START UP | Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training | Business Ownership for People with Disabilities

"I completed the evaluation and I am still reviewing all the materials I loaded down from the Self-Employment class. This course was valuable to me since I have many VR participants who have "Self-employment" on their Individualized Plan for Employment. The organization where I work has an Employment Section which also houses a business enterprise program. They have a long wait list and perhaps I can develop a "self-employment" club to explore other possibilities.

My mother owned her own business and at one time my son, who grew up with a specific learning disability wanted to own his own business. Throughout the different sessions I was able to see the different ways I could encourage the VR participants as well as my son to pursue their self-employment dreams. The resources that were shared from the Start - up USA, Cary Griffin's Quick Launch Business Plan session, and the information on SCORE placed information at my fingertips.

Our organization's training center uses the "Structured Discovery" method of learning. For some of the participants, the process is foreign to their culture. Some of the strategies such as "Resource Ownership" and "Business within the Business" are some ideas I want to research and facilitate participants to take action so they can be successful in developing their self-employment opportunities.

I would like to take this time to thank you and the VCU Rehabilitaion and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention for having this course."