Customized Employment: Where we are; where we're headed

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Griffin, Cary | Hammis, Dave | Geary, Tammara | Sullivan, Molly

Affiliations: Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC, Florence, MT, USA

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Cary Griffin, Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC, 5582 Klements Lane, Florence, MT 59833, USA. Tel.: +1 406 273 9181; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Customized Employment (CE) represents the natural evolution of supported employment (SE). The techniques used challenge traditional methods and build on SE and relevant competitive employment strategies, but they do represent a departure from having the local job market needs dictate the employment sought. Instead, CE starts with the person and engages employers through an interest-based negotiation revealing the benefits hiring a specific job seeker will have for both parties. The promise of this approach is that stereotypical jobs are reduced and employment better matching an individual's "personal genius" occurs.

Keywords: Customized employment, disabilities, future of supported employment

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 135-139, 2008