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. Some are live meetings; others are things you can do on your own time, like reviewing a document and sharing your thoughts. You'll always be able to see what's coming up in the Project calendar section below.
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.
Getting started (Phase 1c) — 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: [to be added]
Shaping the questions (Phase 1d) — We'll ask for your feedback on the research questions and how the study is designed. Date: [to be added]
Planning outreach (Phase 2a) — Your input on how we reach out to and recruit people for the study. Date: [to be added]
Shaping the interview (Phase 2b) — Your input on the interview questions we'll ask participants. Date: [to be added]
Making sense of what we're hearing (Phase 3a) — A session to help interpret what we're learning partway through the study. Date: [to be added]
Reviewing the findings (Phase 3d) — Your feedback on the final report and its recommendations. Date: [to be added]
You'll get a $100 gift card 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.
Recordings, for anyone who couldn't make a session live.
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.
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Materials here
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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 [name] at [email] or [phone]. You can ask for accommodations at any point — not only before a session starts.
Share your input
At a few points in this project, we'll ask for your feedback directly. You can do this here, on your own schedule — no live meeting required.
Shaping the questions (Phase 1d): [link/form] — What do you think we should be asking, and why?
Planning outreach (Phase 2a): [link/form] — What would make people want to take part in this study?
Shaping the interview (Phase 2b): [link/form] — Any thoughts on the interview questions we've drafted?
Reviewing the findings (Phase 3d): [link/form] — What do you think of the recommendations in the final report?
Each one should take just a few minutes. There's no deadline pressure — tell us if you need more time.
note: I placed here just in case it will be needed later. I can always delete if not necessary! (but section cannot be “hidden” and reactivated. -Naomi
Compensation
To thank you for your time, ideas, and energy, you'll get a $100 gift card after each of the six sessions — six gift cards in total if you take part in all of them.
We know gift cards 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 a gift card you're expecting? Reach out to Naomi directly 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.
Will what I say be kept private?
6
[ACET to insert actual confidentiality policy language here — do not publish the placeholder.]
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?
8
It directly shapes how the study is designed, who's invited to take part, how accommodations are handled, and how the results get used.
Questions? Reach out.
[ACET project contact name] [email] [phone]
You're also welcome to reach out to [trusted-messenger organization name], who connected you with this project, anytime.