Welcome to the Massachusetts Employment First E-Newsletter

The Institute for Community Inclusion, in collaboration with DDS, will host a how-to presentation and working session about Community Based Day Supports (CBDS). This training will offer providers practical guidance on how to develop and operate CBDS programs that give people with disabilities the chance to explore career opportunities, gain work experience, and develop meaningful relationships in their community.

The training will take place November 13-14 in Natick, MA, and costs $40. Learn more here: http://employmentfirstma.org/providertraining/

Particular focus will be given to the importance of structure and scheduling, staff training and support, and quality assurance and accountability. Participants will leave the training with preliminary plans for program development or improvement within their agencies.

Facilitator Genni Sasnett is the former COO of St. John's Community Services and an independent consultant. She has over 35 years of experience supporting people with disabilities of all ages. Genni was instrumental in starting one of the first supported employment programs in the District of Columbia in 1987. She went on to become the project director for the State-Wide Systems Change for Supported Employment grant from OSERS for the District of Columbia from 1991-1994.  

Genni was a driving force in converting St. John's from a facility-based agency to one that provides 100% of its services in community settings. Her particular area of interest is the conversion of facility-based services, such as sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs, to facility-free supports like community employment and CBDS.

Register for this training now!

 Did you know that over 40% of employers check social media websites before making hiring decisions? In our free webinar on November 3, we'll explain how to use social media to build connections with employers, post resumes, and access job openings. The presenters will demonstrate how to navigate these sites to obtain vital information to help secure jobs for individuals.

This webinar will discuss how to assist job seekers in using social media sites effectively for job search activities. You will learn how to create professional-looking profiles that will attract the attention of employers and other helpful networking contacts for you as an employment specialist, as well as for the job seekers you serve.

Register here for this free webinar:

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