the navigator experience part two of two part navigator orientation training series october 16, 2009

The Navigator Experience

Part Two of Two Part

Navigator Orientation Training Series

October 16, 2009

Part 2 - Navigator Orientation and Training Series2

Host & Presenters

Host Laura Gleneck

– Project Director - NDI Consulting, Inc.

Presenters Miranda Kennedy

– Training Coordinator - NDI Consulting, Inc. Danielle (DJ) Diamond

– Technical Assistance Liaison & Web-Coordinator - NDI Consulting, Inc.


The Navigator Experience

Two Navigator Best Practices The Navigator as Resource Librarian Establishing/Working with an Interagency

Committee


Navigator as Resource Librarian

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA), an important part of the role of a Disability Program

Navigator is to: “Serve as a resource to the workforce investment community to ensure the availability of comprehensive knowledge of Federal, State, local and private

programs that impact the ability of persons with disabilities to enter and remain in the workforce



In order to be an effective Resource Librarian it is necessary for Navigators to strategize ways to:

1. Receive2. Access3. Organize4. Disseminate5. and Utilize

targeted information and resources related to disability and employment.



Where do you get national, state, and local level information & resources?

– One-Stop Toolkit DPN listserv– State DPN Project Listserv– Other listservs, community partner mailings– Favorite Websites (i.e. DPNavigator.net!)– Webinars, Audio-conferences – Other trainings and presentations– DOL-NDI Resource Materials



How do you organize information & resources?– Scan and save documents and websites for easy access

later. – Use the same folder names for website favorites as hard

drive folders and/or hard copy paper files.– Keep names of folders simple (i.e. Transportation,

Business, Staff training, Learning Disability).– Put information under every topic heading that it could be

related to.– Date any and all resources (e.g. 05June_2009)



Where do you go to track down a resource or look for new information?

– Fellow Navigators– DPN Project Lead– State DPN listserv– DPN Project TA liaison– One-Stop staff / trusted allies– Community partners / trusted allies– Disability Employment Related Websites – Google (no – really!)



How do you provide information / knowledge transfer to One-Stop Staff and Partners?

– Develop trainings based on information (if you are a subject matter expert)

Utilize materials to supplement formal trainings and as take-away resources.

Use pre-cursor and/or follow-up “30-Second Trainings” to introduce and/or reinforce information presented in formal trainings/presentations.



– Facilitate trainings based on information (if you are not a subject matter expert). Identify Experts to provide training Work with them to develop and schedule training(s) for

staff and partners Utilize materials to supplement trainings and as take-

away resources Use pre-cursor and/or follow up “30 Second Trainings”

to introduce and/or reinforce information presented in formal trainings/presentations



– Include information as highlights in Newsletters to Staff and Partners

– Forward targeted information to the appropriate staff and partners Information from the Resources of the Week on

Business strategies for hiring and retaining employees with disabilities could be forwarded to Business Services Staff, Business partners that sit on the Local Workforce Investment Board, Mayor’s Committees on People with Disabilities, the Business Leadership Network, etc…



– Bring information to staff and partner meetings and Interagency Committee meetings to jump-start discussion on specific topics.

– Use information to “Make the Case” for changing policies, practices or procedures within the local workforce investment system.


Resources: Navigator as Resource Librarian

See the two page word document “The Navigator as Resource Librarian”.


Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee

What is an Interagency Committee?– Representatives from the disability & workforce

communities, business sector & other community agencies who come together to explore the most effective employment services for people with disabilities.

– Serves as a means to communicate, problem-solve & ultimately work together to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities at a systems level.



Does my local workforce investment area NEED an Interagency Committee?

– Is your LWIB actively collaborating & consulting with disability partners?

– Are One-Stop Career Center managers & staff actively collaborating with disability partners?

– Does the disability community have a positive or negative perception of the One-Stop Career Centers.

– Does the workforce One-Stop Career Center staff have a positive or negative perception of the disability community?

– Do the LWIB & workforce investment system leaders actively support the DPN initiative?

– Do other existing interagency committees focus on systems change for persons with all types of disabilities?



How does an Interagency Committee build a support system for change?

– Allows open forum for direct communication (instead of Navigator relaying information back & forth)

– Builds trust among partners– Provides opportunity for interagency education & training– Increases accountability of agencies– Encourages agencies to be a part of the solutions – Provides a forum to share successes & improved outcomes– Provides assistance & feedback to Navigators to better

meet the needs of job seekers with disabilities



Building a Local Interagency Committee– Work with leaders & allies from the LWIB, One-Stop Career

Center(s) & disability community to align missions– Provide evidence that there is a need to strengthen,

improve, and/or change systems collaboration– Invite a small, yet diverse group of stakeholders with

varying perspectives, expertise & levels of experience to brainstorming session

– Write-up brief proposal with general mission & purpose of group, member responsibilities & potential topics of discussion



Potential Members of an Interagency Committee– Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) Executive Staff – LWIB Board Member Representing the Business Sector – One-Stop Career Center Director, Manager, WIA Counselor &

Business Service Staff – Vocational Rehabilitation – Commission for the Blind & Visually-Impaired – Commission for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing – Department of Mental Health – Department of Mental Retardation – Independent Living Center(s)



Potential Members of an Interagency Committee (continued…)

– Social Security Area Work Incentives Coordinator – Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC)– Adult Literacy Programs – Community Colleges - Offices for Students with Disabilities – Veterans Counselors – Older Workers Programs – Employment Networks – Community-Based Providers (Job Developers, Job Coaches,

Service Coordinators, etc) – TANF Counselors



Allow for sufficient time to build a strong foundation– Develop leadership structure– Refine mission with larger group– Clarify goals & objectives relevant to overall mission– Expect changing membership – Strive to maintain effective & consistent channels of

communication– Monitor progress & assess teams efforts frequently

– Re-assess, revise & re-commit



Potential Objectives for Interagency Committees– Accessibility of One-Stop Career Centers– Interagency education & maximizing resources– Streamlining interagency referral processes– Coordinating job development approach to employers– Educating business community on hiring people with

disabilities & educating disability community on effectively engaging with business

– Engaging youth with disabilities in employment– Organizing events for National Disability Employment

Awareness Month & National Disability Mentoring Day



Possible Roadblocks to Collaboration– Lack of relationship building & trust – Lack of common interest & values – Lack of purpose, mission & goals – Lack of leadership – Lack of communication; unclear about each other’s roles – Lack of resources & time – The fear of loss of position, power & resources– Lack of an investment culture-we don't always think about

the future (we are here & now focused, crisis oriented)



Good Collaboration takes time!– Bringing a diverse group together with intent to coalesce is

a complex task!– Collaboration can fail when there is no consideration of the

reason in coming together: to improve or change something that is not working.

– People will disengage if there is not a sense of direction or purpose.


Resources: Establishing/Working with an Interagency Committee

See the DPN FAQ Question #25 (ADVANCED) How can establishing a local ‘Interagency Committee’ strengthen and sustain systems collaboration? (DPN Bi-Weekly FAQ 7-24-06)? http://www.dpnavigator.net/pages/faq_nav.html


DPN Question and Answer Session

Open lines for discussion– If you have a question or comment click on the “raise

hand” icon on the right hand side toolbar. We will then un-mute your line.

– You can also submit your question or comment in writing using the Q&A function on the toolbar. Please be sure to send it to either the “host” or the “panelist”. We will then read your question.


For Further Information

Laura Gleneck– [email protected]

Miranda Kennedy– (720) 890-3990– [email protected]

Danielle (DJ) Diamond– (740) 398-5247– [email protected]

the navigator experience part two of two part navigator orientation training series october 16, 2009

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