The NY Systems Change and Inclusive Opportunities Network (SCION) Grant – Helping to expand the capacity of the Working Solutions Career Centers to provide services that will assist workers with disabilities along their career path. 

The program will assist and train Working Solutions career center staff on topics including, but not limited to, rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Ticket to Work (TTW), accommodations, assistive technology, and assessments.

Center activities may include:

• Increasing the enrollment of youth and adults with disabilities – including Social Security Beneficiaries and Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities – in the Career Center system via outreach and recruitment activities
• Providing benefits advisement and work incentive counseling to Social Security Beneficiaries in their transition to work
• Promoting the Ticket to Work Program
• Formalizing the Integrated Resource Team approach in their area
• Conducting outreach to businesses
• Placing youth and adults with disabilities in work experiences (e.g., internships, on the job training, summer work experiences, etc.)
• Placement and retention of youth and adults with disabilities in occupational skills training
• Placement and retention of youth and adults with disabilities in competitive, integrated employment
• Holding Career Expos that include “Meet the Employer” sessions where youth and adults explore career pathways in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and other in-demand industries
• Holding hiring events where youth and adult participants engage in interviews with business representatives, such as the “Reverse Career Fair” model, where job seekers have an opportunity to showcase their achievements and talents to potential employers in a comfortable environment through a display/presentation
• Holding entrepreneurship, career readiness and financial literacy training and workshops

The Centers will leverage multiple disability-related resources and partners including, but not limited to, the NYS Education Department’s (NYSED) Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) and the Office of Children and Family Services/NYS Commission for the Blind (OCFS/NYSCB), to support collaboration around a job seeker’s employment and/or training goal(s);

Key partners supporting NY SCION include the NYS Education Department, NYS Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), NYS Office of Children and Family Services, NYS Commission for the Blind, NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and community and non-profit partners across the state.

Inclusive hiring is more than a commitment; it’s a movement toward a fair, accessible, and welcoming process for candidates with disabilities. By removing barriers and biases, this initiative ensures equal opportunities for all job seekers, fostering a truly diverse workforce.

The NY SCION grant program offers robust support to businesses through tax incentives, On-the-Job Training funds, and access to an untapped talent pipeline.

With a diverse talent pool, companies can build an inclusive and equitable workforce that not only empowers individuals with disabilities but also drives positive contributions to our communities.

To learn more about the program, contact the Workforce Development Board’s Disability Resource Coordinator, Nicole Sortino at 315.207.6951 Ext. 139 or via email at .

Resources

NY SCION Asset Map

What is Ticket to Work? 

Visit the YourDreamYourTeam.com website, a toolkit that provides resources to help develop Integrated Resource Teams (IRTs) and contains helpful tools and downloadable forms to help advance individuals with disabilities in their chosen education, employment, training, and/or career pathways goal(s).

NY SCION Presentation - with helpful resources and videos, including:

●What is a disability, under the ADA?
● Visable vs. Non-visable Disability
● How can we support individuals with a disability in employment access?
● Meet Kayla video - Kayla McKeon: First Lobbyist on Capitol Hill with Down Syndrome
● Meet Stella video - Stella Young, comedian and journalist, "who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair"
● Person Centered Language
● Supportive Services