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The Florida Grantor, Spring 2005

FGA Update

New Freedom Initiative Award

Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao is calling upon nonprofits, small businesses, corporations and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in advancing the employment and workplace environment of people with disabilities to submit their entries for the 2005 “Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award.” For details, visit www.dol.gov/odep and click on the New Freedom Initiative link. The deadline for receipt of nominations is May 27, 2005.

High School/High Tech Project of the Year

The Tallahassee High School/High Tech (HS/HT) site was selected as HS/HT Project of the Year. The project coordinator Cat Keen and Ability 1st staff and administration have provided excellent support to the program.

Students involved with Tallahassee HS/HT have participated in numerous activities this school year including tours to the National High Magnetics Lab at FSU, Capitol Regional Medical Center, NOAA/NWS at FSU and NASA/Kennedy Space Center.

A number of Tallahassee HS/HT students have secured summer internships at The Challenger Learning Center, Tallahassee Community College, the City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Police Department, Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources and Florida A & M Computer Technology Department to name a few.

Tallahassee is the first HS/HT site in Florida to develop a Student Board to assist in the leadership and development of the local site. The students are preparing a handbook so that other HS/HT sites in Florida and across the nation may replicate the Student Board.

Get Involved with Disability Mentoring Day: Become a Community Liaison

If you have connections to students and/or job seekers with disabilities in your community, you can serve as a Community Liaison for Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) 2005.

Community Liaisons facilitate matching experiences between mentees with disabilities and business mentors. DMD gives job seekers 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.

As a Community Liaison, you will receive an extensive tool kit that provides guidance for planning DMD in your community; promotional tools, such as postcards and brochures, to help you with recruitment and promoting DMD to employers in your area; and recognition materials for the mentees and mentors you have recruited.

Disability Mentoring Day is a national initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). It is implemented in Florida by The Able Trust and its statewide planning partners. DMD 2005 will be observed on October 19 and Florida is the National Kick-Off Site, with Governor Jeb Bush serving as Honorary Chair.

For more information about serving as a Community Liaison or on a local planning committee, visit www.floridadmd.org or call 888.838.2253.

WRP Database

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) released its database of college students seeking summer jobs and internships on March 16. The WRP database captures over 1,900 pre-screened job candidates with disabilities and is available on a free CD-ROM. To request a copy of the WRP database, send your name, company name and mailing address to wrp@dol.gov or call the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at 202.693.7880.

Florida HS/HT Statewide Coordinator Recognized

Donna Mundy, Florida High School/High Tech (HS/HT) Statewide Coordinator, received the 2005 Transition Champion Award presented by the Florida Division on Career Development and Transition (FDCDT). Mundy accepted the award at the annual VISIONS conference, held in Jacksonville on February 17.

Mundy has over 20 years experience in education, with 12 years working with youth with disabilities and Workforce Development. As the Statewide Coordinator for HS/HT, she is responsible for 20 sites provid-ing services to over 500 students. She also serves as a consultant to the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth in Washing-ton, DC., and provides technical assistance to HS/HT sites on a national basis. Mundy has presented at numerous state and national conferences and has been instru-mental in writing and receiving over $3 million in grants for HS/HT related projects.