The goals of our Family Employment Awareness Trainings (FEAT) are to increase expectations for competitive employment and increase knowledge of local, state and federal resources to support the employment of the youth/young adult who has disabilities.
You must attend Part 1 in order to attend Part 2
- Garden City– Part 1 – Jan. 25, 2020 & Part 2 – Jan. 31, 2020
- Lawrence – Part 1 – Feb. 1, 2020 & Part 2 – Feb. 7, 2020
- Wichita – Part 1 – Feb. 29, 2020 & Part 2 – March 6, 2020
FEAT is provided free of charge to Kansas youth/young adults who have disabilities, families and professionals – lunch, training materials, and a resource flash drive are provided to attendees.
Who should attend? Youth and Young Adults, Families, Teachers and Community Partners, Schools
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PART 1
- FEAT and state policy supporting employment of persons with disabilities;
- Different possibilities for employment and a spotlight on success stories of Kansans with disabilities;
- The family/parent role in supporting employment; and,
- School and healthcare transitions.
This all-day training will include lecture, small-group activities, a youth/young adult break-out session on brainstorming your passion and job development, and an afternoon featuring panels with guests from your community:
- Employees with disabilities working in integrated and competitive environments;
- Employers and managers who support employees with disabilities; and,
- Entrepreneurs with disabilities who own their own businesses.
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PART 2
- On-the-job support resources for employees and employers:
- Federal and state funding, services, benefits, programs, and organizations related to employment; and,
- Federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
This all-day training will include lecture, small-group activities, a youth/young adult break-out session on self-advocacy and disability disclosure, and an afternoon featuring panels with representatives who will provide an overview of the services they offer including:
- Funding sources (e.g., cash assistance, grants, waivers, work incentives);
- Service programs and agencies (e.g., rehabilitation services, workforce centers); and,
- Information organizations (e.g., business start-up, assistive technology).
Benefits to Students, Families, Schools, Teachers and Community Partners
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Youth and Young adults with disabilities
- gain knowledge of supports and services,
- brainstorm possible employment options and discuss support needs with peers
- learn self-advocacy skills related to employment
- gain an understanding of disability disclosure
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Families
- increase understanding of transition to employment and knowledge of resources to support post-secondary employment of their child
- network with other families going through transition
- meet representatives from various employment resources in your community
- plan for transition and employment meetings
- participate in follow-up technical assistance
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Schools
- receive free, up-to-date, in-service training for special education teachers and staff
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Teachers & Community Partners
- gain knowledge of the adult service systems
- learn about “outside the box,” customized employment possibilities
- plan with families and young adult, increasing successful transition to adulthood and family involvement
- meet representatives from various employment resources in your community
- participate in follow-up technical assistance meetings to learn more about how to support students with various needs to be competitively employed
For a list of upcoming trainings, check out our calendar of events or contact us for more information.
Funding for Family Employment Awareness Trainings is paid by grants awarded from the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities and from the Hutchinson Community Foundation.
