Transcript - slide 4

So, as we went through the process, we did keep data in what we felt were key areas. [This included] the number of people who were working, the number of hours [that] they were working, how much money they earned, whether or not they had benefits including health insurance or vacation, and their job satisfaction. Since then, we’ve started collecting more data based on quality of life as opposed to satisfaction. We learned that as people become more aware of what’s available in the community, in terms of community life, they sometimes become more dissatisfied with their lives. So satisfaction may not always be a useful indicator in terms of how our services are affecting people. We have found it more helpful to look at [the] quality of people’s lives.

The other thing that I think is very important is to involve people outside of the organization in the system-change effort including people that are served by the agency. We did form a Community Employment Advisory Group that helped us through the process. That group is still meeting to help us discover alternate and more creative ways to help people get jobs and to support them in those jobs. We also involved the advocacy organizations in meetings and different kinds of presentations on our planning groups, as well as our funders, and, of course, families and people with disabilities. Employers have also been a part of the Advisory Group, which has been helpful.