Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Director Dr. Wendy Parent-Johnson is engaging in a new shared education opportunity in collaboration with Kyambogo University and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. The course is focused on policy and practice to advance employment for people with disabilities. It will be conducted via Zoom using the online platform through Kyambogo University’s E-Learning system, KELMS, from July to December 2024.
Based in Uganda, Course Coordinator Harunah Damba, chairperson of United Persons with Disabilities says, “The course builds upon our learning and understanding of the U.S. Employment First policy, a national systems-change framework centered on the premise that all individuals, including those with the most significant disabilities, are capable of full participation in competitive, integrated employment and community life.”
The course will involve 12 sessions led by Parent-Johnson, Dr. Patrick Ojok, the Dean of Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation at Kyambogo University, and Professor Augustus Nuwagaba from Makerere University. The sessions will also include guest speakers from VCU and Kyambogo University. The layout includes 30 minutes of content followed by 30 minutes of discussion/activities.
Through the KELMS platform, students will work through self-guided learning materials, presentations, live interactive sessions, and a capstone project. After the completion of a total of 18 contact hours, students will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Students interested in the course attended an information session and sent in applications online. After a month of receiving applications, prospective students were selected based on their interest in the employment of people with disabilities, experience with self-employment, and level of authority in employment. The selection process was competitive as 157 students were enrolled, representing 13 countries. Most of the participants are undergraduate students while approximately 10% of students hold master's degrees and 2% hold PhDs while others are employers and advocates.
“The course is focused on helping to advance employment for people with disabilities in these countries,” says Parent-Johnson. “There is an emphasis on policy development and implementation of content, followed by application of the information to their own problems in their countries and communities.”
Parent-Johnson and Damba’s collaboration brings their history of working towards employment of individuals with disabilities to VCU. They first met through the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement (PFP) in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia, a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with Humanity and Inclusion.
Damba recalls, “During my fellowship under the guidance of Dr. Wendy Parent-Johnson, who was then the executive director of the University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, I was introduced to the concept of Employment First. Learning about the policy gave me a fuller picture of the challenges people with disabilities face in seeking employment and what adjustments are needed to make them employable.”
While Parent-Johnson became the executive director of VCU-RRTC, their collaboration continued with the ‘Journeys to Inclusion’ series. “Together with Sonoran and VCU staff and her network, and building on previous work, we hosted several series that featured experts from VCU, University of Arizona, Harvard University, and the World Institute on Disabilities, who lectured on the best strategies to enhance our advocacy efforts” says Damba. “From all the learning and consultations, we realized we couldn’t let go the echoes of ‘everyone can work.’ Moving forward, we established the Employment-First Policy and Practice course to continue harnessing this knowledge and skills, and to pass it on to others who might be unfamiliar with the concept.”
Parent-Johnson looks forward to what the instructors and students are able to learn from each other.
“It's really helpful to hear the creative ways they are using that can help people with disabilities gain employment. I think that it opens up a lot of opportunities for us,” Parent-Johnson claims. “I am pleased to be supporting their vision and their goals for their country. I love seeing the difference that they're making, and the awards and recognition they receive. Being able to expand our models, our programs, and our partnerships and the learning opportunities with these international communities impacts disability employment broadly.
Damba shares the same sentiment and hopes for the course, saying “This program has been my passion for several years, and now I am very eager to lead these collaborative efforts aimed at advancing policy reform and ensuring the full implementation of the Employment First approach, a step forward in expanding employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in our setting.”
Parent Johnson looks forward to developing the course even further, saying “My goal for the future is to expand this pilot to build a shared credit course… that students across collaborating universities can participate side by side together offering a rich learning environment for all to benefit.”