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The Customized Plan for Employment: Developing a Blueprint for Customized Job Development
by
Michael Callahan Ellen Condon
Norciva Shumpert
Marc Gold & Associates Employment for All
4101 Gautier -Vancleave Rd. Ste. 102 Gautier, MS 39553
228-497-6999 marcgold.com/employmentforall.org
2013
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Introduction
Discovery and the Profile seek to answer the question, “Who is this person?” The
Planning Process seeks to answer, “What will this person do for work?” The Customized Plan
for Employment (CPE) is a structured meeting used to identify the unique features of a job that
fit the individual and to direct job development activities. Indeed, this plan provides the
information necessary to balance the equation necessary for customization to occur. The
solution to this equation begins during Discovery (See Discovery Manual, 2009) by solving for
the unknown entity of the job seeker. Part III of the Profile (See Profile Manual, 2011) details
the job seeker’s conditions for success, interests towards certain aspects of the job market and
potential contributions to employers. This plan uses that resource of information to refine the job
seeker’s side of the equation. Once that activity has been completed, this planning process then
turns to the remaining unknown, the employer’s side of the equation. The Customized Plan for
Employment translates the skills of the job seeker into business language by creating task lists
for each interest area and then identifies a listing of potential employers in the local community
who might be a match for the individual’s conditions, interests and contributions.
In contrast, planning for job development has historically begun with the community or
labor market rather than with the individual. A market analysis is typically completed to
determine the needs of employers or the trends for job openings within a job seeker’s
community. Then a job developer, working on behalf of a job seeker, targets employers by
looking for job openings. Although it is fair to say that job seekers with milder disabilities have
proven to be successful using this traditional strategy, individuals with more significant
disabilities too often remain unemployed. Inevitably, the capabilities of people with more
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significant impact of disabilities and support needs are compared to demands of the existing job
descriptions. Too often, there has been a significant discrepancy between the skills of job
seekers with significant disabilities and the demands of job openings. Additionally these job
seekers are compared to other job seekers with more apparent skills, higher credentials and/or
greater work experiences and the competitive aspect of employment again creates a barrier. A
solution to the barrier of competition is Customized Employment. This approach results in
regular, paid employment in the community by using negotiation with potential employers to
match a job seeker’s specific factors of success to an employer’s specific benefit. In order to
achieve the outcome of a customized job it is necessary to utilize a planning process, such as the
one presented in this manual, which is designed to identify the information necessary for
customization.
The Customized Plan for Employment (CPE)
The planning strategy described in this manual began at about the same time the as the
early efforts to develop what is now referred to as Customized Employment and the Discovery
process – during the late 1980s. In 1987 the national disability advocacy organization, United
Cerebral Palsy Associates (UCPA) was awarded a contract from the Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) to increase the number of individuals in supported employment with
physical disabilities (Callahan, 1990, Callahan, 1993). From the very beginning of the project, it
was clear that most of the people we were representing were not going to be successful by
applying for job openings. Additionally, most individuals had previously performed poorly on
comparative assessments and had been denied services by vocational rehabilitation. It became
clear that we had to invent new and more effective strategies in order to assist this group of job
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seekers to become employed. This reality led to the development of what is now referred to as
the Customized Process, a linear sequence of steps that includes Discovery, Profiles and this
approach to planning. We learned that the traditional planning approaches were not effective in
guiding efforts to negotiate and customize employment relationships. The structure of the CPE
has evolved over the past 25 years in a way that now provides an effective tool for planning for
customized outcomes.
Plans, plans and more plans…
Services for individuals with disabilities have been guided by plans for decades. One of
the first plans of importance in the past 40 years was the Individualized Written Rehabilitation
Plan (IWRP) as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The IWRP was replaced by the
Individual Plan for Employment in the 1992 Amendments to the Rehab Act. These plans serve a
dual purpose for rehabilitation services in the U.S. in that they identify a vocational goal for
users of rehabilitation services and they act to authorize and initiate those services. The
identification of vocational goal is one of the important distinctions between the Customized
Plan for Employment and the IPE. Whereas the IPE results in a single vocational goal, often
stated as a job title, the Customized Plan for Employment (CPE) provides guidance and direction
for the negotiations necessary for customization of a job that might occur in any of several of the
job seeker’s interest areas. In other words, each plan serves a distinct and different purpose. But
are they compatible or in conflict? The IPE will need to be performed in order for a job seeker to
access funding and services from vocational rehabilitation. The CPE will need to be performed
in order to effectively achieve a customized employment outcome. The potential for conflict
occurs with the specific job title focus of many IPEs. Counselors will either need to amend an
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IPE that addressed a specific job title goal based on the customized job that was actually
developed or seek guidance from supervisors as to how to develop an IPE for a customized job.
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act and relate to education plans and outcomes. IEPs are designed to guide
educational content areas of special education services for students. While an IEP might contain
the identification of a customized employment goal for a student, these plans do not provide the
detail necessary for customizing an employment relationship and guiding job development.
Person-centered plans (often referred to as PCPs) have become standard in the field of
disability services since their inception in the early 1980s. While there are many formats and
outcome targets for person-centered plans, perhaps the most common in recent years is the
yearly Plan of Care required by services that utilize Medicaid funding. Few person-centered
plans, including the Plan of Care, focus exclusively on employment as an outcome and many of
these plans treat it as a an afterthought, if at all. This is not intended as a criticism of person-
centered planning, indeed the CPE is a form of this strategy, but rather a reflection that
recognizes if you wish to achieve an employment outcome, particularly for customized
employment, you will need to use a plan dedicated to that end.
Realizing that there are many plans that are used in the disability field, perhaps it would
be helpful to understand what the Customized Plan for employment is not. The CPE is not a
plan that:
1. Sets a specific employment goal,
2. Is determined on behalf of a person,
3. Guides job-site supports and services,
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4. Focuses on non-employment outcomes and services,
5. Is performed as a yearly requirement,
6. Authorizes services or funding, or
7. Determines whether a person can or should work.
Indeed, the CPE is a plan dedicated to the development of a blueprint used to customize
an employment relationship between a job seeker and an employer. The following sections will
detail the structure of the CPE as well as its embedded values and facilitation guidance necessary
for success.
The Who, What, When and Where of the CPE
To better understand exactly what the CPE is, let’s examine the plan from the perspective
of a news reporter who makes sure that an article always contains the answer of who, what, when
and where. We will start with who should attend this plan. Since the CPE is a form of person-
centered planning, it is critical that the job seeker be included in the center of the structure of the
plan and be present unless he/she finds it impossible to participate. And this “impossibility”
does not refer to convenience or logistics but rather to the individual’s preference to be present
based on whether he/she feels that it is possible to make it through a meeting of 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Participation by the individual can be episodic, by extending a welcome to participate for as long
as is comfortable for the job seeker and to leave the meeting whenever necessary. It is important
to say at this point, as we begin to discuss others who might attend the meeting, that if the
presence of any person or persons might negatively affect the job seeker’s willingness or ability
to participate, that those other persons should not attend the plan.
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In addition to the individual of concern, family members who are depended upon for
support should be asked to attend, including both close and extended family members. Friends
and neighbors are welcome as well as community members who might have a relationship with
the person. Professionals and paid service providers comprise another group of potential
invitees. Two important considerations for extending an invitation are a) whether the paid
individual has a close service relationship with the job seeker and b) whether they are known to
be optimistic in their support of the individual’s effort to become employed. In all cases, the
decision as to whom to invite rests with the job seeker.
A final consideration regarding who to invite to a CPE is that of numbers. It is likely that
some of those invited will not be able to attend and, therefore, it is necessary to plan for “no-
shows.” But the important issue relates to the size of the meeting. An effective plan requires
input by close and trusted family, friends and staff but more is not always better. It is possible to
invite too many people to a plan. The more people who are invited, the more likely it is that they
will seek to provide input. On one hand that is helpful but a too-large planning group can turn a
crisp, hour and a half plan into a four hour marathon meeting. In our experience, we recommend
that a job seeker invite between 7 – 14 individuals for an anticipated participation of between 5 –
12 people. An ideal size plan is likely between 6 – 9 people for efficiency and effectiveness.
Perhaps the most important consideration when considering who to invite to a plan is that
of balance – the balance of those paid to attend the plan such a professionals and those not paid
to attend such as family, friends, and those from the community. The importance of this balance
relates to the very real issue of the power of those who pay us. All professionals who work for
an employer will inevitably be influenced by the requirements and limits of their employer,
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regardless of their intent otherwise. This is not as much a criticism as a statement of reality.
Many professionals will come to a plan with the full intention of honoring the wishes of the job
seeker only to find themselves at odds with their employers’ wishes and practices. All
professionals should acknowledge this and work hard to limit any negative impact on the plan
for the job seeker. However, non-paid participants do not have this restriction. If we are careful
in assisting job seekers to invite positive and supportive people who are not paid to participate in
the plan, a balance can be achieved. If you will, the “prime directive” of the CPE is that no more
people who are paid to attend the meeting be invited than those not paid to attend. Even though
facilitators cannot control who actually shows up for the meeting, this commitment is typically
sufficient to assure the kind of balance that leads to a successful plan.
The “what” of the plan relates to both the structure of the process and the anticipated
outcomes. The CPE proposed in this manual utilizes a four component structure that will be
discussed in later sections. The four components begin with a reflection and perspective about
the job seeker and then segue to information that will be of value in job development
negotiations. The structure of the plan yields three outcome products that are used by job
developers: a) a blueprint that identifies the job seeker’s most important conditions for success,
interests towards various aspects of the job market and potential contributions, b) a task list,
written in business language, for each interest area identified, and, c) a listing of specific
employers who are felt to be a match to the job seeker’s conditions and interests. These
components will be discussed at greater length later in this manual. A planning meeting
worksheet is provided to account for the overall flow information developed in the meeting and
job development worksheets are provided that detail a condensed blueprint of the job seeker’s
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Characteristics of an Ideal Job, the Task Lists that are to be included in the job seeker’s Visual
Resume (see next manual in the series, The Visual Resume) and the listing of specific employers
to be called upon during job development.
The issue of when the meeting is held relates to several considerations. First, the CPE
should be scheduled within two weeks of the completion of the Profile forms I, II and III. This
assures a timely segue from the Discovery aspects of the Customized Process into the plan and
subsequent job development. Secondly, the meeting should be held at a time convenient to the
job seeker and those who are invited. This may mean that meetings will need to be scheduled
during the late afternoon, in early evening or even on weekends in order to accommodate the
needs of supporters who are working and who have other responsibilities beyond regular office
hours. This may require that providers and facilitators of services go beyond their typical work
hours in order to assure the fullest participation of those invited to the plan. While it is certainly
possible to successfully schedule a CPE during regular work hours, many plans will require
flexibility on the part of employment staff.
Deciding where to best hold a CPE has involved a circuitous journey of trial and error.
Since most traditional plans and professional meetings are held in an office setting, our first
inclination was to recommend shifting the focus more onto the individual by holding CPEs at the
individual’s home. Many of the most widely used person-centered planning approaches strongly
recommend using a home setting – the person of concern’s home or that of a family member or
friend – as the venue for the plan. While the intentions of this idea provide much to recommend
it, experience has proven otherwise. The CPE is a plan that requires participation by all in a
manner supported by narrative profile documents. Many people take notes and need a space for
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notepads, computers and printed documents. Additionally, wall space is needed to accommodate
as many as 10 – 12 poster pages that are developed during the meeting. Few homes provide the
space – seating, wall and tabletop – for the necessary level of comfort and effectiveness. For this
reason, we recommend that a meeting room setting be used for the CPE. Most service agencies
have a comfortable meeting room with the requisite space, tables and other considerations. But
so do churches, community centers, libraries and other publically-available venues that allow for
a closer connection to the job seeker. See the Meeting Room Checklist in the Appendix for
detailed recommendations for an ideal room to hold a CPE.
The “How” of the CPE: Facilitation Strategies and Techniques
Ideally, who should facilitate a CPE?
While the considerations of who, what, when, and where are important, the issue of
“how” to facilitate a plan is critical. If facilitation is of critical importance, the logical question
would be, “who, ideally, should facilitate the CPE?” As with other issues involving this
particular strategy, the answer was not clear at the outset. As person-centered services have
evolved over the past thirty years, the concept of “person-directed” planning was a logical next
step. We considered whether the answer to the question concerning who is an ideal facilitator
might be the job seeker or a designated family member or close friend. After a number of less
than satisfying experiences, we now do not recommend that job seekers or family
members/friends facilitate a CPE. Experience showed us that job seekers actually gave up their
“voice” in an effort to defer to others, while leading a meeting. Family members and friends
reported similar frustration. The problem was worsened by the fact that job seekers and
family/friends only had the chance to facilitate one plan, their own. The opportunity to hone
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facilitation skills over time was lost. We also tried developing dedicated facilitators within
employment service agencies whose job would be to facilitate all plans within an agency. This
approach worked better than using informal facilitators but had the downside of the facilitator
not knowing the individual as well as necessary to guide the plan with nuanced understanding of
the job seeker.
So that leaves two strategies that have proven to work equally well. The simplest
strategy is to have the person who was primarily responsible for Discovery and writing the
Profile documents facilitate the CPE. This individual can learn facilitation skills over time, make
sure the voice of the job seeker it clearly heard and bring an in-depth understanding of the job
seeker’s life to the plan. Of course, not every employment service staff person is a natural
facilitator. Training, experience and feedback will be necessary to develop quality facilitators.
Some staff may never feel comfortable and confident facilitating a plan in front of a small group
of people. In that case we also recommend a hybrid strategy that uses an experienced, dedicated
staff person to lead the facilitation of a plan with the assistance of the person who led Discovery
to act as a co-facilitator. In this way, the best of both options is available. In fact, we
recommend that any facilitator use a co-facilitator for scribing, additional information and
confidence building.
The role of the facilitator
A primary function of the facilitator is to act on behalf of the job seeker, assuring that the
meeting belongs to the individual and that the individual, or a designee chosen by the individual,
approves of all decisions made during the plan. Another important function of the facilitator is
to direct the attention of those attending the meeting to the pertinent aspects of information
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gained during Discovery. Perhaps the most critical function of the facilitator is to embrace and
espouse an optimistic view of the job seeker regarding both the likelihood and value of
employment for each person with whom we plan. Far too often, traditional employment plans
are facilitated by skeptical, even pessimistic, facilitators who seem more interested in protecting
the system than they are in helping assure that people become employed.
Achieving this optimism is easier said than done. Almost all job seekers who will be
using a Customized Plan for Employment will have a significant impact of disability as well as
limited work experience coupled with a host of other life complexities. Facilitators must find a
way to embrace “employment for all” beyond the rhetoric. They must truly believe that all job
seekers can become employed, as long as the right strategies and supports are available. It is far
too easy for a plan for employment to dissolve into a discussion of why a job seeker cannot or
should not work. It is the facilitator’s responsibility to keep the focus of the plan positive and
optimistic or to close a plan that has gotten out of hand in a negative manner. One way to do that
is to utilize the plan structure that is recommended later in this manual. Pessimists and
“naysayers” are more likely to go along with a plan that has a tight and recognizable structure
than in an unfocused, informal context.
The primary customer of the facilitator is the job seeker. The CPE belongs to the
individual, not to the agency, the funder, the facilitator or even to the family. Of course, these
other entities have a reasonable expectation that their voices are heard also, but facilitators
should always remember who the primary customer is for this plan. Successfully managing this
balanced approach requires finesse by facilitators. Care has to be taken to assure that the
facilitator role not create a “bully pulpit” to push forward a personal or agency agenda. All
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parties are more likely to accept the wishes of the job seeker if the facilitator carefully avoids
promoting their own ideas. Instead, facilitators should continually frame suggestions back to the
job seeker and reference the Profile documents as a reflection of who the job seeker is as a way
to resolve conflicts or uncertainties.
It is virtually inevitable, however, that job seekers with significant disabilities,
particularly with significant intellectual disabilities, will need support to understand issues and
ideas raised in a CPE and to make decisions regarding that input. Facilitators should have a
discussion prior to the plan, ideally during the last phases of Discovery, as to whether the
individual needs support during the plan and, if so, who and what that will be. In this way, the
support role can be explained at the outset of the meeting so that others can understand the role.
One way to better accomplish this delicate effort to assure that the job seeker’s voice is heard is
to use the card playing concept of “trumps.”
Who hold “trumps” in the CPE?
An effective strategy facilitators can use to deal with the thorny planning issue of “say
so” is to use the concepts of “trumps” used in many card games. The default position for the
CPE is that the job seeker holds trumps and gets to make the final decision as to all aspects of the
plan. This is not the same thing as saying, “Tell us what you want and we will do it.” Rather
holding trumps allows for input and ideas by those invited to the plan. The job seeker gets to
decide whether to accept that input into their plan. It is likely that some individuals may want to
seek the advice of others such as family members, close friends or staff. This is fully permissible
as long as the job seeker makes the ultimate decision. This strategy can get difficult, however,
when there is disagreement between the job seeker and those closest to him/her, especially
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parents. It is critical that facilitators have the discussion of trumps prior to the actual planning
meeting. In this way, it is often possible to avoid many of the arguments that can arise regarding
the decisions that are made during the plan. We recommend that facilitators strongly assert and
help support the job seeker’s status as holder of trumps regarding decisions with all invited plan
participants who do not share a household with the job seeker. However, if the job seeker shares
a household with parents, their spouse or with adult siblings, the issue of who holds trumps must
be negotiated. The reason for this is practical sensibility. We do not want to drive a wedge
between job seekers and family members they rely on for daily support. From a practical
standpoint, facilitators should make sure that the trump holder approves all aspects of the plan
before entering any suggestion on the plan worksheet or flipchart.
The role of invited participants in the CPE
Ideally, invited participants to the CPE should bring their knowledge of the job seeker,
their connections and knowledge of the local community and their optimism regarding
employment to assist in the development of the blueprint for customized employment.
Participants should be willing to both make suggestions and to continue to participate if their
suggestions are not accepted. Participants should embrace the value of having job seekers make
as many decisions as possible throughout the plan and to offer assistance and encouragement for
them to do so.
Many approaches to planning welcome invited participants to engage in “brainstorming”
as a way to generate ideas. The use of brainstorming typically values all ideas as having equal
validity. After identifying a sufficient quantity of possible alternatives, a decision is then made
as to the best perceived course of action. It is important to state that the CPE does not use
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brainstorming as a strategy. The reason for this is the fact that the Discovery process provides a
clear picture of the job seeker in a manner that provides extensive information to the planning
process. While we certainly believe that optimistic ideas have a place in the CPE, it is important
to consider all suggestions in a way that reflects who the individual is and what we know about
them. In this way, the plan is less likely to veer off into fanciful directions that have little
connection to the job seeker’s life and interests. Facilitators need to assist invited participants to
strike a balance between offering “out of the box” suggestions with our understanding of the
individual. One way to assist with striking this balance is for the facilitator to reference
suggestions to the information gathered in the profile documents. If a suggestion is consistent
with what was learned during Discovery, the facilitator can point that out. If there is a conflict
with what was discovered, the job seeker should be informed as to how the suggestion does not
fit with what we know about him/her. Then a decision can be made by the job seeker as to
whether or not to accept the suggestion.
The facilitator’s prerogative: Guiding and controlling the plan
Since the CPE belongs to the job seeker, the facilitator’s role is primarily one of guiding
the assembled group through the structure of the plan, making sure the job seeker makes
decisions (with assistance, as necessary) regarding plan details, and to keep the attitude of the
meeting optimistically focused. Clearly, therefore, the meeting does not belong to the facilitator,
or any other party to the plan. So what authority does the facilitator have? Since the meeting is
facilitated on behalf of the job seeker, the facilitator’s authority comes primarily from the
individual. But facilitators must not put the responsibility on the job seeker to assert that to the
group of invitees. Facilitators should accept the implied authority in a humble but clear manner
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by taking charge of the flow of the planning meeting and establishing ground rules (see page **)
and expectations.
Recording the proceedings of a CPE
Facilitators are responsible for recording the decisions made during the plan both in a
visual manner available to participants and, later, in a worksheet format (see Appendix for
example) that can be used as an outcome to the job seeker and to a funding entity such as
vocational rehabilitation. We recommend that facilitators use a flipchart with adhesive pages
that can easily be attached to a wall. If non-adhesive paper is used, we recommend that
facilitators cut small strips of masking tape in advance that can be used to stick the pages to the
wall in the meeting room. Less desirable options involve either using a dry-erase board or a
computer and projector to account for the decisions made in each segment of the plan as the ideal
strategy keeps a visible, running record of the meeting that can be reviewed by participants.
When a dry-erase board or a computer screen is filled, a scribe must either erase the board or go
to a new screen on a computer. The opportunity to scan back through previously developed
pages is lost.
We also recommend that facilitators use a co-facilitator as a scribe to keep a written,
visual record of the plan. In this way, the facilitator remains facing the participants, scanning for
someone with a comment or suggestion, rather than constantly turning their back to the group
while writing. This strategy also relieves the facilitator from the responsibility of capturing what
participants say, legibly, with correct spelling while assuring that the job seeker approves the
suggestion. Of course, scribes should work to develop a legible block printing technique and
adequate spelling accuracy. Facilitators are encouraged to re-state the suggestion to the scribe in
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a succinct and manner, after getting approval from the job seeker. Unless there is significant
confusion as to what is meant by a suggestion to the plan, the facilitator should not re-word a
participant’s comments. Simply, have the scribe write what the participant says. In this way, the
plan participants will feel that their suggestions are being accepted the way they stated them. Of
course, if either the facilitator or the job seeker (or other participants) are confused, the facilitator
should ask for clarification first, and then suggest an alternative way of stating the comment.
Assuring a successful plan meeting
A successful plan is dependent upon a prepared and confident facilitator. Since the CPE
is a plan that will only be held as needed to assist job seekers to find customized jobs, most
participants will be attending their first, and possibly only, plan. Because of this, the facilitator
must assist both the job seeker and those invited to attend to understand the purpose of the
meeting, the “rules” of the meeting and the expected outcomes. But regardless of how clearly
the facilitator handles these issues, the length of a plan has proven to be a critical aspect of
success. Although developing a blueprint for a customized job is a rather complex undertaking,
a plan that drags on for hours will not likely be a successful one. We have found that a target
time for a plan should be 1 ½ hours and that no plan should last more than 2 hours. However,
this timeframe is a challenge to meet. Facilitators must gently move the plan forward so as not
to be rushed when identifying potential employers, the final segment of the plan. We
recommend that beverages and snacks should be available to participants during the planning
meeting rather than during a break period. Facilitators are encouraged to state the time goal at
the outset of the meeting so participants will understand the need to moving on at various points
in the flow (see page **).
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Facilitators should take a moment at the beginning of every meeting to state the three
important aspects: a) the purpose of the plan, b) the “ground rules” of the plan, and c) the
outcomes of the plan. The purpose of the CPE is to develop a blueprint that can be used by job
developers to negotiate a customized, paid job in the community that fits the conditions, interests
and contributions of the job seeker and also meets specific needs and provides specific benefits
to potential employers. The “ground rules” may be posted on a flip chart, printed on a handout
or stated verbally by the facilitator. Encourage job seekers to add any additional rules that they
want. The following are recommended ground rules for a CPE:
Paid, customized employment is the goal
The focus will be on employment possibilities that fit the individual, not on deficits and
barriers
Other, non-related, issues will be discussed at another time
The meeting belongs to the individual and therefore he/she must approve all suggestions
Frame your suggestions to the individual
The outcomes of the CPE can be understood in three major categories: a) a blueprint for
customized employment based on the development of the characteristics of an ideal job that
includes the individual’s conditions, interests and contributions, b) a task list of between 8 – 12
tasks per area of interest, and c) a prioritized listing of between 15 – 25 specific employers in the
local community who are felt to be consistent with the job seeker’s blueprint and, ideally, with
whom participants have some connection that may be useful in making job development
contacts.
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These aspects of the plan can be addressed by the facilitator in 5 – 10 minutes at the
outset of the plan. Another suggestion for a successful plan is to use “name tents” for each
person attending. A name tent is comprised a card stock strip of paper folded in half to form an
upside-down “v” and placed on the table in front of the participant with the person’s name in
bold using a poster marker. Name tents can be commercially purchased or hand-made using
heavy card stock purchased from an office supply outlet and cut to a desired size. In this way,
each participant can list how they want to be addressed and it assists the facilitator and others to
remember the names of all those attending the plan.
Dealing with conflict during the plan
The thorniest challenge that facilitators will face during a planning meeting involves
dealing with conflict that may arise between the job seeker and invitees. It is not uncommon for
those invited to come with ideas and agendas that are contrary to the wishes of the job seeker and
the findings of Discovery. One strategy to help avoid conflict is for the facilitator to be clear
about the purpose and rules of the meeting. Often, participants will bring up issues that are
unrelated to the outcomes of the CPE. We recommend that facilitators use an “Other Issues”
poster to identify unrelated concerns or issues and assure the individual that their issues will be
addressed at another time, following the meeting. This simple accommodation can allow a plan
to move forward without becoming bogged down in off-topic discussions. If a participant is not
willing to drop their issue and the flow of the plan is threatened, we recommend that the
facilitator call the meeting to an end. In this way the complainant’s issue does not destroy the
optimism. Once a meeting is halted, the facilitator can consider whether to attempt to resolve the
issue with the complaining individual or set a time for a new plan and not invite that person. Of
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course, much depends on the relationship of the complaining party to the job seeker. If the
source of the problem is a staff person, professional or friend it may be best not to invite that
person to a re-scheduled plan. If the problem involves an immediate family member, or if the
complainant is critical to funding, we recommend that time between the originally scheduled
plan and the subsequent one be used to attempt to resolve the conflict. Occasionally, it is
possible to resolve a conflict within the time allocated for the plan. For instance, in a plan
facilitated by one of the authors of this manual, a job seeker and her father were in conflict over
the identification of potential employers. The dad had agreed that a good job environment for
his daughter would be to work in a cinema, which is an environment strongly desired by the
young woman. However, during the segment of the plan that identified specific employers, the
daughter named an older theater in the city center of the local community as her first choice.
However, the theater was known to be a place frequented by homeless people and others of
concern to her dad. Dad strongly disagreed with his daughter, wanting her to focus on cinemas
in locations such as the local mall and other suburban settings. Their conflict caused the plan
meeting flow to grind to a halt. The facilitator recommended a brief recess, allowing the father
and daughter to caucus in a private room nearby. After ten minutes of discussion a tearful father
came out acknowledging that his daughter had the right to work where she most wanted to. The
ironic outcome was that the old theater in the city center was not interested in considering how
the young woman might be of value to their company and she ended up working in a cinema at
the local mall.
Facilitator consideration list
The following list will be useful as you prepare to facilitate a Customized Plan for Employment.
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The facilitator should:
Carefully review Parts II and III of the Profile prior to the CPE and have clarity as to the
job seeker’s conditions, interests and potential contributions
Assist the job seeker to decide who will be invited to attend the plan and offer to assist
making invitations prior to the event
Meet with the job seeker and important family members prior to the plan to work out how
the issue of “trumps” will be managed during the meeting
Assure that those invited to attend the plan receive copies of the Profile documents prior
to the meeting, with permission from the job seeker
Arrange for a comfortable meeting space that has room for all invitees to sit around tables
and that has sufficient open wall space to post the proceedings of the plan
Arrange for a co-facilitator to assist with scribing the plan components and hanging
posters that participants can use to follow the progress of the plan
Provide refreshments such as coffee, sodas, water and snacks for participants
Develop a list of invited participants and provide name tents for each person
Request that those attending introduce themselves including their relationship to the job
seeker (Unless the job seeker would like to introduce each invitee)
Conduct the plan in a manner that the job seeker, or his/her designee, approves each
aspect to be included
Assure that all those attending have the chance to have input
Assure that information and topics not related to the plan be discussed at another time
Complete all aspects of the plan structure using the Profile documents as a guide for the
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input by participants
Have “priming the pump” suggestions ready to augment plan recommendations but try to
draw out suggestions from participants before adding items from the facilitator.
Assist the job seeker to prioritize a specific employer listing and identify meeting
participants who offered their personal connections with potential employers
Type up the plan worksheets and distribute them to the job seeker, funders and others
approved by the job seeker
Use the Task List information to develop a Visual Resume for potential employers
Embedded values of the CPE
The values of the Customized Plan for Employment, as developed by Marc Gold &
Associates, are embedded in various aspects of the narrative of this manual. The following list
gathers these values into a single space so as to assist facilitators and participants to better
recognize this important feature of this planning approach.
The Values of the CPE
All people are employable and have specific contributions to make to potential
employers.
Customized Employment provides the opportunity for job seekers with significant
disabilities to become successfully employed by avoiding the competitive standard set by
many employers.
The job seeker’s complexities regarding employment should be viewed within the
context of “conditions for success” and not as a rationale for exclusion from
consideration for employment.
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The job seeker, with assistance if they so choose, should approve all aspects of their
Customized Plan for Employment.
The job seeker, with assistance as necessary, should set the timing of the CPE as well as
the identification of those invited to attend.
The job seeker should be encouraged to participate in the invitations, organization and
logistics of the CPE.
The job seeker should be offered supports and accommodations in order to fully
participate in the CPE.
The job seeker should determine by their verbal communication or by their behavior the
degree to which they feel they can participate in the CPE.
The Profile documents, as well as the job seeker’s input, should be considered the
primary information resources for the CPE. Input by others is valuable, but secondary to
the primary resources.
All connections identified during Discovery and within the CPE should be utilized to
assist in making employer contacts and negotiations.
Job seekers should be encouraged to allow access of their plan results and Profiles to
those who participate in the CPE.
Connections to the Profile documents
As stated earlier in this manual, the CPE relies on the Profile documents as a primary
source of information. Part II of the Profile of Discovery provides a descriptive picture of the
job seeker across a number of life domains. It details aspects of performance and interest that
inform those attending the plan with the information necessary for an optimistic translation to
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employment possibilities. This descriptive resource provides an assembled narrative picture of
all the “puzzle pieces” found during Discovery. More importantly, Part III of the Profile, the
Plan Preparation Summary, is designed to reflect the structure of the CPE. A well-developed
Plan Preparation Summary is the strongest predictor of a successful plan. Facilitators have the
task of assisting those in attendance at the plan to use the extensive information contained in Part
III and to summarize and condense it into the categories of the plan. By doing this the job
seeker’s side of the customized equation is established. It is critically important that the
facilitator connects the plan results with the findings of the Profile documents. The Profile, in
essence, becomes the validation source for all decisions made in the plan. This is not to say that
new perspectives, not contained in the Profile, cannot be raised during the plan. It is inevitable
that the Discovery process will have missed certain aspects of the job seeker’s life. If new
information is put forth during the plan, it can be accepted as long as it does not conflict with that
in the Profile. Facilitators must act as the arbiter of this issue and therefore must be deeply
aware of the content of a job seeker’s profile documents.
Preparing the job seeker for the CPE
Since the job seeker’s role and the degree of ownership afforded to them within the CPE
may be a new experience, we recommend that facilitators spend time with the job seeker and
their closest supporters prior to the meeting giving them information about the choices they will
need to make and about the flow of the meeting. The following list contains recommendations
for this activity.
Have discussions with the job seeker prior to the meeting about how sensitive
information concerning ideal conditions or needed supports will be discussed.
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Some sensitive areas of discussion may include toileting assistance, support needs
around food or diet, or necessary behavioral interventions. Ask the job seeker if it
they are comfortable with this information being discussed publically and offer
them the option to discuss more sensitive information in a smaller, more intimate
setting at a smaller, post plan meeting.
Ask if they want any special ground rules established. If this is a new experience
for them give them examples of ground rules such as one person speaking at time,
avoiding negative comments, speaking directly to the job seeker, etc.
Give the individual information about their role surrounding decision making and
veto power. Give them the option to ask someone to help them make decisions if
they need this support. The job seeker decides what information is to be recorded,
the priority of the employers to be contacted and which job tasks they would like
to pursue first.
Ask the job seeker if they have preferences about the way information is recorded,
who they want to sit next to (this person could significantly influence how much
the job seeker will participate in their meeting) and who they do not want to
attend the meeting.
Ask if the job seeker expects there to be conflict with family members, friends or
professionals around the issue of “trumps” and offer suggestions as to how these
conflicts might best be handled.
If the job seeker wants to handle invitations, encourage them to contact invitees
well in advance.
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Maximize the job seeker’s participation at the meeting by giving them examples
of the type of questions that will be raised and what kinds of things they might be
asked to share.
The structure of the CPE: Creating the linchpin between the job seeker and potential
employers
The Customized Plan for Employment has evolved as a strategy to accomplish a single
goal -- to design a blueprint for guiding customized job development efforts by highlighting the
best characteristics of the job seeker, detailing what tasks the job seeker might do at a job site
and identifying employers who might benefit from those characteristics. The structure of the
plan serves to accomplish this goal. There are five main components to the CPE, listed below,
that are implemented following opening remarks by the facilitator.
Introductions, Ground Rules and Getting Started
All plans should begin with opening comments by the facilitator. These remarks relate to
establishing the purpose, values and outcomes of the meeting, discussing the ground rules for
participation, describing the structure of the plan and facilitating introductions. We recommend
that the timeframe for this activity be limited to no more than ten minutes. Be sure that everyone
has a name tent set up in front of their seat and ask if everyone has the profile documents that
were sent out prior to the plan. Please see other sections of this manual for ideas and
recommendations for this aspect of the plan.
The Structure of the CPE
The five components that comprise the CPE each serve a unique purpose in linking the
job seeker to potential employers. Component 1 welcomes participation by all invitees and
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allows the facilitator to establish the interaction style of the meeting in a brief opening activity.
Component 2 develops the job seeker’s blueprint for customization by identifying the ingredients
of an ideal job. Component 3 results in a task list for each of the job seeker’s areas of interests
by translating skills of life into potential work tasks. Component 4 identifies and prioritizes
specific employer upon whom the job developer will call and component 5 develops an action
plan that will be followed to implement the results of the CPE. The five components of the CPE
are as follows:
1. What Works/What Doesn’t for the Job Seeker
2. Characteristics of an Ideal Job
a. Conditions for Success
b. Interests toward aspects of the Job Market
c. Potential Contributions
3. Task Lists for each area of interest
4. Specific Employer List
5. Action Steps for next steps
1. What works/What doesn’t Work
The first component of the CPE is an ice-breaker activity designed to get participants and
the job seeker interacting and following the values of the plan. It involves the use one sheet of
flip chart paper set up as a “T” page with a horizontal line drawn across the top of the page and a
vertical line down the middle. The left side of the vertical line represents “What Works” and the
right side, “What Doesn’t”. Be sure to evoke responses from each side rather than focusing
solely on what doesn’t work. These reflections serve to break the ice and get everyone
participating. Comments from participants can relate to any aspect of the individual’s life, not
just employment. It is important to note that both sides of this issue provide useful information.
It is often as important to know what to avoid within an activity such as employment as it is to
know what to include.
This activity has several purposes: a) it serves to welcome invitees into participation, b) it
establishes the value of the job seeker holding trumps, and c) it starts to focus the group on the
job seeker. This component of the plan should be brief, taking no longer than twenty minutes to
complete. Encourage everyone at the meeting to participate in this activity. When time is up,
the facilitator should let the group know that the time limit has been reached, place the poster
paper on the wall and segue to the next component. For an example, please see the sample
provided in the Appendix. Findings of the What Works/What Doesn’t activity might look like
this:
What Works What Doesn’t
Working alone People standing behind Time on a computer Sitting, watching others Talking about the weather Wearing formal clothes Having his own work area Sharing personal items Reading directions Unclear expectations
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2. Characteristics of an Ideal Job
This component of the plan creates the job seeker’s blueprint for a customized job.
Because there are so many potential barriers to successful employment for persons with
significant disabilities, it is important to identify the “ideal” characteristics that are the most
likely to lead to success. This is not the same concept as a “dream job” that so many planning
approaches seek to evoke. The characteristics of an ideal job relate to our effort to find the “best
fit” for the job seeker. If we are not aware of the ideal, it is a risky bet to enter into negotiations
with potential employers, an interaction that always requires compromise. The job seeker’s
blueprint is comprised of three components that, taken together, comprise a solid foundation of
ingredients used in negotiating a customized job. The three components are conditions for
success, interests toward certain aspects of the job market and potential contributions to be
offered to employers. MG&A has found, over the past 25 years, that if we are able to identify
the ideal mix of these three components, that we have the critical mass of information necessary
for customization. This activity comprises the heart of the CPE and will take up to 45 minutes to
complete. Facilitators must urge the job seeker and meeting participants to rely on Part III of the
Profile as a guide to assist in the identification of factors to be considered when developing each
component of this section.
Part III of the Profile provides an extensive summary of these three components across an
array of sub-headings. In other words, the information identified in the Profile will need to be
condensed for purposes of creating the blueprint. There is simply too much information
contained in the Profile to be considered by job developers. The role of the CPE is to identify
the most critically important aspects of the Profile and to include these in the job seeker’s plan.
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A. Conditions for Success
In this section of the meeting the facilitator instructs the meeting participants to review
Part III of the Profile and to share their thoughts about conditions that must be in place within a
work environment for the job seeker to be successful. Conditions may include environmental
characteristics, training or support strategies, or conditions such as accessibility characteristics.
Although all participants are asked to share ideas, the job seeker must give permission prior to
information in this section being recorded on the flip chart paper. The facilitator should look to
the job seeker for confirmation of a suggestion before asking the scribe to write it on the flip
chart paper.
Conditions are characteristics of any job developed for the individual. Conditions refer to
issues such as days of work, pay, benefits, of the job, inside/outside work, time of day, hours per
week, etc. While it is possible to have too many conditions, these are extremely important
considerations in customizing a job. Following the CPE, the facilitator will meet with the job
seeker and their closest supporters, as necessary, to identify go/no go conditions for priority
consideration. In this way the final blueprint will contain only the most critically-important
conditions that need to be present in any customized job. Facilitators must be prepared to keep
this plan component moving as it is easy to get bogged down in detailed discussions. Again, rely
on Part III of the Profile for the details and use the time for deciding what factors to include in
the plan. We recommend that you review the sample plan in the Appendix for a full example of
conditions of success. The facilitator might want to reference the What Works/What Doesn’t
poster page to guide suggestions as most of the items from this activity relate to conditions for
success.
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Additionally, facilitators should have recommendations ready for use in case participants
become stuck. Most CPEs contain 10 – 15 conditions for success that can later be condensed
into the go/no-go critical ones. The following areas are typical but not all-inclusive when
developing conditions for success regarding the job seeker’s job:
Time of day
Hours per day/week
Days of week
Rate of pay
Need for benefits
Sitting vs. standing
Inside vs. outside
Distance from job seeker
Dress requirements
Supervisory style
Pace of work expected
Strength, agility, endurance
B. Interests toward an aspect of the job market
Interests are characteristics of an ideal job that provide direction toward a certain area of
work. Historically, most efforts to evoke interests from job seekers have focused on job titles.
As discussed earlier, the identification of job titles as a work interest often serves as a barrier for
job seekers with significant disabilities who often are not successful using a competitive strategy
to job development. Therefore, the CPE seeks to assist job seekers to express work interest in
the broadest possible manner. This allows job developers the “wiggle room” necessary to
customize a job based on an employer’s needs and benefit and still honor work activity that
sparks the job interests. Whereas conditions for success apply to any job developed for the job
seeker, interests target certain areas of the job market and help refine the job development
search. Be cautious not to confuse preferentially-stated conditions such as, “I’d like to work
close to my home.” with preferentially-state interests, “I would like to work around boats.” An
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individual’s interests are likely to motivate them to participate in a particular job or work
environment. Examples might include jobs with cars, working around sports activity, fashion or
computers, working in a retail setting or in an office. As with the component of conditions, Part
III of the Profile offers facilitators extensive information on the job seeker’s interests. We have
found that if facilitators are able to tap into an individual’s life interests it is possible to translate
those activities to guide the identification of work interests. This provides much more valid
direction that by simply asking the job seeker, “What kind of job do you want to do?”
In an effort to broaden the issue of work interest from the focus of a singular job title, the
facilitator has to deal with a spectrum that ranges from the most generally-stated form of an
interest area to a more specifically-stated one that still avoids a job title. The following example
provides an array of work interests stated from very general to more specific:
Working in retail
Working in a home improvement store
Working with building supplies
Working with lumber products
Assisting customers to load lumber onto trailers
The degree of specificity depends largely on the job seeker’s focus. The more specific
the focus of an interest, the more difficult job development will likely be. On the other hand, the
closer we are able to get to the job seeker’s interest, the more likely the job will be successful,
once it is developed. Facilitators need to help the job seeker and the participants of the plan
understand this consideration.
Finally, there will far fewer interests than conditions. Most people may have three to
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four alternative areas of work interest that can be prioritized in terms of those most appealing to
the least. Some job seekers may wish to only consider a single area of work interest for their
plan. We recommend that facilitators encourage job seekers to consider at least two distinct
areas of interest so as to allow for more flexibility during job development. It is unlikely that
any job seeker would have as many as six or more genuine areas of work interest.
C. Potential Contributions
This component of ideal characteristics of a job refers to the benefit that employers would
receive by hiring the job seeker. This is somewhat like developing a typical resume in that
contributions highlight what the job seeker will bring to the employer. However, this
information will be used to customize a job description rather than to compare to other job
seekers or to indicate the job seeker’s readiness to meet the requirements of an existing job. The
outcome for this component is to identify the job seeker’s best dimensions of performance. As
stated in the Discovery manual of this series, the best dimensions of performance for individuals
with significant impact of disability are often obscured by presumptions and the arbitrary
situations under which people are asked to perform. In other words, it is our responsibility to put
forth the best aspects of the job seeker’s performance, much of which has been overlooked in
previous life activities such as school, evaluations, competitive events and other such aspects that
often show the individual at his/her worst. Because of this, we suggest breaking potential
contributions into at least five sub-components:
1. Strongest and most positive personality characteristics
2. Most competent skills
3. Work and life experiences
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4. Credentials and specialized training
5. Recommendations of supervisors and others in authority
a. Once again, facilitators should reference the contributions section of Part III of
the Profile as a resource for this information. Remember, these items should only
be considered in relation to the job seeker, not is comparison to anyone else. As
long as the aspects identified here represent the job seeker’s best dimensions of
performance, it is not necessary nor is it helpful to compare that to other job
seekers or to our presumptions of what employers might expect or demand.
1. Personality Characteristics
This component refers to those innate aspects of personality that might be useful as
attributes for work. All job seekers have unique personality features that distinguish them from
others, some of which can be easily translated to work. Unfortunately, too often people with
significant disabilities have been characterized by a stereotyped set of personality traits such as
loyalty, dependability, enthusiasm, etc. Attributing these stereotypical characteristics to a job
seeker can be a set up for misunderstanding and disappointment by employers if the individual
does not live up to them. Another problem that has occurred is that, in the absence of
competitive skills, job developers often piled on personality characteristics to make up for this
perceived lack of skills. Personality characteristics are more the enhancing aspects of an
employment relationship, not the meat. We advise that facilitators identify two or three of the
jobs seeker’s very best traits rather than an extensive listing. Following the plan it will be
necessary to provide a description of each characteristic identified so as to help potential
employers get beyond their own presumptions. For instance, if it is suggested that Maggie “has a
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great memory”, as one of her strongest personality characteristics, a descriptive example might
be that, “Maggie remembers the birthdays of all family members and she remembers her
mother’s appointments as well as the due date for the expiration dates of her family’ s car tags
and inspection stickers.”
Occasionally, there may be confusion as to the distinction between a personality
characteristic and a skill. One way to distinguish these components is that a personality
characteristic is an innate aspect of the individual and a skill is a learned activity. However, do
not get bogged down in determining these distinctions, just go with your best guess, along with
the perspective of the group.
2. Skills
This component of the plan identifies the job seeker’s best skills of life that might be
translated into work tasks. There are two important resources for this information: a) Part II of
the Profile, Section 5, Description of Skills, Conditions and Interests in Life Activities and b)
Part III of the Profile, Section 3, Contributions, Heading c. Best Skills to offer to Employers.
Over the past twenty years we have learned that if facilitators attempt to draw out responses in
this area from the group, the time required for a plan will exceed two hours. Therefore, if Parts
II and III of the Profile are well developed, we recommend that the facilitator provide a verbal
overview and ask if there are any additions to the information contained in those documents.
Following that, the facilitator can ask the job seeker and the group if it is permissible to accept
that information as indicative of the person’s best skills. This is the essential timesaver, that
since its inception in 2009, has reduced the average time required for a CPE from 2 ½ hours to
approximately 1 ¾ hours. The positive feedback from participants has increased dramatically
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without an observable loss in quality outcomes.
It is important to note that, at this point, the skills of life have not been translated into
potential work tasks. That activity occurs in the next component of the CPE, Developing a Task
List for each Interest Area. Facilitators should review the sample plan in the appendix for
examples in this area.
3. Work and Life Experiences
This section of the plan involves the identification of the job seeker’s best work
experiences, former jobs and defining life experiences. This information roughly relates to the
work history section of a typical resume used for competitive jobs. However, in addition to a
listing of past jobs a job seeker might have held, this section also includes work experiences such
as those provided by many special education transition programs in school and even non-work
life experiences that the job seeker might have had that an employer might find to be an indicator
of competence or value. If non-work life experiences are included, we recommend that
facilitators assist the group to focus on unique and evocative experiences such as foreign travel,
community volunteering, and other such activities that may indicate to an employer that the job
seeker is far more than their stereotype. If work experiences are included, list tasks performed,
duration and any responsibilities the job seeker was expected to perform. Once again, Parts II
and III of the Profile documents provide the resource for this information.
4. Credentials and Specialized Training
Some job seekers with significant disabilities will have had the opportunity to receive
specialized work training or even complete a course of study and performance that provides a
certification that recognizes their skill attainment, though this is not typical. This section lists
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any credentials that the job seeker might have such as a high school diploma, welding
certification from a vo-tech program, certified nurse assistant, or a typing accuracy certificate
from a workforce job center. The important defining characteristic for inclusion in this section
this that a recognized third party has acknowledged that the job seeker is able to perform a task
or set of tasks to a an established criteria level.
5. Recommendations
This area of the plan identifies any existing or potential recommendations that can be
included in the job seeker’s visual resume for potential employers. (The Visual Resume will be
described in detail in the next manual in this series. It is used as a tool for introducing a job
seeker to a prospective employer.) A recommendation should come from someone in an
authority position, not related to the job seeker. Unfortunately, many school and adult service
programs that assist individuals with disabilities to have work experiences and part-time jobs
neglect to ask for a letter of recommendation. For this reason, expect relatively few job seekers
to have written recommendations from former supervisors, co-workers, business owners,
principals and others. However, it is permissible following the CPE to ask a former supervisor to
write a “to whom it may concern” recommendation. It is likely that service providers and
teachers will have been reluctant to request a recommendation from an experience that ended
poorly. In these cases it may be possible to have a supervisor reflect on those aspects of the
experience that did go well as well as noting those that did not. In this way, it may be possible to
use the aspects that did not go well as a rationale for negotiating conditions for success with
potential employers. Also, some employers are reluctant to write a recommendation because
they simply do not have time. In these instances, it is appropriate to offer to write the
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recommendation for the supervisor for their approval. Be sure to request access to the
company’s letterhead and point out the best aspects of the experiences without lavishing undue
praise on the job seeker. Letters of recommendation can be copied and offered to potential
employers as “leave-behind” information following a presentation.
3. Task Lists related to Interest Areas
This component of the plan signals a turning point from an individual focus to that of
benefit to potential employers. The facilitator begins by using the job seeker’s interest areas,
prioritized by preference, as headings on multiple sheets of poster paper. Then the facilitator
asks the job seeker and other group members to compile a task list for each interest area by
referencing the strongest skills identified in the previous section and translating, as necessary
those skills into potential job tasks using employer friendly language. Start by referencing the
job seeker’s most preferred area of interest and begin developing a list of tasks that the job
seeker can perform and wants to perform.
Translation is the term of art applied to the activity of re-imaging a current skill of life
into a potential job task using business language. Current Skills refer to any work-related
performance activity that the individual can currently perform without support or with support,
as described in the Profile. Potential Tasks refer to any work-related performance activity that
the individual should reasonably be expected to perform at work, with training, supports and
accommodations as necessary, based on the current skills they now have. An example from an
actual job seeker during her CPE is as follows: Current skill of life - “Jenni opens Christmas
presents faster than anyone in her family. She takes off the bow, slides her hand between the
ends of the paper to release the tape, removes the wrapping paper and opens the box containing
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the present.” Potential work task – Opening boxes in company’s package receiving area.
Facilitators should seek to develop eight to twelve tasks for each area of work interest
identified earlier in the CPE. We have found that this range of tasks is sufficient to provide
potential employer with sufficient perspective from which to make positive decisions regarding
customized employment. For job seekers who have a large array of tasks, choose the job
seeker’s best and most enjoyable for presentations to employers and make a listing of the
remaining tasks that can be used during negotiations of a customized job description. For job
seekers with the most significant impact of disabilities, it is necessary to have at least one task to
proceed with, even if that task requires partial assistance for performance. There are examples of
successful customized employment for job seekers with as few as one job task.
A question that is often raised during the facilitation of CPEs is whether all potential job
tasks must be based on observed current skills of life. In other words, is it permissible to list
potential job tasks that are not based on a direct translation of a current life skill? The answer is
“Yes, with caution.” It is a valid form of translation to reflect that if a person can perform a
certain skill of life that they might be able to learn to do a work task that is either related by
similar performance expectations or length of time for acquisition. For an example, let’s say that
during Discovery, it was observed that Milam had the skill of life of changing the used ink
cartridge in his family’s printer with a fresh cartridge. That could easily translate 1:1 as a work
task. However, based on the facilitator’s knowledge of Milam, she might also add that he could
perform a task such as “cleaning office electronics with a can of spray air” even if she had never
seen him perform the task. The rationale is that the two tasks are in similar areas of interest and
have similar sensitivities relating to the equipment and would likely take about the same time to
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learn.
The idea that, “If he can to this task, he should be able to that task” expands the
opportunity for translation and, therefore, expands the potential task list for the job seeker. Of
course, facilitators must proceed with caution. These kinds of work tasks should never comprise
a majority of the tasks identified for presentation to potential employers. Unless the facilitator is
very confident in the potential of the job seeker to acquire new tasks and/or the skills of the
employment specialist who will provide job site supports, we recommend that no more than 10%
to 20% of job tasks be in this category.
4. Specific Employer List
The final component of the plan itself, prior to determining the Action Plan, involves the
identification of a list of specific employers who are felt by the group to meet the job seeker’s
ideal conditions of employment, fall within their interest areas, and may have tasks which match
the job seeker’s task lists. This list becomes the prospecting list used by job developers for
making employer contacts. It is of critical importance to use the person’s prioritized interests
and list of ideal conditions to guide the listing of employers. List specific employers by their
name and then identify the interest area(s) it represents as a check and balance against including
employers that do not fit the job seeker. Next, list the task numbers of the Potential Job Tasks
from Section C of the plan felt to be a fit with each employer. Facilitators should strive to
develop a list of between fifteen to twenty-five unique employers for each job seeker. Our
experiences indicate that there is a 90% chance of developing a customized job from this listing
of employers. In a conversation following the CPE, ask the individual, with family assistance, to
prioritize the order in which employers will be contacted by the job developer on their behalf.
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Prior to moving to the last component of the plan, ask the meeting participants if anyone has a
connection within each of the businesses. If so, ask if they would be willing to share their
relationship in some way for job development. The use of connections may be to provide
research information about the company, identification of the best person to contact at the
business, the use of the person’s name as a referring party or even the willingness to contact the
business on behalf of the job developer to obtain a chance for a presentation
5. Action Plan
This final aspect of the CPE may be addressed in the planning meeting itself, time
allowing, or in a smaller, post-plan meeting with the job seeker and his/her closest supporters, as
necessary. The Action Plan addresses the next steps of the process, assigning tasks to the staff
and others who have accepted the responsibility of assisting the job seeker to obtain a
customized job. MG&A has developed an Action Plan form that is included in the Appendix to
this manual. If the Action Plan needs to be developed following the CPE, it should be completed
with a week of the date of the planning meeting. The tasks to be performed, with corresponding
assignments, include:
Typing the plan information contained on the posters using the Plan template and
forwarding the results to VR or other funding agency
Assisting the job seeker to identify “go/no go” conditions of critical importance
Complete the Blueprint for Employment form (see Appendix)
Assisting the job seeker to prioritize the Specific Employer list
Responding to any “Non-related Issues” that were identified during the CPE
Setting a calendar for job development activities
42
Setting a date with the job seeker to begin the development of the Visual Resume
Identifying the job developer primarily responsible for making employer contacts
Following up on getting any recommendations referenced in the plan
Contacting members who offered connections with specific employers
The Flow of the CPE
Although each planning meeting will be unique based upon the facilitator, the job seeker,
and the team members involved, the general flow of all CPEs should follow this sequence.
Estimated timeframes have been included.
1. Welcome, explain the plan and expectations (10 minutes)
Establish that the purpose of the meeting is to develop a plan for job development.
Explain how this meeting might differ from other meetings that they have
participated in.
Explain the job seeker’s role and status as the person with “trump” or veto power.
Facilitate introductions and request that all members use a name tent.
Review ground rules and post in a visible location.
Review the meeting components explaining the importance of suggestions based
on the profile documents.
2. Facilitate the “What works/ What Doesn’t” Activity (20 minutes)
3. Identify the Characteristics of an Ideal Job (30 minutes)
Conditions
Interests
Contributions
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4. Develop Task Lists for each Interest area (15 minutes)
5 Identify Specific Employers (30 minutes)
6. Complete the Action Plan (30 minutes)
Putting the Plan Results to Use
After the plan is complete and the results have been written up it is time to put the
findings to use in guiding job development efforts toward a customized job for the individual.
Perhaps the most unique feature of the CPE is that it provides a clear and effective blueprint for
customization of employment. All the information developed in the CPE should be typed into
the CPE worksheet. Additionally, the plan results in three distinct features that assist job
developers to accomplish the outcome of a customized job and forms to address this information
are provided in the Appendix to this manual:
1. The job seeker’s “Blueprint” that contains conditions, interests and contributions
2. The job seeker’s “Task Lists” for each interest area
3. A prioritized listing of “Specific Employers” upon whom job developer’s should contact
The job seeker’s “Blueprint” consists of a form (see Appendix for form and sample) that
lists the most critically important conditions for success, their strongest areas of work interest
and their best potential contributions to employers – in other words, a condensed version of the
characteristics of an ideal job. Prior to making employer contacts, job developers should fill out
the job seeker’s side of the form in consultation with the job seeker and other supporters, as
necessary. Later, during negotiations with potential employers, the “available?” side of the form
is filled out and used as a communication tool between the job developer and the job seeker. The
form uses a simple checkmark system to indicate the availability of the various characteristics.
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The Task Lists from each of the job seeker’s areas of work interest should be transferred
to the last page of the Visual Resume which will be developed following the CPE Depending
upon the type of interest area(s) a specific employer represents, that list should be used by job
developers when making contacts. If the job seeker has many potential job tasks, we recommend
focusing on the strongest 8 – 12 tasks for inclusion in the Visual Resume and to include the
remainder on a listing that can be left with potential employers.
The Specific Employer List should be transferred to the job seeker’s personal, prioritized
Employer List (See Appendix) and later placed, one at a time, on the Employer Contact List (See
Appendix) as job developers make contact with those employers. This form is critical in that it
signals the willingness of job developers to follow the job seeker’s employer list rather than
using existing contacts, new businesses or companies that are currently hiring for job
development contacts. If this last step is not followed, the entire customized process will be
placed in jeopardy.
Final Thoughts
Completing a successful CPE feels a bit like a runner might feel at the end of a grueling
distance race that qualifies him/her for a bigger event such as a marathon – fatigued but satisfied.
Like the runner, the facilitator realizes the preparation effort that was necessary to get through
this phase of the process. It is satisfying to know that an important threshold has been attained.
But like the runner in this analogy, there is the realization that there is work to be done. The next
big race is the payoff. And it’s not a matter of winning; few runners enter a marathon to win.
It’s a matter of reaching the end, the goal. And that is what will be necessary to reach the goal
of a customized job for a person with a significant disability. It will require extensive
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preparation – Discovery, Profile and Plan – to assure that the end goal is achievable. But even
though the completion of the plan will feel satisfying, it is not the end. At this point all of those
who have agreed to finish the race must re-commit to doing it right and to reaching the finish
line. At the procedural level, job developers must embrace the process, to follow the remaining
aspects of the customized process that have proven to work. This creates a potential problem in
that many job developers have their own process that works in general ways to connect job
seekers to job openings. But the hardest acceptance is likely to be at the personal level. Is the
person who takes on job development willing to follow the blueprint developed in the CPE? This
is much easier said than done. Most job developers are used to following their own relationships
and pursuing their own employers. To follow the blueprint set by the job seeker requires
rethinking of long held strategies that have worked in their own way for some, but not all job
seekers. Facilitators of Discovery and the CPE must recognize this challenge and strive to assure
the process is followed for the job seeker. We encourage you to accept this challenge and to see
it through until the completion of the long race.
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Appendix
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Questions & Answers Concerning the CPE
1. How does the CPE differ from the Discovery Meeting?
2. Who are the most critically important people for the job seeker to invite to the CPE?
3. Do the “ground rules” have to be written on a poster?
4. What is the job seeker is not able/interested in participating in the CPE?
5. What if the job seeker does not want to invite a parent, guardian or a sibling who
provides direct support?
6. What should happen if the CPE goes on too long, say past 2 ½ - 3 hours?
7. What should happen if one of the participants needs to leave the meeting early?
8. What kinds of topics should not be discussed at a CPE?
9. Who is responsible for developing the Visual Resume and coordinating with the job
developer?
10. What if a job seeker wants to hold the CPE in their home?
11. Can the facilitator/co-facilitator add suggestions to the job seeker’s plan?
12. How do we deal with sensitive information that needs to be a part of “conditions for
success”?
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Profile Planning Meeting Worksheet
Name:______________________________ Date:___________________ A. What Works What Doesn’t Work
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B. Characteristics of an Ideal Job
Name:_______________________ Date:______________________ Conditions for employment: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Interests for employment: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Contributions to employment (personality characteristics, skills, experiences, credentials, recommendations): Personality Characteristics: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Skills: (from Profile Part II, Section 5, all Headings and Part III, Section 3, Heading (c) _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
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_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Experiences: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Credentials: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Recommendations: _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ Notes:
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C. Types of Job Tasks that might fit Ideal Characteristics: Name:______________________________ Date:___________________ Interest Area: Interest Area Interest Area: 1. 1. 1. 2. 2. 2. 3. 3. 3. 4. 4. 4. 5. 5. 5. 6. 6. 6. 7. 7. 7. 8. 8. 8. 9. 9. 9. 10. 10. 10. 11. 11. 11. 12. 12. 12. 13. 13. 13. 14. 14. 14.
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15. 15. 15.
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D. Specific Employer List Company Name Connection (initials) Interest Area
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
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17. D. Specific Employer List, continued
Company Name Contact Potential Tasks 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 2 5. Notes: Names of those attending the meeting:
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Profile Planning Meeting Worksheet
Name: Sadie Jones Date: June 1, 20__ A. What Works What Doesn’t Work
Being organized Helping in child care class Doing tasks the same way each time Following written or visual schedule Reading Lists, following directions
Unorganized situations Being touched by others Having people stand behind her Working in hot settings Taking stern correction “Moody” days Losing games Stormy weather
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B. Characteristics of an Ideal Job
Name: Sadie Jones Date: June 1, 20__ Conditions for employment:
15 mile radius from home Inside, air conditioned Job has routines Natural supports available Sitting for most of work Organized workplace that uses lists for
duties
Morning hours No later than 4:00 PM 4 – 5 hours per day 3 days/week during school 5 days/week after school Mon. – Fri. /1 Sat. and
Sun. per month
Preferences for employment: Office Work _____________________________ Food Services _____________________________ Retail Services _____________________________ Contributions to employment (personality characteristics, skills, experiences, credentials, recommendations): Personality Characteristics: Very Organized: Sadie takes care of all her clothes by ironing, hanging, washing, drying
and folding without being reminded by her family Great Memory: Sadie remembers the birthdays of all family members, the meeting times
for her mom’s and dad’s business appointments and the license plate and inspection renewal for her dad’s trucks
Dry, Sharp Sense of Humor: Sadie responds to kidding by the truck drivers in her dad’s company by making jokes about their driving
Fun Loving Person: Sadie’s friends at school and her teacher say that Sadie is the first to encourage reluctant students to participate in classroom skits, singing and dancing activities
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Contributions: (See Section 5, Part II of Sadie’s Profile of Discovery Experiences: Worked on school yearbooks staff as a senior Volunteered at church child care center for three years during high school Sorts and delivers mail for all teachers at Natchez High School Assists with her mom’s catering business by preparing food, setting up meals and
cleaning up afterward Assists in the office of her dad’s trucking business filing invoices, making copies, sorting
shipping manifests Credentials: None identified Recommendations: Mr. Gibson, High School Principal
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C. Types of Job Tasks that might fit Ideal Characteristics: Name: Sadie Jones Date:___________________ Interest Area: Office work Interest Area: Food Service Interest Area: Retail Services_ 1. Shredding 1. Cold food prep 1. Folding, straightening 2. Running errands 2. Cutting, paring 2. Facing Stock 3. Delivery 3. Portioning 3. Unboxing/receiving 4. Running copier 4. Arrangement, layout 4. Shelving 5. Filing 5. Serving in café. line 5. Hanging 6. Sorting, collating 6. Stocking salad bar 6. Tagging 7. Match.checks/invoices 7. Cleaning salad bar 7. Installing/removing security 8. Stapling 8. Condiment replenish. 8. Restocking returned stock 9. Folding, sealing 9. 9. Inventory scanning 10. Light data entry 10. 10. Pricing 11. Faxing 11. 11. Light data entry 12. Backing files to CD 12. 12. 13. Labeling, shipping 13. 13. 14. 14. 14. 15. 15. 15.
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D. Potential Employers Name Connection (initials) Interest Area
1. Natchez Public Schools EJ Office 2. Natchez Regional Hospital O/F/R 3. Adams County Sheriff FJ Office 4. St. Mary’s Catholic School MW Office/Food 5. Adams Cty. Circuit Clerk EJ Office 6. Adams Cty. Tax Collector EJ Office 7. Natchez Democrat Newspaper FJ Office 8. Bluffs & Bayous Weekly Paper Office 9. 95.1 Radio EJ Office 10.B&K Bank FJ Office 11. United Mississippi Bank EJ Office 12. Co-Lin Community College MW O/F/R 13. Entergy-Callon Oil FJ Office 14. Isle of Capri Casino O/F/R 15. Caters Department Store EJ Retail/Off/ 16. Belks Department Store Retail/Off.
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17. JC Penny Department Store Retail/Off. D. Potential Employers continued
Name Contact Potential Tasks 18. Stage Clothing Store Retail/Off. 19. Shoe Department, Shoe Store Retail/Off. 20. Payless Shoes, Shoe Store Retail/Off. 21. Diane’s Frame Shop NT ? 22. Bookland Book Store Retail/Off. 23. 24. 2 5. Notes: EJ = Elaine Jones, Sadie’s Mom FJ = Fred Jones, Sadie’s Dad MW = Marian White, Sadie’s teacher NT = Nelda Thomas, Sadie’s Grandmother Attending meeting: Sadie Jones Thomas Gibson, High School Principal Diedra Williams, friend Simone Holland, Special Ed Director Paul Simmons, friend Pat Washington, VR supervisor Elaine Jones, Mother Cindy Collins, VR Counselor Nelda Thomas, Grandmother Dan Simmons, Paul’s father, observing Rebecca Tate, Aunt Mike Callahan, Facilitator Marian White, Special Ed Teacher Charlotte Guy, Co-Facilitator
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CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IDEAL JOB BLUEPRINT Job Seeker ________________________________________ Discovery Facil. ________________________________________ Job Developer ________________________________________ Employer ________________________________________ Date Job Begins ________________________________________ Available Not Avail.
Conditions: List the most critical working conditions which would be necessary for the individual’s success on a job.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
_________________________
____________________ ______
Interests: List the general types of work the individual most wants to do.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
_________________________
____________________ ______
Contributions: List the strongest perceived contributions of the individual in relation to potential employer’s needs and benefits.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
_________________________
____________________ ______
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