From “Uncertain” to “Confident”: The Growth Journey of Novice Job Coaches

17 employment counselors and colleagues in disability employment field from all over the country to participate in the 9th job coach training in 2023 (joint development version of Inclusion Factory & Rongai Rongle). After two-week online course and one-week offline course, the course training session was successfully concluded and entered the three-month supervision phase.

This training is based on the industry experience of Inclusion Factory and Rongai Rongle, and with the technical support provided by Yuexiang Xinzhi, the content direction and teaching format have been updated. In this article, we will share the research and development ideas and implementation methods of this course, hoping to bring new experience and inspiration to the industry and other interested partners.

I. The origin and development of job coach courses

 

• What is job coach?

Among various groups of people with disabilities, individuals with intellectual disabilities face the lowest employment rate, the greatest difficulty in finding employment, and the lowest acceptance by employers. They are often perceived as requiring employers to fulfill more obligations and assume more responsibilities and risks. In reality, employers are not unwilling to hire individuals with intellectual disabilities; rather, they often have concerns during the practical process. Many employers feel helpless in dealing with issues that arise from employing individuals with intellectual disabilities due to a lack of relevant professional knowledge.

Professional job coaches for individuals with intellectual disabilities play a crucial role in addressing this issue. The work of supported employment job coaches involves assessing the job and self-care abilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities, negotiating positions with businesses, providing support for individuals with intellectual disabilities in their workplace, coordinating relationships and conflicts between employees, managers, colleagues, and families, and providing training to all relevant parties on necessary support for interacting with individuals with disabilities. In other words, job coaches serve as intermediaries between employers, individuals with disabilities, and their families, ultimately supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities to smoothly, steadily, and long-term employment.

However, the training system for job coaches in China is still in its infancy. The establishment of a system for job coaches for people with disabilities and the expansion of the job coach team have been officially mentioned in the “14th Five-Year Plan for Disability Protection and Development.” However, in practical terms, training and maintaining a stable team of job coaches remain a major challenge facing society.

• Past experience

Facing the issue of the lack of a training system for job coaches, the Inclusion Factory, based on its years of practical experience and in conjunction with the Lebenshilfe model from Germany, is dedicated to cultivating key talents to promote integrated employment. They support individuals with intellectual disabilities in obtaining decent work and encourage graduates to continue promoting the integrated employment of individuals with disabilities in their respective fields.

The Inclusion Factory’s past training for job coaches has focused on providing immersive learning experiences. Participants include special education teachers or students, employees of non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting the employment of individuals with disabilities, and business managers willing to hire individuals with disabilities.

• Results and feedback

Breaking many labeled thoughts about individuals with intellectual disabilities! Seeing more possibilities. Applied through training in Taicang and guidance from the consulting team to the MIF Inclusive Factory project.

— Lin Jinghui, Job Coach at the MIF Inclusive Factory by Flex

 

This month-long training has given me a more comprehensive understanding of individuals with intellectual disabilities and has formed an overall framework for employment. The course arrangements are comprehensive, each building upon the last, delving deeper at each level. This training was excellent; I had contact with every employee at the Inclusion Factory and supported them in their work, which made me very happy.

— Qin Yingying, Shenzhen Autism Research Association

 

Although this training was brief, it was very meaningful. The overall course comprehensively covered the understanding of the intellectual disability community, employment, assistance management, the establishment of sheltered workshops, and how to help them achieve supported employment. The teaching level of the instructors was also very high, and they shared many practical achievements. I look forward to having the opportunity for further advanced training at the Inclusion Factory in the future.

— Ma Yan, Supervisor of the Tianjin Aixing Zhumeng Project

 

II. The design process of the 9th job coach training

 

• Origin of cooperation

To cultivate more job coaches with experience in supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities in employment who can understand and “translate” employer needs, in 2023, the Inclusion Factory and Rongai Rongle, with technical support from Yuexiang Xinzhi, launched the 9th job coach training. This job coach training focuses on supported employment, aiming to train job coaches who are capable and resourceful in communicating with employers.

• Research Insights

Through interviews with job coaches, we found that when engaging in the employment of individuals with intellectual disabilities, job coaches generally face the following types of problems, namely “cognitive start”

1. Lack of understanding of the value of supported employment, leading to a lack of motivation when engaging in specific work.

“I hope that through explanations, I can better understand why I am doing employment. After seeing the value, I feel more motivated to do this. Perhaps for job coaches, their motivation will be stronger.”

2. Not knowing how to translate theory and tools into concrete practices.

“In our work, I also interview parents’ wishes, etc., but I lack knowledge on how to use assessment results and how to set goals that are more suitable for young people with intellectual disabilities.”

3. Not knowing how to deal with certain specific behaviors of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

“For example, when a young person becomes emotional, theoretically, we should let them calm down first. But in practice, how to make them calm down, how to separate them from other distracting factors, and what methods can be used, I want to know more detailed examples.”

We hope that after completing the course, students can reach the following “cognitive end”:

1. 【Concepts】

I understand the value of supported employment.

2. 【Techniques】

▶I have a comprehensive understanding of how to carry out supported employment.

▶I can master key job skills and generally know how to operate in each step of employment, including any special considerations.

3. 【Knowledge】

▶I have a basic understanding of the youth population with intellectual disabilities (identification of common intellectual disability types).

▶I have a basic understanding of the unexpected situations and response methods that may occur in supported employment for youth with intellectual disabilities.

In addition, while designing the course content, we adhere to the following four principles, aiming to design it to be more tailored to the students’ actual backgrounds and needs.

1. The target users are novice job coaches: The course difficulty should start with basic knowledge and gradually progress.
2. Emphasize practicality: The course delivery method involves practical application first, followed by theoretical support.
3. Clarify work values and support systems: Users are willing to engage in supported employment work after completing the course, rather than giving up after encountering difficulties.
4. Focus on the subjectivity of individuals: Master possible methods of self-guidance and seeking support from others.

 

III. Process of 9th job coach training

Module One, Concept: Why Supported Employment? What is the Value of a Job Coach?

Module One focuses on understanding supported employment and the value of job coaches. It covers the importance of understanding individuals with intellectual disabilities, the significance of employment for them, and shares the value of supported employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

For example, in the online course “Understanding Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities,” instructors introduce theories and data about disabilities and intellectual disabilities. In offline courses, instructors delve deeper into behavior characteristics of individuals with intellectual disabilities and discuss forms of employment support based on models from Lebenshilfe in Germany and Kaohsiung School for students with Disabilities.

 

Module Two, Process: Supported employment, how to get started?

Module Two focuses on understanding the process of supported employment. In the online course, the basic process of supported employment is shared, while in offline courses, ample case studies, tool exercises, and group discussions are conducted for each step. Students have the opportunity to learn by doing, gradually mastering the process through practical experience.

Additionally, the students visited the Inclusion Factory to gain insights into the concepts and methods of job redesign, and learned how to apply them to job development in collaboration with businesses.

The students also visited companies that have already implemented disability employment practices. At IMS Gear, through direct communication with the company’s management, they understood the company’s needs, processes, and achievements in hiring individuals with disabilities. IMS Gear mentioned that professional support from disability support specialists is essential during the initial stages of integrating individuals with intellectual disabilities into the workforce. For example, regarding specific behaviors of employees, disability support specialists can provide adjustment strategies to streamline workflow, enabling employees and companies to work together smoothly in a compatible manner.

Module Three, Methods: How can novice job coaches better initiate supported employment?

Module Three focuses on the specific challenges individuals with intellectual disabilities may face in the workplace and the methods job coaches can employ to address them. The course content covers behavior management and positive behavior support, communication skills, and sexual education.

Through learning about these topics, students will be better equipped to make experienced judgments when faced with issues that may arise for individuals with intellectual disabilities in the actual employment process, including learning job tasks, developing good behavior habits, and interacting with colleagues.

Student Feedback

Regarding the feedback on the course, students mentioned:

“What left a deep impression was the segment on visiting the workshop. After the field visit, I understood how ‘changing the environment, not the person’ can be implemented in reality. I learned about the concept of job redesign and also felt the importance of aspects like visual design and safety measures in supporting employees’ work, which was very insightful.”

“I found the practical exercise of job redesign during the training session very beneficial.”

Students also shared their plans for action over the next week to a month:

“Reassess service recipients within a week, contact companies within two weeks to inquire about hiring needs, and arrange for service recipients to experience the work environment in a company within a month.”

“Task breakdown and job redesign: Starting with my own cafeteria and supermarket, to be implemented in the first half of January.”

“Plan the future of children with parents as much as possible, communicate with companies to assess their readiness (trigger genuine feelings from corporate culture), communicate with young people to identify young people we can follow up with, conduct assessments, and record videos.”

According to monitoring and evaluation data, students showed significant improvement in both their knowledge and confidence in supporting employment.

Percentage of positive feedback among population (proportion of strongly agree + agree)
functional module	Online courses	Offline courses
I learned the value of my supported employment role.	100.00%	94.12%
I gained a comprehensive understanding of how to do supported employment (the full spectrum of work).	86.67%	94.12%
I understood and digested the work skills highlighted in the course.	53.33%	94.12%
I updated my basic understanding of young people with intellectual disabilities (such as the identification of common types of intellectual disabilities).	93.33%	94.12%
I have a basic understanding of emergencies that may arise in supported employment for young people with intellectual disabilities and how to deal with them.	73.33%	94.12%
percentage of self-confidence is above 8 points Among population
Course core values/goals	Online courses (median-percentage)	Offline courses (median-percentage)
Have the confidence to use the working techniques in the course in the existing work environment and provide employment services well.	60%	88.24%
Have the confidence to explore the provision of supported employment services in the future if conditions support is available.	66.67%	100.00%

After the offline course training, the students entered a three-month practical session to apply the knowledge learned in the course to their own work scenarios. Inclusion Advisory and Rongai Rongle will continue to track the current status of practical operations and bring first-hand experience and reflection sharing.