Maine Working Together

06/03/2026

Meaningful Day & Employment Training Series – June Session (Free!)
Join us on June 30, 2026 | 2:30–3:30 p.m. ET for a free Zoom learning opportunity for direct support staff, supervisors, and managers across residential, community, and employment programs.
June Topic: Beyond Words — communication support strategies for people with complex needs.
These monthly sessions offer practical strategies, tools, and resources to support meaningful community connections, valued social roles, and exploration of employment.
✅ Free | Zoom
✅ No registration required
✅ Held the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026
🔗 Join using this meeting link: https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/84805863724?pwd=BSnnjmjI8UUZUvKPHB8MY3HyJssLtF.1
Accommodations: CART, ASL, or other language interpretation are available with at least two weeks’ notice. Contact [email protected].
Questions? Email [email protected].

06/02/2026

Unpaid Work Webinar: What’s Allowed, What’s Not, and Why It Matters

📅 June 30, 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:00 AM
💻 Zoom | 💲 Free

Unpaid work experiences—like volunteering, internships, and job tryouts—can help people with disabilities explore career paths and build skills. But when used incorrectly, they can raise legal and ethical concerns and limit access to competitive, integrated employment.

This free webinar offers clear, practical guidance to help you determine what’s allowable, what’s not, and how to ensure unpaid experiences are used appropriately.

✅ Learn when unpaid work is permitted (and when it isn’t)
✅ Explore real-world examples and decision-making frameworks
✅ Understand differences between volunteering, internships, and work experiences
✅ Get tips to design time-limited, goal-focused experiences
✅ Stay compliant while advancing Employment First practices

🔗 Register here: https://communityinclusion.zoom.us/meeting/register/F61aBmUHSmGAWPi4vMhumA #/registration

Perfect for providers, educators, and employment professionals supporting meaningful pathways to paid work.

06/02/2026

🌿 Summer Fun Starts with Accessible Gardening
As summer approaches, it’s a great time to begin preparing garden spaces. Raised garden beds, adaptive tools, and simple design changes can make gardening more accessible and enjoyable for people of all abilities. Gardening supports physical activity, mental well-being, and time outdoors.
Maine CITE offers an accessible garden that demonstrates these strategies in action. Visitors can explore practical solutions and get ideas for creating inclusive gardening spaces at home or in the community. To learn more or schedule a visit, contact [email protected] or call 207-621-3195.
For additional resources, Maine AgrAbility provides helpful information on accessible gardening tools and techniques. Summer is also a great time to explore inclusive recreation opportunities, including programs offered by Pine Tree Camp and the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center (AOEC), which create welcoming outdoor experiences for people with disabilities.

05/26/2026

Have you visited our website recently?
You’ll find a variety of helpful resources, along with our updated training calendar featuring upcoming sessions. The site also includes our certificate registry and a library of archived webinars. https://www.maineworkingtogether.org/

We have archived webinars in:
Career Planning and Exploration
Job Development
Job Coaching and Support Strategies

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

05/25/2026

This week!
Webinar: Leveraging AI to Support Employment for People with Disabilities
MWT‑Sponsored Training | Free
Join us on May 27, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET for a free Zoom webinar exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance employment services for people with disabilities.
This session will provide practical, beginner‑friendly tools and strategies, including:
✅ An introduction to AI basics
✅ Privacy and ethical considerations
✅ Common AI uses in employment services
✅ Tips for writing effective AI prompts
✅ Using ChatGPT for job matching, resumes, and cover letters
This webinar is appropriate for staff and educators supporting individuals to find or maintain competitive employment.
🕒 Earn 1 hour of professional development credit
💲 Free | Zoom
📩 Questions? Contact [email protected]
♿ Accommodation requests should be made by May 18, 2026
There is still time to register:

This session will provide practical tools and strategies for professionals, including: - A beginner’s guide to using AI - Guidelines around privacy and ethical use of AI - Common uses of AI in employment services for people with disabilities - Techniques for refining prompts to achieve more precis...

05/20/2026

Webinar: Leveraging AI to Support Employment for People with Disabilities
MWT‑Sponsored Training | Free
Join us on May 27, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET for a free Zoom webinar exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance employment services for people with disabilities.
This session will provide practical, beginner‑friendly tools and strategies, including:
✅ An introduction to AI basics
✅ Privacy and ethical considerations
✅ Common AI uses in employment services
✅ Tips for writing effective AI prompts
✅ Using ChatGPT for job matching, resumes, and cover letters
This webinar is appropriate for staff and educators supporting individuals to find or maintain competitive employment.
🕒 Earn 1 hour of professional development credit
💲 Free | Zoom
📩 Questions? Contact [email protected]
♿ Accommodation requests should be made by May 18, 2026
Register: https://communityinclusion.zoom.us/meeting/register/PJzjrUkmRbOTCPSo-AhdVg #/registration

05/18/2026

Meaningful Day & Employment Training Series – May Session (Free!)
Join us on May 26, 2026 | 2:30–3:30 p.m. ET for a free Zoom learning opportunity designed for direct support staff, supervisors, and managers across residential, community, and employment programs.
May topic: From Presence to Purpose — building community connections that lead to valued social roles.
These monthly sessions focus on practical strategies, tools, and resources to support people in making meaningful community connections, developing valued roles, and exploring employment opportunities.
✅ Free and open to all
✅ No registration required
✅ Sessions held the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026
📍 Join via Zoom: https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/84805863724?pwd=BSnnjmjI8UUZUvKPHB8MY3HyJssLtF.1
Accommodations: CART, ASL, or other language interpretation are available with at least two weeks’ notice. Contact [email protected].
Questions? Reach out to [email protected].

05/14/2026

A strong job match starts with understanding the job—and the person.
On May 19 (1:00–2:00 p.m. ET), join our online webinar to learn practical strategies for analyzing job roles and identifying transferable skills to support successful supported and customized employment outcomes.
✔ Learn how to analyze job tasks onsite
✔ Identify skills that transfer across roles
✔ Improve job matching for long-term success
$50 | Online | CRC credits approved
Ideal for ESPs and VRCs supporting job seekers.
Register:

Access online webinars and professional development courses in disability employment. Build skills, earn certificates, and learn from industry experts.

05/13/2026

📢 ODEP Webinar | NEON Community of Practice
Early Benefits Planning Reduces Barriers to Work: Data From Colorado DVR
Colorado DVR is rethinking when benefits planning begins—and the results are promising. Join this session to explore how early benefits planning impacts employment outcomes, wages, and hours worked.
🗓 Tuesday, May 19, 2026
⏰ 3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
💻 Free webinar
Ideal for state agency leaders, service providers, and employment professionals.
Zoom registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SV1VtBZZQZKuf1OALdPEqw