Successfully engaging the business community in the vocational rehabilitation placement process

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Fraser, Robert T.

Affiliations: Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Neurology & Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Box 359744, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Tel.: +1 206 744 9130; Fax: +1 206 744 9988; E-mail: rfraser@u.washington.edu

Abstract: This article is an abstract of a best practices presentation made November 7, 2007 to national Veteran's Administrative personnel in Atlanta, Georgia. It initially reviews the relatively minimal research related to effective vocational rehabilitation placement strategies with the business community. The larger portion of this work deals with external and internal vocational rehabilitation (VR) program strategies for effectively engaging the business community adapted from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Project with Industry (PWI) program. External strategies include securing the support of veteran's groups and service groups such as Rotary, and staff memberships in employment-related organizations such as Chambers of Commerce, Human Resource (HR) organizations, HR diversity subcommittees, etc. Internal strategies include include developing an employer board, using a business advisory committee composed of HR representatives, developing a job fair cycle at your site, and involving employer/business volunteers in roles critical to your vocational program's success. The approach basically involves such frequent and substantive interaction between business and one's VR program that vocational placement activity becomes an almost seamless transaction between the vocational rehabilitation unit and the business community.

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 115-120, 2008