Volume 17 Number 3 • 2004
Customized Employment Project
By B. Roger Shelley, The University of Montana Rural Institute
The Montana Choice: Customized Employment project is a Montana
Job Training Partnership-administered and U.S. Department of
Labor-funded project. The University of Montana Rural Institute
provides training and technical assistance to the project.
The purpose of Montana Choice is to increase the integration of
people with severe disabilities into the workforce. In order to
accomplish this, the Montana Job Training Partnership (MJTP), the
Rural Institute, Lone Eagle Consulting, and Roberts Consulting
Services are working in four Montana communities that have Workforce
Centers in the Job Service offices. The communities are Butte,
Cutbank, Glasgow, and Hamilton. Each Center does outreach to neighboring
communities, including Anaconda, Browning, Dillon, and Wolf Point.
During the course of the five-year project, a minimum of 352 individuals
with disabilities will receive direct-client services. By the end
of the five-year period, we expect 60 percent of all project participants
will have entered conventional work or self-employment, earning
an average wage of $8.50 an hour. Each Workforce Center has dedicated
project funds to distribute to help clients with disabilities achieve
their employment goals. Partnering with local vocational rehabilitation
counselors to provide extended funding for employment options for
people is also highly encouraged.
The project's comprehensive strategy will create systems
change through a consortium of partners. MJTP and Rural Institute,
along with Robert's Consulting staff, will engage local Workforce
Community Management Teams (CMT) in strategic planning. Two hundred
front-line staff, parents, individuals with disabilities, and community
stakeholders will participate in the strategic planning and implementation
of the customized employment project. The strategic plans will
identify strategies and interventions to support customer choice
and provide quality services which lead to successful job attainment.
Each Workforce Center will receive training and technical assistance
to enhance the capacity of their already professional, well-trained,
and versatile staff in customized employment strategies as well
as to be responsive to the needs and interests of each customer.
The project will document customized employment services that are
used, such as e-commerce, self-employment, microbusiness, entrepreneurship,
telework, and competitive employment. E-commerce and telework training
and technical assistance services are provided by Frank Odasz of
Lone Eagle Consulting in Dillon, Montana.
Project Goals
Montana Choice's goals are:
- To engage local Workforce Community Management Teams
in strategic planning which affects the design, development, evolution,
continuous improvement, and evaluation of the Montana Workforce
System.
- To explore strategies and undertake initiatives to increase
the recruitment of job seekers with disabilities who have not traditionally
accessed the Workforce Centers
- To provide capacity building workshops and technical
assistance for project staff, workforce development personnel,
Community Management Team members, local stakeholders and job
seekers that will expand and enhance customized employment opportunities
in their communities
- To pilot a training model for individuals with disabilities,
workforce development staff, and Community Management Team members
who are interested in e-commerce or telecommuting opportunities.
- To demonstrate innovative customized employment strategies.
- To develop the quality and effectiveness of the "customized
employment" model of services, for and with the job seeker,
in each of the Workforce Centers impacted by the project.
- To develop and successfully implement a technology-support
and video conferencing-based network at each Workforce Center
for the purpose of providing cross-training and technical assistance
between and among all partners in a way that promotes mutual
collaboration, problem solving, and sharing of blueprints for
success.
- To develop and implement a comprehensive system for
electronic dissemination of project activities, outcomes, and
resources.
To find out more about the Montana Choice project
you can contact:
Lisa Newman, Project Director
Montana Job Training Partnership
302 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite 409
Helena, MT 59601
(406) 444-1330
lnewman@mjtp.org
B. Roger Shelley, Project Director
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Home Office: (406) 445-9168
r.shelley@worldnet.att.net
Frank Odasz
Lone Eagle Consulting
2200 Rebich Lane
Dillon, MT 59725
(406) 683-6270
frank@lone-eagles.com
http://lone-eagles.com
To find out if you are eligible to enroll in the project, you may contact
the Workforce Center or project administrator in your area.
Julie Hallock
Northeast Montana Job Service/Workforce Center
74 4th St. North
Glasgow, MT 59230
(406) 228-9369
jhallock@state.mt.us
Ron Rides at the Door
Rocky Mountain Front
Workforce Center
501 E. Main
Cutbank, MT 59427
(406) 873-2191
rridesatthedoor@state.mt.us
Richard Clautu
Bitterroot Job Service/
Workforce Center
333 W. Main
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 375-6047
rclautu@state.mt.us
Bob Nichols
Ravalli Services
Community Employment
Box 558
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 363-5400
rsc@cybernet1.com
Dave Coleman
Southwest Montana Workforce Center
2201 White Blvd.
Butte, MT 59701
(406) 494-0310
dcoleman@state.mt.us
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