See inside for an opportunity to earn CEU Credits! See inside for an opportunity to earn CEU Credits! SPRING 2011 REHAB REHAB MATTERS MATTERS Education Through Innovation Education Through Innovation Assistive Technology …and more Assistive Technology CERTIFIED Specialists Assistive Technology CERTIFIED Specialists The Golden Rule of Professional Ethics The Golden Rule of Professional Ethics HUMOUR in Job Development HUMOUR in Job Development Speech Recognition Technology Speech Recognition Technology UGLY LAWS A history of disability UGLY LAWS A history of disability …and more 41831522
Transcript
See inside for an opportunity to earn CEU Credits!See inside for an opportunity to earn CEU Credits!
SPRING 2011
REHAB REHAB MATTERSMATTERS
REHAB REHAB MATTERSMATTERS
REHAB REHAB MATTERSMATTERS REHAB REHAB
MATTERSMATTERS
REHAB REHAB MATTERSMATTERS
REHAB REHAB MATTERSMATTERS
Education Through
Innovation
Education Through
Innovation
Assistive Technology
…and more
Assistive Technology
CERTIFIED Specialists
Assistive Technology
CERTIFIED Specialists
The Golden Rule of Professional EthicsThe Golden Rule of Professional Ethics
HUMOUR in Job DevelopmentHUMOUR in Job Development
SpeechRecognition Technology
SpeechRecognition Technology
UGLY LAWS A history of disability
UGLY LAWS A history of disability
…and more41831522
1
Official Publication of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada
Features
Certified AT Specialists Helping Canadians with disabilities 4
Living by a Moral Code The golden rule of professional ethics 10
Integrating Assessment Results Structuring the assessment process 12
Ugly Laws The history of disability regulation in North America 15
Adaptive Devices How can they be of benefit to my clients? 19
Using Humour in Job Development Adding zest to your practice 20
Speech Recognition Technology Giving individuals a voice 23
20/20/2 Answer 20 questions for 20 dollars and earn 2 CEU credits 24
Inside Every Issue
A Message from the National President Garry Derenoski 2
Society News The latest VRA developments from across Canada 3
CAVEWAS Corner How I became a vocational evaluator 7
Spotlight on Professionals Charles Levasseur 9
Advice From the Pros Taking on the resume 13
Member Profile Joanna Samuels 16
Membership updates The latest VRA members and achievements 18
ContributorsLisa Borchert, BA
Phil Boswell, MA, B.Ed, HBOR, BA, RRP
Dayna Danson, Hons. BA
Julia Martin, BA, RRP, Senior VRC
Dr. Roberta Neault, CCC, RRP
Jason Olson
Joanna Samuels BA, B.Ed
Dan Thompson, RRP, RVP, CLCP
Spring 2011
PUBLISHED BY VRA Canada
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Editor Dayna Danson
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Advertising Sales Director Audra Leslie t. 416.340.7707 [email protected] 150 Ferrand Dr. Suite 800 Toronto, ON M3C 3E5 Tel: 416.340.7707 Fax: 416.340.1227 Web: www.mcintegrated.com
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Rehab Matters is published four times a year by VRA Canada. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Association.
>>>>>>>
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Spring 2011
2
This is our first issue of Rehab Matters since the commencement of 2011, and I would like to
take this opportunity to mention that VRA Canada is off to a great start! Our membership numbers have greatly soared this year, and we have had an overwhelming number of individuals applying for their RRPs. Moving forward, possessing the RRP will become increasingly critical, as more and more jobs are requiring that all employees have an RRP designation where applicable. It is recognized as the GOLD STANDARD for all vocational rehabilitation professionals. For more information on the RRP
and membership, you can go to www.vracanada.com or call our head office, toll-free, at 1-888-876-9992. Don’t forget to recommend a friend for membership! When you recommend a friend, everyone benefits.
In the vein of moving forward, VRA Canada is pleased to announce that Rehab Matters will go from three publications a year to four. Not only does this mean an extra issue full of useful information, it also means that members will have an additional opportunity to earn CEU credits towards their designation. As offered in the fall issue of Rehab Matters, we are offering “20 questions, for 20 dollars, for 2 CEU credits.” The final page of the magazine will contain 20 questions based upon articles in the magazine. For $20, you can take the test and potentially earn 2 CEU credits! Please note that all quizzes from past issues will be posted online, so you will be able to complete the quizzes at your own convenience. Go to www.vracanada.com and login with your member ID to begin. Please, don’t forget that your CEU credits need to be submitted as soon as possible. Don’t risk losing your hard-earned RRP designation. These credits are important for maintaining your professional status and your RRP designation.
I would also like to remind our members that the 2011 national conference is rapidly approaching. If you aren’t yet aware, this year’s conference will be taking place in Regina, Saskatchewan, from June 21-24, 2011. For updates on the conference, please keep an eye on our “special events” page at http://vracanada.com/mark_this_date.php. We hope to see you all there!
As always, we are looking for your comments and feedback about Rehab Matters. Input from our readers is highly encouraged, and we would especially like to know if you find the “20 questions, for 20 dollars, for 2 CEU credits” worthwhile and informative. Please send any letters to the editor, comments, questions, suggestions and ideas for upcoming issues to: [email protected]. Enjoy the issue!
VRA CANADAVocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada
Recommend a Friend*Recommend a VRA Membership to aColleague and Receive a $50 credit!
* NOT VALID ON GROUP MEMBERSHIPS
Atlantic Society
The Atlantic Society Board has determined the site for our 2011 Regional Conference and AGM and this event will be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland on either the week of October 10 or the week of the 17. We have been working on the transition for interested members of the Quebec Society to become members of the Atlantic Society and we have developed an information letter which has been sent out to those members residing in Quebec. We have had some phone calls regarding membership in the College and we have also provided an extension of membership until June 30 of this year. Membership still remains relatively level and is our number one priority as we continue to discuss and seek innovative ideas which may increase qualified individuals interested in becoming a member of our Society. The ability to gather CEUs tends to be problematic but hopefully we may be able to address this issue either at our regional conference or a pending workshop.
British Columbia Society
The BC Society Board has just completed its second annual strategic planning session. Focus for the upcoming year will include: board recruitment/succession planning; professional development opportunities for members; maintaining and recruiting new members; financial planning; and improving & increasing our community profile/visibility. The Society is also planning for its AGM & Training Day which will be held on June 10th, 2011.
Our Society unfortunately has some sad news to share with our National colleagues. Our Vice-President and candidate for President-Elect for our June 10, 2011 AGM, Rick Byers, died unexpectedly after complications arising from an illness. Rick joined the Board in early 2010 and quickly became actively involved in many aspects of the Association. Rick was a dedicated and compassionate man who will be greatly missed by the Society and our members. The BC Society President, on behalf of the BC Society Board, and the National President, on behalf of the VRA Canada National Board, have sent condolences to his wife and she has expressed her thanks and gratitude.
Manitoba Society
We appreciate the contributions made by Dr. Garry Corbett who filled the position as President on an interim basis. Planning is underway for the Manitoba Society to hold an educational workshop in fall 2011. As a final note, current members of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada who know of persons considering membership are encouraged to discuss the association and the benefits of membership.
Ontario Society
The VRA Ontario Board is once again accepting committee volunteers. If you would like to join VRA as a volunteer on one of our committees, please contact the office at [email protected] and we will be happy to provide you with all of the information that you require. Don’t forget that participating as a Board member or committee member can provide you with up to 10 CEUs per year.
In an effort to serve you better, we will be putting together a series of webinars and in-person sessions that will assist you in obtaining the continuing education credits that you require, as well as help you to stay on top of the new developments in the profession. We are currently accepting proposals for these sessions and ask that you send potential topics and/or speakers to [email protected].
Remember: your Society is only as good as your contributions. Volunteer today!
3 Spring 2011
Society NewsNews from across the country
Society
The term assistive technology (AT) encompasses a wide variety of
assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices designed for persons with disabilities and/or people who experience difficulty using standard equipment. The Neil Squire Society, and their Certified AT Specialists, Charles Levasseur, Kristin Sali and Patricia Woods, all of whom completed the Assistive Technology Applications Certificate program offered through the California State University of Northridge, are helping to increase the independence and quality of life of Canadians with disabilities using technology tailored to their specific needs and individual goals.
Charles Levasseur is based out of the Society’s Atlantic office in Moncton, New Brunswick and provides AT to clients across Atlantic Canada. In the Neil Squire Society’s two training rooms in New Brunswick, one in Moncton and one in Fredericton, Charles can train up to 10 clients at a time. Each room has several workstations with various pieces of equipment for clients to try out. The best part of this setup, according to Charles, is that it is designed to be mobile, allowing
AT to be taken directly to a client’s home, office, or educational facility.
Charles sees himself as a pioneer in life and in the world of AT, whose career fits very well with his personality. “Developing and creating something out of nothing keeps me motivated and engaged in life. My love of the outdoors takes me off the beaten path when hiking or canoeing. It’s the same with assistive technology. At this time in my career, I am developing and creating, working off the beaten path, because there just are not that many Certified AT Specialists in Canada with our level of expertise. Being a pioneer in this profession in the powerful world of technology is exciting.”
This pioneering spirit extends to all facets of Charles’ life and work. For the past three years, Charles has been working on a special project providing accessibility expertise and advice to Elections New Brunswick, making their municipal and provincial elections more accessible to persons with disabilities and to seniors. Through these efforts, one of his clients was able to use AT to vote independently and, therefore, confidentially for the first time in his adult life, something he found very rewarding. “I was present for this and I witnessed it happen. I am proud to be part of his accomplishment.”
Outside of his work at the Neil Squire Society, Charles and his wife have created a very successful greyhound rescue program in New Brunswick.
Although the Neil Squire Society’s central regional office, located in Ottawa, Ontario, does not currently have an AT Specialist, clients in this region are still able to benefit from the Neil Squire Society’s AT expertise. In Ontario, an occupational therapist performs
assessments to determine the full range of accommodations an individual might require. When it comes to training clients in the use of AT, the Neil Squire Society makes use of their expertise from other regional offices. Clients in Ontario may be matched with a Certified AT Specialist in British Columbia, Saskatchewan or New Brunswick. The AT Specialist will then connect with the Ontario-based client through distance learning technology.
“I am very passionate about bringing change through assistive technology,” says Kristin Sali, the Neil Squire Society’s Certified AT Specialist who works out of the Prairie regional office in Regina, Saskatchewan and the newest member of the team. She warns, however, against consulting AT practitioners without the appropriate education and relevant experience, stating that “safety and satisfaction are more likely to result when assistive technology users work with certified assistive technology practitioners. Although certification is not a license to practice, in the future it may be required by employers.”
Kristin received her Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Regina, her Registered Rehabilitation Professional designation from the Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada,
4
Helping Canadians with disabilities increase their
independenceBy Jason Olson
Technology
Certified AT Specialists
Charles Levasseur, AT Specialist
Kristin Sali, AT Specialist
continued page 6
5 Spring 2011
We work with your clients for their early return to the workforce.We work with your clients for their early return to the workforce.
There’s an Academy of Learning in your community!Academy of Learning Colleges are registered with their respective governing provincial authorities
as Private Career Colleges
Financial assistance may be available to those
who qualify!
Not all programs offered at all locations.
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AOL Rehab Final copy.pdf 1 17/02/11 11:15 AM
and her Certified Vocational Professional designation from the College of Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals. She is also currently completing her Master of Disability and Community Studies from the University of Calgary. Her studies have focused on the role of
physical activity, recreation and overall well being for persons with disabilities.
Patricia Woods had quite a varied career before becoming a Certified AT Specialist working at the Society’s Western regional office located in Burnaby, British Columbia. In her early career, she did everything from municipal finance to computer graphics, from accounting to teaching adult education at a First Nations college. Eventually Patricia began working for the Neil Squire Society
as the Coordinator of their Computer Comfort program. After two years she decided to expand her knowledge of AT to fill a need in the office, and it has been going very well ever since. One of the highlights of her career so far was giving a presentation: “I Can Email Too! Simple, Accessible and Affordable E-mail Solutions” at the Assistive Technology Industry Association conference in Chicago last year.
“It’s exciting to meet so many great people and to help them become more independent,” she says of working with her clients. Patricia has a repetitive strain injury in both of her wrists and she feels this gives her insight into the challenges many of her clients experience.
She also finds the ever-changing technology itself exciting. “One of the new, exciting areas of assistive technology is the development of AT apps for the iPad. This device can provide a relatively inexpensive AT solution for many people with disabilities—while still looking really cool.”
Patricia is currently working on finding an inexpensive solution for a client who is non-verbal, so that she can “talk” over the phone to her sister in the Okanagan.
This sounds like it should be simple enough, but the technology to bridge the communication software to an analog phone is very difficult to find and set up. Right now, she is very close to solving this problem.
While the field of AT is changing rapidly, the client-centered, one-on-one approach used by the dedicated Certified Assistive Technology Specialists at the Neil Squire Society allows them to continue to use the most up-to-date technology to increase the independence of Canadians across the country.
About the Author
Jason Olson is a creative
writer from Vancouver, BC. He studied English and Political Science at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta and currently works as an Administrative Assistant at the Neil Squire Society in Burnaby, BC.
Patricia Woods, AT Specialist
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7
Guidance
Dear Fellow Colleagues and Readers: here is our second contribution to CAVEWAS CORNER.
As many of you know, CAVEWAS (Canadian Assessment, Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Society) is a member society of VRA Canada, serving in large part to represent and support the professional and developmental needs of vocational evaluators as well as all professional rehab personnel specializing in work adjustment of injured workers and the like. This section will continue to keep you informed of matters germane not only to CAVEWAS members, but to related professionals working within the field of vocational rehabilitation. Within, you will find current and candid articles authored by CAVEWAS members, non-members (and future members alike) that will share, discuss, and communicate with you developments and changes affecting our membership.
As per our first contribution, we address issues of best practice, professional development and designation, as well as industry trends. We hope you continue to find the content in this section stimulating, motivating, and informative and we encourage your ongoing participation and contributions.
Enjoy!
CAVEWAS NATIONAL BOARD of DIRECTORS
If you are a CAVEWAS member, and have any ideas, opinions, or thoughts relevant to this section and you would like share, discuss, and communicate them in the next issue, please contact: Jeff Cohen at [email protected].
I wish I had run into someone like me when I was younger because it would
have saved me a lot of time, energy and money. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I ‘grew up’. After high school, I enrolled in Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology’s Geological Engineering Technician Program because I wanted to work outside. I graduated two years later as a geological engineering technician (note the acronym) where it took me five whole days feeding black flies and mosquitoes to figure out that it wasn’t the career for me. I enrolled at Lakehead University. Six years and three degrees later I found myself teaching at-risk youth at an alternate school in northern British Columbia.
I started working with income assistance recipients in an employment readiness program when my wife and I moved to Vancouver Island. I loved the work and
decided to complete a post-graduate degree. When funding for the employment readiness program ended, I worked as a youth employment officer for a short period of time. I wanted to continue working with unemployed adults and discovered that insurance companies would pay me to do that type of work. I decided to tweak my skill-set and concentrate on vocational rehabilitation—and in particular—vocational evaluation. For working professionals, there did not seem to be a formal path to becoming a vocational evaluator unless I was interested in obtaining another degree.
Here’s what I did to become a vocational evaluator:
1. I joined CAVEWAS and VRA Canada. Membership in both of these organizations gave me access to incredible people I would not have had the opportunity to meet otherwise. My association with CAVEWAS/VRA Canada has been very useful in establishing my practice.
2. I volunteered to sit on CAVEWAS and VRA Canada’s board. I have learned an incredible amount sitting on these boards.
3. I attended every conference and professional development event I could. I have found that typically, experienced
I decided to tweak my skill-set and
concentrate on vocational rehabilitation—and in particular—vocational
evaluation
By Phillip W. Boswell, President - CAVEWAS, MA, B.Ed, HBOR, BA, RRP
Spring 2011
How I became a vocational evaluator
The Road Less Taken
CAVEWASCornerCAVEWASCorner
evaluators were often more than willing to share their knowledge. One of the challenges in this business is that we tend to be very specialized which can lead to isolation. Networking is particularly significant for those who are self-employed sub-contractors or for those who work out of a home office.
4. I have taken courses. Distance education is a wonderful thing. There are many online courses available and the number of courses increases every year. Face-to-face courses are few and far between and I was prepared to invest time and money in my education. I maintain that I learn as much outside of the classroom interacting with my classmates as I do inside. I have travelled to Oklahoma, Toronto, Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria in the pursuit of vocational evaluation related courses.
5. Aptitude testing is one of the foundations of vocational evaluation. Aptitude scores (i.e. GATB/VALPAR) can have a powerful impact on clients and can determine whether an individual will be eligible for re-training or not. I caution those getting into the business to be very careful and make sure they have the appropriate training in order to administer and interpret these tests. Vendors have their own guidelines as to who can ethically purchase and administer their tests (A, B and C levels). To administer B level tests vendors want users to complete two university level courses in tests and measurement (i.e. statistics, psychometrics) and have a degree. For C level tests, vendors usually require a master’s degree or doctorate in psychology.
6. When I conduct a Vocational Evaluation (VE), I measure: achievement, aptitude, interest and work attitude/ behaviour as part of the assessment. Which assessment tools I use depends on the client. For example, I have at least six different tests to measure interests. Deciding on which tools to invest in was one of the biggest challenges I faced when I started out. I
have found talking to other evaluators to be somewhat useful in this regard. On the other hand, it can also be rather confusing because every evaluator has his/her favourite tool. Purchasing one assessment tool can easily run into the thousands of dollars. When it comes to evaluation, one size does not fit all. In the words of Abraham Maslow: “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Good vocational evaluators have many hammers.
7. Get certified. The two most common designations related to Vocational Evaluation in Canada are the CVE (Certified Vocational Evaluator) and the ABVE (American Board Certified Vocational Evaluator). The CVE is no longer available. Personally, I plan on writing the ABVE credentialing exam in Orlando this March in order to obtain my ABVE designation.
I’ve found that learning how to be a vocational evaluator is ongoing and takes commitment, dedication and time. In
his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell put forward the concept of the 10,000 hour rule. Ten thousand hours of practice was required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert. A qualifying course for a single interest inventory or a psychometrics course does not make a vocational evaluator. Becoming a vocational evaluator requires one to be a life-long learner.
About the AuthorPhil Boswell is a vocational evaluator with
a practice located in the beautiful Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Currently, Phil is the President of CAVEWAS and sits on the National Board of VRA Canada.
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“Deciding on which tools to invest in was one of the biggest challenges I faced when I started out”
8
9 Spring 2011
Charles Levasseur, Certified Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist for the
Neil Squire Society’s Atlantic Region, always saw people and technology as being a part of his livelihood. “Very early on in my life,” recalls Charles, “I understood that I had a natural ability to see how people could use technology to their benefit, especially with specific tasks in their workplace or at school.”
Born and raised in Edmunston, NB, Charles completed the Hospitality Management Program at CCNB-Edmundston. He then attended the University of Moncton where he enrolled in the Business Administration Diploma Program. His path to becoming a Certified Assistive Technology Specialist started as far back as the mid-90s; while working for a private college, Charles “saw the need for accessible online content,” and advocated for this with his employer ”long before accessibility standards were a topic of mainstream discussions.”
Charles truly became hands-on with AT shortly after he started working as an IT Specialist with the Neil Squire Society, the company he still works for today. His initial role was to work with participants in the Employ-Ability Program, teaching computer skills to assist them in exploring and planning career options. He was taught how to assess, source, recommend, and train participants who needed assistive technology.
“I was then supported by the Neil Squire Society to become a Certified Assistive Technology Specialist,” remembers Charles.
In order to keep up with ever-changing technologies, Charles has completed several computer industry-specific technical certifications and a Technical Teacher/Trainer Certification. Most recently, he completed the Adult Teacher/Trainer for Online Learning Certificate from Conestoga College in Ontario, and the Assistive Technology Applications Certificate from California State University at Northridge.
Charles’ dedication to continuing education is vital, as he mentions how the assistive technology world is ever-changing. “Access to assistive technology equipment, software, vendor information and free supported online learning has increased exponentially,” says Charles. “When I first began my work with Neil Squire, the negotiations I had to go through in order to trial a piece of AT were like climbing Mount Everest. Vendors are now much more open to both providing information and allowing me to test one of their products before recommending it for a client.” Another important change that Charles notes is the “explosion of voice-based technologies” in today’s market, such as the well known voice recognition software, screen readers, voice activated dialling, note-takers, and augmented communication devices. These technologies allow individuals to control
their devices using voice commands instead of another input method such as a mouse or a keyboard. Charles is personally a big fan of software that meets the learning and working styles of his client. “I like applications that allow a person to create a mind map which can assist them in a task such as creating a document or planning an event.”
While the future of AT is unknown, assistive technology is here to stay, so Charles hopes to see it become and grow as a stand-alone profession with its own body of knowledge. He predicts that AT will become very commonplace because computers and computer-related devices are “infiltrating every part of our lives.” In the present, however, Charles recognizes how important AT really is: “it levels the playing field for persons with disabilities in countless ways.” The real reason, however, that assistive technology is truly important is the “smile a client leaves with after their last appointment; when they are ready to move ahead in their life without me,” Charles says excitedly.
Charles Levasseur
Lending a technological hand
Focus
Charles Levasseur, Certified Assistive Technology Specialist
“I understood that I had a natural ability
to see how people could use technology to their
benefit”
“I like applications that allow a person to create
a mind map”
By Dayna Danson, Hons. BA
In preparing to write this piece over the past several
weeks, I pored over a great many online and printed resources regarding business ethics and ethical professional conduct. Ironically, just days before actually commencing the putting pen to paper phase, and after almost twenty years in the vocational rehabilitation field, I learned that my employment, as well as the employment of most of my current colleagues, is being terminated. Actually, the terminology offered us is that our program is being “redesigned to achieve improvements.” Admittedly, this news is never easily digested. And, in light of my current
studies on professional ethics, this announcement leaves me reflecting on the very foundation of an ethical business culture from a totally new perspective.
When considering the issue of ethics, there are almost as many definitions as there are philosophers, theorists or sources. Many sources offer the overly simplistic view that in a perfect world, ethics merely means “doing the right thing” and ethics describes “how we ought to behave.” In the real world, however, it’s just not that simple. As rehabilitation professionals, we oftentimes find ourselves in moral and ethical dilemmas which challenge our decision-making and our case management choices. Inherently, our work does not permit prescriptive formulas, but rather, our roles require the constant reassessing and shifting of ever-changing
priorities and complexities in our clients’ dynamic and ever-evolving scenarios.
Many times our recommendations for solutions to barriers require much reflection and consultation with various stakeholders and information sources. In this process of identifying and recommending resolutions to barriers, ethical dilemmas have presented themselves to each of us at one time or another. By the very nature of our work as rehabilitation professionals, we are easily adept at performing ethically in the soft skills areas of our roles, such as demonstrating compassion, integrity, honesty and mutual respect in our service delivery approaches. That’s the natural and easy part of our roles.
The ethical challenge remains in resolving ethical dilemmas when there is no clearly right or wrong answer to the given problem. This is particularly true when multiple complex issues and barriers are present and these often require our equal consideration, both ethically and by legal statute. We are left with shifting paradigms which necessitate the design of rehabilitation programs that do not always initially give a high level of confidence in successful outcomes.
Living by a Moral Code
The “golden rule” of professional ethics
By Julia Martin BA, RRP, Senior VRC
Trust
10
“As rehabilitation professionals, we
oftentimes find ourselves in moral and ethical
dilemmas which challenge our decision-making and
our case management choices”
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However, effective and ethical case management permits us to find solutions to presenting ethical dilemmas as we continue to learn and explore our clients’ complexities. In such instances, case conferencing and peer consultations can prove insightful and may assist in the necessary analysis of the contributing factors. Ethical case management requires ethical decision making and doing this efficiently and consistently takes everything we’ve got to give.
Making a sound ethical decision is not only “doing the right thing” or “what we ought to do;” it requires analysis, reflection, calculation, and determination. All of the contributing factors must be weighed in the balance. We must ask ourselves the following: is our decision inclusive of all sources and stakeholder views? Is our decision equally fair to all parties? Does our decision consider all possible consequences? Did we obtain as much good and valid data as possible in order to render the most appropriate choice? And, the quintessential screen for ethics: would we be willing to agree to this decision if we were the client or recipient?
Many say that the foundation of business or professional ethics is “the golden rule.” Would we want this treatment or service for ourselves or our loved ones? By applying the ethical concepts of
self-analysis, we can be assured of making sound ethical judgements as rehabilitation professionals, and we can be assured that our clients will receive our services with the highest regard for professionalism and excellence.
Vince Lombardi said it best: “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour.” By offering our continual commitment to excellence, our services are guaranteed to be professional and ethical.
My current involuntary job searching has already taught me an important ethical lesson. By experiencing first-hand the uncertainty surrounding employment loss, I now feel better equipped to guide and assist my clients who are also struggling to navigate through this difficult
passage. In remembering “the golden rule” of professional ethics, we are all just one misfortune away from requiring the services of rehabilitation professional. We all want to be assured of our counsellor’s uncompromised professional ethics.
“Inherently, our work does not permit prescriptive
formulas, but rather, our roles require the constant reassessing and shifting of ever-changing priorities and complexities in our
clients’ dynamic and ever-evolving scenarios”
Spring 2011
About the Author
Julia Martin’s professional
career has included almost 30 years of social services experience, including social assistance, employment counselling, seniors services, disability management and vocational rehabilitation counselling, both in public services and in the private sector. Julia thrives on being a contributing factor toward successful outcomes.
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Many vocational rehabilitation professionals rely on results from
clients’ assessments—in some cases, conducting assessments themselves and, in other cases, reviewing assessment reports prepared by other service providers. This brief article offers tips for integrating the results of a comprehensive assessment process into a meaningful career conversation with your client.
One of Stephen Covey’s famous principles is to “begin with the end in mind.” Therefore, to facilitate that meaningful conversation, it’s important to structure the entire assessment process effectively, choosing tools and techniques that will surface the information you’re seeking.
Once the information-gathering stage of the assessment process is complete, allow sufficient time to analyse and integrate results. Some assessment tools produce comprehensive computer-generated reports. Other assessments, especially those involving structured interviews and extensive observations, result in lengthy narrative summaries. It takes time to read reports and synthesize various components into a holistic view of your client.
There are countless ways to make sense of the same information—that’s the art of assessment interpretation. To structure your interpretation, remain focused on the purpose for assessment; ignore distractions that may take you down a path unrelated to the assessment goal (e.g., does it really matter if your client scored extremely low on numeracy aptitude if his/her career and educational goals are not going to require a single math course or task?).
Collaborate with your client (and, if relevant, with other assessors). Given that assessment results can be interpreted in numerous ways (i.e., they’re rarely black and white), it’s important to consider them
within a broader context. If results don’t seem to make sense, don’t hesitate to ask the client or assessor. Look for themes and patterns across assessment tools and examine apparent contradictions.
Finally, based on assessment results, work with your client to set reasonable goals and plans for achieving them. To access necessary supports at this stage (e.g., training, workplace accommodations), it may be important to communicate assessment results to influential decision-makers. Coach your clients on how to effectively share appropriate information—it may not be necessary (or in your clients’ best interests) to release an entire assessment report.
Integrating Assessment
ResultsStructuring the assessment
process effectively
By Dr. Roberta Neault, CCC, RRP
Efficiency
Dr. Roberta Neault,
CCC, RRP, is an award-winning career management specialist, with expertise in psychometric assessment. President of Life Strategies Ltd., Dr. Neault also currently serves as editor of the Journal of Employment Counseling.
About the Author
13 Spring 2011
Remember the old expression:“if I had a nickel for every time I heard that?”
Well, I wish I had a nickel (or a loonie!) for every time I heard a client say “I have no skills,” or “I’m not good at anything,” or “there’s no job out there for me.”
The return to work is difficult, frightening and challenging on many levels; and that’s just going back to the pre-disability job—a job where you know the people, the routines, the culture, the physical layout and you know your position and its expected outcomes. You have a coffee buddy, people smile and nod and say hello and know your name. You know where the bathrooms are. You know who rules the water cooler. You know what the company does and what your role is or has been. You know the bus route or where to park.
Now imagine going to a completely new job—different job, different employer—doing work you’ve never done before, probably using skills you haven’t used extensively in your work history or using newly acquired skills. You know no one, can’t find the bathroom or the lunchroom without help, don’t really know what it is you are supposed to be doing and don’t know who to ask, or even if you can ask. New jobs are scary to some degree for everyone, whether you are a seasoned executive making a planned job change, or an average guy getting hired at a new place. Every first day produces stress at
some level. So imagine, if you will, that you’ve been injured, can’t do the only job you’ve ever done and you know in your heart your company isn’t going to take you back. Wouldn’t take you back, couldn’t take you back—doesn’t matter—there’s no place for you there and now you have to live through yet another potentially traumatic event— transitioning to a new job.
I’ve done it. Twice! It was hard each time. And what did I say the first time? ”I’ll never get hired, no one will hire me, I have no skills.” Even my friend said at the time: “No one wants to hire 40 year old women like us.” Well, she was wrong!
So now we come to the title of this little piece: “taking on the resume.” The little tool that does it all—the true multitasker. Working with your return to work clients to create a resume can be so much more than simply creating a document for answering job ads. The resume is a clearly laid out statement of skills and abilities that spotlights what each individual client is good at. It doesn’t matter if it’s putting up drywall or programming firewalls—every person has talent. As a voc rehab provider, it’s my job to help each client recognize and identify those talents.
The resume process is at least as important and rewarding as the finished product. By moving the clients to the point where they recognize and most importantly believe that they have talent, skills and abilities, they begin to believe that they are deserving of a new job; that they have something to offer, that someone might actually want to hire them and that they have not worked 20 years for nothing. I have seen it proven many times that the resume process can be a powerful shot in the arm for lagging confidence and low self-esteem.
What is the resume process? Simple and sometimes not so simple, it’s all about communication. Sit down with your client with no time limit and be prepared to dig for information. I never let a client get away with writing things such as: “I did the morning mail,” “I assisted the manager,” “I was responsible for,” as no skill is identifiable within those phrases. Instead, I dig for verbs and specific tasks. As I recently told a client, the word “assisted” could mean anything from “I brought coffee” to “I did all the work and got none of the credit.” Probe for verbs—did your client research, proofread, build, program, lead, delegate, teach, measure?
For many clients this process is difficult and very emotional. Routine jobs done over long periods of time with little or no recognition wear away self-confidence and can make workers feel like they don’t have any skills any more. They just do the same thing every day, by rote and possibly with their eyes closed and one hand tied behind their back. It is important to remind clients that while they see it as routine, potential employers see it as a desired skill. Being able to do it well with minimal training on the new job is a benefit for everyone—less training time for the employer and an easier, quicker transition for the client.
For clients who can no longer use long-time skills and must seek alternate employment, the resume process can be even more difficult. It is important to identify the transferable skills and how the client did his job, and what professional traits he exhibits on the workforce—patient, detailed, organized, efficient? What does the client do in his life or in volunteer activities? The resume can’t change a work history but it can highlight skills, talents and abilities that are relevant to where the client is going right now.
Taking on the Resume
Why it is a difficult but mandatory tool to the return to work process
Process
“Creating a resume is hard work emotionally. Not only does it demand thinking of oneself in a whole new light, but it also means that a job search is imminent.”
By Lisa Borchert, BA
Advice from the
PROS
14
VRA Canada recently asked members to participate in our national survey. This is the first full survey conducted of the membership since 2007. The information that is gathered as a result of this helps the Societies and the National Board understand the demographic and needs of the members as well as the regional makeup of the association. 284 Respondents to the VR A national survey. (March 15th 2011 closing date) This is a lower response rate than the 2007 survey (543)
Top Line Results: Length of Membership
• 32% have been a member for less than 5 years
• 23% have been a member for less than 10 years
• In 2007, 41% of the respondents had been members for less than 10 years
And that is what a good resume does; it is a forward thinking document designed to get someone where they want to go, not keep them where they’ve been.
Some clients will fight you every step of the way. I think there are
two main reasons:
1. Lots of people think they are fabulous resume writers. They can use the template from Microsoft Word. They have a friend or relative in HR or management and they get good advice. They don’t need you nor do they want to be part of the process.
2. Creating a resume is hard work emotionally. Not only does it demand thinking of oneself in a whole new light, but it also means that a job search is imminent. It is concrete evidence that they are leaving the past and moving to the scary, unknown, future. When clients feel they are not ready to return to work, the resume, or even the thought of the resume process, becomes frightening and up go the roadblocks.
Resistance is futile. In the end no one can resist a good voc rehab provider. Here’s
where that communication comes in. It’s important to explain to a client that writing a resume is a process and that the finished document has no best before date. Wherever the client is in return to work planning there are benefits to at least beginning the process. One is identification of skills which leads to job discussion which leads to the realization and belief that possibilities exist. The second benefit is increased self awareness that begins rebuilding the confidence that leads to that glorious moment when the client sees himself reflected in the resume as a viable, hirable professional.
So that little resume has accomplished a number of important tasks. The process helped create a solid working relationship with you and the client, it brought the client on board to see himself as being in the process, it demonstrated the value of the client for a new employer, and right there in black and white that little resume showed the client a skill set he never knew he had or forgotten he had.
That little resume, crafted uniquely with, and for each client, now spotlights possibilities for a successful job search or
at the very least (or most) helps move the client to the point where the very words ‘job search’ don’t bring on a cold sweat. The client is moving forward, and that is what it’s all about.
Now I wish I had a loonie for every time I heard “If I were an employer, I’d hire me.”
About the Author
Lisa Borchert is a vocational rehab provider
in Winnipeg, and has been in vocational rehabilitation and career counselling for 13 years. She has a BA with a diploma in professional leadership development, and she is a certified trainer and adult literacy instructor. Her main focus is the client, working alongside them to create solutions and achieve results.
2011 VRA Membership Survey
Provincial Allocation of Respondents
2007 2011
Ontario 45.7% 54%
British Columbia 31.7% 31%
Alberta 8.3% 6%
Atlantic 5.9% 4%
Saskatchewan 5.2% 5%
Ranking of Degrees based on majors
2007 2011
Psychology 28% 29%
Education 9% 5%
Social Work 8% 6%
Sociology 7% 7%
Kinesiology 6% 5%
Nursing 5% 2% Vocational Rehabilitation* 12%
*(this major was not requested in the 2007 survey).
Education: % of Respondents
2007 2011
Undergraduate 54% 50%
Master ’s 21% 26%
Doctorate 2% 2%
Additional information from the 2011 survey:
• Two top-ranked services the association provides: ◊ Career Help 40% and Provision of Education 33%
• 39% felt that educational opportunities were the poorest service provided to members
• 63% want increased CEU opportunities … (Check our the new $20, 20questions 2credits offered through Rehab Matters)
• 88% read Rehab Matters
• 65% read all issues of Rehab Matters
We would like to thank all members who took the time to fill out this survey. The results will be presented to the Board and the Societies in April.
% of VRA Members per province
2011Ontario 55.6%
British Columbia 27.6%
Alberta 5.9%
Atlantic/Quebec 5. 2%
Saskatchewan 3.6%
Manitoba 1.9%
15
Recently I viewed a great film that was released in 2006 called The Music
Within. It is based on the incredible true-life story of Mr. Richard Pimentel, a strong advocate for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); however, it was Mr. Justin Dart, President Bush, Attorney General Thornburgh and Senator Hatch that made the ADA a reality.
At one point in the film, they make reference to Ugly Laws. Apparently, from the late 1860s until the 1970s, several American cities had “ugly laws,” making it illegal for persons with “unsightly or disfiguring” disabilities to appear in public. Some of those laws were called “unsightly beggar ordinance” and it appeared that the goal of those laws was to preserve the quality of life for their communities and was similar in spirit to Homeowners Associations’ Regulations and Bylaws. The first appearance of these ordinances was in 1867 in San Francisco. The ordinance seems to have been welcomed from the 1800s in western and particularly midwestern cities with strong and networked cultures of reform. For example, the Chicago Municipal Code, Section #36034 included an ordinance that stipulated: “No person who is diseased, maimed, mutilated or in any way deformed so as to be an unsightly, disgusting or improper is to be allowed in or on the public ways or other public places in this city, or shall therein or thereon expose himself to public view, under penalty of not less than one dollar nor more than fifty dollars for each offense.”
Many states’ and cities’ Ugly Laws were not repealed until the 1970s, and Chicago was the last to repeal its Ugly Law in 1974.
When I grew up in London, Ontario, the English curriculum included John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. It was a post-apocalyptic science-fiction novel depicting
a world where an extra toe on a newborn would automatically result in the death of that baby, or where anyone different could be sterilized, or they could be taken to the Fringes, an enigmatic land where unfortunate mutants were exiled. Themes within The Chrysalids include the inevitability of change, man’s inhumanity to his fellow man, ignorance and bigotry. Those same themes are included in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As a young boy, Frankenstein became obsessed with what gives humans their life spark. In college, he created his own “perfect” human from scavenged body parts; however, once it lived, the creature was so hideous, Frankenstein ran from it.
The prejudices depicted in those novels were a reality enforced by law only 37 years ago! The recantation of those laws is forever tied to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); however, that was only passed 21 years ago, in 1990. The ADA granted certain rights for people with disabilities: “Individuals with disabilities are a discrete and insular minority who have been faced with restrictions and limitations, subjected to a history of purposeful unequal treatment, and regulated to a position of political powerlessness in our society, based on characteristics that are beyond the control of such individuals and resulting from stereotypical assumptions not truly indicative of the individual ability of such individuals to participate in, and contribute to, society.”
We should be eternally grateful for Mr. Pimentel, Mr. Dart, President Bush, Attorney General Thornburgh, Senator Hatch and others who ensured the rights of those whose voices can’t always be heard. But at the same time, we must recognize that no matter what the disability, each person should attempt to “earn” the respect and acceptance of others by respecting and accepting others.
One of the general philosophies of the ADA is to remove barriers by putting the onus on employers to make their businesses accessible, and thus, create an equal playing field for all.Unfortunately, there are certain parts of the United States that have economic challenges not seen since the Great Depression. Some employers protest that complying with the ADA puts further economic hardship on them; however, it makes good economic sense for employers to make their businesses accessible as a means of tapping into a larger workforce and as a means of extracting disposable income from people with disabilities.
True acceptance cannot be legislated; however, hopefully we can be more accepting of people who are different, and in turn, will be more accepting of our own differences.
Ugly LawsThe history of disability
regulation in North America
Progress
By Dan Thompson, RRP, RVP, CLCP
About the Author
When Dan acquired C4-C5-C6
quadriplegia from an automobile accident in 1980 it changed his life forever. Regardless, Dan set about dedicating his life to improving the quality of life of others with disabilities. He became an RRP, an RVP, and a CLCP. Over the last 12 years, Dan has worked on hundreds of cases that required Life Care Plans, Vocational Reports, Case Management Services, Rehabilitation Plans and Housing.
Spring 2011
16
Joanna Samuels
Team Lead of Employer Services at JVS Toronto
By Dayna Danson, Hons. BA
Member profile
Joanna Samuels received a unique start in vocational rehabilitation—not as an
employee, but as a client. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a B.A. in general arts, she had no idea what she wanted to do. “I had hundreds of resumes, interviews and jobs in all kinds of sectors. I tried everything you can imagine—networking, staffing agencies, volunteering, information sessions—but without any success, just more confusion,” Joanna recalls.
In 2004, Joanna met with the president and CEO of JVS, Karen Goldenberg, who recommended she attend as a client. After engaging in vocational and career assessments, it was recommended that she volunteer with JVS to gain experience. “I started to volunteer in the Abilityworks (ODESP service provider) program at JVS, helping people with physical and developmental disabilities find employment.” It was this volunteering that led Joanna to identify her career path, and secure a permanent position with JVS as a job developer/job coach in the Abilityworks program. Eventually, Joanna moved to another
employment program which was funded by Employment Ontario, where she worked as a job developer/facilitator/job coach for individuals with disabilities and multi-barriers, including Ontario Works clients. Soon after, she moved to working with internationally trained professional newcomers to Canada.
Joanna then received a promotion to team lead of employer services for the 37 job developers throughout JVS, a title she still holds and loves to this day. “I finally found my calling and passion,” notes Joanna. In this position, Joanna is the central point of contact for employer services, and trains, coaches, guides and mentors colleagues in regards to problem solving. She also collaborates with job developers, employment counsellors, administration and managers cross-agency to help the unemployed and underemployed with securing successful and sustainable employment, among many other duties. She also collaborates with JOIN (Job Opportunity Information Network) and
their staff with job development and volunteering.
After taking a break from education for over 20 years, and after completing her Bachelor of Education in Adult Education this past spring, Joanna is now working diligently towards achieving her Master of Education. She is hoping to train more frontline staff in working together and providing quality employer and client services. Her aspirations include helping to solve some issues that currently exist in her line of vocational rehabilitation, such as collaboration across the agency and with other non-profit employment service providers in the sector. She needs help from VRA, however, to “encourage agencies in the same sector to improve collaboration, share more information, and to help problem solve together and aid more clients towards success.”
In the future, Joanna plans to publish more articles on issues relevant to her field, as well as complete her Master of Education, continue training adults, and help people with barriers and disabilities find and have the dignity of a job. “I can help every client I meet, in part,” says Joanna, “because I closely identify with virtually all of their issues, concerns and challenges, having had first-hand experience in life’s challenges and struggles in my own job search.” Having sought help from the profession she now works in, Joanna understands more than most the mantra she now abides by: “If you give a person a fish, you feed him for a day; if you teach him to fish, he’ll be able to feed himself for life.”
“I had hundreds of resumes, interviews and
jobs in all kinds of sectors you can imagine—networking, staffing
agencies, information sessions—but without any success, just more
confusion”
Focus on 2011 Conference
17 Spring 2011
Mission StatementThe Vocational Rehabilitation Association of
Canada is a national association that supports its members in promoting, providing and advocating for the delivery of vocational/prevocational rehabilitation services for
persons with disabilities.
Vision StatementThe Vocational Rehabilitation Association
of Canada is committed to promoting professional excellence in our members,
who are recognized by all stakeholders as the experts in the provision of vocational/
prevocational rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities.
In The Next Rehab Matters
Stay tuned for the June issue where we will focus on:
Life, Work, Balance
Watch for a special offer!Earn 2 additional CEU credits on the next
20/20/2 quiz. That’s a total of 4 credits!
If you are interested in contributing articles, experiences or anecdotes,
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Over the past decade and especially within the past few years,
the term “assistive technology” is becoming a term more prominent in the home, the classroom and the workplace. But, what exactly is assistive technology and how can it help us? Simply put, assistive technology is any service or tool that helps the elderly or disabled do the activities they have always done but must now do differently. These tools are also sometimes called “adaptive devices.”
These technologies may range from small, simple devices such as a walker to make getting from point A to point B easier, or an amplif ication device to make watching television or talking on the phone easier. Adaptive devices may also include something as simple as a magnifying glass that helps someone who has poor vision read the newspaper or a motor scooter that makes it possible to travel over distances that are too far to walk.
For many individuals, assistive technology makes the difference between being able to live
independently and having to get long-term nursing or home-health care. For others, assistive technology is critical to the ability to perform simple activities of daily living, such as bathing and going to the bathroom, and most importantly, going to work.
Just as individuals possess many different types and severity of disabilities, many different categories of assistive devices and services are available to overcome those disabilities. Here are just a few of the hundreds of assistive devices available:
• Adaptive switches. Modif ied switches that can be used to adjust air conditioners, computers, telephone answering machines, power wheelchairs, and other types of equipment. These switches might be activated by the tongue or the voice.
• Education. Audio books or Braille writing tools for the blind come under this category, along with resources that allow people to get additional vocational training.
• Job-related items. Any device or process that a person needs to do his or her job better or easier. Examples might include a special type of chair or pillow for someone who works at a desk or a back brace for someone who does physical labour.
• Orthotic or prosthetic equipment. A device that compensates for a missing or disabled body part. This could range from orthopaedic shoe inserts for someone who has fallen arches to an artif icial arm for someone whose limb has been amputated.
• Sensory enhancements. Anything that makes it easier for those who are partially or fully blind or deaf to better appreciate the world around them. For instance, a telecaption decoder for a T V set would be an assistive device.
Before purchasing any type of assistive device, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of each device, and make sure to f ind out if the device can be upgraded as improvements are introduced. Some important questions to ask are:
• Does a more advanced device meet more than one of my client’s needs?
• Does the manufacturer of the assistive technology have a preview policy that will let me try out a device and return it for credit if it does not work as expected?
• How up-to-date is this piece of assistive equipment? Is it likely to become obsolete in the immediate future?
So, whether your client simply needs a hand reaching something high up, or he/she needs help getting around the off ice, chances are there is an adaptive device that has been made especially for those purposes. It may seem small, but these devices can literally make a world of a difference for an individual living with a disability.
For more information on assistive devices, case studies and testimonials, please visit the Assistive Technology Clinic’s website at:
What are they and how can they be of benefit to my clients?
Adaptation
By Dayna Danson, Hons. BA
Spring 2011
“Just as individuals possess many different
types and severity of disabilities, many different categories of assistive devices and services are available
to overcome those disabilities”
20
A rehabilitation counsellor asks a colleague: “What time is it?”
The other one answers: “Sorry, don’t know, I have no watch.”
The first one: “Never mind! The main thing is that we talked about it.”
- Workjoke Profession Joke, 2009
Using humour in job development with clients and employers is needed
now more than ever. Using humour to improve clients’ attention and stimulate their participation in the learning required for their job search is often overlooked by the frontline employment support staff, including job developers. Wanzer et al. (2006) emphasize how current practices and research indicate strong support for using humour when appropriate in counselling, therapy and teaching. Parke (2004) explains further that sharing humour and laughter about critical or difficult subjects, like unemployment, helps facilitate adult learning; and the learner’s satisfaction and comprehension of the subject is improved. It can reduce stress and anxiety and help individuals cope more productively with stressful situations. Humour and laughter have the potential to break down social distance between counsellor and client as well as
facilitate effective learning for all ages and cultures (Weaver & Wilson, 1987; Wanzer et al. 2006; Wanzer & Frymier, 1999). Humor is a key interpersonal resource for building and maintaining rapport between the adult learner (client) and teacher (job developer or employment counselor), adds Lawson (2001). Engaging in humour and laughter enhances creativity and divergent thinking—the ability of the brain to bring together diverse ideas that will generate the thinking necessary for complex problem-solving (Morrison, 2008). Since learning occurs through involvement and enjoyment, humour creates a positive emotional atmosphere which is crucial for a successful learning experience (Dormann & Briddle, 2006).
There is an increase in the number of people looking for work on our caseloads—the competition to secure employers and job leads has intensified, combined with higher expectations of paid placements of our clients from the funders. As long as the job developers are sensitive to the diversity and needs of the people they are helping, and to when and where humour and laughter are used in these relationships, this can have a positive effect in the employment counselling and job developer relationships with their clients and employers (Wanzer & Frymier, 1999). This article presents some suggested techniques that job developers can use to help facilitate a fun, trusting and educational experience with their clients.
Funny Cartoons or Comic StripsParke (2004) explains that sharing humour and laughter about critical or difficult subjects helps facilitate adult learning, and comprehension of the subject is improved. For example, funny cartoons are excellent “plays on life” and mirror what is going on in a client’s personal life, or what is happening in the Canadian workplace (Weaver & Wilson, 1997, p. 111). Dilbert or Peanuts, for example, can be used in a job search skills workshop, especially to teach more complex skills like networking with the client, proving a point, or explaining Canadian workplace culture to a newcomer.
Comic strips can be created to simulate real-life occurrences (Weaver & Wilson, 2006) and discussions in the workshops or in one-on-one sessions with the client. They can be replaced each week or day on the job developer’s bulletin board and in the employment resource centre’s job and information boards. It might be even be fun to include cartoons and comic strips in the curriculum and lesson plans of workshops or sessions. These researchers add that it is important to remember to be sensitive in choosing these cartoons, especially when working with a culturally diverse population group. Comic strips can be emailed to employers to help build rapport with them.
Using Humour in Job
DevelopmentTechniques to adding zest to
your practice
By Joanna Samuels, BA, B.Ed
Application
“Sharing humour and laughter about difficult or critical subjects like unemployment, helps
facilitate adult learning”
“Since learning occurs through involvement
and enjoyment, humour creates a positive
emotional atmosphere”
21
A funny clip from the newspaper can lighten up the atmosphere with the employer, especially when your placement doesn’t work out!
Another way to add humour and laughter in job development practices is to clip funny quotations, sayings or jokes from books, magazines, the Internet, or even a quote from an employee, employer or client (Weaver & Wilson, 1997). As with the funny cartoons, they can be placed on your bulletin board and the employment centre’s job board. Reader’s Digest or other comical websites (such as: http://www.bestfunnyquotes.com/funny-work-quotes.shtml) are some suggested sources for this humourous material. It is important, however, to be careful with your selection as the academics emphasize that the quotes which put someone down may not be the type that should be used because “humour should always be a way to laugh with other people and not at others.”
Funny Anecdotes and YouTube Clips
Another method to teach job search skills such as cold calling to the clients is to share a story with a humourous outcome that is relevant to the client. For example, here is a story which I often share with my clients: I was working with an internationally trained professional who was looking for work in the information technology field. He researched and prepared a list of companies who would hire someone with his skills, experience and education. We prepared a cold calling script together and role played it. The client proceeded to cold call the hiring manager of the first company on the list. The manager was a director of the IT company. It turns out that this hiring manager was his relative from his home country! Luck and humour can sometimes go hand-in-hand!
YouTube clips are highly entertaining and the site is a humourous tool to use when teaching job search skills to the job seekers. For example, there is a popular video (which can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b56eAUCTLok) that refers to job interviews; it adds a
whole new perspective on the topic. The clip features cavemen of prehistoric times interviewing a potential candidate for their company. This parody of the interview process demonstrates the absurdity of the interview process and employers doing the hiring. When I show this clip as an icebreaker to clients in a job search workshop, the room fills with laughter and, on a serious note, leads to an interesting discussion on analyzing interviews. The television show “The Office” also makes for very funny clips as ice breakers for job search workshops, or getting a good laugh from a client or employer.
SmilingA smile can be contagious, particularly during high stress periods. Job developers who smile when working with their clients create a sense of “well-being and overall
or general satisfaction with oneself, one’s particular job, and with the workplace” (Weaver & Wilson, 1997, p. 113). The smile exudes a positive attitude and is essential for enabling the client to feel warm and welcome. One of the job search interview tips which the job developers use to coach their clients is to smile at the interviewee. Job developers should do the same with their clients and employers as it can help build the trust and rapport required in the relationship.
Be CarefulGarner (2006) stresses that humour can be complicated because it may be highly personal, subjective and contextual and the facilitator or trainer cannot always predict how it will be received. All of our clients and employers have diverse interpretations of what they find humorous due to differences in temperament, personal inherited characteristics, learning styles and life experiences, adds Garner. Culture, ethnicity, religious and racial differences play an important role in determining what is the appropriate use of humour. Not all cultures respond to humour in the same way. Certain cultures may not recognize humour as socially
Spring 2011
“Humour should always be a way to laugh with other people and not
at others”
acceptable (White, 2000). Brookfield (2005) cautions when using humour, it is important for teachers to understand that students have “different patterns of communication and with diversity in the classroom—race, culture, class, gender, learning styles, intelligence differences, and personalities—what to one person is a permissible question according to the standards of critical inquiry is rude, bigoted and hurtful to another” (p. 123).
Conclusion“I have to have a raise,” the man said to his boss. “There are three other companies after me.” “Is that so?” Asked the manager. “What other companies are after you?”
“The electric company, the telephone company, and the gas company.”
- Workjoke Profession Joke, 2009
An effective job developer can use the techniques of comic strips or cartoons, funny quotes, anecdotes or stories and YouTube clips to facilitate humour and laughter to keep clients and employers engaged and motivated. The research literature stresses that when used competently and appropriately, humour and laughter can create a fun environment for learning and can expand the clients’ comprehension, motivation and participation in his or her job search. In addition, it is a great way to help clients with dealing with their emotionally
draining and stressful job search and discouraging situation. Humour is an effective tool to build relationships and rapport with clients, employers and colleagues.
Because humour is one of the major traits of the best, most effective educators, the community organization should consider training its staff to use humour to their advantage (James, 2001). As job developers, we have to take our work seriously; but we cannot, however, take ourselves too seriously, as Weaver and Wilson (1997) stress. Humour can help our clients achieve their serious goals!
22
About the AuthorJoanna Samuels, B.A., B.Ed., is a job developer and team lead of Employer Services at
JVS Toronto. Over the past six years, she has been providing employment support services to unemployed and underemployed clients from diverse backgrounds. She also helps employers with recruitment and selection. Joanna is a certified Lifeskills Coach and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education. This article reflects the opinions of the author.
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Funny Quotes and Jokes
How many job developers does it take to change a light bulb?• The light bulb doesn’t need changing; it’s the system that needs to change. • None. The light bulb is not burnt out, it’s just differently lit. • Five. One to screw it in, three to form the support group, and one to help with placement.
References
Brookfield, S.D. (2006). The skillful teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dormann, C., & Biddle, R. (2006). Humour in game-based learning. Learning, Media and Technology, 31(4), 411-424. Garner, R. L. (2006). Humor in pedagogy: How ha-ha can lead to AHA!. College Teaching, 54(1), 177-179. James, D. (2001). A need for humor in online courses. College Teaching, 52(3), 93 – 94.
Morrison, M. K. (2008). Using humour to maximize learning: the links between position emotions and education. Lanham, MD: Rowman
Parke, J. (2004, March). Transformational learning and human resource development: advances toward a knowledge based society through humor. Paper presented at the 17th Symposium of the Academy of Human Resource Development International Conference (AHRD) Austin, TX
Tamargo-Weaver, S. & Wilson, C. (1997). Addiction counselors can benefit from appropriate humor in the work setting. Journal of Employment Counseling, 34, 108-114.
Wanzer, M. B., & Bainbridge Frymier, A. (1999). The relationship between student perceptions of instructor humor and students’ reports on learning. Communication Education, 48, 48-62
Wanzer, M. B., Bainbridge Frymier, A., Wojtaszczyk, A. M. & Smith, T. (2006). Appropriate and inappropriate uses of humor by teachers. Communication Education, 55(2), 178-196.
Workjoke Profession Joke (2009). Teachers Jokes. Retrieved March 8, 2009 from http://www.workjoke.com/teachers-jokes.html
23 Spring 2011
Text-to-voice and voice-to-text have literally opened up a whole new world
for individuals with disabilities. What was once impossible—a visually impaired person writing a text message or a speech impaired individual phoning a loved one, for example— is now not only possible but easy, accessible, and effortless.
Thanks to the passing of the ADA (American Disability Act), increased awareness for individuals with disabilities, and of course the rapid progressions of technology—speech recognition, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text technologies have ensured full integration and equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
Screen readers, for example, take on-screen text, graphics, and menus (among much more) and converts them or “verbalizes” them to speech. This technology allows users who are blind, dyslexic, visually impaired or illiterate to have the freedom to access text that previously would have been inaccessible to them, whether on a cell phone or computer screen.
One such device is called “TextSpeech Pro.” This device, designed for your PC, converts text to speech, allows users to modify voices, pitch, reading speed, volume and more. This program is also capable of reading only specific areas of the text which have been highlighted by the users. Another similar program called “Voice on the Go” provides mobile subscribers with access to email, SMS, calendar, contacts, Twitter, Facebook and more. Individuals can listen to, compose, reply and forward their email all by voice. “Voice on the Go” is not limited to simply helping individuals with disabilities; over 50 countries currently prohibit the use of cell phones while driving, meaning individuals who have a tough time pulling themselves away from the office can now compose and reply to emails while driving their car. Drivers caught talking, texting or sending emails while driving can be fined
up to $500, so this technology will not only save lives but will also save money.
With the effectiveness of text-to-speech devices clearly apparent, it’s no wonder that its counterpart, speech-to-text, has also recently found immense success. This technology allows people to give commands and enter data using their voices rather than a mouse. Users simply speak into a microphone attached to their computer to create text documents such as emails, letters, and more. There are also programs that convert audio to text, allowing deaf and hearing impaired individuals to read what is being said in podcasts, videos, etc.
While these text-to-speech devices are revolutionizing the workplace, they are also transforming the way individuals learn; students are now able to gain independence by relying on voice transcription software instead of on fellow students, therefore improving their educational experience and giving them self-sufficiency. A student who has difficulty taking notes, has hearing limitations, or limited hand movement can use the program to record a lecture that he/she will be able to listen to later, instead of struggling to keep up with written notes. Speech recognition technology is also helpful for students
who have restricted hand movement, and need to compose homework assignments or term papers. One text-to-speech program is called “Dragon Naturallyspeaking.” This device (similar to “Voice on the GO”), lets you interact with your PC just by talking to it; you can use your favourite applications to create documents and email, surf the Web, update Facebook and more.
Another assistive technology worth noting is an aid that allows individuals to call friends or loved ones by “speaking” into the call using typed text or stored phrases that are converted to voice messages. Now, individuals suffering from disabilities and diseases such as Cerebral Palsy, ASL, Multiple Sclerosis, stuttering or more can make telephone calls with ease. “Sitris,” one such device, allows an individual to use their program to leave voicemail messages, call clients to arrange meetings or partake in conference calls, among many other things.
With assistive technology more prominent than ever, programs that convert text-to-voice and voice-to-text are becoming not only popular among disabled individuals but also necessary amongst them. The creation of this new equipment has given individuals with reading and listening disabilities the freedom to work efficiently and independently in the workplace. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Text Speech Pro: http://www.textspeechpro.com/index.html
Voice on the Go: http://www.voiceonthego.com/wordpress/
1. The use of the latest devices in Assistive Technology (AT) allows for:A) Faster messaging B) Increased independence C) Reduced cost D) None of the above
2. One of the new and exciting areas of Assistive Technology (AT) includes:A) Apps for the iPad B) Bigger computer screens C) Voice-activated cell phones D) All of the above
3. What is the first stage of the assessment process?A) Collaboration B) Interpretation C) Information-gathering D) Setting reasonable goals
4. When structuring your interpretation, it is imperative that you:A) Remain focused B) Produce computer-generated reports C) Begin with the end in mind D) Communicate results to influential decision-makers
5. In what year was the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed?A) 1953 B) 1975 C) 1960 D) 1990
6. The resume process is all about:A) Communication B) Certainty C) Respect D) All of the above
7. The resume-writing process accomplishes which of the following important tasks:A) Creates a solid working relationship with you and the client B) Bringt the client on board to see themselves as being in the process C) Demonstrates the value of the client for a new employer D) All of the above
8. An Ontarian caught making a phone call, texting, or emailing while driving can face a fine of up to:A) $500 B) $100 C) $1,000 D) None of the above
9. Engaging in humour and laughter enhances: A) Originality B) Creativity C) Innovation D) Imagination
10. Humour can be complicated because it may be:
A) Highly personal B) Subjective C) Contextual D) All of the above
11. According to Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers, how many hours of practice are required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert?A) 1,000 B) 10,000 C) 5,000 D) 15,000
12. In order to become a vocational evaluator, it is important that you:
A) Join CAVEWAS and VRA Canada B) Attend conferences and professional development events C) Get certified D) All of the above
13. Making a sound ethical decision requires which of the following:
A) Contemplation B) Meditation C) Reflection D) Consideration
14. Which of the following programs allows individuals to make phone calls by using typed text or stored phrases?
A) Sitris B) Text on the Go C) Dragon Naturallyspeaking D) TextSpeech Pro
15. Humour is a key interpersonal resource for building and maintaining_____ between the adult learner and teacher:
A) Rapport B) Hope C) Distrust D) Belief
16. Some clients will fight you every step of the resume process because:
A) They are lazy B) They don’t think they need a resume C) They already think their resume is up to par. D) Creating a resume is hard work emotionally
17. Which city was the last to repeal its “Ugly Law” in 1974?
A) Texas B) Chicago C) New York D) South Dakota
18. When consulting an AT specialist, it is important that you ensure they are:
A) Friendly B) Qualified C) Intelligent D) Cultured
19. One important change that is occurring in assistive technology is:
A) An explosion of voice-based technologies B) An increase in funding from the Canadian government C) Decreased access to assistive technology devices to the general public D) None of the above
20. The resume is often dubbed the:A) True multitasker B) Character reference C) Individual testimony D) Personal memo
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24Spring 2011
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Colette BourgonjeAthlete and Multiple Medal Winner in the
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