If you have a physical or mental disability or know someone who does, pay a visit yourself, or encourage someone else who might be feeling too overwhelmed in these times to even attempt seeking work, to stop in at a One Stop Career Center. These centers are usually situated where one reports to the New York State Labor Department offices.

The New York State Department of Labor and VESID (Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities and also part of the NYS Education Dept.) comprises the vast services of Workforce New York and provide you with programs for assistance in your job search—all free of charge. There is a plethora of information on employment and training programs and services available at your local career center. A disability navigator representative may be on board on certain weekdays to guide and provide advice and agency referrals, as well.

Depending upon grant distribution and agency size, certain employment services offices may have a state-of-the-art equipped workstation to provide auxiliary aids and convenient, easy-to-use accessible accommodations, administered by various technologies in some offices locally and throughout the country.

This technology may include any or all of the following software and equipment: Extra Series Large Print Quiet key Gray Keyboard; Microsoft Explorer Trackball; Kensington Gel Pillow Keyboard Wrist Support; Kensington Gel Pillow Mouse Wrist Support; Epson Perfection Scanner; Zoom Text Extra L2 LP/Speech; SmartView B&W Color Select Camera Unit; SmartView Computer Interface with Footswitch; Open Book Scanning and Reading Software; JAWS Pro Screen Reader and Tash Win Mini Alternative Access Keyboard.

Text Telephone (TTY) system aids in providing telephonic communication for deaf persons along with the I-Communicator for the deaf and hard of hearing.

VESID provides vocational special education to individuals with disabilities to assist them in becoming self sufficiently employed. Depending on income guidelines, individuals may achieve college degrees or train in vocational or technical schools. There are many other services in which individuals can participate free of charge, including workshops and receive specialty services and programs, if needed, such as a job coach who accompanies a new worker to his or her workplace daily to help the employee acclimate to a new environment, schedule and duties on the job.

VESID’s free-of-charge qualifying process is lengthy (90 or more days depending on volume of people applying and size of available staff) and requires patience, perseverance and motivation on the part of the individual applying for their services. Individuals desiring VESID services must participate in a psychiatric evaluation, career aptitudes and assessments, and provide medical and high school records and documents. However, when this process is completed, individuals receive one-on-one interactive assistance with choosing a career by a professional vocational rehabilitation counselor who has been trained in the complex analysis and studies of occupations appropriate for each disability. VESID is the central heart agency of many other referrals to programs for individuals with disabilities.

Vocational rehabilitation for persons who are blind is provided by the NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped.

The Social Security Administration sponsors a Ticket to Work and Self Sufficiency Program to enable disabled individuals to work and still receive benefits.

Employers are eligible to receive WOTC (Worker Opportunity Tax Credits) for hiring persons with disabilities. Incidentally, these tax credits also apply to veterans, welfare recipients and other categories of individuals.

To access the One Stop Career Center nearest you:

www.servicelocator.org

www.careeronestop.org

For VESID consumers with physical or mental disabilities (including persons in alcohol and substance abuse recovery from addiction disease): www.vesid.nysed.gov/do/locations.htm

(or)

www.vesid.nysed.gov

(Scroll down middle column to vocational rehabilitation district offices for locality)

The following websites are resources for employment services for persons with disabilities in New York City:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/mopd/html/specific/blv.shtml

The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities—Blind and Low Vision

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pros/pros-info.shtml

(PROS) Personalized Recovery Oriented Services

www.fegs.org

(FEGS) Federation of Education and Guidance Services

Also available on Long Island

There are myriad other government-sponsored programs, non profit agencies and free publically-funded services too numerable to mention for persons with disabilities, as well as for those without, that no one need feel isolated or unassisted in seeking work as long as one is ready, willing and able. As with all jobseekers, one must take charge, be assertive and participate in the personal project of finding work and in many cases, changing one’s life for the better on many levels, not the least of which is financial reward. Communicate, ask questions and don’t assume. Stay in touch. Take initiative and understand the reasons for processes and procedures and learn the planned strategies to help you. Don’t drop the ball. Call if you cannot comply with appointments and need to reschedule for intake or services. Ask when is the best time for you to call or email that counselor and in what time frame can you expect her/his callback.

Please realize that increased demand for services from all the agencies in these tough times may yield slower results—as with disabled and non-disabled individuals—and that program staff, whether they serve in government or other not-for-profit and non-profit agencies, is doing the best they can to serve the public in as timely a fashion as humanly possible. The good news is that everyone is served eventually but you must do your part to move the process along and make it happen for yourself. Good luck and God bless!

-By The Job Enthusiast Who Won’t Rest Till Everyone Is Put To Work!