National Certificate in Employment Services Online Alaska Course

  • Starts: 04/14/10 - 8:30AM
  • Ends: 05/30/10 - 2:49PM
  • Location: Anchorage Distance Education
  • Category: Upcoming Events
  • Part I: April 14, 2010  9am - 5 pm

    lunch included
    (pre-conference day before the Full Lives Conference, Sheraton Anchorage)

    Part II: April 14-May 9, 2010

    (three weeks of training via distance approaches)

    Part III: May 17 - 30, 2010

    (two weeks of training via distance)

    $250 registration fee includes all training materials, lunch on the 14th, and sponsored conference calls

    Click on the link below to register!
    Register

    All participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging arrangements

    The Center for Continuing Education in Rehabilitation (CCER) at the University of Washington presents a certificate program for direct service providers. The Certificate in Employment Services (CES) concentrates on practical employment strategies for people with disabilities, and provides an overview of significant disabilities, rehabilitation issues, and current trends.

    CES is designed to help course participants understand and utilize best practices across employment settings. The course focuses primarily on serving people who have developmental disabilities, but the information provided can also be applied to employment services for people with mental illness, traumatic brain injuries and/or physical disabilities.

    National ACRE Certification!  Upon completion of the CES classes and homework, participants will be awarded a National Certificate of Achievement in Employment Services from the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE).  The Certificate documents satisfactory completion of 40 hours of training and professional development provided by an ACRE-approved training resource, and is appropriate to use as part of a professional portfolio.

    Alaska Course Requirements:

    This special CES course consists of one face-to-face session, followed a week later by a three week distance education session, a week’s break, and a two week distance education session.  The distance education sessions will be largely asynchronous; that is, participants will be able to complete course work on the Internet at any time of day that is convenient to them with the exception of weekly conference calls.

    Participants must participate in and complete all training activities in order to receive the National Certificate in Employment Services from the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators. Any potential schedule conflicts (vacation, etc.) should be negotiated with the instructors before registering.

    To participate in the online part of the course, you will need reliable Internet access.  If your only access is dial-up, we may be able to mail the videos and other online documents to you on a CD, but you will still have to access the class website to participate in the discussion boards.  Obviously, a slower Internet connection may increase the amount of time you need to complete the class work.  If you have any concerns about your situation with regard to computers or the Internet, please contact one of the instructors prior to registration.

    Course Content Includes:

    Ethics and Values
    Job Analysis/Matching
    Budgeting Time and Training Efforts
    Teaching Strategies
    Disability Overview
    Long-Term Supports
    Discovery/Career Planning/Choice
    Funding Streams and Social Security
    Job Development/Identification
    Cultural & Family Issues

    Who Should Attend?

    CES is designed for employment specialists, job coaches, production supervisors, program managers and vocational service coordinators. It is especially helpful for staff who are new to the field, who have gained new responsibilities, or who would profit from a better understanding of varied and creative ways to provide effective service.

    2009 Results

    Sixteen individuals participated in last year’s Alaska class, and fourteen of those folks completed the National Certificate!  Comments from evaluations included:

    “Strengths were the face to face orientation, feedback from instructors and students, extra resources provided.  I enjoyed the course and will recommend it to my peers.”

    “I learned a great deal and I will be using my manual in the future.  I felt you guys covered everything.”

    “Thank You Laurie and John for having and instilling the confidence and working attitude I needed to get the work done.  I am so proud of myself for finishing this course.  You always answered my questions when I called.  You did not give me answers to the work but you made it possible to understand what I needed to get the work done.”

    Application Deadline: April 2nd

    Enrollment and Costs:

    This course is limited to Alaska professionals only.  The registration fee is $250, which includes all training materials, lunch and coffee breaks on April 14th, and weekly conference calls.  Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging for the face-to-face day.  A confirmation will be sent to you immediately via email upon completion of the online registration process.

    The $250 fee is non-refundable unless cancellations are received by mail, fax, or e-mail at least two weeks prior to the first session.  Staff substitutions before the first session are fine.

    Maximum enrollment is 18 people. People who have disabilities or who are from minority communities, and who are employed by VR-certified Community Rehabilitation Programs or IL Centers are encouraged to register for the course.

    Organizational Commitment:

    We request that agency Executive Directors support staff who register for CES. This includes allowing participants time to attend the face-to-face training session, complete the on-line reading and assignments, and participate in the conference calls during work hours.  Distance classes provide education that is convenient and flexible - but they still involve effort and commitment!  The registration confirmation will include a form for the Executive Director to complete as part of the support agreement.

    Instructors:
    Laurie Ford & John Dineen, CCER


    Laurie is a Project Director at CCER, and has worked in employment services for people with developmental and mental health disabilities for more than 30 years.  Her experience includes time as a pre-employment trainer, job developer, job coach and job coach supervisor, program manager, chief pot washer and troubleshooter.

    John is a Training Specialist at CCER with a rich background in serving people with developmental disabilities, including work in a residential institution, job development and coaching, recent management experience in a CRP, and as a consultant. He enjoys working with people who are new to the rehabilitation field.

    Both are skilled trainers offering a hands-on approach characterized by practicality, humor and the credibility that comes with personal experience.

    Registration questions:
    Tammi Olson at (888)377-0100 or email tammio@u.washington.edu

    To contact John or Laurie:
    (888) 377-0100 or email dineej@u.washington.edu  or lhf4@u.washington.edu

    FAQs


    What will be covered during the face-to-face class on April 14th?
    Our face-to-face day will include an overview of the Certificate program; content on Job Analysis, Job Development, Skill Assessment, and Stress Management; and practice accessing and working in the online class website.

    Is it OK to take only the April 14th class?
    No - participation in the April 14th class is reserved for those who are enrolling in the whole Certificate program.

    What if I want to take the Certificate program, and also go to the rest of the Full Lives Conference?
    No problem - you just need to remember to register separately for each.  April 14th is the day before the Full Lives conference begins.

    What if I want to take the Certificate program, but not go to the rest of the Full Lives Conference?
    Registration for the Certificate is separate from registration for the conference, so that's no problem.

    What will the online work be like?
    Online class work will involve reading materials both in your course manual and on the class website, viewing short videos, and participating in online discussions - posting your comments and reading/responding to the comments of others.  Assignments and responsibilities will be clearly outlined.  This is not an academic class, so you won't be writing a research paper or taking tests -but you will be expected to try some of the skills and approaches covered in the class and to report back on how it went.

    What kinds of computer skills are required?
    If you have basic word processing skills (typing, cutting and pasting, etc.) you'll be fine.

    How much time will the online classes take?
    Altogether, the reading, discussion group, and assignments should take about 6-8 hours each week of class.

    What if I'm not able to keep up with the online class because I get the flu, or someone else quits at my agency and I need to cover their job?
    We understand that these things happen.  The key is to keep us informed about what's going on so we can help you make a plan to catch up.