Finding Meaningful Employment — Where to Get Started

Agencies like Sample Supports partner with the Colorado Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and your local Community Center Board (CCB) to help individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities prepare for, obtain, and maintain meaningful community integrated employment. 

Let’s learn more about the process and how to secure a competitive and integrated employment position in the community.

How to Get Started

An individual's employment journey often starts with working with their local DVR to identify their employment goals and identify a local agency/vendor they would like to work for vocational support. Individuals and their support teams must complete an application with their local county DVR office. 

You can find your local DVR location and information at https://dvr.colorado.gov/about-us/contact-us. 

DVR counselors and staff will assist you in the following:

• Confirm DVR Eligibility
  
• Complete Assessments
  
• Create vocation goals
  
• Connect with Service Provider
  

If you work with your local Community Center Board (CCB), your case manager can also connect with Supported Employment teams, like the one at Sample Supports, to get you started! 

There is an individualized referral process that focuses on each person’s strengths and abilities. Agencies like Sample Supports then create customized employment plans to secure a meaningful job opportunity for each individual.

I selected an employment agency. Now what?

Once you start working with your Employment team, your local Job Development Coordinator will begin assisting you in finding employment and reaching your employment goals! 

As part of the job development process your Job Developer will:

• Complete a individualized Job Placement Plan
  
• Help Develop Employment/Vocational Goals 
  
• Complete Job Skills Assessment 
  
• Pre-Employment Skills (interviewing, resumes, social/work culture skill building, etc) 
  

Following the pre-employment process, your job developer will assist you in applying, interviewing and starting an employment opportunity specific to your employment goal. 

Our Job Developers have many community connections and partnerships to help assist you in finding individualized and meaningful employment! Your Job Development Coordinator will assist you in your job onboarding process. They will help gather all the uniforms and supplies you may need and assist in communication with your new employer as needed.

What if I need extra help to be successful at work?

Job coaching is available!

Every individual’s needs are unique when it comes to meaningful employment. Sample Supports can provide individualized job coaching to assist individuals in building their skills and increase their independence in their employment opportunities. Our Employment team will work with all individuals to develop Job Coach Fading Plans aimed at identifying strengths of each person and goals to increase independence and job skills, while fading job coaching. 

A job coaches role is to help you learn and perform your job duties. They work 1:1 with you in your place of employment to ensure job stability. Job coaches help with skill development including:

• Communication
  
• Task Completion 
  
• Behavior Support
  
• Increased independence
  
• Increase natural supports 
  

Your team will work together to fade job coaching as appropriate for your individualized needs. 

Establishing Job Stability

Employment Managers, Job Developers, and Job Coaches will continue to work long term with individuals and their employers to ensure job stability. Our team will check in with employers regularly and offer assistance as needed for any issues that may arise. We individualize support to ensure each individual is supported in their long term, meaningful employment. We will work together to find every individual meaningful and stable employment! 

Learn more about our Supported Employment Program here! 

---