Press Releases
October 20, 2004
Florida Leads The Nation In Mentoring Students With Disabilities
Governor Bush and Business Executives Participate in Disability Mentoring Day
Tallahassee - Governor Jeb Bush and state agency leaders spent the day mentoring students and young adults with disabilities as part of National Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). Across Florida, business executives, elected officials and other career professionals shared their experiences on the job as mentors to more than 600 students with disabilities.
"Disability Mentoring Day provides a great opportunity for business professionals to share their work experiences with persons with disabilities," said Governor Bush. "Florida's business community has done a wonderful job in providing valuable support and resources to people with disabilities and the agencies working to serve them."
Disability Mentoring Day is a nationally coordinated job shadowing opportunity for young people with disabilities. Participants are matched with professionals based on their career interests and spend the day with mentors observing job responsibilities and getting a better understanding of the work place environment. Disability Mentoring Day gives participants a chance to learn about the day-to-day responsibilities required of a desired occupation and the skills and education requirements specific to a job in that career field.
"Disability Mentoring Day is great for students like me, so we can see what is expected of people in the workforce and get career advice from people already working in the field," said Austin Gleaton, who shadowed Governor Bush and Lieutenant Governor Jennings.
Based on Florida's outstanding student and business participation over the past three years, the state has been selected as the national kick-off site for 2005.
"We are really excited that our program has been recognized nationally for exceptional participation. We hope that we receive even greater participation from our business community next year as we kick-off the event for the rest of the country," stated Kristen Knapp, Vice President of Public Relations for The Able Trust and statewide DMD committee chair.
The event is not only beneficial for student participants, but for business participants as well. DMD allows employers and business owners to learn about the abilities of people with disabilities. It often makes them more sensitive to the needs of their employees and more receptive to candidates with disabilities.
"People with disabilities are willing and able to work. Having an opportunity to shadow professionals gives participants an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to potential employers. Disability Mentoring Day has opened up doors for past participants. Some have been offered jobs and internships as a result of the contacts that were established during participation in Disability Mentoring Day," said George Koehn, DMD Honorary Chair.
Employers or organizations wishing to participate in a job shadowing experience for students with disabilities can contact Kristen Knapp, APR, at (888) 838-2253 or Kristen@abletrust.org for more information.
* For a list of business participants in your area, please email Kara@Herrle.Com.
Disability Mentoring Day is a national initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities and the US Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. It is sponsored in Florida by The Able Trust, Florida's official liaison to ODEP. Additional Florida sponsors include Clear Channel Radio, Rosen Centre Hotel, Anheuser Busch, Polk County Workforce Development Board, IARP, Merrill Lynch, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Governor's ADA Working Group.