Outline:
Section 1: Introduction About this Course Learning Objectives Section 2: An Introduction to Discovering Personal Genius Meet Terry Could There be a “Sweeter” Future for Terry? Customized Self-Employment Discovering Personal Genius –What is it? Roles of DPG in Employment Development Principles Guiding the DPG Process Outcomes of the DPG Process Who Should be a Business Owner? Discovering Personal Genius: Benefits How is DPG Different from Traditional Methods of Employment Development? How is DPG Different from Person-Centered Planning? Inclusive vs. Exclusive Employment Assessments Focus on Supports Not Deficits Let’s Review Summary Section 3: Business Ideas and Personal Genius Where Should Business Ideas Come From? DPG and Business Ideas Self-Employment For Everybody? Benefits of Working for Others Before Working for Yourself Going Where The Career Makes Sense Primary Steps in Person-Centered Business Planning Disability and Employment Beginning DPG and the Staging Record How Long Does DPG Take? True or False Practice The Seven Stages of Discovering Personal Genius Discovering Christy’s Personal Genius Summary Section 4: Setting the Stage for the Discovering Personal Genius Process Discovering Personal Genius: A Different Process Smooth Listening Smooth Listening and Questioning Questions We Want to Answer in the DPG Process Techniques if the Conversation Gets Stuck DPG is NOT a Test Traditional Vocational Testing DPG Stages: Methods and Tasks Recording What you Learn about Themes DPG: Interests, Talents and Skills Inventory Paul and Harry Summary Section 5: The Discovering Personal Genius Process Steps for DPG: Gathering a Team Steps for DPG: Explaining the Process Steps for DPG: Scheduling the First Meeting Steps for DPG: Touring the Neighborhood Steps for DPG: Meeting with the Individual Steps for DPG: Interviewing other People Steps for DPG: Engaging in Activities with the Person at Home Steps for DPG: Engaging in Familiar Activities with the Person Outside the Home Steps for DPG: Engaging in Unfamiliar Activities with the Person Steps for DPG: Visiting Places of Employment and Conducting Informational Interviews Steps for DPG: Visiting Places of Employment and Touring the Business Steps for DPG: Returning to the Individual’s Home Steps for DPG: Reviewing Written Information Steps for DPG: Developing a List of Places DPG Steps: Practice Time! Summary Section 6: Discovering Personal Genius Themes and The Vocational Profile DPG Activities Themes and Where They Take us Combining Themes for Greater Options Steps for DPG: Reviewing Notes and Drafting Vocational Profile Steps for DPG: Reviewing the Vocational Profile and Meeting with People Steps for DPG: Creating a Representational Portfolio DPG: Team Process Chart What’s Next? A New Chance for Paul Summary Section 7: Put Into Practice Using What you Learned Creating your Own Work Portfolio Section 8: Summary Summary A Call for Change Course Contributors Contact the Authors References Congratulations

Cary Griffin is a Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. Cary maintains a strong relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Director of Adult Community Services & Supports. He is the former Executive Director of the Center for Technical Assistance & Training (CTAT) in Denver. Cary provides training to administrative and direct service level professionals in the rehabilitation field; consultation to businesses and rehabilitation agencies regarding the employment of individuals with significant disabilities; conducts field-initiated research & demonstration; provides family & consumer case consultation; develops resources; and organizational development. Recently, Cary has been instrumental in designing self-employment protocols and training for individuals, agencies, and states.
Disclosure: Cary Griffin, MA has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

David Hammis is Senior Partner at Griffin-Hammis Associates, a full service consultancy which specializes in building communities of economic cooperation, creating high performance organizations, and focuses on disability and employment. David maintains an ongoing relationship with the Rural Institute at The University of Montana, where he served as Project Director for four employment and Social Security outreach training and technical assistance projects, and now serves as an Organizational Consultant for the Rural Institutes Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion Design Project. Dave works with organizations nationally and internationally on benefits analysis, supported employment, supported entrepreneurial employment, and employment engineering.
Disclosure: David Hammis has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

Ms. Keeton has worked closely with the state of Florida’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to coordinate the development and implementation of a Self-Employment Certification curriculum. Florida VR has been the first in the nation to make such an extensive commitment to supporting self-employment as a possible outcome for all customers. Beth has served as the point-person for this effort and has been actively involved in all aspects of implementation including: developing the training curriculum; training VR vendors; and providing ongoing technical assistance to VR staff (both state and local), vendors, and customers. Additionally, Beth works with GHA on several other national projects, all of which are geared towards increasing the quantity and quality of employment outcomes through Customized Employment. For the last decade, Beth has provided extensive training and technical assistance throughout the country on positive behavior support, self-employment, customized employment, and benefits analysis. During her time on the various self-employment projects, she has developed expertise in all aspects of business plan development and has discovered a particular affinity for financial planning and Social Security benefits analysis.
Disclosure: Beth Keeton, MS has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.