Disability Mentoring Day

A Year-Round Program That is Observed Each Year in October.

Disability Mentoring Day is a large-scale, broad -based effort designed to promote career development for students and other job seekers with disabilities (mentees) through hands-on career exploration, job shadowing and internship or employment opportunities, and matching of mentee/mentor relationships. This program is hosted nationally in regions around the country by the American Association of People with disabilities (AAPD), in close partnership with the Social Security Administration, as well as many national corporate sponsors, whose generosity and participation make this program possible. 

Each year, Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is observed in   October, in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  This year DMD is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29,2008. However the actual mentoring experience can happen anytime in October.  Or anytime during the year that is fits the schedule of the Mentor & Mentee.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF DMD?

• To enhance internship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

• To promote disability as a central component of diversity recruitment for a more inclusive workforce.

• To dispel employers' fears about hiring people with disabilities.

• To increase confidence among students and job seekers with disabilities.

• To serve as a launching point to promote a year-round national effort to foster mentoring and career exploration opportunities.

WHAT HAPPENS ON DISABILITY MENTORING DAY?

ONE-ON-ONE JOB SHADOWING. Mentees with disabilities are matched with work place mentors according to expressed career interests. This enables mentees to learn more from their assigned mentors about a typical day on the job and how to prepare for that particular career.

GROUP VISITS TO WORKSITES. Mentees with disabilities can tour a workplace, meet with its various employees, and learn firsthand about different types of jobs and related opportunities within that career field.

DIVERSE PROGRAMMATIC EVENTS.  In addition, the Western New York community also plans a kick-off breakfast for mentors and mentees at the HSBC Center in downtown Buffalo which is followed by one-on-one mentoring at the mentor's workplace.  Last year, more than 9,000 students and job seekers with disabilities participated in DMD. They were mentored by almost 1,500 private, non-profit, governmental, and educational organizations.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

How do students and Job seekers benefit?

• Learn firsthand about internship and job opportunities.

• Develop lasting mentor relationships.

• Target career skills for improvement.

• Explore possible career paths.

• Demonstrate skills to potential employers.

• Work closely with someone working in their desired career field.

• Understand the vital connection between school and work.

• Gain greater confidence in their employability.

How do employers benefit?

• Recruit short and long-term interns.

• Gain access to a pool of new emerging talent.

• Learn more about the experience of disability.

• Develop lasting relationships with disability community leaders.

• Gain exposure through media coverage of the event.

• Demonstrate positive leadership in their community.

• Promote job satisfaction with and the development of their current workforce.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

If you are a student or job seeker with a disability who is interested in getting involved as a mentee, or if you are an employer, educator or vocational counselor who is interested in becoming involved as a workplace mentor,  Contact your local coordinator, Chuck Root, at 716.856-8139 Ext. 3179. Or you can register on line by clicking on the MENTOR APPLICATION or MENTEE APPLICATION.