FROM TRAINEE TO FACILITATOR (WITH A TWIST)

By Lisa Turner

As a Highline Community College employee, I was invited by a colleague to attend the Dependable Strengths training for practitioners at the University of Washington last fall. I didn’t know what to expect. I was a new employee with Highline’s Community & Employment Services, and I’d never heard of the Center for Dependable Strengths. Much of my professional background has included vocational training and counseling for people with employment barriers, specifically students with disabilities, so I accepted the invitation and was eager to hear about the philosophy of articulating dependable strengths for employment success.

After an intensive five-day training, I was soaring with enthusiasm about the articulation process and its potential for Highline Community College students. Most of those at the training were vocational professionals themselves, so I had the opportunity to brainstorm and share stories with like-minded peers. This was especially useful when it came time for my colleague and me to plan a workshop of our own, which we did in collaboration with two of our partners-in-training from the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind (DSB).

We designed our workshop for DSB staff and for staff from my own department at Highline Community College. As Dependable Strengths practitioners, the four of us set out to provide an 18½ hour Dependable Strengths workshop for personnel working with people with visual impairments and significant disabilities seeking employment.

Our group of twelve participants was insightful and diverse. There were three participants with visual impairments, and each used a different mode of assistive technology to learn and apply the DS process. Much of the process is explained through stories, verbal explanation, and projector over-heads and, although the participants with visual impairments were able to engage most of the time, our dependence upon written and printed material was a challenge to them. We discovered that parts of the workshop require adaptation for accommodating people with visual and learning disabilities, and we are exploring ways to make those adjustments.

All participants enjoyed developing a list of their strengths, finding the supporting evidence, and gaining a sense of confidence about their good experiences. Listening and sharing good experiences with others allowed each individual the opportunity to feel uplifted and positive about their unique abilities. Although there were the typical grumblings among the participants about using their reports in the community, the individuals with visual impairments were some of the most willing and positive about sharing their strengths. Their commitment and interest in the process, considering some of their own challenges, was inspiring to us all.

Lisa Turner is Program Manager, Community & Employment Services, Highline Community College, Des Moines, Washington.