Disability Mentoring Day

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Florida DMD Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The 10th anniversary of Florida Disability Mentoring Day will be commemorated on Wednesday, October 20, 2010. Statewide activities will coincide with National DMD events across the country, which are supported by the American Association of People with Disabilities. Florida’s DMD program is organized by The Able Trust and statewide partners, such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The Able Trust and members of the statewide planning committee raise funds for Florida DMD activities and provide support to local community liaisons that coordinate the matchmaking experience between mentors and mentees. Across the state of Florida, more than 4,000 employer mentors and mentees will take part in Disability Mentoring Day activities during October. Florida leads the nation in mentoring opportunities through Disability Mentoring Day, and this year, will be the first state to offer DMD activities in every county!

The Able Trust receives tremendous support from disability agencies and the business community in order to provide this innovative mentoring experience. The experience helps students and job-seekers with disabilities develop some of the necessary skills and experiences they'll need to compete in today's competitive workforce. Over the past ten years, The Able Trust has seen the value that mentoring adds to career development for students and job seekers with disabilities in Florida. Through collaboration among community organizations, business partners and educators, The Able Trust and statewide partners have worked to expand opportunities for hundreds of job seekers with disabilities to improve their career knowledge and skills. Employers or organizations who wish to participate in a job shadowing experience for students with disabilities or who are interested in sponsoring the statewide program can contact The Able Trust at (888) 838-2253 or info@abletrust.org.

Florida Disability Mentoring Day 10th Anniversary Launch & Press Conference
Celebrating a Decade of Mentoring Success

Thursday, September 30, 2010
10:00 AM EST

Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Intercontinental Ballroom

followed by

The Central Florida DMD Career Fair & Networking Event

“The Able Trust is excited to represent the state and to serve the organizations that are helping to implement the Disability Mentoring Day program. It is through the help of such organizations and programs like DMD that we are that we are able to continue our mission to assist those with disabilities in securing meaningful employment.”
Dr. Susanne Homant, President & CEO

Governor Crist Supports Florida Disability Mentoring Day

Governor Charlie Crist encourages employers and citizens with disabilites to participate in Florida’s Disability Mentoring Day 10th Anniversary activities. Disability Mentoring Day is a nationally coordinated job shadowing opportunity for students and jobseekers with disabilities and will be commemorated across the country on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, in honor of October: National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Participants are matched with professionals based on their career interests and spend the day with these mentors observing job responsibilities and getting a better understanding of the work place environment. Disability Mentoring Day gives participants a chance to learn about the day-to-day responsibilities required of a desired occupation and the skills and education requirements specific to the job. "I am pleased to support and encourage Disability Mentoring activities throughout the State of Florida, which contribute to improved diversity and inclusion in Florida businesses and allow our young people with disabilities to experience business organizations of interest from the inside. The disability network is approximately one-third of Florida’s population, and accessing talent within that group of citizens is very important to the economic recovery of Florida," said Governor Crist.

“We look forward to launching the 10th Anniversary of Florida DMD activities this year and opening doors for more mentees across the state than ever before.”
Sally Ash, Chair, Florida DMD Statewide Planning Committee.

National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD), sponsored by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), began in 1999 as part of a White House effort to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, celebrated every October. It is a national partnership between the AAPD and the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.

NDMD was patterned after other school-to-work activities such as the National Groundhog Job Shadow day, and began with just three-dozen student participants, mostly in Washington, DC. In 2000, NDMD began to take root in communities across the nation. To learn more about NDMD on a national level, visit http://www.dmd-aapd.org/.