Self-employment is an important employment option for people with disabilities. VR agencies, however, close fewer cases than expected when compared to national self-employment rates among people with disabilities. This presentation will highlight research about some reasons for low rates of self-employment closures within VR, and then shift towards showcasing two free and comprehensive online resources meant to overcome some of these barriers. The VR Self-Employment Guide (www.vrselfemploymentguide.org) was developed for VR programs and the Tribal VR Self-employment Toolkit (www.tvrselfemployment.org) was developed for American Indian/Alaska Native VR programs. Both resources include 8 chapters and multiple worksheets to assess consumer readiness, business feasibility, and business planning. Participants will receive a tour of the VR Self-Employment Guide and consider how it might support their work with consumers.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Attendees will identify barriers to self-employment within their own programs.
2. Attendees will become acquainted with two free online resources to assist consumers in self-employment exploration and business planning.
3. Attendees will learn how to conduct consumer readiness and business feasibility exercises to help consumers evaluate if self-employment is a good choice for them.