Asset Development Exchange
Technical Assistance &
Continuing Education Center

Training

ADX Webinar Series

Sponsors: Southeast TACE Region IV, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University

Webinars: January – May 2012

Description

Every Vocational Counselor knows a job, even a career, does not solve the array of barriers individuals who are poor and disable face: poor credit, limited to no assets, victims of predatory lending, rudimentary understanding of how public benefits are connected, inadequate medical insurance and poor money management skills. All of these barriers prevent individuals from succeeding. Frequently counselor and administrators know the problem but do not know how to talk about it. This series is aimed at providing information that allows Rehabilitation professionals to help clients think about how to become financial stable.

Overview
This series is meant to provide vocational counselors and administrator s with information that will allow them to:

• Provide an overview of what is happening on the national level concerning financial stability for individuals with disabilities
• Understand how asset development strategies fit into the rehab process
• How to talk about money in the context of vocational planning.
• How to include asset building tools such as financial literacy and planning into individual employment plans
• How to use asset building tools to increase clients interest in earning over SGA and thus increasing SSA reimbursement dollars
• Understanding how  asset building strategies can increase the client's investment in their IEP
• How helping your client understand money and asset building tools can decrease recidivism, increase wages and decrease maintenance cost.

January 24 – An Overview of Asset Development

February 14 – How to Talk About Money in Vocational Planning

March 6 – Making Work Pay

April 3 – Building a Better Financial Future

May 8 – Connection Between Financial Stability and Job Retention

 

Webinar Specifics

Webinar One - An Overview of Asset Development

Date: January 24, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern / 12:00 -2:00 Central
Presenter: Michael Morris

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Webinar Description and Content
This session will explain what asset development means, why it is important and what is occurring on a national level within the disability field regarding asset development. It will explore changing perspectives, approaches and proposed changes in policies. The audience will learn:

• The impact changing policies and attitudes will have on vocational Rehabilitation and the role of the counselor.
• Linkages to websites and resources.

Objectives & Outcomes
It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will have a basic understanding of asset development strategies, to connect their clients to asset building resources and why this information would be useful to use their counseling and guidance.

Webinar Two - How to Talk About Money in Vocational Planning

Date: February 14, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern / 12:00 -2:00 Central
Presenter: Thomas Jensen

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Webinar Description and Content
Few counselors ever received any training on how to talk about money. This webinar will look at the steps in the rehabilitation process and what needs to be talked about at each stage of counseling and guidance concerning money. The audience will learn:

• That money is an emotional topic and how to broach the subject
• How to frame financial questions for individuals with cognitive issues
• The impact the aversion theory has on how people think about money
• Partnership that can aid clients

Objectives & Outcomes
It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will have a basic understanding of how to talk about money during counseling and guidance and the type of resources in the community that can assist clients.

Webinar Three - Making Work Pay

Date: March 6, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern / 12:00 -2:00 Central
Presenter: Elizabeth Jennings
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Webinar Description and Content
This session will explain the different work incentives connected to SSA and how to use them as a tool in asset building strategies. The audience will learn:

• What VRCs needs to know to assist clients in thinking about how to use their work incentives.
• How to work in partnership with a benefits planner or WIPA
• What benefit information should be addressed at what point in the rehabilitation process.

Objectives & Outcomes
It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will have a basic understanding of work incentives, know how to connect their clients to a benefits planner, why this information matters and how it can place clients on the pathway to financial stability.

Webinar Four - Building a Better Financial Future

Date: April 3, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern / 12:00 -2:00 Central
Presenters: Jackie Wilks-Weathers, The Center for Financial Independence & Innovation, Inc. & Richard Keeling , IRS, Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication

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Webinar Description and Content
This session will help VRCs and CRPs Progress learn concrete strategies to leverage programs together to progress in building a better financial future for their clients.  

• It will examine  new tools, new strategies, and new ways of thinking to create pathways for VR clients to become financially self-sufficient
• It will discuss the integration of various asset-building tools, work incentives, and financial education.
• The audience will learn about:
• Receive match saving to start a business or go back to school;
• Build a solid credit score and history
• Develop a long-term financial success story;
• How clients can bbuy their first home through special programs and down payment assistance;
• VRC and CRPs will learn how to use their advocacy skills, knowledge and networks to strengthen the asset movement in their community.

Objectives & Outcomes
It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will have a basic understanding of asset building strategies that can be implemented for their clients.

Webinar Five - Connection Between Financial Stability and Job Retention

Date: May 8, 2012
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 Eastern / 12:00 -2:00 Central
Presenter: Mike O’Brien, Director of Oklahoma Vocational Rehabilitation

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Webinar Description and Content
This session will provide details and opportunities to disucss:

• Looking at how poverty strategies assisting unbanked individuals can also assist VR clients.
• A job does not address many of the issues clients’ face that causes them to have reopened their cases. A job does not help them address large debt, does not help them plan financially, become banked, build credit, receive low interest emergency loans. How partnering with the asset building community can assist with these issues.
• Examples of what Oklahoma Vocational Rehabilitation has done to implement innovative approaches that result in expanding financial stability for their clients.

Objectives & Outcomes
It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will understand the connection between financial stability and job retention. They will be able to implement concrete steps within their caseload. It is expected that VR staff who participate in the webinar will have a basic understanding of different approaches that can assist VR clients in being financially stable. They will be aware of the resource that could assist their clients.

Archives of Webinars Available!
Recordings, handouts and PowerPoint slideshows from all TACE Webinars are archived and available for you to access at your convenience.