In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Elevate Rapid City and the Workplace Disability Network invite employers and workforce professionals to take part in "Breaking Barriers: Hayden’s Story", an interactive workplace learning experience focused on disability, workplace barriers, communication, and employee support.

Hayden's Story, a Workforce Engagement Strategies Series session presented in partnership with Workplace Disability Network, places participants in the role of an employee navigating the workplace accommodation process. Through a series of interactive scenarios, participants encounter communication challenges, uncertainty, paperwork, privacy concerns, and unclear processes that can make it difficult for an employee to seek and receive support.

The experience encourages participants to look at workplace systems from the employee’s perspective, reflect on the barriers they encounter, and consider practical ways to strengthen communication, workplace processes, and employee support within their own organizations.

Key Takeaways

• Experience the Employee Perspective: Gain a stronger understanding of the challenges an employee may encounter when seeking workplace support.
• Recognize Workplace Barriers: Explore how communication, paperwork, privacy concerns, and unclear processes can make workplace systems more difficult to navigate.
• Strengthen Communication: Consider how supervisors, human resource professionals, and workplace leaders can create clearer and more supportive conversations with employees.
• Examine Workplace Processes: Identify opportunities to make organizational practices easier for employees to understand and navigate.
• Apply What You Learn: Leave with practical ideas that can strengthen communication, workplace processes, and employee support.

About the Speaker: 

Erin Grant

Erin Grant is a ThirdSpace Collaborative Learning Specialist with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in classroom teaching, specialty education roles, and educational administration. Throughout her career, Erin has served as an elementary school principal, literacy specialist, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, and federal programs director. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education from Sinte Gleska University in 2003 and her Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Northern State University in 2009.

Erin believes in the power of collaborative leadership to strengthen learning and improve outcomes. She currently serves as a stakeholder member of the Early Learner Rapid City committee and has contributed to numerous school and district committees throughout her career. She has also served as a board member of the South Dakota Association of Supervision of Curriculum Development.

As facilitator of Hayden’s Story, Erin guides participants through the interactive learning experience and the reflection and discussion that follow.

Registration deadline is Wednesday, September 30.

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