NDSSorg's video: DSWORKS Webinar: Affiliate Employment Program Series-MDSC

In this session, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) Communications Director Josh Komyerov, Executive Director Maureen Gallagher, and DDS Statewide Director of Employment and Family Support Margret Van Gelder co-present on the ins and outs of building an employment initiative that engages employers and opens the doors for good, meaningful jobs for the self advocate members in our community. In Oct. 2015, the MDSC launched its Your Next Star employment campaign (www.yournextstar.com) which has been opening the eyes of employers in Massachusetts to the power of people with Down syndrome in the workforce. In this session, we looked at why changing the employment landscape for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities is so critical for our community and how we can reach employers to make a difference. We covered the benefits of a diverse workforce, innovative approaches to hiring people with disabilities (including customized employment opportunities), and examples of successful companies/employers and approaches that lead to success. Special emphasis was paid to the range of jobs that people with Down syndrome or other intellectual or developmental disabilities have successfully worked in. You’ll also learn about the existing employment policy landscape and how to develop successful employment collaborations with public and private entities.