This document outlines the "Take Your Legislator to Work" campaign, which aims to educate legislators about the employability of people with disabilities through job site visits. The campaign happens each October in legislators' districts, where participants give tours of their workplaces and share their employment stories. Its goals are to demonstrate that community-integrated jobs are meaningful for people with disabilities and to strengthen advocacy on this issue.

2. What is Take Your Legislator to Work?
A campaign to raise awareness that every
adult with a disability can participate in
gainful employment and have a meaningful
job in the community.

3. Why conduct the campaign?
Reason #1: Educate legislators

4. Why conduct the campaign?
Reason #2: Show employability of
people with disabilities

5. Why conduct the campaign?
Reason #3: Raise awareness about the
importance of community-integrated jobs

6. Why conduct the campaign?
Reason #4: Strengthen disability
advocacy

7. Where does the campaign happen?
33 Senate districts + 99 Assembly
districts = 132 possible visits*
*133 if you count the
Governor

8. When does the campaign happen?
October, in conjunction with National
Disability Employment Awareness
Month (NDEAM).

10. Who is involved?
• Participants
• Facilitators
• Employers and business community
• Legislators

11. Before the visit, participants:
1. Get approval from their employer
2. Complete the Participant Information
Form
3. Get approval from BPDD
4. Invite their legislator to visit
5. Plan the visit

12. During to the visit, participants:
1. Give their legislator a tour
2. Show them what they do
3. Introduce them to co-workers and
employer
4. Sit down with their legislator and
share their story

13. Andrew Gerbitz
BPDD Board Member
Down Syndrome Association of WI Board Member

14. Andrew’s Visit

15. Andrew’s Visit – Video (TMJ4)
http://www.todaystmj4.com/multimedia/videos/?bctid=1352689824001

16. Before the Campaign (Aug/Sep)
• Recruit/find participants
• Notify legislators
• Reach out to employers and
chambers of commerce

17. What a visit looks like for BPDD:
1. Campaign toolkit to participant
2. Provide guidance as needed
3. Media alert before visit
4. Press release after visit
5. Highlight visit on social media

20. 2012 Highlights

21. Branding with T-Shirts

22. Jobs First! of Manitowoc County

23. DHS Sec. Smith

24. Patrick Young & Gov. Walker

25. Patrick Young & Gov. Walker
http://fox6now.com/2012/11/27/gov-walker-highlights-national-disability-employment-month/

26. For more information…
Go to www.wi-bpdd.org, or
contact Joshua Ryf at (608) 261-7829 or
joshua.ryf@wisconsin.gov.