Job Coaching Strategies Presented by: Debbie Wilkes ©Debbie Wilkes

Job Coaching Job Coaching StrategiesStrategiesPresented by:

Debbie Wilkes

©Debbie Wilkes

©Debbie Wilkes

Objectives:Objectives:• Develop a support plan for the traineeDevelop a support plan for the trainee

• Explore the role of the job coach Explore the role of the job coach utilizing the concept of natural supportsutilizing the concept of natural supports

• Discover prompting strategies to Discover prompting strategies to promote employer buy-inpromote employer buy-in

• Explore the process of “fading”Explore the process of “fading”

© Debbie Wilkes

Quality Vocational Quality Vocational AssessmentAssessment

©Debbie Wilkes

Natural SupportsNatural Supports

Emphasizes how to Emphasizes how to use what is use what is available at the job available at the job site to assist the site to assist the employee.employee.

De-emphasizes how to De-emphasizes how to help the individual help the individual change to fit the change to fit the environmentenvironment

©Debbie Wilkes

Natural SupportsNatural Supports

• Causes increased employer investmentCauses increased employer investment

• Reduces stigma and intrusiveness Reduces stigma and intrusiveness

• Decrease human service interventionDecrease human service intervention

• Helps develop sense of belongingHelps develop sense of belonging

• Person seen as an individual versus a Person seen as an individual versus a projectproject

©Debbie Wilkes

Guidelines for Guidelines for Developing Natural Developing Natural

SupportsSupports

• Use what is already thereUse what is already there

• Adapt what is already thereAdapt what is already there

• Supplement what is already thereSupplement what is already there

©drwilkesconsulting.com

Help develop Help develop Social Connections :Social Connections :

• Learn new job Learn new job taskstasks

• Ask for and get Ask for and get helphelp

• ““Fit in”:be Fit in”:be accepted at the accepted at the work placework place


Using Existing Using Existing SupportsSupports

• Complements and enhances on the job trainingComplements and enhances on the job training

• Analyzes existing training functions in the settingAnalyzes existing training functions in the setting

• Understands the learning style of the supported Understands the learning style of the supported employeeemployee

• Helps the employee access all relevant training Helps the employee access all relevant training opportunities (formal and informal)opportunities (formal and informal)

• Provides consultation to businessesProvides consultation to businesses

• Supplement training in non-intrusive ways on Supplement training in non-intrusive ways on and off the joband off the job

©Debbie Wilkes

Utilizing Natural Utilizing Natural SupportsSupports

Don’tDon’t• Use Specialized Use Specialized

LanguageLanguage

• Take the school Take the school environment with youenvironment with you

• Provide care taking Provide care taking supportsupport

• Think you are the Think you are the natural supportnatural support

Begins with the Introduction

DoDo• Speak in language Speak in language

that is understood by that is understood by othersothers

• Fit in the flow of the Fit in the flow of the businessbusiness

• Provide social supportProvide social support

• Look for other people Look for other people to be the “natural to be the “natural support”support”©Debbie Wilkes

Developing Natural Developing Natural SupportsSupports

The Triangle of SupportThe Triangle of Support

• ““What have I not done today?’What have I not done today?’

• Work your way out of a jobWork your way out of a job

Job Coach

EmployerEmployee

©Debbie Wilkes

What are the What are the necessary times of necessary times of

support?support?• Ensuring safetyEnsuring safety

• Understanding cultureUnderstanding culture

• Verify training and performance are occurringVerify training and performance are occurring

• Consulting with co-workers and supervisorConsulting with co-workers and supervisor

• Helping with the training or talking with the employerHelping with the training or talking with the employer

• Acting as a resource for problem solvingActing as a resource for problem solving

• Advising new strategies as new work opportunities Advising new strategies as new work opportunities evolveevolve

©Debbie Wilkes

Job Coaching: Day OneJob Coaching: Day One• Set tone: Intervene only as absolutely Set tone: Intervene only as absolutely

necessarynecessary

• Have supervisor and co-worker provide Have supervisor and co-worker provide instructionsinstructions

• Have student ask questions to co-workers Have student ask questions to co-workers NOT YOU!NOT YOU!

• Talk WITH the student and not for, or aboutTalk WITH the student and not for, or about

• Begin to look for ways to fadeBegin to look for ways to fade

©Debbie Wilkes

Developing a Support Developing a Support PlanPlan• Systematic instructionSystematic instruction

• Social supportSocial support (look for ways (look for ways that the student can be involved in social rituals)that the student can be involved in social rituals)

• Co-worker supportCo-worker support

• Assistive technologyAssistive technology

• Job site modificationJob site modification

• Self-care strategiesSelf-care strategies

• School support versus employer supportSchool support versus employer support

• Family support Family support

©Debbie Wilkes

©Debbie Wilkes

PromptingPrompting

Is defined as brief instructional signals Is defined as brief instructional signals that are given before the expected that are given before the expected response in order to help the person response in order to help the person learn something new.learn something new.

©Debbie Wilkes

Types of Types of prompts/cues . . . prompts/cues . . .

• NaturalNatural

• VerbalVerbal

• VisualVisual

• TactileTactile

©Debbie Wilkes

Selecting the Correct Selecting the Correct PromptPrompt

• Consider the learning style of the Consider the learning style of the studentstudent

• Use the least amount of helpUse the least amount of help

• Be as unobtrusive as possible.Be as unobtrusive as possible.

©Debbie Wilkes

Natural versus Artificial Natural versus Artificial CuesCues

• Natural CuesNatural Cues– Part of the taskPart of the task

– WILL NOT FADE or DISAPPEARWILL NOT FADE or DISAPPEAR

• ArtificialArtificial– Pieces of additional information that will Pieces of additional information that will

not be present after the job is learnednot be present after the job is learned• Including job coaches!!!Including job coaches!!!

©Debbie Wilkes

Teaching Natural CuesTeaching Natural Cues

Job Coach Prompt Environmental Cue

Take out the trash The trash can is full

It is time to return to work after having lunch

The co-workers start gathering their trash and getting up

Another basket is needed when unpacking shoes

The basket is full or the student is unpacking a different type of shoes

©Debbie Wilkes

©Debbie Wilkes

Fading Fading • Why?Why?

– Increases opportunities for social inclusionIncreases opportunities for social inclusion

– Avoids grouping and “disability Avoids grouping and “disability immersion” immersion”

– Job does not belong to the job coachJob does not belong to the job coach

– Job becomes the studentsJob becomes the students

©Debbie Wilkes

Fading Fading • When?When?

– First day on the job and every day afterFirst day on the job and every day after

– Based on the student’s performanceBased on the student’s performance

– Needs of the supervisor and co-workersNeeds of the supervisor and co-workers• Help the employees to become solution findersHelp the employees to become solution finders

– Remember it is not AFTER mastery of skillsRemember it is not AFTER mastery of skills

– Supports are put in placeSupports are put in place

©Debbie Wilkes

Fading Fading • How?How?

– As simple as leaving the student for a few As simple as leaving the student for a few minutes to use the restroom or check a voicemailminutes to use the restroom or check a voicemail

– Set standard during job negotiationSet standard during job negotiation

– Discussion with student and employerDiscussion with student and employer• Establish supportsEstablish supports

• Gradual with clear milestonesGradual with clear milestones

• Understanding that job coach will still be available Understanding that job coach will still be available for on-going supportfor on-going support

• Defining who will be the co-worker supportDefining who will be the co-worker support

©Debbie Wilkes

Fading: Fading: Challenges Challenges to to SuccessSuccess

• Confusion regarding job responsibilitiesConfusion regarding job responsibilities

• Employer expectations Employer expectations

• Job coach as the student’s reinforcerJob coach as the student’s reinforcer

• Job coach enjoys the job siteJob coach enjoys the job site

• Question: What do I do if I am not Question: What do I do if I am not providing support to the student?providing support to the student?


Answer!Answer!

• PaperworkPaperwork

• Promote natural supportsPromote natural supports

• Train co-workersTrain co-workers

• START WITH ANOTHER STUDENT!START WITH ANOTHER STUDENT!


Developing Natural Developing Natural SupportsSupports

The Triangle of SupportThe Triangle of Support

• ““What have I not done today?’What have I not done today?’

• Work your way out of a jobWork your way out of a job

Job Coach

EmployerEmployee

©Debbie Wilkes

Work SmartWork Smart

• Support the students who need Support the students who need supportsupport

• Set up “natural supports” for those Set up “natural supports” for those who can work more independentlywho can work more independently

• Celebrate what you didn’t do today!Celebrate what you didn’t do today!

©Debbie Wilkes

Success is Dependent Success is Dependent on:on:

• How we portray the How we portray the people we servepeople we serve

• How we address the How we address the concept of supported concept of supported employmentemployment

• The professional manner The professional manner we put forthwe put forth

• Communication! Communication! Communication! Communication! Communication!Communication!


Documents

Job Coaching Strategies Presented by: Debbie Wilkes ©Debbie Wilkes