Regional Job Club: Job Exploration for Youth in Transition

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1 Regional Job Club: Job Exploration for Youth in Transition Year 2 Update & Lessons Learned APSE, September, 2018 Lon Thornburg, Donna Lowry

2 Exploration for Students Field trips to see various work environments Surveys to record what their preferences interests & strengths are regarding the topic/tour day. Eliminate jobs/topics that do not interest them. Further explore and develop work experiences with follow up visits to places that interest them. RJC Presentation, OSTC

3 Regional Job Club Events for Year 2; Union County Independent Living Fair Grant County Police, Fire, Emergency Services Umatilla County/Athena-Weston SD Walla Walla trip/nelson Irrigation/SEATech Grant/Harney RJC, Health Careers, Blue Mountain Hospital, John Day Umatilla/Morrow RJC, Spring Independent Living Fair, BMCC Hermiston Union County RJC, ODOT & Construction Starting : September - Grant County ODFW Watershed and Fisheries Union Co. Customer Service (Culinary and Retail) RJC Presentation, OSTC

4 Union County Independent Living Fair Oct. 19, 17 RJC Presentation, OSTC

5 RJC Presentation, OSTC

6 Oct. 26, 17 Grant County RJC Fire, Police, Emergency Services RJC Presentation, OSTC

7 RJC Presentation, OSTC

8 Umatilla County RJC Nelson Irrigation/Video/CNA/Construction Nov. 17, 17 RJC Presentation, OSTC

9 RJC Presentation, OSTC

10 RJC Presentation, OSTC

11 Independent Living Fair Description Video Samples RJC Presentation, OSTC

12 Timur Gaston - Elgin High School Special Ed Instructor RJC Planning Committee Member RJC Presentation, OSTC

13 Ashley -Senior La Grande High School RJC Presentation, OSTC

14 Owen Recent Graduate Imbler High School RJC Presentation, OSTC

15 What Does RJC Provide? Regional Job Club provides an opportunity for isolated, rural districts to join-up with other districts to provide a larger community job exploration experience. Combining multiple schools and students allows socialization and expanded opportunities for peer advocacy and peer mentoring. Student Survey Data collected from events counts as informal assessments and informs IEP. Meets all levels; customize small groups with different levels. RJC Presentation, OSTC

16 How Did We Get Started? Talked to teachers, YTP Specialists, Employment First Teams about needs. Developed an Invitation to Participate. Sent to all Special Education Directors in School Districts where we saw interest. Picked a few to start! Presented idea to some Superintendents/Principals/Special Education Directors Regional meetings at their ESD. Looked at Manufacturing, Business, Services in Communities that showed interest. RJC Presentation, OSTC

17 A look at our Different RJC Teams : RJC Presentation, OSTC

18 Who Helps? Almost Everyone! YTP Specialists and SPED Teachers/Case managers Parents VR Counselors and Assistants CDDP SC s, Regional Employment Specialists (RES) Brokerage PA s RJC Presentation, OSTC

19 Who Helps? Almost Everyone! Provider Agency Job Developers/Coaches Chamber of Commerce Directors Principals Business Owners, Civic leaders, City, County Employees Work Source, CIL Specialists RJC Presentation, OSTC

RJC By Regions and Teams, Grant/Harney Counties Example Regional Job Clubs fell together by locations of schools in regions Grant County has John Day, Monument,

Grant and Harney County have active Employment First teams and teachers attend.

20 RJC By Regions and Teams, Grant/Harney Counties Example Regional Job Clubs fell together by locations of schools in regions Grant County has John Day, Monument, Long Creek, Dayville, Prairie City Harney County/Burns SD is 60 minutes away over the mountain. Grant and Harney County have active Employment First teams and teachers attend. We began coordinating and planning at EF meetings and got John Day Chamber of Commerce involved. RJC s included: John Day City Services, Food Service, Fish and Wildlife, Fire, Police, Emergency Services. Coming Soon: Silvies Ranch tour; Health careers with Blue Mountain hospital. RJC Presentation, OSTC

RJC By Regions and Teams, Umatilla/Morrow Counties Example Umatilla County SD s interested were Hermiston (no YTP) and Umatilla SD ( YTP) Morrow County SD includes Boardman, Irrigon and Heppner (no

21 RJC By Regions and Teams, Umatilla/Morrow Counties Example Umatilla County SD s interested were Hermiston (no YTP) and Umatilla SD ( YTP) Morrow County SD includes Boardman, Irrigon and Heppner (no YTP). We started a RJC teacher planning meeting at Hermiston HS as central location. We have a West Umatilla County VRC that also serves Morrow County that supports/attends as well as other Employment First Team members. DD SC, PA s, etc. RJC s included: SAGE Center, McNary Dam, Health Careers Fair, Walmart DC, Work Source, BMCC tours. Coming Soon Mini RJC Trips and Spring Independent learning Fair. RJC Presentation, OSTC

RJC By Regions and Teams, Union/Wallowa Counties Example Union County SD s interested were LaGrande, Cove, Union, Imbler, Elgin (all YTP) Wallowa County

We used the Union County Employment First Team meeting to plan as well.

22 RJC By Regions and Teams, Union/Wallowa Counties Example Union County SD s interested were LaGrande, Cove, Union, Imbler, Elgin (all YTP) Wallowa County YTP Specialist attended/drove students down to some events. We started a RJC YTP specialist planning meeting in LaGrande. We used the Union County Employment First Team meeting to plan as well. RJC s included: EOU Tour of maintenance, food, grounds work; manufacturing, Career Fair/Sprout film fest, Independent Living Fair; Mini RJC trips; Coming Soon: CTE Career fair collaboration; possibly ODOT/Boise Cascade Spring tour. RJC Presentation, OSTC

Two Years of RJC Teams in Eastern Oregon: Red = year 1 Blue = year 2 (#) = Total RJC s in 2 years Athena Weston (1) Hermiston/Umatilla/ Morrow County (5) LaGrande, Cove, Imbler, Elgin, Union, Wallowa

23 Two Years of RJC Teams in Eastern Oregon: Red = year 1 Blue = year 2 (#) = Total RJC s in 2 years Athena Weston (1) Hermiston/Umatilla/ Morrow County (5) LaGrande, Cove, Imbler, Elgin, Union, Wallowa (6) Year 1: 15 School Districts, 10 RJC s 645 students John Day, Burns, Long Creek, Monument, Dayville, Prairie City (5) Year 2: Added 1 more School District, 3 RJC s so far, *4 more planned this year Two-year Total = 16 School Districts, RJC s = 17,*3 upcoming this spring. RJC Presentation, OSTC

What We are going to Try Next in Eastern Oregon: Customize more mini-trips based on interests of students Maximize online surveys and network results with teachers that attend.

24 What We are going to Try Next in Eastern Oregon: Customize more mini-trips based on interests of students Maximize online surveys and network results with teachers that attend. Network/share a calendar for mini-trip opportunities. Pull in more community partners Build RJC name/ street credit. Find better ways to use student survey data collected. Develop more extension activities and make available/accessible in classrooms RJC Presentation, OSTC

25 Is RJC just for small rural districts? Regional Job Club can work anywhere. Was created to meet a remote/rural need. Large metro areas have multiple schools and can partner for field trips and large job fair/independent living fair/health careers fair, etc. First RJC in Multnomah County starting Fall 2018 Surrounding Communities Suburbs of metro areas can join-up with nearby towns and benefit from each other s businesses/work sites. RJC Presentation, OSTC

26 RJC Delivers Pre ETS* *Sell to your districts by showing what RJC Delivers: Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre ETS) Job Exploration Counseling - Exposure to Work Sites & Employers Work-based Learning - Student Jobs/Responsibilities as volunteers with RJC Post-Secondary Ed Counseling Back-stage Tours of Community Colleges and Universities Work-place Readiness- Awareness/Training on Soft Skills Self- Advocacy and Peer Mentoring Leadership volunteers in RJC RJC Presentation, OSTC

27 RJC On-Site Surveys Provide Little d Discovery Information RJC Presentation, OSTC

28 Soft Skills Identified: RJC Presentation, OSTC

29 Soft Skills Identified: RJC Presentation, OSTC

30 Environmental/Site Preferences RJC Presentation, OSTC

31 Environmental/Site Preferences RJC Presentation, OSTC

What We are Learning & Asking About RJC Student Surveys Collected: Need to use a non-graphic, higher level survey for more mature and higher cognitive students feedback from some was it was kind of

32 What We are Learning & Asking About RJC Student Surveys Collected: Need to use a non-graphic, higher level survey for more mature and higher cognitive students feedback from some was it was kind of baby. Energy is put into the event and when it is over, relax and forget to use the collected information. Need to find a way to get student to use them back in the classroom with a de-briefing activity. Surveys sit at school in folders and no one looks at again? Where do they go? What happens? If students attend multiple RJC events, there are multiple surveys with info to use as informal assessments for IEP data/goals. Are they being used as resource for IEP, ISP, CDP, IPE? Make sure to collect folders with surveys and student info at end of day and keep in file box in classroom to access later. RJC Presentation, OSTC

33 What We Learned about Big Numbers Big Numbers work best for Special Events/Fairs/Large Venues don t use every time. Students get bored listening to speakers too long. Not enough hands-on. Get them moving around and touring. Combine different cognitive/functional levels in large groups. RJC Presentation, OSTC

34 Big Numbers Need good coverage with adult chaperones to be with students. First year we did large groups up to 100 with rotating schedule 4 stations 25 students each got large and unwieldy limited where we could visit. Build on fellow-teachers and specialists you work with in a team. Be a village and coordinate events/invite each other keep each other informed. RJC Presentation, OSTC

35 What We are Learning: Customize! Small Numbers allow customization Unique trips for small groups around work themes. Different levels as well. Small customized theme trips students, maybe 3 schools pool interested students and take 3 or 4 each and do a field trip day to visit 3 sites with lunch built in. RJC Presentation, OSTC

36 Success Story #1: Ross RJC Presentation, OSTC

37 Success Story #2: Ethan RJC Presentation, OSTC

38 Planning a RJC Day Based on a Farm/Agriculture Theme: Visit D & B Supply for feed, tack, supplies have tour and speaker on various inventory items, vet supplies, tack, etc. Visit a large animal vet clinic Lunch Goat dairy in region take tour and/or Cattle ranch tour. RJC Presentation, OSTC

39 Visiting a Goat Dairy: Dallas, Oregon (Example of what we see/hear when on live tours) RJC Presentation, OSTC

Starting Your Own RJC It Takes a Village don t try a Lone Ranger Approach. Start with your District/YTP and do an RJC field trip then invite other districts show it works, then invite others.

40 Starting Your Own RJC It Takes a Village don t try a Lone Ranger Approach. Start with your District/YTP and do an RJC field trip then invite other districts show it works, then invite others. Invite multiple districts by starting at an ESD Special Ed Directors Meeting level or combining YTP programs show the services it delivers to sell the idea. Use your Employment First Team resources do some planning at EF meetings. RJC Presentation, OSTC

41 Remember: RJC Presentation, OSTC

42 Stretch Activity RJC Presentation, OSTC

43 Find Your Region Poster and Fill-in Your Ideas on Poster Sheet: #1: People to help. One or two people (name & agency) that you could begin to collaborate with to organize an event. #2: One or two businesses to visit. #3: A free meeting place/venue in hub community to host your event. #4: Possible Themes/Topics that fit for businesses in your region. #5: Print your first/last name at the bottom. RJC Presentation, OSTC

44 Time to Gather Back Together RJC Presentation, OSTC

45 RJC Manual Handout: Brief Overview RJC Presentation, OSTC

46 RJC Handbook Contents Checklist Timeline for Planning (pages 7, 8) Invitation to Participate Template/Sample (page 9) Organizer Fill-in Form to plan calendar year events (pages 10, 11) Event Day Planner Fill-in Form (pages 12, ) Pre event letter to speakers and site-owners (page 15) Regional Job Club sample event flier (page 16) Teacher reminders before event day text (page 17) RJC Presentation, OSTC

47 RJC Handbook Contents- continued Sign-in sheet template for attendees on event day (page 18) Materials list (page 19) Permission form (page 20) Student RJC Survey Form/Questionnaire & 2 extended activity forms (if wanting to do extended work in classroom after event) (pages 21-27) Reporter & Photographer Job Descriptions/Agreements (pages 28-30) Closing Comments/Summary: Debriefing Notes from , Lessons learned (pages 31-33) RJC Presentation, OSTC

48 Summing it Up! Customize think small, student-interest outings, mini-trips as well as big events. Collect and use student data for stronger student-generated goals and IEP. Collaborate It Takes a Village RJC Presentation, OSTC

Teams bought T- shirts to wear at events. Very affordable. T-shirts, mugs, water bottles.

49 RJC Logo Items Available! One of our RJC High School CTE programs has a logo print business. They use and train our students in the business. We use our items for gifts and prizes. Teams bought T- shirts to wear at events. Very affordable. T-shirts, mugs, water bottles. We do not profit from any sales! To order Contact: dawg.prints@hermistonsd.org RJC Presentation, OSTC

50 Open Questions RJC Presentation, OSTC

Location and transportation: Dates: Sunday, May 31 Monday, August 10 Age requirements: Covenant:

Location and transportation: Dates: Sunday, May 31 Monday, August 10 Age requirements: Covenant: Thank you for expressing interest in serving with the College Program at Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center. Ghost Ranch is a national Conference Center of the Presbyterian Church (USA), located in