CONNECT-ABILITY

SEE THE ABILITY. SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

GROWING OPPORTUNITY

Spring 2008

For several years, Connect-Ability's stakeholders have been laying the groundwork for a new employment environment in Connecticut. With the warm weather, the seeds we have planted are starting to grow. In the next few months, our third Employment Summit, local initiatives, and new video clips will provide a crop of new opportunities for Connecticut businesses and jobseekers. Bringing employers together with highly motivated, highly skilled workers is what we are all about. To learn what we've got growing, read on.

The Changing Workplace

The theme of Connect-Ability's Third Annual Employment Summit reflects the many changes employers face. The event will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

A hearty networking breakfast will be followed by interesting speakers and table discussion groups. See the unveiling of exciting new resources that will support jobseekers in pursuing employment and prepare employers to engage with them. Watch newly developed videos that promote employment for people with hidden disabilities, see the innovative strategies used by 2008 Top Employers, and be the first to get a glimpse of interactive video tools for employers.

Thursday, June 12 promises to be a fast-paced, productive learning experience for all.

Transportation: Making Connections

Connect-Ability and the Connecticut Department of Transportation cosponsored the "Transportation: Making Connections" Forum on Thursday, May 15 at the Connecticut Expo Center in Hartford.

This half-day forum highlighted the need for affordable, efficient and accessible transportation for people with disabilities. Attendees had an opportunity to share ideas and learn more about new innovations and best practices.

Watch for a summary of the Forum in the next issue of Spotlights.

What's New with the Website

Connect-Ability's website continues to grow as new resources become available. Several key elements were recently added:

The Youth section now features a blog where Connect-Ability's teen correspondents share their stories, perspectives, and dreams. As young people prepare to transition into the world of work or higher education, we hope that they will find inspiration and support in the words of the eight bloggers, and respond with their questions and comments.

The Transportation section now includes two new items. Under Public Transportation Options, click on the word "video" to see "Opening Doors," a five-minute film that shows people with disabilities using public transportation and gives an overview of the equipment and services now available. On the same page, click on "Train" to see the two-page "Tips for First-Time Train Users," which gives information and encouragement to try out this important transportation resource.

New Video Highlights Attorney Living with Bipolar Disorder

In the latest of our video series about people with disabilities, Connect-Ability features Kathy Flaherty, a successful attorney with Statewide Legal Services in Middletown.

In the video, Ms. Flaherty speaks candidly about her time at Harvard Law School, her diagnosis with bipolar disorder, and work and life since then. At the same time, she dispels myths about mental illness and acts as a role model. Interviews with Ms. Flaherty's employer and coworker add depth to the understanding of what she brings to their organization.

A 30-second commercial offers the public a glimpse of this attorney whose passion is empowering her clients to advocate for themselves.

Watch for more TV, radio, and print advertisements about what people with disabilities bring to the workplace. And click on Media Gallery at www.connect-ability.com to see the extended clips.

Partnership with the Hartford Business Journal

Connect-Ability is pleased about its new partnership with the Hartford Business Journal. This partnership will enable us to reach new audiences, as HBJ is respected around the state and holds numerous employer-based events each year.

On March 25, Connect-Ability was a signature sponsor of "The Best Places to Work in Connecticut," an event which was attended by over 400 employers. Connect-Ability received excellent exposure throughout the evening: our Project Director handed out the awards, we offered materials and answered questions at our booth; and our initiative was featured in the program booklet as well as in the issue of the Hartford Business Journal which highlighted the event.

This partnership will make it possible to promote our project at other events throughout the year. In addition, Connect-Ability will be included in the Rising Star book, an impressive book with photos of Hartford and comprehensive information about Hartford-area businesses.

As a result of our work with the Hartford Business Journal, we anticipate building new relationships with employers and assisting them in strengthening their workforce through the hiring of individuals with disabilities.

Local Level Pilots Chosen

Ten organizations and non-profit agencies have been awarded funding by Connect-Ability through the Department of Social Services' Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. Grantees will be preparing strategic plans over the next few months, and can be awarded up to $200,000 each to implement creative ways to help people with disabilities join the workforce.

The following is a list of the successful bidders, and the priority areas and communities they will serve:

Oak Hill/New England Assistive Technology Center will focus on Recruiting, Hiring and Promoting in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Windsor, Wethersfield, New Britain, Farmington, and Avon.

Padres Abriendo Puertas/Parents Opening Doors will focus on School to Work Transition in Hartford and New Britain.

The Workplace, Inc. will focus on School to Work Transition in lower Fairfield and New Haven towns including Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bridgeport, Darien, Derby, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Westport, Weston, and Wilton.

Connecticut Association of Centers for Independent Living will focus on Recruiting, Hiring and Promoting in the Windham region including Ashford, Chaplin, Columbia, Coventry, Hampton, Lebanon, Mansfield, Scotland, Willington, and Windham.

Futures, Inc. will focus on School to Work Transition in Hartford.

Capitol Region Education Council will focus on School to Work Transition in the Bloomfield and Rocky Hill public schools.

Bristol Community Organization, Inc. will focus on School to Work Transition in Bristol and Plymouth.

Workforce Alliance will focus on School to Work Transition and Recruiting, Hiring and Promoting in several towns including Bethany, Branford, Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Haven, Essex, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Killingworth, Madison, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Old Saybrook, Orange, Portland, Wallingford, West Haven, Westbrook, and Woodbridge.

City of New Haven Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities will focus on School to Work Transition in New Haven County.

The Arc of New London County will focus on School to Work Transition in Norwich, Waterford, and Lisbon.

It is Connect-Ability's hope that by working intensively in local areas, new partnerships and strategies will be developed that can be used in other parts of the state, and which may endure after our grant ends.

Copyright © 2008.

Connect-Ability is managed by Connecticut Department of Social Services.

Funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services