National & Community Service: A Vital Service to Communities and a Life Changing Experience

October 15, 2012

By Marie Strahan, Program Policy Analyst for Bob Williams, Associate Commissioner of Social Security’s Employment Support Programs

Did you know that community service is a great way for people with disabilities to serve our nation and to connect with others with similar interests, develop new skillsets, and even get a jumpstart on your career? Whether it is in the field of education, conservation, recreation, health, or even politics, there are national, state and local opportunities where you can contribute your time and talents in your area of expertise and interest!

Why do community service?

Community Service1 People seek out community service to make a difference in their state or local community, and sometimes on a national level, and for many other reasons, including learning new skills, getting real work experience, seeing new places and meeting new people and also having some fun. Everyone benefits from community service.

Here are several personal and professional ways you can benefit from serving.

Make a difference - Personal satisfaction and feeling like you are making a contribution are important aspects of all work. Simple tasks like helping others or contributing to a public project like a playground clean up creates a joy and a sense of self-worth that is of great value to every citizen. Whether you have a particular skillset or just a willing heart and time to give, seeing positive change in your community or watching others’ lives made better by your contributions, are things that will bring a smile to your soul.
Explore potential career areas: When you contribute to a cause you care about, without even realizing it, you are expanding your horizons and exploring new areas of interest that can lead to a future career path.
Strengthen your resume: Not only will you learn from others and develop new competencies, but you can use relevant community service experience on your resume! If, for instance, you served as a counselor at a youth summer camp, you might use that experience to pursue work in the field of education. Think about the skills you developed that may be transferrable to professional positions. Here are tips to present your volunteer experience on your resume.
Build your network: Working together on projects with other members in pursuit of a common goal presents wonderful relationship-building opportunities. When you serve, you meet new friends, mentors, and even potential referrals and references for future job opportunities, and sometimes you develop lasting friendships. Never underestimate the power of connecting with others. It can benefit you now as well as in the future.

An Open Message to Social Security Disability Beneficiaries from Associate Commissioner Bob Williams

March 30, 2012

Every year, thousands of people with disabilities find jobs and leave behind Social Security disability benefits to support themselves and create better futures. As you think about going to work, Social Security wants you to be confident in your choice and to understand what Ticket to Work is all about:

Bob Williams photo

The Ticket program offers you the help you need to work, earn more money, and support yourself as much as possible.
The Ticket program is voluntary. You decide if it’s right for you.
Ticket to Work gives you the choice to partner with an approved Employment Network (EN) or your State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency to get the career counseling, job placement, ongoing support, and other services you need to be able to become or stay employed or find a better job.
The goal of Ticket is for you to earn a better quality of life through work than you had on benefits and to give you a safety net while you work toward supporting yourself.
By participating in the Ticket program, you are agreeing to try your best to earn your way off cash benefits.
Social Security understands that going to work is a major change, and if you can’t completely eliminate your need for cash benefits, you won’t be blamed.
Read More...

Posted in Ticket Program News, Leadership Messages | 39 Comments »

Event Recap: February 29th Facebook Question & Answer

March 27, 2012

On February 29^th we answered YOUR questions at our second Facebook Question and Answer (Q&A) event. It was held after our monthly WISE webinar.

Questions and answers were on such topics as part-time work, school, Ticket to Work and other Work Incentives. We hope you enjoyed the session as much as we did!

A special thanks to our guest experts Dawn Porter of South Carolina Pathways, Tamara Tavai of Human Potential Consultants, LLC, and Debra Schwartz of Social Security for helping to answer questions.

If you missed the event, you can read the transcript by clicking “Read More.”

You can also always get your questions answered by calling the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) 866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD) or connecting with a service provider using our Find Help Tool.

Motivations through the Ticket to Work Program

March 2, 2012

In a recent interview with Disaboom, Tamara Mena, a motivational speaker and model, candidly shared her personal experiences with Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Ticket to Work program.

Here are some of her thoughts and tips.

On Motivation and Attitude “Generally in life, but even more so when we face tragedies, we have the ability to see ourselves either as survivors and fighters or victims. Life is what we make of it, and we have the power to do ANYTHING.”
On the Importance of Education “After my accident, the first thing I had to do was work arduously to regain my independence, all so I could go back to college and finish strong. I wanted to be passionate about the Communications major I chose to study.”
On Job Interviews Tamara believes just like anyone looking for a job, your resume should be professional, and you should dress appropriately for the job. She encourages you to:

Show confidence
Be aware of your energy level
Present a good attitude
Don’t put the focus on your disability
Research the employer
Have passion for the job

On Employment and the Ticket to Work Program "Most people with disabilities are scared they will immediately lose their benefits if they go back to work. This is a fallacy. Ticket to Work will support you. They don’t just drop you when you decide to go back to work; they will work through the process with you.”

Read the full Disaboom interview with Tamara Mena.

Thanks, Tamara, for sharing your successes with Ticket to Work!

For Ticket to Work information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work, email support@chooseworkttw.net, or call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).