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Innovation Spotlight

Family Partnerships


Video: 2021 Transformation Talks - Dale Verstegen



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The Power of Family Partnerships: Working Together to Find the Right Employment Opportunity

Dale Verstegen

It’s not whether a person with a disability can work, but where. It takes thoughtful input from families and caregivers for transition and employment specialists to design work experiences and employment for adults with disabilities who may be new or returning to the workforce. However, establishing partnerships with families around the common goal of employment may be challenging. Effective partnerships with families can help create good job matches and improve employment outcomes for persons with a disability. This webinar will give employment professionals the tools and strategies necessary to make that happen.

Topics include:

  • Understanding how families may perceive competitive employment
  • Completing a structured family interview to organize and share learning
  • Using the Positive Personal Profile and Job Development Plan to identify talents and find potential employers to interview
  • Partnering with families when approaching, interviewing, and proposing potential competitive employment opportunities
  • Leveraging family partnerships to help avoid poor job matches and miscommunication

Session Handouts

Parent Interview Form (Word)

Positive Personal Profile (Word)

Job Development Plan (Word)


Dale Verstegen

Dale Verstegen, a Senior Research Associate at TransCen, since 2007, is assigned to a range of research, training, and technical assistance projects related to transition and employment services in various parts of the country. Verstegen provides consultation and training in the areas of provider transformation, performance management, employer engagement, and job development. He has developed a curriculum and provided training on supported and customized employment for a wide range of universities and state agencies. His capacity-building projects have included the development of a comprehensive training program for all employment specialists in the states of Vermont and Michigan. He has focused his research, writing, and training on the provision of employment services to the employer community. He has provided technical assistance and coordinated statewide networks on provider transformation and organizational change. Verstegen has his master‘s in business administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE).