May 16, 2012 Special Edition


Youth with Disabilities Employment Awareness Sessions Planned for Greenville
Four awareness sessions concerning employment for youth and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities will be held for Delta residents in Greenville on May 21-22.
Youth and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families, educators, business leaders, community leaders and elected officials are invited to participate in separate, targeted sessions.
Scheduled awareness sessions are:
            Mon., May 21 -     1 p.m., community leaders and elected officials
                                                5:30 p.m., youth with disabilities and their families
            Tues., May 22 -     10 a.m., business leaders
                                                1 p.m., educators
All sessions will be held in the meeting room of the William Alexander Percy Memorial Library at 341 Main Street in Greenville.
Training session topics will include job development, customized employment, supported employment, federal laws and programs, environmental adaptations, person-centered planning services, and supports for employment of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
These awareness sessions are being held by the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment for Youth and Young Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities project developed by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability Rights Mississippi and The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies to increase competitive outcomes for youth and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities by enhancing the collaboration of existing state education and employment services systems.
This project is funded by a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Mississippi was one of six states chosen from 42 applicants for these grant funds.
Awareness sessions are scheduled for Starkville on June 4-5 and Jackson on June 21-22.
For more information on the Mississippi Partnerships for Employment project and the awareness sessions, contact Jerry Alliston at the Institute for Disability Studies toll free at 1-888-671-0051 or by email at Jerry.Alliston@usm.edu.