>> We have a very exciting agenda today. And it's quite packed. This afternoon, we're going to be talking about the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives for young adults. And Marlene Ulisky, from the National Disability Institute, will be joining us. We are also joined this afternoon by Tad Asbury, from the Marriott Foundation for People With Disabilities. And he's going to give us a bunch of information about some resources for young adults. And also some lessons you should know as you enter the world of work. And he'll talk about a couple of additional organizations that he works with, as well. At this point, I want to thank everyone for joining us again. And I'm going to introduce Marlene Ulisky. Marlene is with the National Disability Institute. She is a subject matter expert on Ticket to Work and Work Incentives. And see also worked as an area work incentive coordinator in the state of Florida for many years. So we're very lucky to have Marlene talk to us today about the Ticket to Work program. And Marlene, take it away. Let's see. I'm going to go ahead and unmute Marlene. Marlene, are you there? >> Okay. Got it. Thank you, Jayme. And thank you all for attending this afternoon. Many of you out there have taken a big step. And I think it's a big step in the right direction, by listening to the webinar today. Today, we're going to provide you with some valuable information and some valuable resources. Particularly, for young adults with disabilities. I know some of you may be receiving a disability-based benefit, or SSI, Supplemental Security Income. And knowing that you want to work and you can work. And not knowing where to go for the services you need to get started on the road. And some of you may be a bit frightened due to the complexity of programs. And I can fully understand that. The programs are very, very complex. The Disability Insurance Benefits program, the Supplemental Security Income benefits program. The work incentives, or what we call Employment Support Program. Or the Ticket to Work program. So we're here today to provide you with a lot of information. And a lot of resources to get you going, to take another step. And it's a step, again, as I said, in the right direction. So let's get started by first talking a little bit about the two programs administered by the Social Security Administration. Which pay a disability-based benefit. And the first program we'll talk about today is SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Now, SSDI, sometimes it's referred to as Title II, because it's administered by Title II of the Social Security Act. It pays a benefit either to you, or to certain members of your family. If you have a disability, and if you apply for the benefit, and if you met the rules. And one of the rules is that the wage earner. The person who had been working, paid into the SSDI trust fund. They paid their FICA taxes. They must meet what's called an insured status requirement. Which means that they worked recently enough and long enough to be insured. It's kind of like an insurance program. Other folks, too, can become eligible for benefits under this program. You may have heard of DAC -- D, A, C. Or what is called a disabled adult child. And that is someone who became disabled prior to the age of 22. And they are drawing the benefit off a parent's record. And the parent is either disabled, and receiving a benefit under Social Security. Or retired, and receiving a benefit from Social Security. Or deceased. Now, the benefits under SSDI are actually paid from the trust fund. You paid into it, and you're actually drawing your benefit from it. There are no income or resource limits placed upon these benefits. So actually, you virtually could be a billionaire or a millionaire. And receive this sort of a benefit -- this type of a benefit. And with SSDI benefits, for most people in general, Medicare comes along with it after 24 months. Now, if you're unsure what type of a benefit you're receiving. One of the ways you may know that you're receiving this sort of a benefit is when you're paid. Or when that money is directly deposited into your account. SSDI benefits are paid either on the third of the month, or on a Wednesday. So it would be actually on the second, third, or the fourth Wednesday of the month. Now, if you're not sure, and you aren't positive what type of a benefit you're receiving. You can always contact the Ticket to Work helpline. And they'll put you in touch with a benefit planner, or a work incentive planning and assistance grantee. And we'll talk a little bit more in future slides about the Ticket to Work helpline. We'll provide you with a telephone number. And we'll also provide you with a website. And we'll also tell you how to get in touch with a WIPA, or benefit planner. The benefit planners actually have on staff specially trained staff. Who are called CWICs, or Certified Work Incentive Coordinators. And they can help you to understand the programs a little bit better. And again, at the end of the presentation, we'll provide you with the resources that you need to get started. The other program under which Social Security pays a disability-based benefit is Supplemental Security Income benefits. And with Supplemental Security Income benefits, again, you have to apply for the benefit. You must qualify for the benefit. You do not need to meet an insured status requirement. Folks may have not worked in their lifetime. They may not have worked recently, or long enough to meet an insured status requirement. But nevertheless, they're disabled, and may apply for a benefit. If they have limited income and limited resources, they may qualify for this benefit. And this benefit is actually a needs-based program. The maximum an individual can receive under Supplemental Security Income is $733 in a month. $733 a month, and that actually is in a state without optional supplementation. Now, if you are paid, or your money is directly deposited on the first of the month. You are likely receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits. Now, Medicaid is linked to SSI in most states. And it comes right along with it. But in a few states, you must apply. And you have to establish your eligibility for Medicaid with another agency. Again, if you're not sure if you're receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits. A good resource is the Ticket to Work helpline. Supplemental Security Income benefits too, you may often hear it referred to as Title XVI of the Social Security Act. Now, some folks out there may be receiving both SSDI benefits and SSI benefits. Or SSDI and SSI, or concurrent benefits. And what that is, is they may have worked, and they may have paid into the trust fund. Or they may have a parent who worked and was insured. But the amount of the benefit is low enough that Social Security could supplement their benefit with Supplemental Security Income. So to receive concurrent benefits, they have to meet the income and the resource guidelines of the SSI program to qualify. And folks like this may have both Medicare and Medicaid. So when it comes to folks who are actually receiving both types of benefits, it starts to get a little complex. And those are the folks that actually need to contact a benefit planner. So that they truly understand how work will affect their benefits. So they truly understand the Ticket to Work program, so that there are no surprises. Now, with concurrent benefits, it means that the person or the individual is receiving two checks a month. And work affects each of those just a little differently. So if you're working right now, or you're seeking work. I would encourage you to telephone the Ticket to Work helpline to learn more about the resources out there. And to help you understand how work affects each of those benefits. And to learn actually how to report this work to the Social Security Administration. Now, why choose work? Well, there's a couple reasons shown on your screen. And one of the reasons shown is to earn more income. Now, I know that those out there who are receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits. If you're receiving the maximum in a state without the optional supplementation. $733 is not a whole lot to live on. In fact, when I did a little bit of research before putting together this PowerPoint. I learned that for individuals on the Supplemental Security Income rules between the ages of 18 and 64. The average SSI benefit was $559, which is even worse. And that was based upon a February 2016 statistical snapshot. Which was actually posted on the Social Security Administration's website. Now, both of those figures are under the 2016 federal poverty level. And for those receiving SSDI benefits, the picture is not a lot brighter. The average benefit is around $1,165 a month. And again, that's not a whole lot of money to live on. And that figure is just slightly above the federal poverty level for one person in 2016. Now, many individuals will choose work for more income. They can actually work part-time, or they can work full-time. Or take a temporary job. Or work just a short time to pay for a one-time expense. It's a way to bring in more income for what's needed. Now, many of us have goals. And I encourage you right now to set some goals. So that you have something to strive for and look forward to down the road. For those of you young adults out there, it may be something I looked forward to when I was your age. Which was a long time ago. But it was a first car. And I also wanted to save to further my education. Something real important. And I wanted to travel. I wanted -- some folks out there, I know you'd like to earn more. But you're not certain where to go. Tad will be telling us in a little bit about some of the programs that can help young adults. Or help individuals with disabilities to find a program to help them to become employed. Another reason why some folks choose work is to gain independence. Maybe you don't want to rely on your parents. Or maybe rely on others for some of the things you need. Because after all, you are a young adult. Maybe you want to move out of your parent's home. Maybe you want to get your first apartment. And maybe you need money for a security deposit on the apartment. Or maybe a security deposit on the utilities. And work is one way to get there. Another reason why some folks choose work is to meet new people. Now, work is one of the very best ways that I have found to meet new people and expand my horizons. You may have been out of school for a year or more, and may have lost touch with some of your friends. But maybe now you're ready to meet new people and increase your circle of friends and circle of support. Because, think, after all, friends do support one another. They support one another in good times and in bad times. It almost sounds like a marriage, I think, doesn't it? But speaking of in good times and in bad times. It may be a way, actually, to meet a mate. For those of you who may be interested, work is one of the ways to get there, if that is where you're going. And the last way shown on your screen is learning new skills. You can receive on-the-job training, or training to do new things. You could sharpen your interpersonal skills. Maybe your computer skills, and so on. And down the road, it may even eventually help you to get even a better job. So starting your journey. Only you can decide if work is the right choice for you. Maybe you aren't sure if you want to go to work. Or if you're unsure if you can do it. Maybe the work incentives are a little scary, because you don't understand them. Or maybe you don't think that you can physically or mentally work full-time. I encourage you to get out there and test the waters. You can choose to work part-time and gradually built up to full-time. You can gradually increase your hours. The choice is always yours. And that's what I love about the Ticket to Work program. The Ticket to Work program is all about choice. It's a free program. It's a voluntary program. And it offers career development for people between the ages of 18 and 64. Who receive a disability-based benefit or Supplemental Security Income benefits from the Social Security Administration. And although this webinar is targeting young adults. The information in this webinar actually pertains to all individuals with disabilities. The Ticket to Work program is a program for individuals who want to become self-sufficient. But it allows individuals to choose their provider. Providers in the programmer are called employment networks. But they're nothing more than providers of services. They can provide all types of support services. An employment network can also be a state vocational rehabilitation agency. Now, some of the support services could be things like job training. On-the-job training, job coaching, placement services. Resume services, benefits counseling, transportation services, accommodations. It could be just so many things. Both the individual and the provider must agree to work together. And once that happens, a work plan is developed and the ticket is assigned to the employment network, or to state VR. And when it's assigned, it means that Social Security will not conduct the regularly scheduled medical reviews. So long as you're actively progressing toward achieving your goals and your plans. Now I know that some individuals do not even attempt to work. Because there's a fear out there that the Social Security Administration will review their case while they're working, and they'll terminate benefits. And I think we all know that the Social Security Administration is required by law to conduct the medical reviews. And generally, they're conducted either annually, every three years, every five years, or every seven years by law. Most reviews are, though, conducted every three years. Now, if you're precipitating in the Ticket to Work program, the regularly scheduled medical reviews are not conducted. And that really is a great protection. So, as for taking that next step, like any other major decision, gathering information and resources. The key to a smooth transition into employment. And in just a moment, Tad will be providing us with some additional resources to both programs. Which will help get us started. After all, we all need to know the facts. You need to know specifically how work will affect your benefits. Not only your cash benefits, but also your Medicare, your Medicaid. And other state benefits you may receive. And you need to know where you could go for the assistance you need. Now, some of us do like surprises. But in this case, I don't think that any of us would like something unexpected to occur. So you need to know the facts. You need them in black and white. Maybe you need to read about them, to understand them. Maybe you need to hear about them. To listen to prior webinars. Or maybe you're just not sure. And you want to learn about what others have experienced in the program. You want to hear some success stories. Or maybe you're just not certain what services you need. Or for that matter, what services are offered. And you want to see them all. So that you could determine what you think best fits your needs. And I have the answer for you. The Ticket to Work helpline and the website can provide a lot of valuable information. Resources to assist you in understanding the program. Now, I know I've provided a lot of information and a lot for you to think about. And I'm suggesting that you contact, or you consider taking that next step. And contacting the Ticket to Work helpline. Now, along with contacting -- let me go back for a second. The Ticket to Work helpline, their number is 1-866-968-7842. Or the TTY number is 1-866-833-2967. Their website is www.choosework.net. So, along with contacting the Ticket to Work helpline. It's real important to know that Social Security is behind you 100%. And they really support you in your efforts to work. Social Security and the Social Security Administration have what's called work incentives. And actually, they're employment support programs, or special rules in place. Which allow you to receive training for new skills. To improve the skills you already have. Maybe to pursue your education. To start a career. To try a different job. Or to gain confidence. Many of the work incentives are like safety nets. They protect benefits like Medicare, or Medicaid, or even cash benefits. And if you are successful with your work, and your benefits end. And you have to have to stop working later. The work incentives, specifically expedited reinstatement, makes it easier to get back on the rules. And start receiving benefits again without filing a new application. There's also some other work incentives for young adults. There are a couple in particular that are real important. One of them is called the Student Earned Income Exclusion. And that, actually, is a work incentive applicable to individuals who receive an SSI-based benefit. And it applies to those who are working, and under the age of 22. And regularly attending school. And regularly, in the Social Security regulations, is defined in a number of ways. But one of the ways is if they attend college for eight hours a week. And there are provisions in their policy for attending school even online. One of the ways you can find out about the Student Earned Income Exclusion. Again, is by contacting the Ticket to Work helpline. And they can put you in touch with a WIPA, a work incentives planning and assistance grantee. Who we also call a benefits planner. Now, with this work incentive, it's a very, very powerful work incentive. Because the Social Security Administration will actually exclude up to $1,780 per month in gross earnings. Or up to $7,180 per year off the top of your earnings, when they calculate the SSI payment amount. It's truly a wonderful work incentive. There is another work incentive out there that it's just as powerful. It's called a PASS. And a PASS is the Plan for Achieving Self-Support. And generally, we see that folks were repeating an SSI benefit may use PASSes. But sometimes an individual on the SSDI rules can qualify for a PASS if they meet the other eligibility rules for the SSI program. And it's where an individual can set aside earnings, or a resource. For expenses associated with achieving a work goal. And the expenses could be for items like education or vocational training. Or maybe transportation, or things like that. Or books, tuition. And the Social Security Administration does not count the income of the resources that are set aside when they figure the SSI payment amount. Or when they determine continued eligibility. And it's a good way to pay for expenses associated with achieving that goal. Particularly if that goal will reduce or eliminate dependence on government benefits. The other program is the Ticket to Work program. And we've already talked a little bit about that. And the Ticket to Work program applies to individual who are receiving a disability-based benefit. So between the ages of 18 and 64. And they have a lot of choice in using that Ticket to Work, or not using the Ticket to Work. Because it's a voluntary program. But if they choose to use the Ticket to Work. They can use it to go to either a state VR agency. Or to a nontraditional employment network, to be provided with a variety of services. Some of the services, we've already talked about. To assist them in achieving their goal. And while that Ticket to Work is actually assigned to the employment network or to state VR. And when they are actively progressing toward achieving that work goal. The regularly scheduled medical reviews are suspended. It's really, really a good work incentive. Now, a few slides ago, we asked the question, why work? Or why choose work? But after hearing some of the information we've provided, the question which pops into my mind right now is, why not? The time is right. You're just beginning your journey to independence. Many of you are just beginning your careers. Or you would like to begin working. Some of you may not have worked yet in your lifetime, but you'd like to work. You know where you could find the resources you need. And I know that you could be very successful on your journey. And now, I think I'm going to turn it over to -- or back to Jayme. And we're going to hear from Tad in a bit. So Jayme, take it away. >> Thanks so much, Marlene. And that was a lot of really wonderful information in a very short amount of time. So can you repeat for us again how people can get their specific questions answered? And I will, actually, I think I'm going to click back to our slide about the Ticket to Work helpline. So Marlene, how do people get their questions about work incentives answered? >> Okay. The easiest way to get their questions answered. And if just depends if you like to read a lot. Or if you would like to talk to someone in person. Or talk to someone over the telephone. Or if you would like to do both. Because the Ticket to Work program is all about choice. So the easiest way is to telephone the Ticket to Work helpline. That number is 1-866-968-7842. Or the TTY number is 1-866-833-2967. Now, some of you may want to actually see something in black and white, and read it. And if you visit the choose work website, it's shown on your screen. And that website is www.choosework.net. It provides a wealth of information. There are archived webinars. There are success stories. There are tutorials. There are questions and answers. And there, actually, at the top of the page, there's a link to the Social Security Administration work website. And that website also provides you with the rules and the policy with regards to how work affects benefits. And it provides you with more detailed information about everything we've talked about today. In addition to that, if you go to the website, there is a tool on there. Where you could punch in either a ZIP Code or a state. And be brought to all of the employment networks. State VR agencies, the benefit planners. And actually, the advocacy component in your state. So that you can call them. Or you can see what services are provided. So that you can shop around and see what's best for you. Because, as I said before, it's all about choice. And it's your choice. >> Thanks Marlene, that's great information. We also have someone out there wondering about Student Earned Income Exclusion. They would like to know if a student attending vocational training could also be eligible for Earned Income Exclusion. If attending at least eight hours a week? Or does it have to be college? >> It would -- I'm not positive of that. So for that question, I believe it is vocational school. But I would check with my work invented planning and assistance grantee. I would check with my WIPA. Because those are the folks that actually could provide the best information. I know that it could be training in a university or a college. Or it could be a training course to prepare for employment. I believe it covers that, but I can't say that for certain. I think it would be best for this person to actually check with their benefit planner. To get the best answer and the right answers for them. They could also telephone the Ticket to Work helpline for information. If they're not sure who the benefit planner is in their particular area. And they could be linked up with that person, or with that organization. >> Thanks, Marlene. And as Marlene mentioned, you can also find your local WIPA on -- by calling the Ticket to Work helpline. Or you can also visit choosework.net and find our find help tool. And I'll be sharing that resource at the end of the webinar. But you can basically put in your zip code or your city and state. And it will tell you all about all the local service providers that can help you figure out some of this information. So I am going to click ahead to Tad's presentation. Tad Asbury is joining us today from the Marriott Foundation For People With Disabilities. He's been with the foundation since 2003. The foundation also has a program that serves as an employment network. And Tad is going to tell us a little bit about what that is. And that program called Bridges From School to Work. And he's also going to provide us with quite a few other resources that can be helpful for young adults. So Tad, I am going to turn it over to you. >> Thank you, Jayme. I appreciate your introduction. And welcome to everyone who is joining on the call today. It's great to be here with you. I would like to start by just telling you very briefly about an employment network. And I'd like to spend a few minutes talking about our Bridges From School to Work program. And then we'll go in a little more deeply into the transition process. And with just some lessons that we've learned over 25 years of working with young adults with disabilities. Things that might be helpful to you or the youth who you serve. So as an employment network, Bridges From School to Work offers services that help you go into the world of work. So we have an agreement with the Social Security Administration. And we provide these employment services. They are -- can be as extensive as job readiness training, resume building. Assisting you with the interviewing process. Assisting you with looking for work, preparing for interviews, going into the interviews. Going to orientations when you get that first job. Or if that job just isn't successful, then trying to get that second job, etcetera. And then staying with you as you progress on the job. So it's comprehensive services while you're going through that employment process. And we'll go into quite a bit more detail about that in a couple of minutes. As Marlene mentioned a moment ago, state vocational rehabilitation agencies can also serve as ENs. So we -- The Marriott Foundation, Bridges From School to Work program -- operate as an EN in all of our sites around the country. We have a particular emphasis on our programs in the Midwest. Particularly in Chicago, where we've served a number of youth who are receiving SSI benefits. We provide services to youth who are not on SSI, as well. So we see ourselves as a non-categorical provider of services to youth with disabilities. Okay. So I'll jump ahead then. And let me just take a moment to also mention that the Bridges From School to Work program is. It was created by the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. You may know the Marriott name because of the many, many thousands of hotels around the country and around the world. In fact, we have in the next couple of weeks, with a major merger. The Marriott will have -- it will be the largest hotel company in the world. With more than one 1.1 million rooms. That's a whole nother [phonetic] story altogether. What Marriott did 25 years ago, was to develop the foundation to assist young adults with disabilities in helping them into the world of work. Marriott was seeing from many years before that if you find the right person, the right job. Then disabilities aside, fantastic things can happen for the company and for the employer. So they created this Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. And the program that was created from that was Bridges From School to Work. The mission, as it's laid out here for our program, is to transform the lives of young adults with disabilities. Through the power of a job. Now, we're going to be spending a few minutes talking about that power of a job. Just as Marlene was saying a few minutes ago, this is -- when thinking of choosing work and her rhetorical question. Well, why not? We would completely agree with that. This is an absolutely opportune time to go into the world of work. And think about the power of that job. Whether it's your first job, or second or third job. It's through the power of a job that an employer, the businesses, will see value in what you bring to that business. The skills and abilities that you have. It is through the power of a job that you can develop confidence in a job well done. As you grow and advance on that job. Through the power of a job, you can also assist in providing support for your family. Or support for yourself. As you gain work experience, increase on your abilities on the job. Make more money, and use that for all, any host of things that you want to do. As Marlene was saying. You know, travel, other things that you may be interested in, in the future. But it may be something as simple as paying bills for rent. Or paying for transportation costs. Or purchasing a car. These were two things. This is where the power of a job can really be realized. But of course, it takes you being on the job. So the Bridges program -- and I'll just lay it out very quickly here, in terms of its structure. We talk about it being an employer driven model. And this just simply means that we firmly believe that if we assist employers or businesses. Who have entry-level -- frontline, entry-level -- job needs, whatever the business. That if we help them satisfy those needs by putting, assisting a young person in placing her into that position. And keeping that business happy, because the business now has that task, that job done. Whatever that job is, that that will be the best thing for the business. And that it also drives ideally the best thing for the young adult. Because, in satisfying the employer's needs, you are rewarded for that with more work, with more pay, etcetera. So meeting those employer needs are critically important. We, also, of course, emphasize abilities, rather than disabilities in the work we do every day. Let's be honest. Employers will hire people because of the things they can do. Not because of the things they cannot do. You -- if you were running your business. Even if you don't have one, think for a moment. If you were running a business, you'd want to make sure you're hiring people who can get the job done. It's -- that's a simple concept. But it's one that we need to keep top of mind. As we think about the work that we do in assisting people in their efforts to secure employment. We identify the strengths of, and the interests that youth have. And we match them with the needs on the job. And that's where that wonderful balance comes from. When we see the needs of both the employer and then the needs of the young adult met. And then we also provide long-term support. So it's one thing to assist a young person with identifying what they want to do. And applying for a job, going through interviews, landing that job. But quite another, then, to see long-term retention on the job. So it's 90 days on the job is wonderful. That's a good first step. It's a first milestone. Many employers put new employees on probationary periods for the first 90 days. So they really want to see you stay on long, and then, and so do we. So 90 days is wonderful. But 180 days, six months, is much better. And even that, nine months or a full year on the job. Then we're starting to see strength and habits that form in the young person we assist. And the employer is seeing value in the training that they've given to you. Now you're starting to bring back value for that employer, that business too. See if I can -- I'll just advance this slide. Here's just a quick snapshot of cities where we currently operate around the country. And you can see on both -- mostly on the east and west coast, with a few here in the middle. Chicago -- I'll name them quickly, in case you are in one or more of these cities. Oakland, California. San Francisco. Los Angeles. Dallas. Chicago. Atlanta. Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Maryland. And Philadelphia. And we are currently looking at expanding the program into some proposed efforts in the northern New Jersey area. In Patterson, Jersey City, and Newark, in that area. And also Boston, Massachusetts. So stay tuned for those in the future. And over the years, we've been very pleased with the results that we've seen in this employer model. We've been in business since 1989. Starting to first serve youth in the year 1990. More than 21,000 young adults have been assisted. And more than 16,000 of them found competitive, integrated work. We're pleased that even in this last ten years, from 2006 to 1215, we had about an 80% rate of youth who we [inaudible] we find competitive, integrated work. And the average -- I was looking at this for our 2015 year. The average wages of our youth when they start is $9.10 an hour. And they're working, on average, about 25 hours a week. Which is understandable. If someone is young and just getting into the world of work. Then it's understandable that the wages would be right about at that point. And $9 an hour, that's above minimum wage. But recognize that minimum wage, in some cities like Oakland, California, are much higher than Atlanta, Georgia. That's why it creates that $9 amount. And 25 hours a week is for part-time work. This, too, is reasonable as you're beginning to get into work. 40 hours may be difficult to do. And it may also be something the employer is, does not necessarily have for entry-level associates. That doesn't mean that you can't work up to those levels. But what we tend to see, is people working about 25 hours a week at the beginning. When they first get started. So to learn more about the Bridges program. The website that you can use www.bridgestowork.org. There's also, there from that website, you'll find we have a Facebook page and a Twitter link. And, so please, if you want to know more about the Bridges program, or ask us other questions. Feel free to use that website and we can get back with you. So now I'm going to shift gears a little bit and move -- >> Tad. >> Yes. >> Can I pause you for a couple of questions? >> Sure. By all means. >> Thank you, Tad. We do have a few questions about how to find out your coverage areas. So we have some people who want to know. If, when you refer to Washington, D.C., does that include northern Virginia? Where can people get more specific information on that? >> That's -- thank you, Jayme. That's a very good question. I'll answer that specific question about northern Virginia first. And then I can reference where others can find information. We do not currently serve Northern Virginia. We're serving Washington, D.C. into Montgomery County. We've had several conversations with folks in northern New Jersey -- Northern Virginia, excuse me, at this point. But at this point, we have not yet provided -- opened -- our program in northern New Jersey. Excuse me, northern Virginia. The best place to go is to the website. And on our website, you will find a page for each of the cities that we operate in. And there, you will also find an email address that you can direct your questions to. And I encourage you to do that. Because, and for example, in Atlanta, we also serve not -- in addition to downtown Atlanta. Which is in Fulton County, we also serve Cobb County. So, and we are, have efforts underway to broaden our services in and around these central inner-city areas. So I'd encourage you to reach out to us and see if our services overlap with where folks live. >> Thanks so much, Tad. And I did put the map back up on the screen for people. And I'll put the website back up in just one second. We do have a couple of service providers out there. Wondering how they might work with you to potentially open some Bridges programs in their locations. Do you have any suggestions for them? >> I do. And the best to thing they can do is contact me directly. And Jayme, you might assist me to -- I'll get that recollected, if I put my email address on here. If I didn't, I'm happy to give it to you all, and can actually do that now, if you'd like me to. >> It is not in here. So if you are comfortable with that, you can go ahead. >> Sure, sure. You can reach me at Tad -- T, A, D dot Asbury -- A, S, B, U, R, Y -- at marriott.com. That's two R's and two T's in Marriott. And -- >> Alright, great. Thanks. >> And then, if you also reached through the website and had national questions. They would find their way to me too. So, you can do it either way. Okay? >> Okay. And then, one more question about Bridges. We have someone who wants to know if a Bridges from School to Work program would be appropriate for a student just graduating college? >> The services we provide are for use from 17 to 24. So that would be part of the consideration. I'm not sure how, what the age is of this person asking the question. So that -- those are the limits that we have. And that's been set by our board. We don't see too many youths who have college degrees. But it wouldn't necessarily preclude them from services, if it's -- if they live in an area that we support. >> Okay. And I did want to let everyone know that I had the link back up on the screen now. And the link to the Bridges From School to Work program is www.bridgestowork.org. And Tad, I will give it back to you. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm going to -- yeah. I'm sorry, I'm jumping back and forth. But here, let's talk if, then for a few minutes, if we can, about the idea of transition. And again, this is just from experience that we've had in serving so many, many adults for so many years. Some of this may come to, this may appear very simple to you. And you've heard it all before. That's a reason to always view these things again. It's good just to be reminded of these things. And for others, it might be some new information. So, the first thing that I wanted to just point out. And then maybe I'm just the optimist here. But I see and sense this it's a great big and exciting world of work that is out there. Jobs of today and tomorrow are wide in type, and require all sorts of skills. New and emerging skills that were out there. If you just think of jobs today requiring the technical skills that we've never had in the world of work before. Communication skills -- think how critical communication skills are. Analytical skills. Interpersonal skills. These things in a job market today are as important as the very technical skills that you can get in programming, or anything like that. Communication skills, and the way that you can interact with people, mean as much about you. About landing and keeping that job, as the other hard skills that you bring. It's also a complex world of opportunities. So in that sense, there are lots of ways for you to navigate the world of work. And we'll talk about those in a couple of minutes. And a wide variety of people in the workplace. As our nation gets older, the demographics shift. And you find older workers in the workplace. You also find people with disabilities. But because of some remarkable technology that's out there, allows them to enter the world of work. You find Veterans returning from conflicts abroad, that are working their way into the world of work. And they might have had a disability, or have a disability. It's broadening the understanding of what it is to have a population of people working for you. We certainly see this inside of a company the size of Marriott. And then, the world of work is changing when you think of the opportunities people have to do. Open up their own businesses, and be an entrepreneur. So it's an exciting world with lots of different options and lots of different opportunities. That are out there for anybody who is willing to take that chance. I think it's also worth and it's important to point out a little bit about the idea of transition. Whether you're transitioning from high school into work. Or college into the workplace. That a transition is a phased approach. So you -- it comes with something that is ending. And then into a neutral zone. And then into a new beginning. Think I've got another slide out here that elaborates on this. Oh, no. Okay, we'll stick with this one. The wonderful way that I like to think of transition is, think about it as it begins with an ending, and ends with a beginning. So if you're graduating from high school. Then it's lots of goodbyes as you leave the high school world. And then you enter, maybe right now, as in summer, as some of you have just graduated recently. This is sort of a neutral zone. You're not really in high school anymore, and you're not in college. Or you're on that job. This is this kind of no-man's land, in a sense. It's this neutral zone between things. And then a new beginning. A new beginning could be a new opportunity, a new college, a new job. This is a phased approach. It doesn't happen quickly. This is not like change that is an external event that happens very quickly. A transition is a process. And I think it's important to keep that in mind as you're going through this transition into work. It takes time, and it is a process. And you really can't jump over any of these three steps. You have to recognize something is ending. And there's this middle space. And then something new. So now I'd like to touch on, for a few minutes, some ideas that we have around transitioning into work. And some lessons learned, that we've gathered over time. And I got this developed into four specific lessons that we'll will touch on. And the first is this idea of work early, work often. And as that indicates, that really means it's never too early to start thinking about work. So when, if you're still in high school, or even still in college, and you haven't ever worked before. Have you considered doing some volunteering? Have you considered internships of summer jobs? There's, of course, full-time, and then there's part-time. All of these things have value as you start to begin to explore the world of work. And as you start to understand things you like to do and things you don't like to do. Things are good and maybe not so good at. Things you'd like to improve upon. Think of it as a process. And think of all of these things that you need -- that you can do -- that lead to long-term work. What we do know from research is that work early in a person's life. Correlates directly to long-term employment success, after school. So it is never too early to get started. I will just mention here briefly, a video. And then I will come back to this at the tail end too. And that is that, I am with an -- I have part of an organization called the National Youth Transition Center. And I'll talk about that a bit more descriptively in a few minutes. There is a website and a link here that's referenced on this slide 34. That points to three videos on the value of work. From seen from the perspective of the young adult. And from the businesses. And from the parent or a guardian. And that website that I encourage you to go to is http://www.thenytc.org/workearly. Again, we'll pick up on that in a few minutes. Those videos, by the way, are about three or four minutes long. So not long. But a nice intro from the perspective of those different folks. Okay. Lesson number two, master the basics. And this, I split up into three fundamental concepts. The concept of knowledge, communications, and respect. And we'll spend a little bit of time talking through each one of these. The first, as it relates to knowledge, and the idea of knowing yourself. As you're going into the world of work, if you're coming in to apply for a job with Marriott and with us. Or with any company, wherever you are. You have to know what your strengths are. And you can do this through your own inventory assessments. Identifying what your skills are. What your interests are. What your personality is, and how it might fit into the world of work. Remember, a company, no matter if it's huge, like Marriott, or small, like a small business in your neighborhood. A company is made up of people. And people have personalities, they have interests. It's a collective of people. How do you fit into that fabric? How will you be part of the fabric of that company? That's what the employer is asking themselves when they're interviewing you. You need to be prepared to respond to those questions. And a tremendous thing that these inventories can do for you, is it gives you words to talk about yourself. And I learned this firsthand, by taking an interest inventory. Found things that I was interested in. And it gave me some language that I could use when I was asked about. Well, so, what would you like to do in this company? I had answers, because I had done a little of that work. Understanding how I could talk about my own skills. And how I might fit in. This is what I'd like to leave with you all. There's another side of knowledge. And that is knowing the company, or the organization. Who is the customer of this company? What they do? How do they operate? How do they work? You must, must, must do your research on the company. And it doesn't take an enormous amount of time. Websites can give you lot information these days about what companies do. So can other efforts. Lots of company these days have social media presence on Facebook or LinkedIn. You can find things that those companies are involved in these days. The more you know about the company. And, you can describe for the company that you take an interest in what they do. And you've done some research. That puts you in a very good position when they're figuring out who they might hire. They're also trying to make sure, and you are too, that you will fit well into their core values. Does the company believe in work and things that you feel good about? If not, then that's a good place for you to think, well, maybe I'll look for another company. And they would want to know the same thing. So know the companies, and know that landscape that you're going into. Whether it's part-time or full-time. Whether you're potentially looking for an internship. In any of those examples, knowing the company is critically important. Communications is the second piece I want to touch on. And this is, again, what maybe many of you have heard before. Things like resumes and references that you need to make sure that you're ready for in going into an interview. What I would like to emphasize, is that in developing a resume. That if you develop something that helps the employer envision how you might fit into their company. And how you could stand out as an employer for them. Make sure that you are getting lots of assistance from others if you need it. To do things as simple as proofread those documents. Whether it's a cover letter or a resume. Critically important that you make sure that it is well structured, and doesn't have any typos. Those are the things that can easily have your resume pushed aside. When you think of an employer with 50 resumes in front of them. And they have to begin to take a few out. Well, an easy way to do that is to identify one with a typographical error, and simply set it aside. And look at the other 49, in this case. References -- critically important that you ask these references ahead of time. Permission to use them in references. And then, make sure that you have simple things like a name, and phone number, and address. And best contact number for that reference. Take that with you to an interview. If you just fill it out on a form, then you'll have that information with you. And that'll be easier than having to go back and fill that out later. So do your preparatory work for your references on the front end. And also think, of course, of social media. How are you seen online, on your Facebook accounts or LinkedIn accounts? Just remember that they are a reflection of you. And companies can and do look at social media. It -- some more than others. But recognize that that's a reflection of you. And make sure that it is the very best reflection of you that it can be. It's critically important that you make a very good first impression. Now, if you get to the point where, now we're going through that interview. Look and act the part. Look like you belong in the company because of your dress and your attire. Make sure these things won't, again, turn the employer off right away. But, dress appropriately for the job interviews. Use proper -- be polite, as we like to tell the young adults we serve. Make sure you go to charm school. So you're being polite, you're on time for any interview that you have. That you're prepared and ready to have the interview. That as you go through the preparation, that you ask others for help. A parent, or maybe a service provider, if you're working with an agency now. Ask for their help, very specific help, about preparing for that job interview that you have. Think, too, about disability and how you might want to disclose disability. Or if you don't want to disclose disability, of course. These things are all well within your rights. But you'll want to think through your approach before sitting down across the desk. From someone in a position to have them hire you. You want to be prepared to think how you might respond to those questions before you get there. You might even bring those issues up. So, for example, if you took public transportation to get to an interview. And the interview -- the business might wonder. Well, is transportation going to be an issue because of some sort of an ambulatory challenge that someone might have? Well, then, you can talk easily about, well, it was pretty easy for me to take the bus. Because I got on this bus, this bus. I got here right on time. For an employer, they have thought then, oh, gee, I guess transportation is not going to be an issue, They haven't ever even asked the question. But because you've touched on your ability to navigate transportation systems. That has pushed that question mark right out of their mind. Okay. I'm just going to quickly keep going on here, recognizing our time here. The last area of this besides knowledge, communication, is simply respect. And that just simply means being polite. Making proper eye contact. Listening carefully to questions. Avoiding distractions. Like, believe it or not, cell phones. It has happened. We've seen it happen with our Bridges youth. Only happens once though. And then we remind them not to do it again. But to have cell phones turned off. Or simply don't even take it into a review, if it's going to be that much of a distraction for you. And critically important, thank you notes, contact information. How far that will go, I can't even begin to emphasize. How important it is to respond to the person who's interviewed you with a note. Doesn't have to be a handwritten note. It could be an email. It could be something that someone assists you with in developing and sending on to the business. But it shows a certain level of care and interest that many people will not do. So that, again, puts you out ahead of others looking for jobs. Lesson three, in the showing what you know. And I'll, again, I'll go quickly through this. This is a tool that Bridges uses with the youth we see and serve. And it might be of help to you. We call it the STAR interview process. And as you can see, it stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. And what this essentially means, is that you prepare for interviews using this STAR structure. You're going to develop stories. As I say here, it's not as important what you know. But it's what you can do with what you know. So, for example, it's a behavioral set of questions that you'll develop to answer certain areas. Push this a little bit further forward and point this out specifically. So, in Marriott, and we know that many businesses are using this STAR structure these days. They may very well ask, well, so, can you describe for me a situation where you were working in a team? And one of the persons in the team was not cooperating with the other members. Disrupting the team, and the team couldn't get its job done. Now, that team might've been something you've done with your family. Or maybe a volunteer program at school. It doesn't have to be from another job. But the question was, describe an experience where you were in the middle of a team. So what was the situation? What was the task, that in this case, the team had to do? What action did you personally take? And what was the result? So you think about these STAR structured responses. These stories where there was a situation or a task. You took an action personally, and this was the positive result. The questions around these tend to be focused on decision-making in STARs. Teambuilding, teamwork, dealing with stress. Helping a customer out. Managing your time. Taking some sort of an action. If you can think of stories to cover these areas, or most of these areas. Thinking about a team situation, a decision-making situation. Dealing with a stress -- a time of stress. Or helping a customer or another student, Or a family member even. If you can describe these stories, they will be very valuable for you when asked questions that will start to touch on. Well, how do you work as a team member? You'll have a story ready to go that will describe what you've done. And the positive results that's happened from it. So I hope that's a tool that you can use going forward. And there's more on that, those structures online. I'm sure if you were to Google STAR interview process, you'd see more there. Okay. Moving on quickly. This idea of show what you know. And you need to be ready for these interviews. Now, we talked about your preparation ahead of time. And the interview, and taking notes, etcetera. You also need to recognize that in today's world. The pre-employment assessments and online applications are growing very, very quickly. I was just looking at some statistics in getting ready for this call. And note that eight out of ten top employers administer some form of a pre-hire test for some of their positions. Another way to look at this, is about back in 2001. Only about 26% of the top 100 American businesses were using some form of online pre-employment assessment systems. 2013, fast-forward 12 years, 57% of large companies use some form of pre-employment assessment tools or behaviorals. These are things -- these are systems that you need to learn a little more about. You'll need to be ready for these sorts of assessments if they are presented to you. Certainly, the online job application is used by many, many companies. And more companies continue to go down that path. It's -- from an efficiency standpoint, it's what lots of businesses are doing. Not accepting things in paper these days. Which can present challenges. But not challenges that are insurmountable. Just challenges you need to be prepared for. And work through with your, with the assistance of your service provider or a parent or others. Friends who you're asking from assistance from if you need it, to navigate this. And also recognize background checks, credit checks, drug screening. Very common in today's world of work. Certainly, I know in Marriott, there's a -- drug screening is something that I think we do for all of our associates, all around the country. And many hundreds of thousands of employees go through those. Many companies do the same. Okay. And practicing this success daily. So here are a couple of other keys to the job. Now you -- remember it's one thing to land a job. But it is something very different to keep that job. And what we see in terms of the youth who we see and serve. It's not often the lack of the skills to do the job that ends up leading to a termination. It's something that could've been avoided, that was certainly avoidable. Like missing your work schedule. So you've got to know that work schedule. Be at work on time, and be there even a little early to start your time on the job. Be organized, and following a dress code if there. Say there's a dress code of a clean uniform, or no blue jeans. Then you've got to follow those rules. Sometimes really simple rules. But those are the simple rules that can often just trip people up. Here are a few more. This -- cell phones, obviously. We talked about that a few minutes ago. About how that can be in many employment situations, inappropriate to use them. Favors for friends or family, if you're working in some sort of a role that would. Whether it's admission into a movie, or whatever else it might be. No favors. Which, again, seems simple. But remember this from the standpoint of the employer. The employer is running a business. And they have to follow certain rules. And you need to follow those rules that the business and the employer have for you. A good attitude. Taking initiative. I can't tell you the number of times employers say. If I could just have youth who would come in and take initiative. That means looking for those things that need to be done. And jumping right in and getting them done. They love people who take initiative. Being very professional and hard working on the job. Certainly, very, very important. So that's it. Let me just take another five minutes to just touch on the National Youth Transition Collaborative and this other organization. Remember a few minutes ago, I talked about work early, work often, and the videos. Those videos were produced by the National Youth Transition Collaborative. And I'm a member of this group. I wanted to point it out. Because they have lots of other wonderful resources on their website that you can avail yourselves to. And the organization is dedicated to assisting youth through this transition phase. The National Youth Transition Initiative was created by the HSC foundation. The HSC foundation is based here in Washington, D.C. Dedicated to improving access to services for individuals facing social and healthcare barriers due to disabilities. They saw as a real need, the critical importance of transition. So they created the National Youth Transition Center. It is a physical building in Washington, D.C. And the organizations that call the National Youth Transition Center home are organizations dedicated to youth transition. So Bridges From School to Work has an office in this building in Washington, D.C. It is also dedicated to this mission of providing, being a collaborative learning community. And that means lots of organizations working with one another to figure out how they can best provide more services. To, primarily, young adults with disabilities in transition. From one of these collaborative learning ideas was these videos that I talked about a couple of minutes ago. So I think I'll jump over this slide. You can see, its mission is to empower youth and young adults with disabilities as they enter the world of work. I think we've talked quite a bit about this. Anyway, it's made up of about 45 organizations, all dedicated to doing the same things. Organizations that include the American Association for Persons with Disabilities. The National Centers for Independent Living. Easter Seals and Bridges. And many other organizations. Most of them, I should say, let's see. Thought I had a statistic of the number of -- I think it's 15 or so of the organizations actually have space in the building. The others are national, and they've got offices in other places around the country. Oh, one in five, yeah, here we go. One in five have offices in the NYTC building. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to share ideas with one another. And then use that for our planning and programming. To dedicate more things to help in transition. So they, we have a focus on employment. A focus on technical assistance. And a focus on career and career management. So a lot of the organizations dedicate time and thinking to that. In fact, we had a call, a meeting with the organization today. So to find out a little more about the National Youth Transition collaborative. You can go to www.thenytc.org/aboutcollab. So it's just the first few letters of collaboration. So, forward slash about collab -- C, O, L, L, A, B. Again, it's www.thenytc.org/aboutcollab. And Jayme, I think that's about it. >> It is. Thank you, Tad. And I know that you have a plane to catch. So we're just going to ask you a couple of quick questions. >> Sure. >> First off, we have a lot of parents in the audience. We did quite a bit of outreach to some parent organizations. For parents of children with disabilities. So do you ever work with parents at Bridges? Do you have any advice for parents trying to help their child to get a job? >> That's a very good question. And it's a multilayered question. I guess to answer it directly at the outset. We don't work with parents directly. We serve youth between 17 and 24 years old. So those youth are 17 and there are really, there are not that many of them. As not reaching, not yet 18, we would need certain, certainly, permissions from parents for travel training that we would. And other things that we would do with youth. Even at 18 and 19, we really like to have parent involvement, if parents want to be involved. At the same time, we are in the business of assisting the young adult. And having that young adult land that job and grow in their own independence. So we're careful to provide our services directly to the young adult. And see them thrive on their own. Recognizing that lots of parents, and I am a parent of children myself. I have a vested interest in making sure that my child is following the path they need to take. But at the same time, it has to be balanced with letting the young person begin to make their own choices. And even if they make -- some of them are mistakes -- be there to pick them up. But to let those be learning experiences. So, for example, if a young adult is about to be let go from a position because of lack of timeliness of showing up on the job. Well, I think that's emphasized with the young adults, that you have to show up on time. If they continue to not do it, we would encourage the employer to let the young adult leave, let them go. Fire them. We would then pick up the pieces with the young adult. And we'd also probably put back in place another person with an employer. If they are still looking for someone else. There's a lesson to be learned there in timeliness. That may not be learned if we're always there to bail the younger person out. So, I hope that answers the question. >> It does. Thank you, Tad. And just one more question for you. You talked a lot about the importance of getting good references. And making sure you have people's contact information. >> Yeah. >> A lot of the people that you work with are starting their first job, presumably. So do you have any suggestions for where they can find references? >> Sure. Just in their own circle, their own network of people they know. Now, I would be careful to say that a parent wouldn't be a good reference. Or any relative. The businesses would want to hear from someone on the outside. It might be a neighbor who's known the young person for quite some time. It could be someone from school. It could be a teacher, or could be a counselor from a school. A friend is probably also not a good choice when it comes to a reference. But think of the network that you have, and look at folks. It might be someone from the professional field. If it's a neighbor who works in some sort of profession, you could ask them. You could also, if you're doing any volunteer work, you could ask. If not the counselor, perhaps you worked more strictly with. Maybe it's even an executive director of the volunteer organization. After meeting them and spending a few minutes with them. Then you've got the reference, but you've got reference that's also a person with a title. That may strengthen the reference that you're providing to the employer. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much, Tad. And like I said, I know you have a plane to catch. So we just want to say a big thank you for your presentation today. We have lots of great comments in the Q&A box. So everybody really appreciates your presentation today. So you can feel free to go. But everybody in the audience, I'd like to ask you to stick around if you could. For some additional resources and a couple of announcements. So thank you, Tad, and safe travels. >> Thank you, Jayme. It was a pleasure doing it. And thank you very much. >> Alright, thanks. >> Bye-bye. >> So we do have a couple of additional announcements to make. And I apologize, because we are quite close to 4:30. We do you want to let everyone know that Social Security is hosting a virtual job fair. The virtual job fair will be on August 24, from 11 AM on until 5 PM Eastern. And it's an opportunity for you to connect with companies that work with the federal government. And want to hire qualified job-ready people with disabilities. The job fair is going to be nationwide. So there will be career opportunities all across the country. If you're looking for some additional details on the job fair. After we get through this content, you can email vjf@choosework.net. By participating in the fair, you'll have the opportunity to talk with job recruiters on an online chat forum. You can have a group chat with other people. Or you can talk one-on-one with them. This will also give you an opportunity to ask questions of the employers you're talking to. You'll have a chance to ask some experts about job accommodations, Social Security work incentives. And any legal issues that you may encounter as you're looking for a job. So there will be some experts in the job fair as well. That can help you with some of your questions about what going to work will mean for you. This job fair is for current Ticket to Work participants. So this means that you are using your Ticket. And you receive services from an employment network or VR agency. If you are ready to work, we encourage you to register for the virtual job fair. The registration link is https:// v as in Victor, tf dot inxpo dot com forward slash launch forward slash qreg dot htm question mark show key equal sign 32842. In order to participate in the virtual job fair, you will have to complete a consent form. And give it to the employment network or VR agency you're working with. And the consent form is available online at https://www.choosework.net/vjfconsent. And I will put this screen back up in just a minute, once I'm finished with the rest of the slides. I mentioned earlier that the choose work website has a find help tool. Where you can find the organizations that serve your area -- the Ticket to Work service providers. You can find employment networks, WIPA projects, protection advocacy programs. All online, at www.choosework.net/findhelp. And all you have to do is put in your ZIP Code or your city and state. And you'll find a variety of service providers in your area. You'll also see some national service providers who may be able to work with you virtually. We want to repeat the Ticket to Work helpline number again here. It really is an invaluable resource to provide you information. And answer all the questions that we weren't able to get to today, unfortunately. So if you do still have questions, or if you think of something later. You can call the Ticket to Work helpline at 1-866-968-7842. Or for TTY, 1-866-833-2967. Marlene talked a lot about the website. And that's www.choosework.net. You can also like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/choosework. Follow us on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/chooseworkssa. We have a lot of success stories and some other useful videos on our YouTube page. And you can find that at www.YouTube.com/choosework. And you can also follow us on LinkedIn. And our LinkedIn page is www.linkedin.com/company/ticket hyphen to hyphen work. And our last slide today is just a reminder that our webinar survey will pop up on your screen once the meeting is over. And if you could take a second to fill that out, we would love to have your feedback on this afternoon's call. If the link doesn't work for you for some reason. You can also open the survey online at www.choosework.net/surveys/wise. And I am going to go back a couple of slides and leave the virtual job fair information up for a second. You can also view this information online. There'll be more information on the choose work website. And you can also -- sorry, I'm just making sure that our survey is posted. So bear with me for one second. If you go back and take a look at some of our -- the material for today's webinar. The survey link is in there. And the information on the virtual job fair, and all of its registration is also in there. And with that, I would like to say thank you very much to our presenters, Tad and Marlene. Thank you to everyone who joined us this afternoon. And we hope you got some valuable information today. And we were able to answer some of your questions. Have a wonderful day. Thank you again. Bye everyone.