fee basis. Some flexibility of consulting fees will be necessary
in order to accommodate jobs that have special requirements or tasks or for jobs that do not fit a
normal pricing structure.
BOLD billing rates will be approximately three to four times the employee’s salary. In most
cases, employees will be doing both client work and non-billable work such as general office
work and marketing. The billing rates must cover:






Client billable time.
Overhead cost, including the employee’s time doing office-related work.
Marketing time.
Training time.
Over-budget projects.
Time lost from uneven flow of work.
Alice’s salary is averaged to $40 per hour to reflect the amount of time necessary to run and
manage BOLD, including 25% of her time involved in marketing efforts (closer to 50% at start
up.) Alice anticipates being paid only when all other expenses have been met. Alice would like
to work an “effective” 25 hours per week, which could easily take an actual 35 hours or more,
due to her cognitive and physical condition, and fatigue limitations. If 40% of her “effective”
time were billable (10 hours per week) she would bring in approximately $60,000, or $5,000 per
month. The remaining hours would be devoted to marketing (at least seven hours per week), and
management and coordination (eight hours per week).
Billable employee time is targeted at 67% to 75% of their time, though in the beginning months
it will be closer to 50%. There may also be times with new employees, and new types of work
with existing employees, where time spent on a project will not be billable because of the
learning curve and training time. This is especially true at start up, which lowers the break-even
point. Initial employee costs will be $20 per hour, and may be “bonused” or paid at a second
higher rate if a long-term client job reaches the higher end of the billing rate scale. Employees
who are strong and successful marketers will receive compensation for these skills, but this
factor is not calculated into the current pay structure.
Income from the client billable time covers a substantial portion of the overhead costs above
Alice’s salary. The employee billable work would then cover the remaining overhead costs,
including the portion of their salaries for their non-billable time.
In determining the fee schedule, consideration was given to the fact that BOLD’s target market is
the small business, and many small businesses may not be able to afford overly high rates. It is
also assumed that the customer will receive highly specialized, successful collaborative
consulting and facilitation services from BOLD, thus making BOLD’s services well worth the
expenditure for the client.
Expenses
Alice has designed a business where regular monthly expenses are relatively moderate for a
consulting firm ($3,000 per month) in order to minimize risk to the business from any health
problems she may experience. This expense estimate includes employee salaries for non-billable
work only. If employees are doing billable work, that expense will be covered by increased
income.
The most significant start up expenses were:
(1) a computer network and completely updated software for BOLD’s home office
and for remote access for BOLD employees and owners,
(2) developing BOLD’s consulting strategies, methods, approaches, and the extensive
consulting materials, which enable BOLD to work effectively with clients, and
(3) development, design, and printing of BOLD’s creative and effective marketing
materials. These essential start up expenses were approximately $20,000.
Additional funds were needed for basic business operating expenses during the start up period.
Creating Opportunity
Alice Doyel is applying her extensive experience and collaborative skills to building a
successful, for-profit business that helps other small businesses become more successful. She has
created the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of owning her own business while working from
home and protecting her health.
Contact Information
Alice Doyle, Sally Dale, and Nancy Pollock
BOLD Consulting, LLC
1510 E. 10th Ave. Suite 7W
Denver, CO 80218
(303) 674-3383
adoyel@bold-oowners.com
“Traditional” Self-Employment Process Created
from RESEED Project
By Rebecca Holland, Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation, Jemez Pueblo, NM
“You are the wind beneath my wings.” Just hearing that phrase paints a picture in the mind.
Maybe a person sees a large eagle soaring above the treetops, just gliding on the air current.
Maybe another person pictures someone who is struggling to stand up being assisted by a friend.
They are words of strength and words of courage. They are words that speak from the heart and
create an image that brings a feeling of confidence. They are the words that the Jemez
Vocational Rehabilitation (JVR) Project used to begin creating its self-employment process.
The vision that JVR has always tried to paint for consumers is that the program is merely the
“wind beneath their wings.” As a rehabilitation program, we are unable to assist customers
unless they are willing to be served. We are the ones who help consumers see their strengths and
abilities and then build a plan around those assets to help consumers become self-sufficient and
independent. The consumer has to build on his/her strengths and allow those abilities to develop
to their fullest potential. Self-employment has always been a way for this to happen.
Since JVR’s inception in 1996, self-employment has been a viable outcome for the program’s
consumers due to the rural location of the reservation and the lack of conventional employment
opportunities in the area. The JVR staff has struggled for several years to find a way to develop a
self-employment process that meets the consumers’ needs but also matches the program’s
standards. In addition, the challenge of making that process culturally appropriate and
traditionally-based has been difficult. When the JVR received a Rural Entrepreneurship and
Self-Employment Expansion Design Project (RESEED) grant from the Rural Institute, funding
became available to develop that traditionally-based self-employment process. The JVR
contracted services from a strategic planner, and the program was able to take the time to
brainstorm ideas for the process. Staff met on a regular basis, discussed the community’s values,
and designed a culturally appropriate process.
It was through these planning sessions that the Walatowa (Towa language for “this is the place”)
Self-Employment Process Flow Chart was created. The word “created” is used here because
the process is culturally appropriate for the Pueblo of Jemez consumers and allows each selfemployed consumer to visually see each element of the self-employment path on the chart. Since
the community is so connected to the earth and the planting/growing process, the chart depicts
each phase of the planting/growing process and then correlates it with the self-employment
stages. In the background of our idea is an eagle, symbolizing freedom and independence. This is
the cry of the self-employed consumers–to fly on their own and become self-sufficient.
The first section in the self-employment process is called the “planting/seeding” stage. This is
when the consumer is beginning his/her self-employment and is building the foundation for
running a business. Much like planting seeds in the ground, the consumer is developing a work
ethic and building a business plan that will provide the necessary components for a viable
business. Tasks that are completed include: development of a business plan, completion of a
financial management workshop, and the creation of marketing and promotional materials.
The second section in the self-employment process is called the “nurturing/tending” stage. This
is when the consumers are busy working diligently to learn all of the specifics of running a
business and are learning how to maintain physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health so
they are able to sustain themselves while running their businesses. Much like tending crops that
have been planted, self-employed consumers must learn how to take care of themselves and learn
how to work with their disabilities. Tasks that are completed include: attending mandatory
appointments and meetings (dental, medical, optometric, counseling, etc.) and evaluating their
progress toward the goal that has been established.
The third and final section in the self-employment process is called the “growth/harvest” stage.
This is when consumers are learning how to run their businesses on their own. Much like
harvesting a crop, this is when the “fruit” of the consumer’s labor is examined. Now the true
essence of the business development is seen. During this stage, the consumer practices what has
been taught in the areas of craft/business development, marketing, and creating inventory.
It is difficult to put into words the satisfaction that the JVR staff and consumers share from
completing the consumer self-employment process. Having a visual chart has made explaining
the self-employment process to consumers much easier. Although the process has been a “work
in the making,” no one at the JVR would change a thing. A wise philosopher once said, “many
things are learned along the way to completing a task.” The JVR would like to extend a big thank
you to the staff at the Rural Institute for providing the opportunity to work on the Walatowa
Self-Employment Process.
The JVR Staff includes:
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Rebecca Holland, Program Manager,
Yolanda Toledo, Job Coach/Job Developer,
Cathy Sabado, VR Counselor,
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Joyce Tsosie, VR Counselor and
Leslie Baca, Administrative Assistant
Contact Information
Rebecca Holland
Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation
P. O. Box 687
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024
Success through the RESEED Project
By Joe Longcor, Allegan County Community Mental Health Services, Allegan, MI
It’s been exciting in Allegan County working on the Rural Entrepreneurship and SelfEmployment Expansion Design (RESEED) project. Rural Institute Organizational Consultant
David Hammis has been working with Allegan County Community Mental Health this past year,
uncovering and shaping new employment options for individuals with disabilities.
Presentations and business planning sessions were jointly sponsored through funding received
from the U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration, through the
RESEED project, and the Michigan Department of Career Development/Michigan Rehabilitation
Services Innovation and Expansion Grant. Locally, the project was supported by Allegan County
Community Mental Health Services.
David began by presenting six community forums to more than 80 people, educating the
community at large about maximizing Social Security benefits for individuals to achieve
employment related goals. He brought his 20 year history in the disabilities field and his proven
successes to the group and fueled new energy to help individuals with disabilities discover new
options in employment in Allegan County.
PASS Plans
One of the first things David taught us was understanding Social Security benefits and Work
Incentives, especially Plans for Achieving Self Support (PASS plans). PASS plans can be a
powerful tool for funding employment goals. We learned the power of PASS plans by writing
them. I’m proud to say we have a 100% success rate for the PASS plans we wrote during the
RESEED project; the Social Security Administration has approved both of the PASS plans we
submitted. We have several more ready for submission.
Our first PASS plan was to help a person with a vending machine business. PASS funds totaling
$14,500 were used to purchased a van, adaptive equipment, and insurance. This amount was a
renegotiated amount from an original $12,500 request. Our second PASS was for an individual
in wage employment who is now working 20 hours a week at over $10 per hour. This person
received an $8,000 PASS. Another wage employment PASS for a different individual has been
submitted requesting over $15,000.
Success breeds success; we have now received our first Michigan Department of Career
Development/Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) authorization to support an individual to
become a self-employed painter. A $3,500 commitment from MRS was received. This
commitment will be used as leverage for the painter’s $19,000 PASS plan request.
Other Successes
Allegan County Community Mental Health’s successful local networking has led to two
potential business owners with disabilities partnering with already established business owners to
enhance both businesses. We are nurturing at least eight additional business concepts for
individuals and facing the opportunities and challenges of including/encouraging family and a
person’s support network to promote new employment options.
We are now discussing the need to consider a strong systemic change to oversee benefits
analysis for all individuals served, and to best assure the fullest success of an individual’s PASS
funds. In addition, Bob Besser, Coordinator of Self-Employment, Allegan County Community
Mental Health, presented at the Michigan Transition Conference in late July to promote the
many opportunities that supported self-employment is bringing to Allegan County and its
residents.
Gross sales from the two established supported self-employment businesses exceeded $20,000
over the last 18 months. The reinvestment of these sales, grant money for business related
purchases only (not for salaries, etc.), and PASS funding exceeded $32,000. Sales and personal
income taxes paid exceeded $1,500, compared to virtually no tax that would have been paid
previously. We have witnessed personal growth for both business owners, as well as others
researching business and wage employment, that reflects tremendous growth in self-worth,
determination, productivity, and expectations.
Business planning continues, more PASS plans are being prepared and submitted to Social
Security, and a new awareness of maximizing a person’s Social Security benefits is erupting as
Allegan County Community Mental Health Services moves progressively forward, supporting
employment opportunities throughout Allegan County and sharing this information and energy
throughout Michigan. Look for more up dates soon…’til then keep the dreams alive and plan for
the future.
Contact Information
Joe Longcor
Allegan County Community Mental Health Services
3285 122nd Ave.
Allegan, MI 49010
(616) 673-4293
Supported Self-Employment at Challenge
Industries
By Steve Lawrence, Coordinator of Supported Self-Employment at Challenge Industries,
Ithaca, NY
The Supported Self-Employment program was launched at Challenge Industries in Ithaca, New
York, in September of 2000. In the ensuing two years, many individuals who have chosen to
participate in our program have stepped outside the boundaries of their traditional vocational
rehabilitation experience and launched their own small businesses. Along the way, we have
created a “toolbox,” if you will, that we open regularly to help our program participants choose a
self-employment venture, be diligent in their efforts to make it a reality, and nurture and shape it
to meet their needs. We hope this handbook provides some insight into some of these tools and
how best to utilize them. Of course, we welcome any suggestions you might have, as we are
continually seeking ways to sharpen our tools. These suggestions are meant to take the reader
“off the beaten path;” after all, there are many books and articles explaining the ABCs of
traditional small business management. Given that the field of Supported Self-Employment is
relatively new, we are excited to do our part to contribute to its growth and refinement.
First, a little history: Several years ago, Ceil B., a service recipient who was disabled in an
automobile accident, decided to pursue her lifelong dream of self-employment. Ceil believed that
there was a need for a centralized source for products designed for people with disabilities, and
she called her new business “Higher Ground.” She envisioned a catalog through which
customers could purchase books, tapes, assistive devices, and other products designed to make
living with a disability less inconvenient. She utilized her impressive research skills (honed
during her collegiate days prior to her disabling injury), drew from many resources, and wrote a
thorough and meticulous business plan.
Ceil’s business plan was solid enough to secure funding through VESID (New York State’s
Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities), and the Higher Ground
catalog was taken from concept to reality. The finished product was a professional-looking,
glossy publication. The products featured were affordable and of a high quality. The future
seemed bright.
Like many rookie entrepreneurs, Ceil then expected the phone to ring off the hook, the credit
card authorization unit to be humming “round the clock,” and her bank account to reach meteoric
heights. None of these things happened.
After the conceptualization, formulation, and implementation of her business, Ceil met with Judi
H., a member of Challenge’s Community Relations and Development staff. Judi, herself a
recipient of mental health services, is by any measure a dynamo. Rather than wait for her ship to
come in, Judi will sprint to the end of the pier, dive into the water, and swim furiously out to
meet it. As Ceil’s business floundered, and her frustration mounted, Judi saw an opportunity to
deliver better service in the future. Judi realized that had Ceil been connected to any of
Challenge’s existing programs, she would have received ongoing supports and follow along
services, and her business would have had a much better chance of succeeding. After all, in the
world of vocational rehabilitation, the job placement is but one stepping stone on the path to
fulfillment. Once a job is secured, or a business is established, the real work begins.
Judi researched the availability of support services for individuals choosing to add selfemployment to their menu of vocational options, and found that such programs were rare. The
Rural Institute at the University of Montana had done some ground-breaking work, and Cary
Griffin, the Institute’s Director of Special Projects, has been quoted as saying, “People with
disabilities are as qualified as any to take their rightful place in free market enterprise, regardless
of IQ score, mood swings, or ability to walk.”
With oversight and encouragement from Shawn Galbreath, who was at that time Challenge’s
Director of Development and Community Relations, Judi wrote a grant proposal so that
Challenge might add a Supported Self-Employment program to its lineup of services. Ten
proposals were sent out, resulting in two responses. After the grant proposal was revised and
refined, Challenge was informed that the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation would fund the
program on a three-year, Development Project basis. Certain program criteria would be agreed
upon, the Foundation would send in a consultant to assess the agency’s progress in meeting the
criteria, and funds would be made available on a year-to-year basis upon successful compliance
with said criteria.
Since the implementation of the program, we have seen many success stories. At this point, none
of the businesses founded have evolved into full-time, self-supporting ventures, but program
participants have been very pleased with the opportunities now available. Our business owners
have been given a chance to be included in the community, to choose work they love, and to
schedule their work around their lives.
Here are some suggestions relating to various components of a Supported Self-Employment
program:
Intake
It has been our experience that while the intake process can be intimidating, it need not be. The
simple act of adjusting one’s terminology can make a big difference in determining a potential
program participant’s comfort level. For example, some vocational counselors and Employment
Specialists have brought a new participant in for an initial information session, and have asked,
“So, tell us why you want to start and run your own business?” On other occasions, the question
has been phrased this way: “So, what can you tell me about your hobby, or your passion, and
would you like to learn how we might be able to help you make some money while doing what
you love to do?”
Obviously, these are two very different approaches. For many of the individuals we have served,
the idea of starting and managing a business is terrifying. They have heard ominous statistics
such as, “Three out of every four businesses fail within a year,” or “It takes a master jack-of-alltrades to write a business plan, a marketing plan, a bookkeeping plan, understand pricing and
insurance, and manage all the aspects of a business.” Anyone who approaches a self-employment
venture with such an outlook will understandably tread cautiously, and may well expect to fail. It
should be made very clear at the outset that “Supported Self-Employment” means just that.
Support is provided wherever and whenever necessary to help piece together the puzzle.
When we were in the process of establishing the Supported Self-Employment program here at
Challenge, a considerable amount of outreach was undertaken to publicize the program and to
recruit mentors. During these outreach presentations, it was not uncommon to hear a comment
such as this: “Running a business is a very complex endeavor. How can a person with a
developmental disability or a mental illness be expected to do what is necessary to manage a
self-employment venture?” Interestingly, when presentations were given to service groups
consisting primarily of business owners (such as Rotary or Kiwanis), the perspective was
different. These individuals were aware that few people can “do it all,” and recalled that while
they themselves might have been competent at accounting, they were clueless in regard to
marketing. Or, perhaps they were highly skilled in the area of advertising, but could barely
balance their own checkbook, never mind manage the books for a business.
When discussing possible self-employment ventures, it is advisable to frame the conversation in
familiar language. Focus more on the aspects of the endeavor the potential entrepreneur is
comfortable with, and assure her or him that supports will be put in place to help address the
areas that might be more challenging. Ask questions that remind the individual that he or she
does indeed have some of the pieces of the puzzle already in place. Assure the person that there
are many resources available, many in your community, others at the click of a mouse. Empower
the individual to focus on his ability rather than his disability. And remember, a negative attitude
is the biggest disability.
Publicity
Self-employed individuals would be wise to heed this piece of advice: “Do not spend one dime
on advertising until you have exhausted all sources of free publicity.” Many new entrepreneurs
are timid about seeking free publicity, and a slight attitude adjustment can serve them well.
Many of these shy individuals are under the impression that a newspaper editor, radio talk show
host, television producer, or other media figure is doing them a favor by providing exposure. In
this day and age of 200 channels, satellite radio, and vast reservoirs of internet news, the fact is
that many in the media are scrambling for material. Remind entrepreneurs that there is so much
time and space to fill that he or she might be doing them a big favor by giving them something
new, local, and relevant to cover. View it as a win-win situation. The media gets something to
inform, entertain, and enlighten their audience and the business owner gets the publicity he or
she needs.
Patience is indeed a virtue in this case. While an editor may not have room to write a story about
your venture this week, she might be grateful for the opportunity to fill a gaping space next
week. The local radio talk show host might be booked until next month, but when the time
comes, he is relieved to be able to avoid yet another interview with an over-exposed guest who
has been on the show ten times in the past year.
Encourage those you support to work through their shyness, to the greatest degree possible.
Remind them that if they are not convinced that their product or service can truly help their
potential customers, perhaps they should reconsider their decision to go into business. Convey to
them something along the lines of, “If these people will indeed benefit from their efforts, then
you owe it to them and to yourself to get the word out.”
Mentors
A mentor is a person who can, by sharing his or her expertise, assist you in understanding and
implementing various business essentials. For example, some individuals may have wonderful
people skills, and may be willing and able to do their own marketing, but their bookkeeping
skills may be insufficient. Others may be very competent in managing their money, but be very
uncomfortable in handling publicity. Remember, it is the rare person who is competent in all
aspects of business management, and “Supported Self-Employment” is thus named for a reason.
It is the duty of the support staff to identify the “weak spots” and help the potential business
owner “fill in the blanks.” While it is often tempting to perform some tasks for a business owner,
encouraging the greatest possible degree of independence will serve her better over the long run.
When seeking out mentors, keep in mind the strategy employed in the Publicity section. While
acknowledging that you may be required to pay some mentors, refrain from doing so until you
have searched for volunteers. Many service groups like Rotary or Kiwanis have within their
ranks retired business owners who would be happy to mentor an aspiring entrepreneur. Being
retired, many of these individuals find themselves missing the days when they were active in the
business world, and they welcome a chance to “get back into the game.” Perhaps they have ten
hours to spare each week, perhaps they have an hour a month. Maybe they would like to
accompany a new business owner to her booth at the Farmers’ Market every day for an entire
season, or maybe they can spare two hours to help set up a functional bookkeeping system.
These individuals spent many years accumulating skills and knowledge, and it would be a shame
to let such valuable resources go to waste.
Colleges and trade schools are also likely to bear fruit in the search for mentors. Many
curriculums require Field Work study, and these students benefit greatly from the opportunity to
help individuals with disabilities start and operate a small business.
We at Challenge have been very fortunate in that we are in close proximity to two colleges, and
by extension, to many motivated and qualified mentors. In one instance, a program participant
expressed a desire to become a personal fitness trainer for other disabled individuals, but he
lacked the necessary credentials. We were able to locate an Ithaca College undergraduate student
studying Therapeutic Recreation, and set up an arrangement whereby she was assigned to help
oversee the fitness program operated by our program participant. She received Field Work credit
and valuable experience, the entrepreneur realized his long held ambition, and the class members
received some useful wellness information.
Another mentoring agreement has paid dividends in the area of business plan writing. A team of
students from Cornell University’s M.B.A. program has taken on as their senior project the
development of a business plan module. The BizPal is designed to assist support staff in their
efforts to create viable business plans, and is designed to be replicable and therefore useful to
other Supported Self-Employment programs or projects. (The BizPal is available to other
Supported Self-Employment programs by writing to: Supported Self-Employment—Challenge
Industries—402 E. State Street—Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.)
In the search for mentors, it is beneficial to keep in mind that not every match is a good one. Just
because a student needs Field Work credit does not necessarily make him or her a good mentor.
Personalities do not always mesh, and trying to “fit a square peg into a round hole” will likely be
counterproductive for everyone. Don’t be afraid to look around until you find a mentor who has
the right combination of motivation, ability, and attitude. Through diligent recruiting and careful
“matchmaking,” it is possible to set up mentoring partnerships that will benefit all parties.
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
We have been extremely fortunate in that the funding for Supported Self-Employment includes
matching funds for Individual Development Accounts. When an IDA is opened by a program
participant, he or she is then able to deposit as little as ten dollars per month, or as much as fifty
dollars per month. These deposits are then matched on a 2:1 basis, so that ten dollars becomes
thirty, twenty becomes sixty, and so on. The purpose of an IDA is to accelerate the process of
saving for small business expenditures. There are rules built in to prevent misuse, for example,
lump sum deposits are not allowed (participants may deposit between $10.00 and $50.00 per
month), and if withdrawals are made for purposes not related to the business, the matching funds
are forfeited.
In addition to the necessary funds, it is important to find a financial partner capable of
administering the IDAs. In Ithaca, we have the good fortune to partner with the Alternative
Federal Credit Union (AFCU), an institution nationally recognized for its work with underserved populations. AFCU also administers IDAs for educational and housing purposes, and has
been helpful in assisting our program participants with a wide array of financial matters.
To illustrate an IDA can be utilized to jump-start a business, I will share the story of Cari, the
owner of “Cari’s Creations.” Cari has been an artist for most of her 28 years, and her drawings of
dinosaurs and unicorns are colorful and fanciful. After matching Cari up with an art mentor, her
drawings were refined to the point where she created a batch of holiday cards, and sold hundreds.
Cari decided that she could create more appealing artwork if she had regular access to a
computer, and set about the task of saving to purchase one. She opened her IDA, diligently
deposited forty to fifty dollars per month, and when her balance reached $250, applied for the 2:1
match. A check for $250, made out to the computer vendor, was withdrawn from Cari’s account,
and another check for $500 was withdrawn from the matching funds account. Given that the
money was never actually in Cari’s account, it created no complications in regard to her Social
Security benefits. Cari was able, with the $750, to purchase a Compaq computer, a monitor, and
a printer. She then saved for and purchased a scanner. Her artwork has improved immensely.
IDAs are extremely valuable tools, and if matching funds can be procured, and competent fund
administration can be arranged, a small business owner’s financial goals can be reached much
sooner than would be otherwise possible.
Thus far, Supported Self-Employment has assisted in the development and operation of the
following businesses:
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Glassical Creations—Stained glass clocks, window hangings, garden stones, night-lights, jewelry
boxes, and mirrors.
Gerry’s Beadwork—Beaded necklaces and bracelets
RJM Images—Photographs, note cards, and custom photographic services.
Cari’s Creations—Greeting cards, day planners, and various art work.
ArtPoem—Computer generated greeting cards.
Nancy’s Fancys—Handmade purses and vests.
Can-Do Fitness—Wellness instruction to individuals with disabilities.
Johanna’s Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Service—Self explanatory
These businesses have operated on a part-time basis, as most of the business owners do not wish
to undertake the task of full-time business operations.
As vocational rehabilitation agencies add Supported Self-Employment to their list of services,
they will likely find that several factors must come into play before a business can be successful.
Foremost, of course, is the simple fact that a business idea must be a viable one–regardless of
who will be “in the driver’s seat.” A thorough business plan–such as the plans written with the
help of BizPal–can help to ascertain whether a particular idea has merit. Considerable “front
end” research will assure that a business proceeds at a reasonable pace.
It is also important to ascertain whether the motivation to try self-employment is internal or
external. If a program participant is truly motivated, the plan has a chance to succeed, but if the
motivation comes primarily from support staff, friends, or family, success is far less likely.
Business Plans
It seems appropriate at this point to cover in more detail the importance of a solid business plan.
Lenders tend to see business ideas in terms of risk and return. Let’s envision a potential business
owner standing on the bank of a swiftly flowing river, and let’s call that bank “Risk.” She is
peering across to the other bank, which we shall call “Return.” Of course, she wants to get to the
other side, but there are a number of stepping-stones which must be put in place before she can
do so. These stepping-stones are called:
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Legal Structure,
Description of Business,
Location,
Management,
Personnel,
Pricing,
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Product Design,
Market Entry Timing,
Industry Trends,
Projected Income Statement,
Projected Cash Flow Statement,
Breakeven Analysis, and
Loan Fund Dispersal Statement.
As each of these stepping-stones is researched, developed, and put in place, the distance
separating “Risk” and “Return” narrows. Lenders begin to see the viability of the idea. More
importantly, the potential business owner gains insight into the complexities of starting and
operating a small business.
Whether a vocational rehabilitation agency obtains funding to set up its own Supported SelfEmployment program, or chooses to offer self-employment as an option for a particular service
recipient, it is my hope that some of the suggestions in this article are found to be helpful. In our
experience, it has been extremely fulfilling to assist individuals with disabilities in their efforts to
participate in the “American Dream” by starting their own small businesses. In addition, the
presence of our program participants in community-based locations such as the Ithaca Farmers’
Market has elevated our profile and resulted in favorable community relations. It is therefore safe
to say that by establishing and operating the Supported Self-Employment program, Challenge
Industries has created the proverbial “win-win” situation.
Contact Information
Steve Lawrence Coordinator of Supported Self-Employment
Challenge Industries
402 E. State Street
Ithaca, N.Y. 14850
(607) 272-8990
stevel@aboutchallenge.org
The Long Route to Self-Employment
By Marsha Steinweden
This is my personal story. I suppose it could be called a story of what NOT to do if you are a
caseworker, human service worker, job coach, job counselor, or job placement worker. People go
into the Human Services field to help other people, unfortunately they are not taught HOW to
help someone like me.
From Disability to Masters Degree
Twelve years ago I was the yard manager of a post and pole plant, supervising five employees,
driving a forklift, running equipment, dealing with customers and loggers. It was a physical job,
working outside, twelve months of the year in western Montana. Rain, snow, wind, sun, and fog
were all part of the job. On my way to work one morning, the car I was riding in was involved in
a head-on crash. Somehow I survived, both drivers were not that fortunate. Instantly my entire
life changed. The doctors told me I would likely be using a wheelchair within five years. Twelve
years have passed—I use a cane but not a wheelchair. Either they were wrong or I am just
stubborn. I do have my bad days with mobility. Some days getting from the bedroom to the
bathroom is a real challenge; other days I can get around outside without the cane.
Being a single mother, I knew I had to do something to support myself and my daughter. The
doctors told me I would be needing a minimum of ten surgeries spread out over the next five to
six years. (I have had twenty-four surgeries in twelve years, and at least three more are planned
for the future. Doctors underestimate a lot to keep you from losing hope and giving up.) With all
of this in front of me, I went to the local Job Service office and was assigned to a Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR) worker. No one told me I could sign up for Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI) until two years after the car accident. We discussed options; I did all sorts of
testing, including driving 120 miles one-way for psychological testing. I wanted to go back to
school to learn how to do accounting. It was agreed that I qualified, so I moved my family 130
miles away, and enrolled in a two-year accounting course at a community college.
While I went to school, I would schedule surgeries for the day after my last class for Christmas
break, or the day after my last final for summer break. I graduated with an Associate of Arts
degree in accounting, but still had more surgeries and healing time ahead of me, so I got
permission to transfer to the University. This involved moving 120 miles again. I spent two more
years in school and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degrees in both Accounting and
Finance. I also had four more surgeries, with a big one the week after graduation, along with an
18-24 month recovery period. I enrolled in Graduate School and finished in 18 months, with a
Masters of Accountancy degree.
Help That Didn’t Help
The six years I spent in college were filled with learning how to be a student again, studying,
being a mom, and recovering from surgeries. Four of the six years were spent on crutches. Many
days were filled with classes, physical therapy sessions, and doctor appointments. I was never
without a book of some type to be studying while I waited. My daughter was wonderful through
all of this. She did more than her share to help keep the household running. At ten years old she
took over the family laundry chores and some of the cooking. What I couldn’t do, she helped out
by doing or attempting to do.
I had thought that starting my own bookkeeping business would be a good idea after graduation,
but I was told I couldn’t do that. I had to get a “normal, nine to five job” working for someone
else. Immediately I knew I was in trouble. Physically I just couldn’t work nine to five—my body
wouldn’t allow it. I had no idea what to do, so I started doing what my VR counselor
suggested—filling out job applications. In a year I had filled out dozens of applications, and even
got a few interviews, but no job offers. It could have been my honesty that kept me from getting
a job. I was up-front with employers, telling them that I couldn’t lift and carry things because I
needed my cane to walk with, I couldn’t climb stairs, I was having a surgery again in six months
and wouldn’t be able to work for at least two months after that, I had physical therapy sessions
twice a week and couldn’t miss them, etc. I also couldn’t sit or stand for long periods of time,
and talking on the phone all day would cause my jaws to cramp. Prospective employers were
nice in their refusals, but they were still refusals. They hired someone with more experience, or
someone that fit the company environment better. Most didn’t even bother to let me know I
didn’t get the job.
After a year, my VR caseworker sent me to a job coach. The coach helped me write a new
resume, since the one I had done in Graduate School wasn’t to her liking. She insisted I get my
teeth fixed and buy some “business clothes.” VR helped out with these expenses, but they didn’t
help out with the cost of gasoline to go see the job coach weekly or to go to the dentist weekly. I
was still filling out job applications, and the job coach taught me a lot about how to fill out the
application better. I worked on cover letters to go with the resume. Next were the information
interviews—I had to go on two of them, at places that I had no desire to ever work. I thought this
was a waste of my time, the business’s time, and my money. When our sessions were over I was
turned loose again to start the job application process, going on interviews, and getting the same
results.
Next I was sent to a job specialist at the state-run employment service. Again I was helped to
write a resume, given tips on how to fill out an application and how to present myself at an
interview. I was “encouraged” to apply for various jobs: running a copy machine at an attorney’s
office, a file clerk at a construction firm, a typist in a manufacturing firm, and working for an
answering service. I had a Masters Degree in accounting and not one of these jobs had anything
to do with accounting. When I mentioned this, I was told to take any job offered “to-get-my-footin-the-door.” It would be easier to get an accounting job once I was part of the company.
Thankfully, I had yet another surgery so didn’t have to deal with the job-hunt ordeal for a while.
I was starting to realize that ANY job would please caseworkers, counselors, or coaches. They
could label me a “successful case closed.” They made no effort to hide the fact that I was
becoming a problem. My file had been open too long, and it was too thick.
After healing, I attempted the Temp Agencies. Two were interested, and both had me fill out
applications. I had to do new resumes, to their formats and styles.
The first agency didn’t like the way I dressed. I will be the first to admit I am not “Corporate
America.” I have no desire to work on Wall Street or for one of the big accounting firms, so I do
not feel I need to wear a business suit daily. The agency wanted me to change, immediately. I
MUST wear business suits, in either navy blue or dark grey, nylons, and one inch heels.
WRONG! I would wear the suit, but the nylons are out (they irritate my scars) and I wear either
orthopaedic shoes or sports shoes with special inserts. Next I was told to go to a six-week school
to become a bank teller. This was to be at my own expense, of course. There is a need for
qualified bank tellers in this area. I tried to tell them that I had a degree in accounting for a
reason. They told me that to be a bank teller I had to go to the school; an accounting degree
wasn’t good enough. When I said I couldn’t be a bank teller because I couldn’t stand all day, and
I had NO desire to be a bank teller, they got irritated with me. Finally I was sent on a couple of
interviews, but they were not what I was looking for. The last time I was at the agency they told
me that I should leave my cane in the car when I went on an interview—it was keeping me from
getting a job. They neglected to tell me how to get into the interview without my cane though. I
didn’t go back.
Temp agency number two had me redo my resume twice. They didn’t like my dress—it was not
“business attire” enough—back to the shoe issue again. I had to take several tests and was told to
work on my typing speed. They told me that having no work experience meant I had no hope of
getting any type of job over minimum wage, but they did send me out to a few places. My
favorites were delivering car parts to mechanics around town (never did figure out how I was
supposed to lift parts to deliver them), emptying change from machines in a casino into five
gallon buckets and then counting it for bank deposits, and the most promising of all was being a
night auditor in a motel, which would include some snow shoveling in winter and doing three to
eight loads of laundry per shift, along with window washing once a month (on a ladder!). When I
refused to even fill out an application for any of these jobs, they told me that they couldn’t help
me find a job.
Back to another job coach. This one specialized in helping people with brain injuries. I am sure
she is very good at that; she wasn’t much help to me. I had to redo my resume, for the sixth or
seventh time. I also filled out some job applications and wrote a few cover letters to be graded
and to see where I needed work. By this time I felt qualified to teach a college level class in how
to write a resume, fill out a job application, and write a cover letter. I was told I should cut my
hair, to make me more marketable. I refused. Finally it was time to find “that JOB.” Part-time
work would be best, considering my mobility problems. One job that was suggested to me that
stands out is moving over 100 miles away to work two hours a day as a receptionist, for six
months. The perfect job, not only part-time but also temporary. I would go to our sessions, once
a week, and she would read me the want-ads of available jobs from the local paper. After two
months of this I had enough. I could read, I just couldn’t afford to buy the paper, mail off
applications, go to interviews, or go to the weekly sessions. Thankfully I had shoulder surgery so
I didn’t have to go back. The day after my surgery I got a call about a PERFECT job that she had
found for me—answering phones in my home and taking messages from Friday night at 5:00 pm
until Monday morning at 8:00 am. The best part was I would be paid $1.65 an hour! I wouldn’t
be allowed to leave my house, in case there was a call, and I had to drive to pick up the paper
work on Fridays and deliver it back by Monday morning. Isn’t the federal minimum wage
MUCH higher than $1.65 an hour?
Caseworkers, job coaches, and counselors sometimes do not understand the financial burden
hunting for a job places on a client. Ten stamps cost $3.70; that means I don’t do laundry this
week. Purchasing a newspaper three times a week means that the family goes without that gallon
of milk. You are forced to make choices: do you go to every meeting and job interview or do you
buy toilet paper for the month? This is a touchy subject, but it needs to be addressed. Going to
meetings once a week puts an extra strain on an already over-tight budget. The cost of “help” is
not always worth it. No results are a waste of time and money. I often felt I would be better off if
VR just gave me the money they spent on job developers; at least I could afford to buy the
newspaper and stamps to mail off jobs application for myself. Most people seeking assistance
from VR are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security
Income (SSI), which has a minimum monthly payment of $552 (in 2003). Once you pay your
rent, power, and phone bills, there isn’t any money left over for job hunting or going to meetings.
I budgeted myself to one tank of gas per month, and several times that wasn’t enough. By the
end of the month I was on foot or else stranded at home.
Another thing that the people assigned to “help” me did not understand is that I am on various
programs. Some are minor, but some are vital to me being able to survive. I can do without food
stamps or the low income discount on my phone service, but without housing assistance, I would
literally be living in my car. Taking a job that will only last a few months is not helping me at all.
When the job ends, I would be without housing assistance, and forced to live in my vehicle.
There isn’t any central place where the various government programs are coordinated or even
explained. Counselors would get upset with me when I explained I could not go to work for
minimum wage. As soon as I start a job my housing assistance is either cut back or stopped. I
knew I would have another surgery in the near future and would have to quit the job to heal. At
that point I would have no wages and no housing assistance. How could I pay my rent?
I was becoming a problem for my VR caseworker; my file folder was getting thicker and I
wasn’t getting a job. I refused to apply for jobs I knew I couldn’t do. I refused to apply for jobs
that had nothing to do with my career choice. I was not going to relocate for a temporary, parttime, minimum wage job. I refused to conform to the image many wanted me to become. To this
day I haven’t cut my hair and don’t wear one inch heels with my business suit.
Self-Employment
During these job hunting years, I had been doing some accounting on my own—mostly taxes for
family and friends. If someone had any financial questions, I was the one they came to for
advice. I typed up resumes for at least ten people a year, balanced checkbooks, filled out loan
applications, explained credit reports, and gave advice on purchasing cars, homes, and appliances
on credit. Taxes made me enough extra income to finance the various job hunting expenses
during the year. Gas, stamps, paper, and ink are not cheap.
My personal schedule is not the “norm.” I can only sleep for three to four hours at a time before I
wake up with pain or cramps. I am usually up and either at my computer or sewing machine for a
couple of hours during the middle of the night, then back to bed for another three to four hours of
sleep. Not many jobs will hire someone that has a schedule like mine.
I noticed a majority of my job refusals gave “no practical experience” as an excuse. I missed out
on that in college—no time with classes, physical therapy, and being a mom. On my own I found
a place that would give me some “resume experience.” I worked twice a month doing payroll,
quarterlies, and accounts payable for a small logging company. I knew the owners and they
agreed to let me get some hands-on experience. I wasn’t paid, but they did buy my gas to drive
the 100-plus miles, one way, every two weeks. I didn’t know anyone locally or even how to
approach a business about getting work experience.
Back to the application process. After nearly five years of this, I was becoming discouraged and
really didn’t care if I found a job anymore. I had adjusted to living in poverty and was surviving.
I had budgeted my monthly income. My grocery lists were budgeted to the penny with every sale
ad. Car repairs were something that didn’t happen, and if a major appliance broke down, I did
without. One friend teased me about living on half an income, and doing better than most people
on a full income.
I went to see my Vocational Rehabilitation counselor the day after Christmas in 2001. She had a
new employment vendor she wanted me to see. I had six years of education, a Masters Degree,
and five years of job searching, with no job to show for it. I had also had 24 surgeries in 12
years, and had gone on over 30 interviews, along with filling out over 200 job applications. I had
six resumes all typed out, and samples of at least 12 cover letters.
In early January of 2002 I went to MontanaWorks at the University of Montana’s Rural Institute
and met with Colleen Koch. She introduced herself and told me about her organization. I offered
her my packet of resumes, cover letters, and sample applications. She was very nice in taking
them but didn’t even bother to look at them. I figured she was just going to make me write
another resume and the entire process would start again. She shocked me when she said, “Now
let’s get to know you.” She wanted to know what a typical day was like for me. She wanted to
know if I was a morning or afternoon type personality. Then she asked me: “What do you want
to do?”. No one in 12 years had asked me what I wanted to do! I couldn’t believe it. After
telling her about my accident, my schooling, my various job seeking endeavors, and what I did at
home, she looked at me and wanted to know why I hadn’t started my own business. I told her I
couldn’t and she wanted to know why not. I had never thought of that before. Just because years
ago some caseworker had told me I couldn’t do something, I believed them.
Colleen was excited and enthusiastic about me going into business for myself. She sent me home
to start work on a business plan, while she got permission from VR to work on a selfemployment goal. Colleen helped me do some research, but I did the majority of the work on my
business plan myself. It seems like I rewrote the thing a dozen times. I made up a price list for
the services I would offer, and wrote up engagement letters. After three months I was sick of the
entire process and I was ready to give up, when Jennifer Creighton started working at
MontanaWorks. She was hired as a business developer, helping with business plans, and helping
people achieve self-employment. She jumped right in and polished the business plan, gave
suggestions and got my interest going again. Colleen, Jennifer, and I met in April with my
former caseworker at VR and my new caseworker (my fifth in eleven years). They
approved my business plan and granted me $660 to get started.
I struggle to get clients, but I am not targeting mainstream businesses. I target small, start-up
businesses that need qualified help and advice. I am willing to go to the client and willing to
work odd hours. I joke and say my clients have dirt under their fingernails, since they are
loggers, mechanics, union workers. Most of my clients are too small to be profitable for a large
CPA firm to serve. I understand businesses that are being run part-time by people with various
disabilities and am able to work around that.
I am not getting rich, but having a little extra every month is a luxury I haven’t had in over
twelve years. I no longer panic that a treat at the fast food place is going to mean not enough for
a power bill this month. Not having to budget every penny on a grocery list is a great feeling!
Being my own boss is wonderful. I can schedule my work load to meet my schedule. If I want to
do bookkeeping at 3:00 in the morning I can.
MontanaWorks has been a tremendous help to me. They recommend me to clients, call me for
accounting advice, and have even asked me to become a member of their Business Advisory
Council. I am grateful to VR for sending me to MontanaWorks and I am very grateful to
MontanaWorks for listening to me. They were willing to step out of the normal job search
confines and find something for me that I wanted to do, on my terms, and in my time frame.
Agency Collaboration for Small Business
Development
By Millie Higgins, Higgins Computing and Design, and Nancy Maxson at The Rural
Institute
In January 2001, I started my own small business: Higgins Computing and Design. My business
takes advantage of my interests and experience, but I could not have launched this business
without the cooperation of several agencies who serve people with disabilities, and the
University of Montana Rural Institute’s Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment
Expansion Design Project (RESEED).
I began doing desktop publishing on a computer in 1990 and ran a successful small desktop
publishing business. I was publishing newsletters and doing word processing for about seven
years. I knew there would always be a demand and market for theses services. Then I acquired
my disability and a divorce; my life changed dramatically.
I have a Masters Degree in guidance and counseling. After I acquired my disability, I relied on
Social Security and Colorado Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to help me get back on my feet
financially. A steady income was essential for me, and my VR counselor encouraged me to use
my education to achieve financial stability. With VR’s encouragement, I returned to college and
earned my teaching certificate. I was hired, with a two year teaching contract, and tried teaching.
The classroom was exhausting and stressful, which aggravated my disability. I soon realized
teaching was not a good career choice for me.
I needed a job that would let me be self-sufficient. I needed enough income to pay all my bills.
But I also needed work that was flexible enough to accommodate my disability. Because of my
disability, I need to rest in the middle of the day, and most employers can’t offer this kind of
flexibility. VR paid for some computer training and helped me look for a regular wage-paying
job in that field. I live in the rural community of Delta, Colorado, and there weren’t any
computer jobs near my home. The nearest jobs were in Grand Junction, 40 miles away. Although
a job in Grand Junction might help me pay the bills, commuting back and forth meant each work
day would be an exhausting 10 hours. With my disability, I simply didn’t have the stamina for a
regular job.
Cooperation
My VR counselor, Janice Becker heard about a new project with the Easter Seals of Colorado
Agribility Project and the University of Montana Rural Institute. Carla Wilhite of Easter Seals
had received a one-year grant from the Rural Institute to help people with disabilities start their
own businesses. Janice set up an appointment with Carla and Cary Griffin, the Director of
Special Projects at the Rural Institute. I’d been a successful desktop publisher before and thought
I could succeed again, with the right supports.
After consulting with Cary and Carla, Janice and her colleague John Beckman in the Denver VR
office, hammered out a business plan for me. My new business, Higgins Computing and Design,
is more that just a desk top publishing business. My new business included computer repair and
instruction. VR also bought me an additional computer, which allows me to teach other people
how to use computers, and takes advantage of my teaching expertise.
Cooperation among agencies made my business possible and my success is the direct result of
everyone working together. Certainly VR provided funding for training and equipment, but they
also took advantage of the training on self-employment the Rural Institute offered through the
Easter Seals program. David Hammis, an Organizational Consultant with the Rural Institute,
gave me the best advice and saved me a lots of money. I’m dependent on Social Security
benefits, low income housing , food stamps, and other programs to meet my basic needs each
month. I report my income to Social Security and the other agencies, but business income,
because it fluctuates each month, can jeopardize my financial safety net. Dave explained how I
can project my business income, maintain stability, and keep my safety net. Dave has also helped
me work with Social Security on a Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan) to help finance
my business.
In addition to help from the Rural Institute, Easter Seals, and VR, I also am receiving expert
assistance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in my area. The SBDC has
offered me classes in running my own business and a mentor, Jim Hudson. Jim has been in the
computer business for twenty years. The SBDC is paying for six hours of his mentoring time.
VR has agreed to pay for additional mentoring time and that has made a huge difference in the
success of my business. Jim is available to answer my questions and help me sort out problems.
Launching my Business
With my business plan in hand, mentor at my side, and experts there to provide support, I opened
for business in January 2001. Finding customers was my first chore. I started by sending a letter
explaining my services to all the businesses in my community of Delta. Gradually, I mailed
letters to every business in the yellow pages. This resulted in my first two clients. I advertised in
the give-away advertiser newspapers; local newspaper ads didn’t help. I also bought an ad in the
yellow pages. That was when the business really started to hum. I get about a call a week as a
result of the ad. I’m doing one newsletter every month, on top of the call-in business.
I also do computer repair work. I was so proud the first time I loaded some RAM chips into a
computer and solved a customer’s problem. And now I am teaching computer classes at a local
vocational technical school. I’ll be doing individualized instruction in desktop publishing. This
will allow me to use my teaching skills and diversify my income.
I’m always looking for new customers. I’m very skilled at desktop publishing. Fax me the text
for a newsletters and I’ll send you back a copy to proof in three days. Call me with your desktop
publishing needs.
Contact Information
Millie Higgins
Higgins Computing and Design
430 W. 3rd
Delta, CO 81416
(970) 874-5699 Phone/Fax
milliehig@msn.com
Carla Wilhite
Easters Seals of Colorado Agrability Project
5755 W. Almeda Ave.
Lakewood, Co 80226
(303) 937-7713
Never Give Up: My License to Independence
By Connie Lewis and Nancy Maxson at the Rural Institute
I wanted to learn to drive and I brought this up in a meeting of Missoula People First. People
First is a self advocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities. When I
mentioned that I wanted to drive at the meeting, other People First members said they wanted to
learn to drive also. But there wasn’t anybody to help us study for the written test.
Finding Resources for Drivers Education
The Montana Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council (DDPAC) had some
grant money to help people with disabilities. DDPAC gives grant money to People First of
Montana to pay for advisors for the twelve People First chapters across the state. The members
of Missoula People First voted to write a grant to DDPAC to get some money so we could learn
how to drive. We needed the grant money to pay a drivers education teacher. Two other
members and I helped our People First advisor, Nancy Maxson, write the grant. We explained
how having drivers licenses would change our lives. DDPAC liked our proposal and gave us
more than $16,000.00 for our drivers education project.
The first thing that we needed was someone to teach the drivers education course. We found Ken
Walt, a retired teacher who taught drivers education privately. He met with some of us and we
told him that we wanted to learn how to drive. He agreed to teach the drivers education course. I
was one of the first people to sign up. The first day of class we told a little about ourselves. He
gave us folders, highlighters, pens, pads, and drivers education books. We were also given the
Montana State Drivers Manual. We went through the book first and there were movies we had to
watch on safety. We answered the questions the teacher had when he called on us. We went
through the drivers ed manual answering those questions and highlighted the things that were the
most important. The classes lasted ten weeks. I studied at home also.
Overcoming Obstacles
I didn’t have any problem studying. About two weeks after the class ended I thought that I would
go to the drivers bureau and take the written test. I was a little nervous. I paid my $32.00 and
passed my written test. I had to show two forms of identification. I had missed two questions on
the test and thought that I missed more. I was a little upset until they said that I passed. The
license bureau wouldn’t take my picture for my license and would not give me my learners
permit until I had my doctor’s permission, because of my disabilities.
Some of the other People First members were afraid to ask their doctor’s permission. I wasn’t
afraid and I wasn’t going to give up. My doctor said that it was ok but I didn’t know that the
doctor had to sign papers for the drivers bureau. I thought at the time that the papers that the
doctor had to sign were supposed to come from the doctors office. I was a little down at the time
because I thought I was getting nowhere. I mentioned to our People First advisor one day what
the problem was and she helped me get the doctor’s papers that I needed faxed to me. My
advisor took me down to the drivers bureau and I handed the doctor’s papers to them. Then they
took my picture and gave me my learners permit.
I was ready to start driving, but our teacher had two other jobs, so he didn’t have any time to
teach me. I asked someone that I worked with, Marie Westfall, if she could teach me how to
drive. We asked DDPAC if we could charge our grant budget so we could pay Marie the money
from the grant that we weren’t paying the teacher. Now we needed a car with assistive devices,
because of my physical disabilities. Marie called Community Medical Center to see if we could
rent their car with assistive devices. They agreed to rent us their car. Then we needed to buy
temporary insurance so we could use the hospital’s car. Grant funds from DDPAC paid for the
insurance and the car rental. Arranging all this seemed to take forever, but I really wanted to
drive, so I didn’t give up.
When I drove for the first time, Marie said that I was a “natural born driver.” I drove a few more
times in the bad weather in Montana. My learners permit was about to expire so I had to take my
driving test. I didn’t pass, and because my learners permit was about to expire, I had to take my
written test again, but failed that too. It was just not my day. But I didn’t give up. I studied some
more and passed the written test so I could continue my driving lessons with Marie. After
practicing more with Marie, I took my driving test again and this time I passed. I was official. It
took about six weeks before I got the real drivers license in the mail, but I had a temporary one in
the mean time.
Purchasing a Vehicle with a PASS Plan
I had my license and I wanted my own car. I started car shopping. My grandmother told me not
to get a small car and after visiting several car dealers, I decided I wanted a car where I could sit
high up and see better. I also wanted something reliable, safe, and preferably with four-wheel
drive, so I wouldn’t have to worry about snowy roads or my car breaking down unexpectedly.
Because of my physical disabilities, I wanted an easy-to-reach gear shift. And I really wanted
whatever I bought to be green. My parents took me shopping several times and we finally
decided that a new Honda CRV would be the best car for me. It was safe, had good gas mileage,
had a dash-mounted gear shift, and would accommodate my disabilities better than any other
vehicle. Now I just needed the money to pay for it.
My supervisor at work told me that I could expand my work duties and hours if I had a car and
could run errands. I receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in addition to my wages.
With the help of Marsha Katz and Nancy Maxson at the Rural Institute, I was able to write a
Social Security Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan) to help me buy a vehicle. Because
my supervisor said my supported employment job could be expanded if I could run errands,
under the PASS system, a vehicle would move me toward greater self support. In the PASS plan
we wrote, I sheltered all of my SSDI check and my countable wages from my job in the PASS
plan. This made me eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. I also
contacted Montana Vocational Rehabilitation and they agreed to pay for the assistive devices on
the vehicle, because the car would help me reach my employment goal.
Some of the things we had to explain in the PASS plan were:
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How the vehicle would help me reach my employment goal and be more self supporting.
Why a cheaper or used car or rental car wouldn’t work for me. I had to explain why the Honda
CRV was the best accommodation for my physical and other disabilities.
How I would use my PASS money to pay for the car, insurance, and license plates.
How I could met my monthly living expenses on an SSI check and my remaining non-countable
income.
That a bank (the Missoula Federal Credit Union) would give me a loan and that I would use the
PASS funds to make the payments.
That I would set up a separate bank account for my PASS money.
I took my PASS plan to my local Social Security office. They helped me fill out the application
for SSI and then faxed my PASS plan to the Social Security PASS Cadre in Denver, Colorado.
The PASS Cadre only took about a month to approve my plan. Once they sent me the approval
letter, I was able to go the car dealer and order a new car, straight from the factory. The Missoula
Federal Credit Union approved my loan and helped me set up the separate account for my PASS
money. When the vehicle arrived, Vocational Rehabilitation arranged to have the assistive
devices installed.
My License to Independence
My Honda CRV is my license to independence. I use it at work to run errands like picking up
catering or office supplies. I don’t have to wait out in the cold to catch the bus each morning. I
can shop at any grocery story I want, not just the one that is within walking distance to my home.
I can go to movies or choir practice at church in the evening and not worry about finding a ride
when the buses aren’t going. The first day I had my car I drove my parents to dinner, instead of
them driving me. When People First wrote the grant to DDPAC to pay for a drivers education,
we said it would change our lives. It changed mine.
Contact Information
Connie Lewis, Office Assistant
(406) 243-2458
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
(406) 243-4730 Fax
(877) 243-2476 Toll Free
Directing My Own Job Search
By Alicia Ruggles and Ellen Condon at the Rural Institute
My name is Alicia Ruggles and I am a high school senior in Polson, Montana. I will be
graduating this spring. One of my goals is to have a job where I can make money to put in a
savings account and to pay for changes to my future house to make it accessible for me. I just
turned 18 on December 21st. I became my own guardian on my 18th birthday, which meant that
I got to use my signature stamp to give my permission for this article to be published, and it
means that I get to make decisions about jobs and who will provide support to me on my job. My
Social Security Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan) was just approved, which will give
me money to pay someone to help me to find a job, learn my job, and get to and from work,
since I don’t drive. My Individual Education Plan (IEP) team is committed to helping me
develop and learn a job before I graduate in June.
Since the PASS plan is a source of money that I get to control, I also get to choose whom I will
hire using my PASS funds. With another student and teacher, I developed a list of questions to
ask people who wanted to help me find a job. My student aide then typed them on the computer
for me. My friend’s sister, Amanda, and another teacher Nannette, wanted to be my job coaches,
so with assistance from my support person to set up the speaker phone, I called them and set up
times for us to meet. I asked Carrie, my student aide, and one of the para-professionals to sit in
on the interviews to assist me to remember the questions I wanted to ask, or to help interpret
what I was saying in case Amanda didn’t understand my words. Some of the questions I asked
were:
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When can you work? Nights, weekends, or day time?
How will you teach me a new job task?
How will you ensure that I am happy with my job and the job coaching you are providing?
I felt powerful getting to ask the questions.
Two years ago I began trying out different jobs at my school and in the community. In the
beginning, I always had a job coach with me. The job coach helped me do the tasks I couldn’t do
by myself, like opening doors, grasping things, picking things up if I dropped them, setting up
my work station, and sometimes explaining or interpreting what I said to my bosses. It was
scarey when my team members began talking about me going to a job by myself and at first I
told them that I would always need a job coach. Then we talked about them only leaving me
when I felt comfortable that I could do the job myself and when I knew my co-workers. If I had
somebody in the room when I got there I would be o.k. to work by myself. I also want to have a
cell phone so that I know that I can reach someone immediately if I need to.
Now that I have tried different jobs, like delivering mail between the middle and high school,
making deliveries at the hospital and volunteering at the assisted living center, I have learned
what things help me to work by myself, what kinds of help I need, what jobs I like, and what
jobs I do well.
My IEP team has also developed a Vocational Profile for me, which summarizes all the
information they have learned and discovered about me. The Profile will help us to develop or
identify a job that I can do. My team discovered my talents and gifts by spending time with me in
new environments (like shopping in Walmart), in familiar environments (like the school), and
talking to people who know me best. We all began to realize how much I could contribute to an
employer. During my employment planning meeting—a meeting with lots of people talking
about things I can do well—my team listed things I could contribute, such as:
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I have a fantastic memory;
I am observant and aware of schedules, my own as well as all other students and staff;
I pay attention to detail and can point out errors or something that is out of place;
I like to help people and am always offering assistance to solve problems;
I have a great sense of humor and get along well with my co-workers.
Next we listed job tasks that I can do and, finally, employers in Polson that may meet my “ideal
conditions of employment,” where I could make a contribution. Some of my team members
thought I would be good at quality control, but I told them “no.” I liked the idea of working at
the hospital, which may be because I know many of the people there and feel comfortable there.
I chose to put that first on my job development list, above the ideas of banks or schools.
My para-professional is now developing a photographic marketing portfolio for me, which my
job developer will take to the employers that I chose at my planning meeting. The pictures in my
portfolio will show the employers what I can do and what I can contribute. I am looking forward
to starting my paid job soon, although I also want to continue my volunteer position at the
assisted living center.
Contact Information
Ellen Condon, Project Director
(406) 243-4134
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall, The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
The Contradictions of Leadership: Ten
Considerations for Leaders at all Levels
by Cary Griffin, Director of Special Projects at the Rural Institute
The traditional model of management and leadership leads one to believe that the role of top
administrators is to “set a course” and “stick to it.” The image of a ship’s captain as leader is
archetypal: the haggard admiral standing on deck, wheel in one hand, sextant in the other,
guiding the ship tirelessly through the storm. Using time-honored, and often very effective
techniques— including strategic planning, performance evaluations, formal (written) interdepartmental communiques, policies and procedures that anticipate every possible corruption of
the mission, and internal quality measures (rehabilitation managers know this as
“accreditation”)—leaders attempt to keep the organization stable, predictable, and on course.
In practice of course, off course is where the fun begins! And yes, this very issue strikes panic
into the hearts of most of us charged with assuring the sustainability of our agencies. The
challenge for leaders is contradictory: manage for stability while at the same time create new
opportunities and innovations. This mutually exclusive goal itself is at the heart of the best
organizations —ones that invent new products and services, create multi-layered networks, and
that cast off the ballast of past management practices while carefully retaining the best attributes.
And, of course, since this is a largely non-linear undertaking, there is no cookbook, no one right
way, no formula for success. Instead, great leaders envision the future(s) and adapt along the
path(s).
The following Ten Contradictions are offered only as a starting point in re-thinking our roles as
eaders—leaders at all levels of an organization, and in various circumstances including at work,
in our families, our communities, and in the world at large.
1. Great leaders Know the Destination but Lose the Map
In other words, leaders are responsible for gathering broad-based support for the strategic vision,
but must let go of linear work models that allow for only straight line production. Innovation,
generated and nurtured through experimentation, might seem wasteful and unfruitful on the
surface, but it can generate new experiences and lead to problem-solving in new ways. An
organization that planfully and playfully embraces new circumstances (and a new circumstance
occurs whenever a customer asks for something new, or when we ask customers if they would
prefer something new) is regularly confronted with side-trips that potentially lead to new
knowledge, opportunities, and customers, but can also lead to loss, political confrontation, and
trouble. Good leaders are prepared for either, and take smart risks.
2. Waste Money to Make Money
Contrary to the popular cliches, there are stupid ideas, lots of them in fact. Great leaders, and
their colleagues, use their intuition and experience to discourage bad ideas, but support marginal
ones that just might have a chance at succeeding. A leader who allows and budgets for
experimentation sends a clear signal that personnel are encouraged to find better methods and
products. In the long run, profits come to those who innovate, not to those who stay the course.
Various marginal projects or “skunk works” inside innovating corporations such as Canon,
Xerox, and 3M have proven remarkably profitable, following short-term expenditures to
generate and test new ideas.
3. The Customer Comes Second
Customer service starts internally. Appreciated and intellectually challenged staff perform better,
stay longer, and earn organizations better reputations by treating their work mates better.
Satisfied personnel treat external customers better, and happy customers tell their friends.
Therefore, staff satisfaction should be the first concern of leaders. Job satisfaction comes from
reasonable pay of course, but more so from challenging work, being provided the tools and core
competencies to do the work, and from the visible respect of leadership. A 360 degree
relationship develops over time where appreciation generates high performance, which generates
satisfied customers, which generates profits, which generates better pay and new tools for
innovation, which generates appreciation, and so on. Investing in long-term personnel
recruitment and development are key to satisfying customers.
4. Lose the Job Descriptions
While we all want to know where our responsibilities begin and end, it is almost impossible to
predict what every employee should be doing for every customer, in every circumstance these
days, especially in a person-centered service environment. Certainly, guidelines spelling out
broad categories of work duties, core tasks and competencies, and responsibilities are critical, but
discretionary effort makes or breaks good companies. Rigid job descriptions are based in logic
and analysis, which are good tools for managers. But, adaptive organizations need personnel who
also rely on intuition, experimentation, analogy, and the ability to cope with ambiguity. Consider
the airline customer with a cancelled flight who cannot get re-booked on another airline because
the gate agent repeats, “I am not authorized to help you.” The situation is so much more pleasant
(and eventually profitable) if gate agents have the power to fix customer problems at the point of
face-to-face contact. Repeat business from paying customers is critical to even non-profit
success.
5. Pay Attention to 20 Percent of your Customers
While it is true that all customers are critical and important, and want to feel that way, in most
circumstances Pareto’s 80/20 Principle holds true. Roughly eighty percent of an organization’s
business (profit) is generated from twenty percent of its customers. Paying attention to those
critical customers keeps the organization focused on critical innovations, problem-solving, and
opportunities to nurture these select few assures a solid future. Of course, innovation happens on
the fringes, so the other customers are important too, and may very well lead the organization
into new service territory. Contradiction at its best!
6. Challenge the Corporate Culture
Corporate culture is made up of all the unwritten and written rules of behavior in an
organization. There is comfort and stability in learning, knowing, and practicing the rites and
rituals of the corporation. And as humans, and good managers, we seek consistency and
predictability because it allows us to move forward without distraction. However, a stable
corporate culture also breeds complacency and discourages invention. Bending company
procedures, not abolishing them, especially by leaders, begins the process of blurring the lines of
conformity and allows experimentation to improve traditional processes. Creating new ideas and
concepts necessitates that teams of people create a culture of questioning and positive conflict.
From the edges of conflict and anxiety comes innovation. Furthermore, making changes or
subtly standing in contradiction to the culture makes the past visible and may reveal fears and
traditions that stifle creativity. As someone once said, “if you want to understand the corporate
culture, make a change.” Understanding is the first step in making and managing change.
7. Play Politics
Politics is almost always cast in a negative light. Political relationships bring up images of
corruption, favoritism, power plays, and dishonesty. In reality, politics is the interaction of any
two human beings. Being politically savvy means thinking about the future and how each action
may cause a reaction. Playing politics means managers are considering the impact of their
actions on others; that they are using insider information to position the company into a stronger
market position; that they are creating alliances and partnerships that offer protection to their
organization and enhanced service and value to their customers. Politics keep organizations
alive.
8. It’s Business; It’s Personal
In western society, people are identified in the community by what they do for a living. Thinking
that professional and community/family lives are separate is a strange business school notion.
Imagine if the director of an environmental group, say Green Peace, did not recycle at home. Is
that person not guilty, at the very least, of hypocrisy? Leaders are leaders twenty four hours a
day, and business relationships are simply human relationships with a profit motive (or perhaps a
non-profit motive!). As leaders at all levels, especially in the rehabilitation field, we need to
make our passions for economic justice visible and credible by voting for supportive candidates,
by shopping in stores that hire people with disabilities, by keeping our money in accessible
banks, and by making certain our friends, our Boards of Directors, and our neighborhoods are
representative of the people we claim to be at work. One can only be as good a leader as one is a
person.
9. Both/and, Not Either/or
Our society is built on the notion of one God, one President, one Director, etc. So, sometimes it
is difficult for us to imagine more than one route to a solution, or more than one solution to a
problem, or even that no solution is possible and that we are faced with managing ambiguity for
long stretches. In most American schools the teacher has all the answers and disapproves of
anything but the one right answer. As students, we are expected to keep quiet, focus our eyes on
our own work, and keep our desks in a straight line. The real world is not a linear, controllable
environment, so managers are constantly challenged by complex circumstances that do not lend
themselves well to the educational rules students are taught, which inhibit team work and
experimentation. There are unlimited wealth, knowledge, answers, approaches, and options in
the world. Great leaders see this circumstance as invigorating and liberating, while more linear
thinkers see these options as terrifying and uncontrollable.
10. Move Toward Your Anxiety
Most of us attempt to ignore conflict or discomforting situations hoping they will go away or
resolve themselves. Of course, conflict rarely evaporates. Conflict does, however, fester,
manifest itself in other behavioral or organizational aberrations, and eventually grow into a big
pile of time and resource wasting goo. True, not every conflict or hiccup in the organization is
worthy of attention, but too often gossip, high degrees of expressed emotion, staff turnover, and
over-emphasis on internal processes result from values, mission, communication, and goal
disconnections. Leaders, again at all levels, have to tune in to these disruptions, address their
causes, seek solutions, and build consensus on new ways of working and thinking, all the while
running the risk of making the trivial seem important.
Managing and leading is hard work, which is probably why so many of us turn to the latest bestseller for canned answers. The truth is that hard work demands approaches that allow each action
to solve multiple problems. This is accomplished through networks of allies and capable
employees, using some of the tried and true tools of management. Much of the time our actions
are contradictory, which is the way it should be in a complex, evolving world.
Ten Contradictions of Leadership
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Great leaders know the destination but lose the map
Waste money to make money
The customer comes second
Lose the job descriptions
Pay attention to 20 percent of your customers
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Challenge the corporate culture
Play politics
It’s business; it’s personal
Both/and not either/or
Move toward your anxiety
The Rural Independent Living Leadership
Mentoring Initiative
by Sandra Hays, Executive Director of SMILE
In August, 2001, I wrote a proposal to be considered as one of two Centers for Independent
Living (CIL) to receive “sequenced, agency-specific training” from the Rural Institute’s Rural
Independent Living Leadership Mentoring Initiative (RILLMI). It was our extreme good fortune
to be awarded this training for 2002, and the good fortune of our neighboring Arizona and
California CILs and community agencies as well. Cary Griffin, the Director of Special Projects
for the Rural Institute, was our trainer.
Services Maximizing Independent Living and Empowerment (SMILE) is a CIL located in Yuma,
Arizona, a small, remote town located three hours from any large city. Our CIL, when we
applied for the RILLMI training, served approximately 1,260 consumers per year. There are two
Native American reservations in close proximity.
Expectations
When I, the Executive Director, wrote the proposal, my expectations were to receive training for
my entire staff and our Board of Directors. I wanted to learn more about management skills, such
as supervision, communication, conflict management, and team work. Another anticipated
emphasis was outreach possibilities to the unserved and underserved populations of our rural
community. The expectations of the Board of Directors were to gain a better understanding of
CIL management, leadership growth, and to learn how to increase public participation. The staff
anticipated training on values and mission, program excellence, ideas for successful transition
programs, and the principles of team work. To date, we have received three of four trainings and
all of the above expectations have been more than met!
Training
Each on-site training visit lasted three days. As part of one visit, a group of our consumers were
canvassed regarding their priorities. Transportation and employment issues were the significant
priorities of this group. For one full day during each visit, our CIL’s staff received personalized,
professional consultation. Some of the topics of these discussions included:
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How the staff can effectively promote the CIL’s mission, as relevant to each person’s values and
goals;
How various personality types provide a balanced staff; and
How to gain support from other staff members for professional and personal goals.
Specific training was also provided on how to market the CIL, develop a business plan for our
CIL, and collaborate with our state Vocational Rehabilitation, the state Developmental
Disabilities Department, and the Workforce Investment Board.
Technical Assistance
On another day of each visit, our Board of Directors received excellent consultation. During
these sessions, discussions began with the Planner for the Cocopah Indian Tribe regarding the
possibility of a relationship to develop independent living services for isolated tribal members
with disabilities. Methods were discussed for recruiting new board members and possibilities
were explored for developing job descriptions for each board position. Discussions began about
creating task forces and ad hoc committees to address such issues as fund raising, staff
development, and transportation projects. We also examined the idea of honorary board
members. Alignment with various entities was discussed. These entities included service
organizations, the newspaper, the military base, the retirement population, and school transition
programs. Opportunities were explored for further training from various universities. Creating a
marketing outreach program was discussed, in order to provide a public image and presence.
Finally, one day of each visit was a class that was open to management from other CILs and our
community’s non-profit/social service agencies. Each of these classes provided high quality,
useful, and timely information that was easily generalized to the mission of all participating
agencies. The entire staff of our CIL was encouraged to participate, which resulted in a real
understanding of the philosophy of collaborative efforts. Each of these community traininings
were rated as “excellent” by all participants.
Very briefly, the following topics explored in these trainings were presented in an
understandable manner, without typical management jargon:
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Principles of organizational and personal values were made understandable, useful, and
applicable;
Communication principles and negotiation skills were experientially developed; and
Collaborative efforts were examined through the use of techniques such as brainstorming, story
boarding, and flow charting.
Finally, not only did SMILE and other participating agencies receive excellent, relevant training,
but SMILE, individually, benefited from a quality consultant relationship which we would
otherwise not be able to financially afford. It is my opinion that this project has made SMILE
more effective in its work today with people with disabilities. The future looks much brighter for
us because so many tools have been presented and we will have the opportunity to use them for
the development, not only of our agency, but for that of our community.
You may contact Sandra Hayes at:
SMILE
1929 S. Arizona Ave. #12
Yuma AZ 85364
(928) 329-6682
(928) 329-6715
smile6@mindspring.com
Board Development & Recruitment Strategy
by Cary Griffin, Director of Special Projects at the Rural Institute
Most not-for-profit organizations struggle with maintaining an active, engaged, and intelligent
Board of Directors. While there are no shortcuts to the “perfect” non-profit board, there are tried
and true strategies that work. These take time and effort, but in the long run the effort pays for
itself.
Great boards do not just happen. Strategy and work are behind every high performance board.
When many agencies recruit board members, they simply look for bodies willing to serve, or
find “resume-builders” in the community interested in gaining local recognition. Some of these
folks turn out to be surprisingly talented; many do not.
Board recruitment is similar to staff recruitment. Hire to fill a space and one accepts dead weight.
On any board, there is room for at-large members who represent broad constituencies. There are
also tremendous organizational needs, and board members must be recruited who have the
knowledge, connections, and tenacity to address these needs. Therefore, designing a written
profile of desired board members is Step One of the recruitment process.
Board Member Profile
A board member profile outlines the specific traits and talents an individual should exemplify to
be considered for membership on the board. For instance, an agency that is anticipating a capital
campaign may need someone with connections to wealth throughout the community.
Development of the profile starts with the board (and staff and consumers, too) brainstorming a
list of all the names they can of people who fit this description. No one is ruled out because they
might be “too busy,” “over-committed,” or seemingly “uninterested.” During brainstorming the
trick is get lots of ideas on paper; editing comes later. The resulting list becomes a call-sheet.
The Executive Director or board representative contacts the individuals on the list to feel-out
their interest and capacity for accomplishing the board role. Even if someone is contacted who is
too busy to serve, he/she probably has an employee, friend, or family member who is interested.
Use the meeting to generate more connections. Networking is used to recruit the best and the
brightest.
Select more than one candidate. Even in small communities, much talent exists and by making it
somewhat difficult to attain board membership, the status of being a board member grows.
Ultimately, the organization benefits from having the public perception of exclusivity. This
board is the one the community seeks to join because this board has the best members. Selecting
anyone who happens to be available drives down the likelihood that the best the community has
to offer will ever be interested. Make it hard to become a member, make the work challenging,
and the board gains status, power, and impact.
Talents and Skills
Another concern during recruitment is believing that all organizations need a legal representative
and/or an accountant as members. These are back-office issues and may or may not be critical to
the board. It is difficult to find attorneys and CPAs with time or interest to be on a board where
their talents are used in the same way they are used in their professions. Many people want to be
seen as more than their careers, so seek individuals who can use their talents and their broader
interests to build the agency. Capitalize on the fact that people are interested in giving back to
their communities and that they are intrigued at flexing their muscles and brains by learning new
skills and having new experiences. Thoroughly consider how much legal advice is needed by the
organization: typically, not much. So buy legal advice and recruit board members who can work
on the strategic plan. If understanding money management is an issue, get a local college
accounting professor to do a short in-service training for the board on reading balance sheets, and
contract with a local CPA for actual accounting services.
Training and Expertise
Board development also offers opportunities to identify potential hard-working members. Most
board members receive very little in the way of training and education about governance. Critical
competencies for most non-profit boards include such topics as:
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human resources management,
budgeting,
understanding financial statements,
“best-practice” in rehabilitation (or other fields),
meeting management,
communication, negotiation, etc.
In most communities there are local experts in these subject areas. Business owners, sales
professionals, college professors, accountants, attorneys and others are often more than willing to
give time to charitable organizations by speaking on topics of expertise. Not only do board
members learn new and valued skills, but this also presents an opportunity for the organization to
showcase its talent, mission, and commitment to the community. Undoubtedly, some of the
people doing the training will become patrons of the agency, financial supporters, and, maybe—
if they are good—future board members.
Q&A on Staff Retention
by Mike Flaherty, Organizational Consultant at the Rural Institute
As part of the Rural Institute’s Rural Independent Living Leadership Mentoring Initiative, I
recently presented a national telephone conference seminar on staff retention for Independent
Living Centers (ILCs). One of the best parts of the seminar was the question and answer (Q & A)
portion. Below are some of the questions ILC directors from across the country asked, followed
by my responses.
Who is responsible ultimately for staff retention?
Retention starts at the top. Seeking, getting, and keeping qualified, motivated employees is the
responsibility of the governing board and its hired director/administrator. Getting and keeping
good staff demands focused, formal agency policies that make retention a prime management
outcome. Managers need to appreciate staff every day and constantly work to keep them
onboard.
Why is staff retention so important anyway?
Replacing staff is expensive. An increasing number of studies demonstrate that staff
retention/attrition rates impact an agency’s bottom line. The “replacement cost”of an entry-level
staff position is between $5,000 and $10,000 dollars. This dollar figure includes funds spent on
recruitment, hiring, training, orienting, and supporting new employees. There are also all the
related costs of lost management time/energy spent replacing staff. Besides becoming a
disruptive and time-consuming management task, replacing staff is very expensive, in terms of
time and money as well as energy.
What are the basic elements of a sound retention policy?
Ideally, attention to retention should be a constant, ongoing process at your agency. Retaining
good staff begins in the recruitment/ hiring phase. Spending the energy to find/hire the best
candidate will benefit your agency and the new employee over the long-term. Recruit and hire
new employees who fit the job, the agency, and the existing staff. Much like building an athletic
team, recruit players (staff) who best fit the play book (agency’s mission/values). Hire for a good
fit and attitude. Attitude and motivation are not easily changed; job skills can be learned later,
during training. More people lose or leave jobs because they did not fit the workplace culture
than from lack of work skills.
Once ideal candidates are hired, their orientation and training are paramount. Orientation is the
critical fitting in phase. New hires are oriented to the workplace culture, are trained in the tasks,
and learn the agency’s expected outcomes.
Nurturing staff should be ongoing, a day-to-day activity. Clear and open communication is the
best foundation for nurturing staff. Nothing says respect or models empowerment more than
managers who actively listen to their employees. The active listener appreciates the employee’s
feelings, input, and concerns. Listening is the most cost-effective way to acknowledge people.
Being heard builds self-esteem and employees with high self-esteem feel trusted and valued and
are less likely to feel marginalized.
Rewards and recognition can be powerful tools. More and more agencies use informal methods
of rewarding staff. Compensation and other financial benefits are becoming less the norm for
recognizing employee accomplishments. Reward systems that are person-based are proving to be
effective, when recognition is linked to personal desires or needs such as time off, job sharing,
flex-time, office space, special tasks, public acknowledgment, news releases, etc. The most
important part of any informal reward/recognition system is that it is linked to organizational
values and that it is personally given from management!
How can I compete in a rural area for the best available
staff?
One suggestion is for small rural agencies to analyze staffing needs, determine costs, and
consider sharing an employee among multiple agencies. Job sharing has proved effective for
some in-house staffing issues, and staff sharing can likewise assist directors or managers in
getting/keeping valuable staff. Perhaps a half-time position in two agencies can become one job
for a qualified employee. The two human service agencies may share this employee, giving
adequate compensation/benefits as well as providing ongoing professional growth
opportunities/challenges.
What is the cost of initiating and maintaining a retention
program?
Time and commitment are the major costs. The time/energy spent to start a sound in-house
retention approach is minimal. Staff appreciation is built on respectful communication and
personal recognition. Money should be spent on recruitingand hiring the best new employees.
Build the quality of your staff by investing in training sessions, workshops, or continuing
education courses. A great many training opportunities are free or have a low cost to participants.
Investing in training lets staff know you value them and their contribution to the agency’s
mission. It costs a little but pays big dividends. Consider the cost of not paying attention to staff
retention.
Is there an acceptable level of retention?
Each agency is different. People leave for a lot of reasons. All businesses experience staff
attrition. And staff leaving is not always a bad thing, especially if the staff isn’t fitting in or is
undermining the agency’s values.
Unacceptable levels of attrition impact the mission or service delivery to customers. High
turnover has a marked negative effect on staff morale. Obviously a large agency with fifty
employees that loses five employees annually will have an entirely different experience than an
agency with ten employees that loses five! The small agency is greatly impacted and should
examine its policy/management attitude toward retention.
Most experienced personnel managers suggest asking staff who leave why they are leaving. Exit
interviews are important for monitoring the effectiveness of personnel management and agency
efforts to remain responsive. Active listening to staff—old, new, and leaving—can help design
and maintain effective retention strategies.
Managing the Space Between
By Katherine Carol, Tango Consulting, Denver Colorado
The space between what? I am talking about space that lies between ideas and implementation,
between war and peace, between having a vision, living a vision, and this moment’s reality. It is
the space between fear and security, between last year’s best practices and next year’s
breakthroughs, and between you and me.
For those of us who are goal oriented, procedure driven and a bit taken with process, we find
today’s ambiguity and constantly changing management landscape perplexing. Where do we put
our energy? What are our priorities? How do we deal with yesterday’s events, complete today’s
“to do” list, and build tomorrow’s future?
The space between is where power shifts and transforms, it gathers and then releases, even
sometimes surging in dramatic events. We are constantly in the space between—for getting there
quickly, in terms of a goal or project, is challenging because there becomes irrelevant almost as
quickly as it is defined. Managing the space between requires flexibility, ingenuity, greater
awareness, and constant clarification. We need to know what is going on today and look for what
are the winds of change stirring up for tomorrow.
The space between recession and recovery, between tragedy and healing, is the time to evaluate
what goes and what stays. It’s time to lighten the load, evaluating all of our management
activities. The place to start is by clarifying our values. What is the important work—what is
important at work? Discarding outmoded business practices, building stronger relationships
where trust grows and people can count on each other are musts in times of chaos and
uncertainty.
Defining a new sense of loyalty and security are the building blocks for building germane and
timely systems. Managing the space between is about being relevant. Observe the current
landscape. Move towards flexible, compact organizations able to withstand the impact of
economic and cultural shifts without sustaining damage. This is a great approach towards
sustainability.
In this space we begin to evaluate how time and money are being used. Answer these three
questions:
1. How do I/my team/my organization spend time and money?
2. How am I/my team/my organization saving time and money?
3. How am I/my team/my organization investing time and money?
As a manager, think about where your time goes. If most of it goes towards managing today’s
latest crisis—how are you saving time or money? Usually, we save for future unexpected
expenses or for future acquisitions or events. We plan or we protect when we save. If our days
reflect only spending, what will we have to show for our efforts other than another crisis—we
are in effect setting up the next one.
In the space between the past and present, investment strategies are crucial. A recent Wall Street
Journal article stated companies who invest in recruitment and training now in the downtimes
will be the first to flourish when the turnaround arrives.
How do we utilize this time to invest? We know effective investment strategies include small,
systematic contributions that pay off big over time and leverage resources to make rather
dramatic gains.
Investment ideas for managers include:
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Tightening up recruitment and retention activities.
Building a solid in-house coaching program.
Doubling or tripling the number of personal and professional contacts.
Knowing those contacts well and following up frequently.
Finding quiet time to reflect on your vision for your future, your team’s future.
Investing in learning—what will be the new skills you will need this year.
Becoming aware of new technology applications (e.g. Blackberry’s, Palm Pilots, Wireless, the
New Windows XP, Digital Media, DSL) with an idea how this needs to fit in your job and life.
Having a personal/professional growth plan.
Continued management training.
As we have said, the times—they are a changing, and so must we. Getting out of debt (time debt
as well as financial debt) and moving from crisis management to investment management is a
must!
Remember the definition of insanity is: doing the same things over and over again and expecting
different results.
For examples of great companies who understand and practice these strategies consider checking
out the following web sites: www.containerstore.com, and www.cisco.com.
For more strategies on how to implement your management investment plan, you can reach
Katherine Carol at Tango Consulting at
(888) 706-0176 or kcarol@cnmnetwork.com.
The Peer Approach to IL Technical Assistance
by Linda Gonzales, Executive Director Association of Programs for Rural Independent
Living (APRIL)
Independent living was founded on and continues to thrive on the key concept of learning from
one’s peers. People with disabilities know best what works and does not work for them. When a
person has gone through the process—whether it is working through bureaucratic systems,
coming to terms with new limitations, or adjusting to family and community—their experience
of having “been there” has intrinsic value.
We believe that “experience is the best teacher” when it comes to operating a Center for
Independent Living (CIL) as well. While peer support has long been a cornerstone of the core
services of Centers for Independent Living, it has only recently been adopted as an approach to
providing training and technical assistance to CIL staff and boards. For the past two years, the
Rural Independent Living Leadership Mentoring Initiative (RILLMI), sponsored by with the
University of Montana’s Rural Institute and the Association of Programs for Independent Living
(APRIL), has included the peer model for both short-term and more intensive peer mentoring of
CILs. Now the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) and the National Counsel on
Independent Living (NCIL), through their IL Net, are joining forces with us to significantly
expand the peer-to-peer mentoring program. Starting this fall (2002), we’ll be offering up to
eight peer-to-peer mentoring match-ups in addition to our two intensive mentoring sites.
The peer-to-peer mentoring program is a win-win situation for all concerned:
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There is no cost to the CIL being mentored.
Onsite peer mentoring, along with support and assistance by phone and email, offers the CIL
being mentored the opportunity to build constructive, yet personal relationships with their peer
mentor.
The CIL being mentored will have an array of up to three potential rural peer mentors from which
to choose.
Rural peer mentors will have travel expenses covered for at least one site visit.
Rural peer mentors are paid for their work.
Rural peer mentors will provide basic follow-up contact and reports to the RILLMI Project for
evaluation and quality assurance purposes.
CILs receiving the technical assistance will be asked to complete a brief evaluation of the
services they received.
The pool of rural peer mentors will include a variety of expertise, skills, ethnicity, and geographic
dispersion.
Could Your CIL Use the Services of a Peer Mentor?
Our intention is to work with small CILs, or satellites in remote communities that do not
typically have access to the resources for training that more urban areas have. To qualify for this
competition, a CIL or satellite must be located in a small community, but if the need is there,
please don’t hesitate to apply. Applications will be mailed out and made available on list serves
in early fall. Your center doesn’t have to be on the skids, or on the verge of shutting its doors.
Your’s might be a new CIL struggling to get started or an established CIL experiencing growing
pains. It might be experiencing difficulties in areas such as outreach, fund development, board
recruitment, core services development, advocacy, or community development.
Other areas that you might need the help of a peer mentor might be:
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board training,
diversity issues,
program expansion,
legal issues,
staff management issues,
underserved populations,
transportation,
fee-for-services,
accessibility,
internet services,
for-profit services,
board/staff issues,
financial management,
policies and procedures.
Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment, & Disabilities
A 30-minute video on self-employment and people with disabilities, featuring six small business
owners with a variety of disabilities who worked with the Rural Institute and the Montana Job
Training Partnership to fulfill their dreams and create their own businesses. Narrated by Cary
Griffin, Director of Special Projects at the Rural Institute
To order contact:
Program Development Associates
P. O. Box 2038
Syracuse, NY 13220
(800) 543-2119 Phone (315) 452-0710 Fax