By Jonathon Belmont, NENA Board Member

Employment Coordinator, Granite State Independent Living (GSIL)

Staying up to date with any changes with Social Security and the Ticket to Work program is of the upmost importance for employment networks, beneficiaries, and other individuals interacting with this program. One way to do this is to subscribe to updates from Social Security here: Social Security Administration. You will then be prompted to select options for your subscriptions. There are many subscriptions to choose from. Once you complete that process, you will receive an email from Social Security confirming your subscription options.

Staying well informed can help your organization and beneficiaries to increase interaction with the Ticket to Work program. This can encourage the autonomy of beneficiaries by getting them into the habit of regularly keeping track of information pertinent to their Social Security benefits. Beneficiaries value having the opinion of knowledgeable staff from the employment networks they work with. Serving as a second set of eyes keeping track of information that is relevant to beneficiaries can help to increase and sustain their engagement with the ticket program. A foundational component of the work we do with beneficiaries is providing resources for them and developing an engaging and meaningful process for them in the Ticket to Work program. One great resource for working with beneficiaries is the National Career Development Association. Here you will find numerous resources to help beneficiaries with their job search and address some of the barriers or difficulties they experience in the process.

Some of the best resources I have incorporated into the operation of my organization’s employment network come from other members of NENA. Sharing our experiences and successes can bolster our capacity to support beneficiaries and achieve organizational goals. There is an ancient proverb that says, “A trouble shared is half consoled.” I would encourage you to seek out opportunities to connect with colleagues and ask for insight from others regarding any difficulties operating as an employment network. Please feel welcome to contact me with any questions or difficulties you are experiencing with the operation of your employment network by emailing me at jbelmont@gsil.org or calling me at (603)856-6221.

Work Incentives Training