Disability Mentoring Day

October 19 is the seventeenth anniversary of Disability Mentoring Day (DMD)! DMD was founded in 1999 through a White House initiative to increase awareness of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Since then, it has grown from a handful of students and job-seekers with disabilities into an extensive mentoring program across the United States and its territories abroad.     

Exposure is Valuable

DMD is a free, voluntary program coordinated by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). It promotes career development for job seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration and mentoring relationships. Through DMD, students and job seekers are paired with career professionals to observe a typical workday. They experience what it’s like to work in a job or field, identify skills needed to succeed, and learn about internships or job opportunities.

DMD was first launched as a one-day event on the third Wednesday of each October. It is still celebrated on one day, but has evolved into a program that lasts all year, with mentors and mentees encouraged to stay in touch.

Win-Win

Mentoring offers opportunities for career development and personal growth to both mentors and mentees. The DMD program:

• Allows employers to connect with people with disabilities outside of the typical hiring context.
• Gives mentees a first-hand look at careers they are interested in and the opportunity to interact with experienced mentors in the field.
• Helps mentees develop professional skills they need to succeed in their preferred fields.
• Educates employers about the value of hiring people with disabilities and making the workplace more accessible.

Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day on the AAPD website or email dmd@aapd.com.

Learn how to find and benefit from mentoring relationships by registering for this month’s Ticket to Work WISE webinar.

About Ticket to Work

Social Security’s Ticket to Work program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

Learn more

To learn more about Ticket Work, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work or contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket to Work Find Help tool.