COVER Disability Mentoring Day™ Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Cover Photo: Will Hall of Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, South Carolina, mentored with Glen Garrett at WCOS Radio and gets a behind-the-scenes look at radio broadcasting. Job Shadowing Career Exploration Promoting an Inclusive Workplace www.aapd.com • dmdaapd@aol.com • (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY) Hosted by the American Association of People with Disabilities and made possible by many generous national sponsors. PAGE 1 “Economic empowerment is at the heart of civil rights for people with disabilities. By building relationships between mentees and mentors working in fields that interest them, and building a year-round career exploration program, Disability Mentoring Day helps create a pipeline of qualified workers and gives people with disabilities greater direction and motivation.” — Andrew J. Imparato, President & CEO AAPD, National Sponsor of Disability Mentoring Day Making a Difference Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is a large-scale, national effort to promote career development for students and job seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration, one-on-one job shadowing, and internship and employment opportunities. DMD is observed each year on the third Wednesday of October to coincide with National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year, DMD is on October 17, 2007. Since DMD originated in the White House in 1999, it has evolved significantly to include community participation in all 50 states, Washington, DC, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and over 20 international locations. PAGE 2 Did You Know? For people aged 16 to 64, only 56 percent of people with disabilities are employed, compared with 73 percent of non-disabled people. Employment by Percent: Disabled Non-disabled Women 51.4 67.3 Men 60.1 79.9 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3 DMD opens doors to important job training and opportunities for youth and job seekers with disabilities. What are the goals of DMD? - To increase internship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. - To promote disability as a central part of diversity recruitment for a more inclusive workforce. - To dispel fears about hiring people with disabilities. - To increase motivation and confidence among students and job seekers with disabilities. - To serve as a launching point for a year-round effort to foster more career-oriented mentoring opportunities. PAGE 4 What happens on DMD? One-On-One Job Shadowing. Mentees are matched with a workplace mentor in their desired career field, enabling them to see what a typical day on the job is like and learn more about how to prepare for a job in that career. Job shadowing relationships can sometimes develop into lasting and rewarding mentoring relationships. Group Visits to Worksites. These informational tours let mentees see a variety of different jobs as they explore the worksite from behind-the-scenes and meet employees on the job. DMD also provides employers with a pool of new and emerging talent as they try to boost their recruiting efforts. Other Job Training Activities. DMD programs can be tailored to include activities that address the diverse needs of your individual community, including: - Kick-off breakfasts for mentees and mentors. - Career fairs. - Resume, interview, and dress etiquette workshops. - Awards dinners to recognize mentees and mentors. PAGE 5 Photo Inserted Here: A mentor and mentee in West Columbia, South Carolina, add a touch of heart and soul to a duet on DMD. Photo Inserted Here: In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, ten students were hired at Home Depot after participating in a worksite visit on DMD. Photo Inserted Here: In Aberdeen, Washington, students with disabilities performed a “Job or No Job, Dress 4 Success” skit to learn more about professionalism in the workplace. PAGE 6 The Impact of DMD In 2006, through a network of more than 300 volunteer local coordinators across the country, over 13,000 students and job seekers with disabilities were mentored by almost 1,500 private businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Official proclamations for DMD were issued by dozens of local jurisdictions and many state Governors. In addition, DMD efforts were lauded in national magazines and newspapers and on radio and television stations. Inserted Photo Here: “I got to see airplanes and ask about pay rates for pilots. I would love to go back to learn more. I want to be a pilot someday and have checked out the pilot school information that my mentor gave me.” — Mentee from Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, who was mentored at a private aviation company. PAGE 7 Photo Inserted Here: DMD is a great community effort that can involve local businesses and the people they serve. In this photo, a mentee in Illinois got to review his account and process information on the computer with the help of his mentors at Numark Credit Union, where he is a member. Photo Inserted Here: In Sitka, Alaska, a mentoring relationship at the Art Department of the University of Alaska Southwest resulted in a campus-wide show of the mentee’s artwork. Photo Inserted Here: Mentee Chad Magnusson (front) spent DMD at WICS-TV in Springfield, Illinois and viewed a live afternoon taping of the news. He is shown with Anchor Anita Roman and Weatherman Danny Russell. PAGE 8 How do mentees benefit? DMD will give you the firsthand experience you need to: - Explore possible career paths. - Demonstrate your skills to potential employers. - Develop lasting mentor relationships. - Gain greater confidence in your own employability. - Target career skills for improvement. - Understand the vital connection between school and work. Photo Inserted Here: A mentor and mentee greet customers at an Olive Garden in Syracuse, New York. “Disability Mentoring Day gave me the self-confidence I needed to get a job.” — Mentee, Cincinnati, Ohio “I will remember this day for the rest of my life.” — Mentee, Syracuse, New York PAGE 9 How do employers benefit? There are many rewards in being an employer mentor: - Demonstrate positive leadership in your community. - Recruit short-term and long-term interns. - Gain access to a pool of new emerging talent. - Learn more about the experience of disability. - Promote job satisfaction with your current workforce. - Gain media exposure through coverage of the event. - Develop lasting relationships with disability community leaders. Become a mentee or mentor! Be a part of DMD! Find a local coordinator in your area by visiting: www.dmd- aapd.org/coordlist/coordlist.php Let them know you’re interested in DMD. If you can’t find a coordinator in your area, please contact AAPD at dmdaapd@aol.com or (800) 840-8844 (v/tty). “[My mentee] was exceptional in her graciousness and warmth, which comes across in spite of her shyness. She approaches her school work and life with extra care. At the end of the afternoon, I felt very lucky to have walked in her shadow for a while.” — Mentor, Leon County, Florida PAGE 10 Meet Our Sponsors and Partners We are grateful for the generosity and participation of our many national public and private sponsors. Thank you! Lead Sponsor Darden Restaurants National Corporate Sponsors Verizon – Lead National Corporate Sponsor HP Microsoft PitneyBowes SunTrust Wells Fargo National Public Sponsors Department of Labor SSA PAGE 11 Thank You Local Coordinators! Many thanks go out to the local coordinators and organizing committees who make DMD happen across the country and around the world. Over 300 coordinators volunteer their time and efforts to plan DMD and facilitate matching experiences between mentees and mentors. Without them, DMD would not be possible. To see who these local coordinators are, please visit www.aapd.com and click on Disability Mentoring Day. If you are interested in becoming a local coordinator, please contact AAPD at dmdaapd@aol.com or (800) 840-8844 (v/tty). Photo Inserted Here: Yasmin Reyazuddin, a DMD Local Coordinator, holds an official DMD proclamation from Bruce Roomer, Chief Administrative Officer of Montgomery County, Maryland. PAGE 12 About the American Association of People with Disabilities The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country’s largest cross- disability membership organization, works to increase the political and economic power of the more than 50 million children and adults living with disabilities in the United States. AAPD promotes public policies that advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self- sufficiency. AAPD was founded in 1995 and has over 100,000 members nationwide. American Association of People with Disabilities 1629 K Street NW, Suite 503 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 457-0046 (V/TTY) (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY) website: www.aapd.com e-mail: dmdaapd@aol.com Be a part of DMD! Find a local coordinator in your area by visiting: www.dmd- aapd.org/coordlist/coordlist.php DMD 2007 is Wednesday, October 17, 2007. Save the date for DMD 2008: Wednesday, October 15, 2008.