Summer Youth Work Experiences

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities sent this bulletin at 07/17/2020 11:49 AM EDT

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Summer Youth Work Experiences

photo of two young people, male and female, wearing masks and working with boxes

Dillon Armstrong (left) and Alanna “Reesie” Patterson (right) pack boxes at Lifecare Alliance in Columbus, Ohio.

The Summer Youth Work Experiences are underway throughout Ohio. The service provides students (ages 14-21) with a disability the opportunity to explore careers and gain on-the-job training. Because of COVID-19, flexibilities are in place to provide in-person work experiences or virtual summer youth services. More than 2,000 students across the state are participating this summer.

Career exploration is geared toward younger students. Activities include virtual job site tours, remote informational interviews, interactive exercises, work inventories, and discussions. These services help students consider a broad range of employment possibilities, understand the skills required to do the job, and take inventory of interests and needs. Students participating in career exploration receive a training stipend.

photo of young woman sitting at a table using a tablet to participate in virtual summer youth services

Marissa Campbell uses her tablet, provided by OOD, at home to participate in the virtual summer youth services.

Work-based learning experiences help students build confidence and learn essential skills in a job setting. Youth are assigned to work sites based on their interests and abilities, and safeguards are in place to promote health and safety. While working at job sites, students receive support from a job coach and earn minimum wage.

photo of a young man wearing a mask retrieving grocery carts in a parking lot

William Horton collects grocery carts at Giant Eagle in Grandview, Ohio.

OOD Director Kevin Miller said, “Students benefit greatly from Summer Youth Work Experiences. They learn about career possibilities, how work is different from school, and what they like and dislike. These experiences provide an important foundation for getting off to a great career.”

OOD works with 84 vocational rehabilitation providers throughout the state to make these summer work experiences possible. “We have received positive feedback about how providers have structured services this summer, making them engaging, meaningful, and fun,” said Jay Burns with the OOD Provider and Contract Management Unit.

“We are very fortunate that we’ve been able to partner with businesses that have allowed our participants to have hands-on work experiences this summer. For the students who have been able to participate, being able to get out of the house and make some money is a welcomed change,” said Courtney Baxter, Transition Program Manager with Functional Training Services, Inc.

photo of a young man wearing a mask in a grocery store aisle

Joseph Ratliff completes tidying shelves at the Giant Eagle in Lancaster, Ohio.

If you have a child, 14 years of age or older with a disability, reach out to OOD for more information on how we can help your child with career exploration, skill development, and strategies to get a job after graduation. Counselors begin talking with students and their parents about next summer’s opportunities starting in the fall. To find out more, visit the OOD Students 14+ webpage.

OOD Continues to Assist Job Seekers

info graphic featuring African-american woman wearing a mask and the text 1159 Job seekers placed in 17 weeks by OOD

If you have a disability and want to work, reach out to OOD today. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors can help you explore your options. Visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536 to get started.

National Disability Voter Registration Week

Graphic with woman in wheelchair at desk with text : Are you registered to vote?

July 13-17, 2020, is National Disability Voter Registration Week. To mark the occasion, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, OOD Director Kevin Miller, and Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities Director Jeff Davis highlighted the importance of accessible voting in Ohio and encouraged Ohioans with a disability to register to vote. Watch the video, which also features Jamie Lahrmer, Youth

Coordinator for The Center for Disability Empowerment.

There are 35,000 poll workers needed for the election that will take place in November, and Ohio needs you! To sign up to serve as a poll worker, visit VoteOhio.gov/DefendDemocracy. “This would be a great work experience for Ohioans with disabilities,” said OOD Director Kevin Miller.

For more information about voting, visit VoteOhio.gov.

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Ohio will receive a three-year $9.4 million federal grant to further strengthen the state’s Registered Apprenticeship system and expand the number of apprenticeship opportunities available for Ohioans, including Ohioans with disabilities. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) oversees AprenticeOhio, which registers programs that meet national criteria for quality and safety. Each ApprenticeOhio program is run by a sponsor: usually an employer, a group of employers, or a labor/management committee. Apprentices learn skills needed for a job in the sponsor’s industry through at least 2,000 hours of structured on-the-job training and 144 hours of classroom training, typically at a local college or university.

ODJFS will administer the grant in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, Ohio Workforce Association, OOD, and the Ohio Departments of Education and Higher Education.

To learn more about apprenticeship opportunities in Ohio, visit Apprentice.Ohio.gov or contact the nearest OhioMeansJobs center (visit jfs.ohio.gov/county, or visit OhioMeansJobs.com and click on the icon for OhioMeansJobs centers).

Trusted Coronavirus Information

Coronavirus graphic featuring test tube with the word Coronavirus on it and red illustrated cells in background

For trusted information on coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

All About Accessibility: Working from Home

stock photo of hands working on laptop on table top

The Microsoft Accessibility Blog offers tips for working remotely. Read the blog to learn from others with disabilities, find tips for leveraging technology, and reach out to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk.

In the News

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The Washington Post, 7-17-20

Disability Pride: The High Expectations of a New Generation

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Ms. Wheelchair USA Show Goes Virtual

Akron Beacon Journal, 7-16-20

Teen Honors Little Brother by Adding Adult Changing Table in Columbus Zoo Restroom

WSYX, 7-15-20

State Task Force to Aid Voters with Disabilities

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WOUB Partners with Voicecorps to Provide Reading Service to Region

WOUB, 7-13-20

MarionMade!: It Takes a Community to Provide Support for Developmental Disabilities

The Marion Star, 7-13-20

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Programs provided by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) are funded, in whole or in part, with federal grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). For purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program, including Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), OOD received 78.7% of its funding through the DOE VR grant. In Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019, OOD received $99,548,657 in federal funds. Funds appropriated by the State covered 21.3 % of the total costs, or $26,942,648. Of these federal funds, $14,932,299 is set aside for Pre-ETS. For purposes of the Supported Employment (SE) Program, the DOE SE grant funded 90% of the costs for the Supported Employment for Youth with a Disability Program up to the grant amount and 100% of the costs of regular Supported Employment program costs up to the grant amount. In FFY 2019, OOD received $297,857 for SE Youth with a Disability and State appropriated funds paid a small amount more than the remaining 10% or $33,192 of the total costs. In FFY 2019, OOD received $297,857 in regular SE grant funds. For purposes of the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who are Blind (OIB) Program, the federal grant received from DOE in FFY 2019 paid 90% of the total costs incurred under the program. In FFY 2019, OOD received $1,153,208 in federal grant funds. Funds appropriated by the State paid over the 10% required match or $130,000 of the total costs incurred under the OIB program.For purposes of the Independent Living (IL) Program, the federal grant received from HHS paid 90% of the total costs incurred in FFY 2019. In FFY 2019, OOD received funding of $640,571. Funds appropriated by the State paid 10% or $71,175 of the total costs incurred under the IL Program.