Systems Level Recommendations

These are intended for government and workforce associations.

• Use formal memorandums of understanding and partnerships that create the pathway for blending and braiding of resources and funding.
• Elevate awareness of and support for IRTs statewide to get recognition and more buy-in among system-level partnerships. This could include outreach campaigns, events, and/or inter-agency meetings.
• Collect information for local workforce organizations and increase awareness of IRTs through webinars, listening sessions, and interviews with management, administration, and front-line staff. Cities and states can emulate tools like Map Your Career by Seattle-King County, which provides localized information.
• Establish, join, or follow industry specific workforce networks such as the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), which will help foster partnerships and employment initiatives.
• Foster networking among social service agencies. Expand travel permissions to allow front-line staff to participate in conferences that focus on workforce development. Support in-person and off-site IRT meetings.
• Monitor companies’ disabilities and veterans’ inclusion policies and practices using The Disability Employment Tracker by the National Organization on Disability or the Disability Equality Index created by Disability:IN. Learn from businesses about the challenges they have in making themselves more inclusive and accessible. Collaborate on strategic, systemic solutions.

Systems Building Tools

• Career Pathways Toolkit: An Enhanced Workbook for System Development | Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA)

Organizational Level Recommendations

These are intended for community-based organizations, vocational rehabilitation centers, and other workforce organizations.

• Hold teams responsible for using the IRT strategy. Require teams to share information in quarterly reports. Have them include the number of youth participating in an IRT.
• Train all staff on how and when to use an IRT. Offer community-wide training to help more people see the value and effectiveness of the model. The more people who embrace the model, the more teams will be created.
• Sustain the DRC role with income from Ticket to Work or fee-for-service revenue. If there is not enough funding to support the continuation of the DRC role, invite them to give a training and share key contacts with other staff members.
• Create monthly newsletters for job seekers and partners to keep them engaged.
• Organizations and businesses can host ongoing capacity building opportunities about the IRT strategy.

Capacity Building Models

• Formal professional development workshops
• Peer Learning
• Weekly “Lunch and Learns” where teams can share specific case studies to gather additional ideas, resources, or contacts
• Allowing staff to attend events, conferences, and learning programs so they can develop relationships with other providers

The audience of these trainings can include:

• Disability Resource Coordinators (DRCs)
• All new employees
• American Job Center (AJC) staff
• Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Staff
• Anyone in the community who is interested

Who Can Deliver Trainings

National Disability Institute - The first and only national organization exclusively focused on the financial health and wellness of people with disabilities.

Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center | Workforce GPS - An online resource destination for the American Job Center network, people with disabilities, and employers.

LEAD Center - A collaborative of disability, workforce, and economic empowerment organizations dedicated to improving employment and economic advancement outcomes for all people with disabilities.

National Organization on Disability - NOD works with leading employers and partners with educational and philanthropic institutions to pilot innovative approaches to disability inclusion, then scales these up into initiatives with even broader impact.

Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center | WINTAC - This consortium of partners provides training and technical assistance to rehabilitation professionals and organizations who provide services that meet the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Y-Tac | Youth-Technical Assistance Center - This organization provides State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and related rehabilitation and youth service professionals with technical assistance to help them more effectively serve students and youth with disabilities.

New York Industries for the Disabled - NYSID provides disability trainings and empowers people with disabilities through approved Preferred Source job opportunities provided by our statewide membership.