October 2020 Newsletter
Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition
Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities
“Increasing Access and Opportunity” – NDEAM 2020 Theme
Indiana Disability Employment Awareness Campaign
On October 1, 2020, Work to Include announced its participation in the Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. In Indiana, Work to Include, a statewide disability-led coalition, has designed a campaign specifically for Indiana to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of Hoosiers with disabilities. This year's theme is "Everyone Wins when Everyone’s IN.”
The campaign includes a myriad of resources for Employer Awareness activities. Gary, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Bloomington, and Clarksville received mini-grants from WTI to conduct local campaigns. Besides distributing posters and fact sheets, communities are holding virtual job fairs, conducting webinars with employer groups, and putting up billboards so everyone knows about the talent that people with disabilities bring to the workplace. Get in touch with the Team Leader in these areas if you want to help out.
Feel free to go to the Work to Include website and download the Employer Toolkit and campaign materials, learn more about Disability Inclusion initiatives, and find valuable resources to help build employer-talent connections where you live.
IU’s Commitment to Diversity:
Great University, Great Employees
Michael Tibbs
An employee at IU Herman B. Wells Library
Indiana University believes in diversity and inclusion to meet its staffing needs. Robert (Michael) Tibbs has been employed at Indiana University Herman B. Wells Library since May 18, 2004. Michael’s longevity of sixteen years is attributed to a combination of a strong work ethic, excellent attendance, professionalism, job coaches and natural supports from co-workers at the library located on the campus of Indiana University. Michael excels at his job and meets service and productivity demands within the scope of his job. Over the years, Indiana University Herman B. Wells Library worked closely with Stone Belt Employment Services to find talent for jobs like this and others across its campuses.
It works wonderfully for both the University and the people it employs. They know it works best when they provide supports and work with their community to fill positions. Michael’s mother quotes “Michael has truly been blessed with wonderful job coaches, bosses, and supervisors over the years. He has always felt cared for and appreciated. He has such a wonderful work ethic and loves being able to work at the Herman B. Wells Library on the Indiana University campus.” Your local college can benefit from talent with disabilities too. A fact sheet with more information on colleges and universities can establish disability inclusion initiatives that are included on the Work to Include website.
#INCLUSIONWORKS
Talent Search Yields Great Results
Becky Weimerskirch, the former Executive Director of CTN (Community Transportation Network), entered Goodwill with a singular purpose: to scout the store for potential new employees. It didn’t take long to find her man. Allen Daler had been employed at Goodwill since 2018. He made such an impression on Becky that she asked his boss if she could "steal" him and bring him to CTN as a data entry specialist. After a two-week trial run to see if he would fit the job, Becky made it official: Allen wasn’t just given a new job, but a state-of-the-art touchscreen computer with a specialized mouse that any tech-lover would fantasize about and an ergonomic chair that would soon become the envy of the entire workplace. As for Allen’s thoughts about that fateful encounter in Goodwill? “I was in the right place at the right time,” he quickly pointed out.
He’s not the only one who thinks so. “It’s one of the best things we did from a hiring perspective,” recounted Justin Clupper, Becky Weimerskirch’s successor and current Executive Director of CTN, “because we got one of our best employees from it.” Aside from increasing his work responsibilities — Allen now handles CTN’s cash reconciliation three times a week — he also regularly speaks at events and to CTN’s business partners since he is such a passionate advocate for the work the organization does to provide transportation to adults with disabilities. And while Allen drives to work on his own, Justin Clupper noted that “He gets the need that we’re filling in the community and he sees better than most folks the impact that transportation can have on access to good work”
Although Allen was born with Cerebral Palsy, he has no lack of confidence in himself, his abilities, and his future. While partly due to his university degree from Purdue Fort Wayne, much of it came because of his new career and the belief that CTN has shown in him. When asked where he sees himself five years from now, Allen doesn’t hesitate: “Hopefully in more management roles but I’m not going to demand it. I’m happy where I am.”
“So often, when we see an individual with a disability, we assume the disability impacts everything about their lives; that it impacts thinking processes or motivation,” Justin went on to explain. “The problem, first and foremost, is that we assume; we don’t ask questions.” By continuing to ask those questions and test the waters of unconventional scouting and employment methods, CTN has found an employee that is irreplaceable in Allen Daler. “What Allen brings to the table. . . is an unmatched passion for the organization. It speaks to who he is as an individual when he looks at you and says, ‘This is where I want to spend my career. And ultimately, by the way, I want to have your job!’”
Talent Search Yields Great Results
This resource adapted from the US Election Assistance Commission provides tips about the voting process and options available to help voters with disabilities vote privately and independently.
Learn More About Voting:
Call, visit, or email your State or local elections office well in advance of election day. Visit the elections office’s Web site for more information about accessible voting. See links to state elections offices here.
Register to Vote:
The deadline for registering has passed in Indiana so check to see if you are registered here https://indianavoters.in.gov/. If not, be sure to register next year. You can do it online and if you need help, that is ok.
Choose the Right Voting Method for You:
There are several voting options available: You can vote at your designated local polling place on election day. Indiana also has early voting, before election day, or absentee voting, so you can receive and return your absentee ballot through the mail. Indiana, having a disability is one of the criteria for being able to vote absentee. If you encounter a registration issue on election day, Federal law allows you to vote with a provisional ballot and vote the ballot independently.
Communicate Your Needs in Advance:
Identifying your needs may help you and your elections office. Consider contacting your local elections office about voting options for voters with disabilities. The election office can provide information about accessible machines and other voting methods. On election day, alert poll workers about your accessibility needs.
Check the Location and Accessibility of Your Polling Place:
You can find your polling location at vote.org/indiana. It will also have information about polling place accessibility. Inquire about the location’s accessible voting equipment. Remember, planning ahead will help you identify possible transportation, parking and other accessibility needs.
Know Your Rights:
Under The Help America Vote Act, you have the right to vote privately and independently. The Americans with Disabilities Act has been interpreted as setting the tone for polling place and ballot access in certain situations. Consider reaching out to organizations that support voters with disabilities.
Follow Up with the Elections Office After You Vote:
Election officials want to hear about your experience with accessible voting. After election day, tell your elections office about your experience voting, whether it was positive or in need of improvement. Many elections offices have committees for voters with disabilities. Consider getting involved.
Know Who Can Help if Voting is Not Accessible:
If you have a complaint about your polling place's accessibility limitations please call the Hoosier Voter Hotline to report the issue. The toll-free number is: 866-IN1-VOTE (866-461-8683). HAVA staff will be on hand to answer the calls from 6:00AM to 7:00PM EDT on Election Day, and 8:00AM to 4:30PM on normal business days.
Stay Informed:
After you vote, sign up for email and text alerts to stay connected with your local elections’ office. Consider getting involved directly. Join a community engagement committee for voters with disabilities or offer your assistance as a poll worker.
Get More Information:
Your local elections office might be able to connect you with organizations in your area that support people with disabilities. These groups often provide transportation to the polls and help identify the accessibility of polling places. Internet resources exist to help voters with disabilities find ballot and candidate information. Your local library, newspapers and other news outlets will also have information about election day.
CHECK US OUT…
Please help get the word out! Go to our Facebook and LinkedIN pages and share them widely. We hope you enjoy the access to employment-related content and are sure others will, too. Thanks!
HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS STORY YOU ARE WANTING TO SHARE?EMAIL SRINNE60@GMAIL.COM. SHORT, SWEET AND A PICTURE WOULD BE WONDERFUL!
Thank you!
For more information please contact our Co-Directors,
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education at progan@iupui.edu
or
Susan Rinne, MPA at srinne60@gmail.com
