Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
General Questions
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. It is sponsored nationally by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and implemented in Florida by The Able Trust and its statewide partners. With leadership, coordination and resource materials from The Able Trust, local communities organize their own mentoring activities across Florida.
Disability Mentoring Day is part of a national, broad based effort to promote career development through hands-on exploration, job shadowing and internship or employment opportunities.
Students and job-seekers are matched with employers for an on-site job shadowing experience. DMD is designed to benefit from local creativity, with each community planning activities to best suit the interests and abilities of its students, job-seekers and local employers.
Although the core experience is one-on-one job shadowing, DMD activities may also include local kick-off events to garner public support and awareness. Community events can take the shape of an opening meeting for a group of students and job-seekers featuring several presentations or a closing reception where students, job-seekers and Mentors can share their experiences.
How can I become involved in DMD?
You can join the Disability Mentoring Day Team in your community by participating as a:
Local Community Liaison
Community Liaisons have connections to students and/or job-seekers with disabilities and help pair them with Employer Mentors on DMD. Community Liaisons are responsible for determining the Mentee's career of interest and matching them with a volunteer Mentor in that career.
Mentee
If you are a student or job seeker with a disability, you can participate in DMD as a Mentee. You will be matched with a workplace Mentor who has already pursued the career track that interests you.
Employer Mentor
Employers can get involved by enabling employees to serve as volunteer Mentors, functioning as Community Liaisons or on a local coordinating committee in their area or sponsoring Disability Mentoring Day at the national, state or local level.
How many times a year does DMD occur?
DMD occurs once a year on the third Wednesday of October, in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.