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Day 13 – Engage Student Leaders Day 13 – Engage Student Leaders In schools, faculty advisors to groups such as student councils and student-led media can suggest NDEAM as a possible hook for content during October. For example, a student council might invite a local community leader with a disability to a meeting to speak…

Day 12 – Train Front-line Staff Day 12 – Train Front-line Staff In youth service provider organizations, it is imperative that staff have the knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively serve youth with disabilities, especially those transitioning from school to work. Key tools to assist in improving this capacity — during NDEAM and all year…

Day 11 – Educate About Disability History Day 11 – Educate About Disability History Despite the number of people with disabilities in the U.S. and the fact that they represent all races, classes, and cultures, many people are unaware of the rich history of the disability movement. To fill this gap, some states require schools…

Day 10 – Organize an Assembly Day 10 – Organize an Assembly Schools can hold an assembly addressing the topic of disability employment, with content tailored as appropriate for age. Such an assembly might feature guest speakers from local disability service organizations and/or people with disabilities in various professions willing to talk about their jobs,…

Day 9 – Hold a Discussion Day 9 – Hold a Discussion For schools, NDEAM presents an opportune time to discuss the topic of disability employment with students, particularly those at an age when they are considering career options and learning about the world of work. One easy way to do so is to use…

Day 8 – Establish an Employee Resource Group Day 8 – Establish an Employee Resource Group For employers, NDEAM is a perfect time to launch a disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) if one doesn’t already exist. Sometimes referred to as Employee Networks or Affinity Groups, ERGs offer employees an opportunity to connect and receive support…

Day 7 – Use Social Media to Promote Your Activities Day 7 – Use Social Media to Promote Your Activities NDEAM provides an interesting hook for social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. For the latter, organizations are encouraged to include the hashtag #NDEAM. Sample postings and tweets are available to assist in incorporating NDEAM into…

Day 2 – Review Company Policies Day 2 – Review Company Policies For employers, NDEAM presents an opportune time to review company policies to ensure they convey a commitment to workplace culture inclusive of people with disabilities. For assistance in doing so, access Inclusion@Work: A Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization (see in particular the first section,…

Day 3 – Train Supervisors Day 3 – Train Supervisiors Employers can consider conducting training for supervisors to ensure they understand their role in fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Such training may include a review of relevant policies, including the process for providing reasonable accommodations. One easy way to provide such training is to make…