ND Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
Summer Work Experience (SWE) Program
Effective May 11, 2015 - August 31, 2015
Table of Contents
Purpose ........................................................................................................................ 2
Eligibility Criteria ........................................................................................................... 2
Roles of the Team ........................................................................................................ 2
ND DVR .................................................................................................................. 2-3
Employment Specialist ............................................................................................ 3
School Personnel .................................................................................................... 3-4
Parent(s) ................................................................................................................. 4
Student/Worker ....................................................................................................... 4
Employer ................................................................................................................. 4
ND Job Service/Workforce Investment Act (WIA) ................................................... 5
Job Placement ............................................................................................................. 6
Payment Process ......................................................................................................... 6
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Purpose:
Summer Work Experience (SWE) is meant to be time-limited paid employment rather
than permanent; however, occasionally the employer offers a permanent position after
the work experience is over. The program is designed to impart knowledge of day-today work requirements in a real job. Appropriate purposes of work experience may
include:
To determine:
 appropriate vocational goal
 readiness for employment
 need for rehabilitation technology and/or job accommodations
 student’s interests, capabilities, and unique strengths
To develop:
 new skills
 capacity or tolerance for work
 basic work behavior
 skills in a specific occupation
 current and positive employment record
Eligibility Criteria:
All students enrolled in SWE must be:
 Eligible for DVR services prior to participation in services
 No sooner than two years from exiting secondary education
- The student with a disability may be determined eligible for DVR services
without having a 504 or IEP.
Roles of the Team:
Vocational Rehabilitation
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DVR and student interview and select an agency/employment specialist (ES).
On the VR AWARE computer system, check SWE on the special programs
screen.
DVR counselor, student, ES, and school officials will meet before the end of the
school year to discuss the goals of the work experience and identify supports
needed.
Identify a job goal that will match the student’s strengths, interests, and abilities.
Identify work experience options.
Provide vocational guidance and counseling.
Work with other adult service agencies to ensure a successful work experience.
Determine if the student would be a candidate for the Job Service Workforce
Investment Act (WIA) Youth Employment and Training program and/or WOTC tax
credit, and if so, coordinate with Job Service.
Provide referral information along with the Referral for Employment Services form
(SFN 1092) to the employment agency/ES that was selected
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If for some reason the first job placement is not successful and all things are
equal, legal, and based on good rehabilitation counseling, the counselor may
allow a student a second chance at summer work experience.
The student does not need to be in an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
to participate in SWE.
Provide a copy of the SWE monthly progress summaries to the VR Transition
Program Administrator (Barb)
Employment Specialist (ES)
 Provide 15 hours of pre-vocational training before work experience begins, to
include:
o When and how to disclose their disability.
o What are reasonable accommodations and how to ask for them?
o Create or update a resume, generic application, list of references, sample
cover letter, etc.
o How to dress for work i.e. grooming, hygiene, etc.
o Mock interviews.
o Other as defined and agreed upon by the ES and DVR counselor.
 Contacts employers to obtain and maintain work experience.
 Along with the regular training provided by the employer, the ES will support and
train the student on site in the employment setting. This support starts when the
student becomes employed and is gradually faded out as the student becomes
more independent. The amount and length of services depends upon the level of
need.
 Does NOT place the student at their own place of employment and receive
payment for developing the work experience.
 Obtain verbal approval of secured work experience sites from the DVR counselor
prior to the student’s start date and follow up with submitting the “Employment
Verification” form.
 Maintain regular contact with the student, DVR counselor, and employer.
 Assist the student in resolving issues related to retention of employment.
 Work with the employer to make sure the placement is going smoothly.
 Contact the DVR counselor at any time during business hours for technical
assistance. The DVR counselor will respond within 24 hours or sooner. If the
provider does not receive a response within that time the regional administrator
may be contacted. (Typically summer brings vacations so counselors may not be
readily available.)
 Contact the DVR counselor immediately (within 24 hours) if a student is at risk of
job loss, job loss has occurred, or the student chooses not to allow the
employment specialist to be on the job site.
School Personnel
During the school year, school personnel should encourage students to:
 Participate in volunteer experiences
 Participate in job shadows
 Complete vocational profiles and interest/aptitude assessments
 Engage in School to Work opportunities and/or Work Readiness programs
 Attend Career Fairs
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Submit an application to DVR so eligibility can be determined prior to the start
date of the DVR summer work experience program.
Participate in a team meeting to share information between the DVR counselor,
ES, parent, etc. The IEP and other information the school personnel have
gathered, i.e. interest testing, job shadow reports, etc. should be utilized to assist
the team with determining if the student is appropriate for the work experience
program and, if so, what type of work experience might match their postsecondary goals.
Parent(s)
 Encourage the student to be part of the work experience program.
 Be a good role model and support work experience.
 Find a balance between supporting the student but also allow them to experience
natural consequences.
 Provide opportunities to learn independence skills.
 Provide responsibilities and opportunities to make their own choices.
 Discuss and assist them with planning post-secondary goals.
 Identify supports that work and will benefit the student.
 Be an active part of the team.
Student/Worker
 Meet all scheduled appointments with the ES, teacher, and DVR counselor. If the
student consistently misses appointments, the DVR counselor may determine
them ineligible for SWE.
 Be on time, responsible, and honest.
 Dress appropriately.
 Be willing to learn from supervisors, school officials, DVR counselor, and
employment specialists.
 Accept and respond appropriately to constructive criticism.
 Have a professional relationship with co-workers and supervisors.
 Advocate for yourself. Tell others what you need to be successful.
 Be persistent, willing to work, and complete tasks that are assigned to you.
 Go to work motivated with the willingness to learn.
Employer
 Keep accurate time and attendance records and provide this information to the
ES.
 Provide adequate general liability insurance.
 Provide information about how the student is progressing in employment.
 Suggest work-related skills to be taught.
 Provide direction on job duties and responsibilities.
 Promote good work habits.
 Promote work safety to avoid injury.
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ND Job Service/Workforce Investment Act (WIA)1
 The following link may be utilized by the team members to determine if the student
would be an appropriate referral for WIA: Youth Employment and Training.
 Program eligibility through WIA is determined on a case by case basis, as are DVR
services.
 If students are already eligible and involved in WIA and they want to pursue DVR
SWE, DVR and WIA coordinate services if appropriate.
 Students involved in DVR SWE are not required to apply for the WIA. However,
if a student plans to attend college in the fall, he/she may wish to apply for WIA
Youth and explore the possibility of financial assistance for post-secondary
education that may be available in addition to other valuable program services.
 Payment of wages is typically the responsibility of an employer, however there
may be times when wages could come from WIA funds.
 WIA provides youth with a broad range of year-round coordinated services
which may include, academic and occupational learning assistance, leadership
development, and preparation for further education, additional training, and
eventual employment. Students must be willing to participate in WIA yearround, not just for summer work.
 View the following brochure to learn more about youth employment and training:
Connecting Young Adults to the Community
Possible Scenarios:
Scenario 1 - The student is enrolled in WIA and wants a summer work experience. WIA
provides the wages. WIA, VR, and the ES work together to identify the student’s needs
and obtain/maintain employment.
Scenario 2 – WIA cannot pay the wages but their staff knows of a fantastic new
business that would be a perfect work site. WIA partners with VR to obtain employment
for the student at that particular work site. The ES may or may not be utilized to
maintain employment.
Scenario 3 – The student is enrolled in WIA and wants a summer work experience
before they pursue their long-term work plan. WIA provides for the wages and VR
provides assistive technology, clothing, tools, etc., or other identified needs as
necessary and appropriate. WIA, VR, and the ES all work together to identify the
student’s needs and obtain/maintain employment.
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WIA, VR, ES and student may continue to work together after summer
employment to assist the student with obtaining long-term employment.
Scenario 4 - The student is enrolled in WIA and wants a summer work experience
before they go to college in the fall. WIA provides the wages and VR provides assistive
technology, clothing, tools, etc. or other identified needs as necessary and appropriate.
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Workforce Investment Act (WIA) will transition to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) on
July 1, 2015.
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WIA and VR work together to identify the student needs and obtain/maintain
employment (no ES is involved this time).
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WIA and VR may continue to work together as the student attends college. WIA
may assist with tuition, fees, books and possible tutoring, and VR may assist with
tuition, fees, AT, accommodations, tutoring, or other identified needs as
necessary and appropriate.
Job Placement:
 Payment of wages is to be provided by the employer unless the student is
involved with the WIA. See pages 4 and 5, for more information.
 All efforts should be made to place the student in employment that is consistent
with their strengths, interests, abilities, and capabilities.
 Be 20 hours per week for 13 weeks (employment between 15-19 hours per week
must be approved by the DVR Regional Administrator).
 Job placement must be community based, competitive, integrated and paid at or
above minimum wage
Payment Process:
The DVR counselor will send the authorization and the Referral for Employment
Services (SFN 1092) to the provider. Once the student is placed:
 ES sends the DVR counselor a completed Employment Verification Report (SFN
1841).
 ES completes the Employment Progress Summary (SFN 1101) on a monthly
basis and submits to the DVR counselor.
 If the job becomes permanent, the ES will submit an invoice and a completed
Employment Verification Report (SFN 1841) to the DVR counselor. The form
must also be signed by the employer. The DVR counselor will then authorize the
permanent placement fee.
 There are some circumstances where the client lives in and desires to work in a
rural community. In those instances where the provider must travel more than 20
miles one way outside of the metropolitan service area or city limits, whichever
area is larger, DVR will authorize additional payment to the provider. Payment
will be based on the approved state rate for mileage with the number of miles
calculated according to GasBuddy.com. The number of required trips will be
negotiated between the provider and DVR counselor.
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