October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (known as NDEAM). A time to highlight the important role that people of every ability play within the workforce. We believe that employment opportunities for people with disabilities ensures a diverse workforce and helps strengthen communities – now and into the future.
While we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, Summit DD works year-round to build relationships with local businesses and the community that promote equity and opportunity for people with developmental disabilities.
Summit DD Employment-Related Initiatives
Some of our employment-related initiatives or partnerships include:
- Summer Youth Program: Teens have the opportunity to get on-the-job experience while earning a paycheck during the summer. We work with local providers and organizations throughout Summit County to offer hand-on experience to teens in high school.
- Transition-age job exploration programs at local high schools: We worked with local area high schools to create high school programs that focus on the components of job exploration (resume-building, interviewing, job etiquette, and internships to name a few), helping teens with disabilities build workforce skills and confidence for their futures after high school.
- The Summit County Employment Collaborative: Our collaborative works with local employers and jobseekers to prepare, find and fill open positions, helping to meet the needs of both the job candidate and the employer.
- Inclusion Training for Businesses: We offer FREE training for local businesses and organizations looking to support their employees of every ability
The History of NDEAM
NDEAM got its its start in 1945 with a goal to work toward an inclusive workforce for all Americans. Summit DD believes it is important to keep this goal moving forward. We believe that workplace opportunities for people with disabilities ensures a diverse workforce and helps strengthen communities – now and into the future. That’s why Summit DD, along with our community partners, is helping to create employment opportunities for people of all abilities.
Direct Care Professionals and NDEAM
We can’t talk about NDEAM without recognizing the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). These unsung heroes provide the direct services like job-coaching and transportation to and from a person’s job. Thanks to their hard work, people gain, practice and retain the job skills they need to be successful in the workforce. Thank you for your dedication.
This October, join us in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month and thanking all of the Direct Support Professionals. Together, let’s build better workplaces for everyone!
Take the First Step
- Support. Start with inclusion! Contact us about free inclusion training for your organization. Let us show you how your team can support coworkers of all abilities.
- Hire. What can you do to help create opportunities for people with disabilities? Talk to your employer about creating internship opportunities or filling open positions with people of all abilities. After that, let us help. Contact us about internship or employment needs at your organization. Our Summit County Employment Collaborative can connect you to a network of job seekers who may be just the right fit for your employment needs.
- Apply. Are you interested in a career with purpose, where you can help people reach their goals as a Direct Support Professional? Find your passion at BecomeADSP.com.
Get Inspired
Meet the people that are already strengthening our community and making a difference in the workforce:
