The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and Partners Work to Improve Employment for Georgia's Disability Community
Written by Tianna Faulkner on .
September 30, 2024 (Atlanta, GA) - The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) and partners will come together to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrated each year in October, to engage and educate people about disability employment and to promote opportunities for organizations to build inclusive work cultures for the disability community.
This year’s theme is Access to Good Jobs for All. GCDD and its partners’ efforts include weekly webinars featuring panel discussions on disability employment and the NDEAM capstone event, which will be held at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The NDEAM kickoff date is Thursday, October 3, 2024, from 2:00pm to 3:00pm with a webinar and panel discussion entitled “Georgia Systems: Improvements, Progress, and the Future!” Panel speakers include Christine Gudgin with Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), Sharon DeMille with the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), and Doug Crandell with the Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD) at the University of Georgia and Advancing Employment.
“NDEAM 2024 has the theme of Access to Good Jobs for All. That’s a very fitting tagline for Georgia since we have such a vibrant and diverse economy that should reflect the makeup of our communities. From the webinars to the capstone event at the Carter Center on the 28th, October 2024 is shaping up to be a stellar month for NDEAM in the Peach State,” said Doug Crandell, Public Service Faculty, Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Georgia.
Additional NDEAM webinars during the month of October include the following:
- October 10th – “Lived-experience: Tips, Tools, and the Job-Seeker as Customer”
- October 17th – “Employers, Engagement, and Innovation
- October 24th – “Partnerships, Collaborations, and Social Capitol
October 28, 2024, from 9:30am to 1:00pm, GCDD grantee Advancing Employment, will also host an NDEAM capstone event/awards ceremony at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where GCDD and others will speak on issues around disability and employment. Other NDEAM partners include CareSource, Georgia Public Broadcasting, PBS, EasterSeals Southern Georgia, the Georgia Council for Human Resources, The State ADA Coordinator’s Office, and the ARC of Southwest Georgia.
The history of National Disability Employment Awareness Month traces back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
“We want to spread the important message that we value all perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities. We want to encourage employers to take advantage of resources and best practices regarding disability employment,” said D’Arcy Robb, Executive Director, GCDD.
To register for a webinar, for the NDEAM capstone Carter Center event, or for more information about NDEAM, click the link below:
https://www.advancingemployment.com/ndeam2024
About the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities: The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is Georgia's leader in advancing public policy on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities. Its mission is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for the wide spectrum of diverse people/persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play, and worship in their communities. www.gcdd.org
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