KCDC Disability News Message

Here is today's Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC) Disability News message.? I hope you have a wonderful day.?

Martha K. Gabehart | Executive Director
Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC)
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly
900 SW Jackson, Suite 100 | Topeka, Kansas 66612
(785) 296-6525 (direct) | (785) 260-4027 (cell)

The Topeka Job Fair is tomorrow, Tuesday, March 12 from 12:30 to 3:00 pm at the Crestview Community Center, 4801 SW Shunga Drive.? Please sign up to participate at StepUpJobFairs.com.?

The Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (KSYLF) is looking for volunteers for this year's forum. KSYLF is a five day event for high school juniors and seniors with disabilities to learn about leadership, goal setting, disability civil rights, the legislative process and much more.? It takes place on the Washburn University campus in Topeka. Participants, volunteers and staff live in a residence hall where many of the activities take place. In addition to learning, there is a talent show, recreation event where delegates learn about the various sports, such as wheelchair basketball, pickleball, tennis and other sports, that people with disabilities can also participate in, a dance and more.??

Volunteers live on campus with the delegates and staff.? This is a fun event.? Please consider volunteering for worthy event, July 15-20, 2024. Go to their website to learn more.?

2024 Kansas Crime Victims' Rights Conference (CVRC) is almost here!

1 WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER!

Register by Monday, March 18, 2024 to secure your spot.

26th Annual Kansas Crime Victims? Rights Conference (CVRC)
Hyatt Regency Wichita

Pre-Conference Institute - April 9, 2024
Conference - April 10 - 11, 2024

Plenary Speakers

Craig Zablocki, How to Bring Your Best Self to Your Work; The Intelligence of Fun

Helping the Helpers: Strategies and Lessons Learned in Assisting First Responders following Mass Violence Incidents

Tai Simpson

CVRC registration includes:

1. Five plenary speakers and 18 breakout sessions** from experts on topics such as:

? DUI victim revictimization;
? Trauma and brain development in children;
? Updates on crime victim compensation;
? Fentanyl crisis; and
? Cyberbullying among teens.

2. Electronic materials for sessions as provided by the speakers.

3. In-person exhibits.

4. Networking opportunities.

**PLEASE NOTE: Attendees will need to choose the sessions they plan to attend when registering. We will be monitoring room limits and scanning attendee badges to record attendance, so attendees will need to attend the sessions chosen at registration. When a session maximum is reached, attendees will not be able to select that session at registration. Some sessions will fill quickly, so attendees should register early for the best selection.

A few years ago, Larry Phillips began working with a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor in Berkeley County, S.C. Larry, who uses a manual wheelchair, wanted to become financially self-sufficient and transition fully away from disability benefits. Hailing from a family of welders, he said he, too, wished to make a career of welding. His VR counselors agreed this had never been done before, and so, Larry should be the first. With collaboration among students, instructors and employers, Larry?s counselors helped him complete nearly 300 hours of training, secure competitive integrated employment and achieve his long-held goals. Read more on the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center) Employment Success Stories webpage.

The latest issue of LEAD On!, the newsletter of the ODEP-funded National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center), is all about blending, braiding and sequencing (BBS). Known as BBS, these strategies help state and local entities make the most of federal funds and programs to maximize outcomes in competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. The LEAD Center?s newsletter highlights a joint communication on BBS signed by nine federal agencies, a frequently asked questions document, success stories of BBS in the field, webinars and other BBS resources.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is hosting a virtual training for federal workers interested in learning how to access and search the WRP talent database for summer interns or recent graduates to hire. This talent pool comprises more than 3,300 college students, graduate students and recent graduates with disabilities who are seeking federal internships or permanent jobs and are eligible for the Schedule A hiring authority, which is an expedited hiring process. All federal workers can support diverse recruiting efforts by hiring through the WRP. Learn more by registering for the WRP federal training webinar on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will provide ASL interpreters and captioning.

Regardless of size, sector or industry, all businesses can benefit from building local partnerships to connect with qualified candidates with disabilities. As savvy organizations know, it?s a strategy that expands their talent pool, drives retention and boosts productivity. To learn more, register for the webinar ?Building Local Partnerships: One Strategy for Hiring and Keeping Workers? from the ODEP-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN). The event, taking place March 20, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET, will feature a panel of innovative leaders who developed successful, high-impact partnerships to help recruit and retain workers with and without disabilities.

Are you a representative of a small business or someone who helps small businesses meet their workforce needs? If so, be sure to sign up for ODEP?s Business Sense newsletter. Developed specifically for small businesses, this monthly dispatch provides information and tips for advancing disability inclusion in smaller organizations that may not have dedicated human resources or personnel functions.

ODEP?s technical assistance centers, initiatives and policy centers are on social media! Follow us to offer feedback, ask questions and learn about current topics and trends in disability employment?from workforce development best practices and job accommodations to accessible technology and inclusive workplace policy.?

This message is from the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Business Sense Newsletter.

?How can I connect with qualified candidates with disabilities?? Many businesses that want to hire disabled workers ask this question, as many simply do not know where to find disabled candidates with the skills to meet their unique workforce needs.

Community partnerships are a key solution. A new resource from the ODEP-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) can help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors develop these partnerships.

To start, Community Partnerships: An Effective Inclusion Strategy outlines the many types of organizations businesses may partner with, such as:
? Vocational rehabilitation agencies,
? Community-based agencies,
? State and local workforce development systems and
? Educational institutions.
The tool also outlines important considerations when creating partnerships as well as strategies for success.

Finally, it includes several examples of how large and small businesses can benefit from partnerships to recruit workers with disabilities and support their retention once on the job.

To explore the topic further, EARN is hosting a webinar, Building Local Partnerships: One Strategy for Hiring and Keeping Workers, on March 20 at 2:00 p.m. ET. This webinar will feature a panel of leaders who have partnered with public agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, service providers and others. Business owners, human resource (HR) professionals and other employer representatives are invited to register and learn innovative strategies for expanding their talent pool while building a more inclusive workforce.

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy
DRIVING CHANGE ? CREATING OPPORTUNITY


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