IMPROVing Employment Outcomes with IMPROV

Sierra Royster, the Director of Innovation with the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) (https://www.april-rural.org/) , talks with Michael Beers, the Youth Transition Coordinator at Summit Independent Living (https://www.summitilc.org/) in Missoula, Montana. Michael is also a standup comedian and runs improv workshops. They discuss a variety of issues in employment, including creativity in employment support, the Centers for Independent Living in rural areas, youth transition to employment and theater as a means of engagement. Presenters Michael Beershas been in an open relationship with Advocacy since 2001 when he was a delegate at thee Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF) (http://montanaylf.org/) in 2001. He then began a casual courtship with Summit Independent Living (https://www.summitilc.org/) as a Peer Advocate in 2003, a match that would eventually develop into Michael being labeled as Summit’s Youth Transitions Coordinator in 2008. A position he happily holds to this day and will hopefully have tomorrow. Both these relationships have opened doors for Michael to have a plethora (many) other opportunities to model model model as an advocate. He was a board member with Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) (https://www.april-rural.org/) for the better part of his youth and was a School Board member for Missoula County Public Schools from 2013-2019. Michael is also very proud to brag that he has been able to return as staff to MYLF ever summer since 2002 and is a staff member of the program throughout the year. Finally Michael insists on telling jokes from time to time, another habit he picked up in 2001. He has traveled this country and a bit of Canada telling stories to audiences ranging in size from 1-1,000ish people. He also works at BASE community center (https://www.summitilc.org/services/base/) (a program of Summit IL) with Missoula’s HomeGrown Comedy (https://www.theroxytheater.org/show/m...) to teach communication through improv classes to students of all ages and abilities. Sierra Royster works at the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) (https://www.april-rural.org/) as the Director of Innovation. She works with other national disability organizations to develop training material and new opportunities for Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils, which make up the majority of their membership. Coming from a Center for Independent Living herself, she understands the importance of creating opportunities for CILs to create connections and peer support to make a large effect on their local communities. She uses this experience to identify gaps and needs within independent living and create programs or services to address them. She strives through all aspects of her position to ensure that rural areas are included in disability services, rights, and programs to create a larger outcome in the community. Transcript Announcer: You’re listening to the AoD Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center podcast, were we learn from people who are working to improve competitive integrated employment and economic outcomes for people with disabilities. For today’s episode, Sierra Royster, the Director of Innovation with APRIL, or the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, talks with Michael Beers, the Youth Transition Coordinator at Summit Independent Living in Missoula, Montana. Michael is also a standup comedian and runs improv workshops. [music plays] Sierra Royster: I am Sierra Royster. I’m from APRIL, which is the Associations of Programs for Rural Independent Living. We are a national membership organization for Centers for Independent Living. If you’re not familiar with us, [inaudible]. Mike Beers today is very familiar with us. but we are excited to kind of have you here today partnering with the DETAC and getting some of the conversation out around employment and how to make it cool and hip, which is the opposite of those words. Michael Beers: I remember us being in a youth training telling people 10 years ago, as soon as you start saying “hip”, you need to start having your own checked and you need to stop worrying about being cool. So yeah, congratulations. Sierra Royster: I’ve made it. I’ve made it. Michael Beers: We are officially the, those hip people. Sierra Royster: We are. Michael Beers: Fantastic. Well, I am Michael Beers. In addition to being a standup comic and speaker, I’ve worked in independent living for God over 20 years. Primarily for Summit Independent Living Center in Montana, Missoula, Montana. Very proud. And we’ll talk more about a program specifically through Summit that I’ve helped develop along with some national partners and local people called BASE. And then also I’ve worked alongside the Center and another center who sponsors our youth leadership forum in the state of Mont...