Advisory Crew Hub

Welcome to the Advisory Crew!

Thank you for being part of this project. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) are working on a study about employment for Minnesotans with disabilities.

This study connects to E1MN — Employment First Minnesota — a partnership between several state agencies that work together to help people with disabilities find and keep good jobs. As part of that work, there's a framework called Engage, Plan, Find, Keep. It describes stages people often move through on the way to a job: exploring options (Engage), building a plan (Plan), searching for and landing a job (Find), and staying successful in it (Keep).

This study looks closely at how that path works for participants, specifically Black and African American Minnesotans with disabilities, and what could make it work better.

Your role: share your own experience and knowledge to help shape this study — how it's designed, how people are invited to take part, how accommodations are handled, and how the results get used once the study wraps up.

Your role isn't: to speak for every Black Minnesotan with a disability, or to have all the answers. We want your honest perspective — that's what makes this valuable.

What to expect: Over the next several months, we'll check in with you at six points in the project. You will take part in six 1.5-hour sessions spread out over the course of the project (Total of 9 hours). Do your best to attend each session. We understand that life happens and you may not be able to come to all six sessions. You'll always be able to see what's coming up in the Project calendar section below. Review materials before each session. Stay in touch with the Project Lead. 

If someone shares a personal story during a session, please keep it private. What's shared in the group stays in the group. 

Project Calendar

Here's when we'll connect with you over the course of this project. We'll fill in real dates as each one is scheduled.

  1. Getting started — A meeting to introduce the project, walk through E1MN and the Engage, Plan, Find, Keep framework, and talk about your role as a Crew member.

    • Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2026 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

    • Meeting Agenda

    • Meeting Recording

  2. Shaping the questions — We'll ask for your feedback on the research questions and how the study is designed.

    • Date: TBA

  3. Planning outreach — Your input on how we reach out to and recruit people for the study.

    • Date: TBA

  4. Shaping the interview — Your input on the interview questions we'll ask participants.

    • Date: TBA

  5. Making sense of what we're hearing — A session to help interpret what we're learning partway through the study.

    • Date: TBA

  6. Reviewing the findings — Your feedback on the final report and its recommendations.

    • Date: TBA

You'll get a $100 gift card or check after each one — more on that in the Compensation section below.

Materials & Resources

Anything you need to look at before or after a session lives here, organized by date. That includes:

  • Agendas, so you know what we'll cover.

  • Documents to read and respond to on your own time, for sessions that don't need a live meeting.

  • Work you can read and answer on your own schedule instead of a live meeting. If you have any of these, we will let you know and give you a due date.

If you need any of this in a different format — large print, plain text, or something else — let us know on the Accommodations page, and we'll get it to you.

  • Materials here

  • Materials here

  • Materials here

Accommodation Requests

Tell us what you need.

We want every session to work for you. If you need an ASL interpreter, materials in a different format, more response time, or anything else — let us know. There's no wrong thing to ask for.

Prefer to just reach out directly? Contact Stephanie at stephanie@acetinc.com. You can ask for accommodations at any point — not only before a session starts.

Compensation

To thank you for your time, ideas, and energy, you'll get a $100 gift card or check after each of the six sessions — six gift cards or checks in total if you take part in all of the Advisory Crew sessions.

We know gift cards or checks can sometimes affect benefits eligibility. If that's a concern for you, tell us — we're glad to talk through other ways to make sure your time is valued.

Questions about compensation you're expecting? Reach out to Naomi directly by email at naomi@acetinc.com, and we'll sort it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DHS?

1

The Minnesota Department of Human Services.

What is DEED?

2

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

What is E1MN?

3

Employment First Minnesota [to be linked] — a partnership between several state agencies working to help Minnesotans with disabilities find and keep jobs.

What is the Engage, Plan, Find, Keep framework?

4

A way of describing the stages people often move through on the path to a job — exploring options, building a plan, searching for work, and staying employed.

What is a Sensemaking Session?

5

A meeting where the project team looks at what's been learned so far and talks through what it means.

6

How much time will this take?

7

About six sessions spread over several months — some live, some on your own time.

What happens with my feedback?

It directly shapes how the study is designed, who's invited to take part, how accommodations are handled, and how the results get used. ACET will share the Advisory Crew’s input with DHS & DEED. ACET will not attach individual Advisory Crew members’ names to input.

Questions? Reach out.

Stephanie Chrismon

stephanie@acetinc.com

You're also welcome to reach out to [trusted-messenger organization name], who connected you with this project, anytime.