Disability Mentoring Day

[Guest guest]

Disability Mentoring Dayby Kassidy Emmerson

http://www.disaboom.com/Living/livingforward/disability-mentoring-

day.aspx

Place a big circle around October 15, 2008 on your calendar. This is

the scheduled date for this year's Disability Mentoring Day (DMD).

DMD is observed annually and internationally throughout the year.

Disability Mentoring Day is an undertaking that's recognized across

the country. Several cities hold DMD kick offs and activities on this

day.

The basic purpose of this day is to allow students and job-seekers

who have disabilities to try their hands at an array of different

careers. It's also designed to raise disability awareness. The

original idea for Disability Mentoring Day was borrowed from the

National Groundhog Job Shadow day. This day provides opportunities

for students to " shadow " workers while they're on their jobs.

The History of Disability Mentoring Day

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

subsidized the first National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD) in

1999. It was in conjunction with the White House as a way to bring

more attention to National Disability Employment Awareness Month,

which is celebrated every October. NDMD is a national alliance

between the AAPD and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of

Disability Employment Policy.

Less than 36 students kicked off the first National Disability

Mentoring Day (NDMD), which was held chiefly in Washington D.C. In

2001, the American Association of People with Disabilities took over

the reins of DMD. That year, there were more than 1,500 students and

job-seekers, numerous employers and over 70 local coordinators in 32

states participating in the program. Disability Mentoring Day has

continued to grow consistently every year. In 2005, the number of

participants had increased to 9,000 students with disabilities. The

locations had increased to 20. These students were counseled and

taught by over 2,000 organizations.

Corporate Sponsors

The generosity of several corporate sponsors help to make Disability

Mentoring Day successful every year. Some of the companies who have

made contributions over the years include: Verizon, Wal-Mart, the

Office of Disability Employment Policy, American Airlines, UPS,

Goldman Sachs, AIG, Disaboom.com, the Social Security Administration,

Pitney Bowes, JC Penney, Wells Fargo, Darden Restaurants, IBM,

Microsoft, BellSouth, Hewlett-Packard, America Online, Cingular

Wireless and Honeywell.

How Disability Mentoring Day Works

DMD works the same way as National Groundhog Job Shadow day in that

the participants with disabilities - referred to as " Mentees " - are

paired up with employer mentors in accordance to the participants'

job interests. The students and job-seekers then spend an entire work

day with their mentors so they can experience what the job they are

interested in is actually like.

The benefits of Disability Mentoring Day are actually two-fold.

Students and job-seekers with disabilities are given the opportunity

to explore the working world. Plus, employers are exposed to

disability awareness. This gives them the opportunity to see how

persons with disabilities can contribute and be assets to their

organizations.

The Objectives of Disability Mentoring Day

Every year, the objectives of DMD are basically to: Start a year-

round venture that helps increase mentoring opportunities; enhance

disability awareness, especially where employers are concerned;

educate employers about the benefits of hiring people with

disabilities; increase training and employment opportunities for

people who have disabilities; improve the self-confidence levels in

students and job-seekers who have disabilities, and to promote

disability so the workforce is more diverse.

Who Can Participate in Disability Mentoring Day?

Besides students and job-seekers who have disabilities, educators,

all types of employers, including private, non-profit, governmental

and educational types all take part in Disability Mentoring Day.

If you wish to participate in DMD as a mentee, an employer, or as a

coordinator and increase disability awareness visit the American

Association of People with Disabilities Website.

Sources:

http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/dmd.htm

http://www.dmd-aapd.org/docs/factsheet.php

http://www.washington.edu/doit/Programs/dmd.html