American Association of People with Disabilities

Students and Job Seekers with Disabilities
To Be Mentored Today At Federal Agencies In Washington, DC

(WASHINGTON, DC) October 19, 2005 — Today, Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) participants in Washington, DC, will work in all areas of federal agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Education, Labor and Transportation. Almost 200 local area students and job seekers with disabilities will be mentored by 220 individuals at 20 federal agencies.

Concurrently, in communities in all states, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and almost 20 international locations, 10,000 job seekers/students with disabilities will also be mentored through the DMD program.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is the Host of Disability Mentoring Day, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) as the major public sponsor. AAPD is the largest cross-disability membership organization nationally, with 120,000 members.

For students and job seekers with disabilities, participation in DMD affords them firsthand insight into careers that are available to them, by offering them job shadowing and hands-on career exploration opportunities. DMD also promotes their career development on a significant level.

Public-private partnerships are fundamental to the DMD program, which exposes government agencies, corporations, colleges and school districts, non-profit organizations, and mayors' and governors' committees to the disability community through their participation as mentors. Employer mentors have the chance to work closely with people with disabilities, identify potential employees, recruit interns, learn about the experience of disability and forge.

For further information, contact AAPD at 800-840-8844 (V/TTY), by email, or visit the AAPD website.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, promotes the economic and political empowerment of all 56 million children and adults with disabilities in the U.S. It was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). AAPD members have access to a full range of financial services through a federal credit union, a discounted mail order prescription program, and a quarterly AAPD newsletter. For additional member benefits, or to learn more about AAPD's advocacy efforts and major program areas, visit the AAPD website.