Training Calendar

Recruit, Cultivate and Retain (RCR) is a leadership series designed for mid-level managers working in employment and community inclusion service provider agencies. By joining RCR, you will have the opportunity to develop immediately usable skills for developing your own career and promoting increased job satisfaction for staff you manage. In community with other program managers, we will re-energize, create solutions to complex problems and share expertise.

Goals:

• Learn strategies for recruiting, developing and retaining staff
• Increase your leadership skills as a manager and leader
• Develop a plan for advancing your career
• Hone systems and processes for developing staff into leadership positions
• Connect with other leaders that are managing employment and day services
• Deepen and develop relationships across organizations in your community

The Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician (SART) program is a collaborative training initiative offered by the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) Mental Health & Human Services Program and the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Rehabilitation and Human Services Program.

The online 10-course SART Certificate Program provides students with the necessary coursework to meet the education requirements for entry-level licensure in substance use disorder treatment in Maine. Whether you’re interested in becoming a substance use treatment counselor, pursuing a degree in a related field, or looking to enhance your existing qualifications, the SART certificate offers a comprehensive educational foundation.

Developing job opportunities and finding the right job match in an ever-changing economic environment places increasing demands on employment professionals. This 2-session online training series focuses on understanding employer needs and developing quality job matches.

In this training, you will learn about:

• employer networking
• marketing to employers and responding to objections
• using social media and other tools to market the job seeker
• identifying unmet business needs
• dealing with disclosure
• job carving and creation

Who should attend this training?

Professionals and educators who support people with disabilities in community, education, and employment settings

Questions? Email Kelly.Wanzer@umb.edu.

Unpaid work experiences—like volunteering, internships, and job tryouts—can help people with disabilities gain valuable experiences as they explore employment options. But not all unpaid work experiences are ethical. Some practices can unintentionally violate labor laws or undermine a person’s right to competitive integrated employment.

This webinar provides clear, practical guidance on the legal and ethical use of unpaid work experiences, with a focus on protecting individual rights while supporting meaningful pathways to paid employment.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• real-world examples and decision-making frameworks that will help you understand when unpaid work is allowed and when it is not
• how to document and design unpaid work experiences that are time- limited, goal-driven, and employment-focused
• differences between volunteering, unpaid internships, and unpaid work experiences
• concrete tips to help providers, educators, and employment professionals stay compliant while advancing Employment First practices

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

June Topic: Beyond Words — communication support strategies for people with complex needs

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

Networking and community mapping are powerful and practical tools for helping job seekers find meaningful employment.

In this webinar, you will:

• learn how to identify and organize local community resources, businesses, and employers that align with a person’s interests, strengths, and career goals
• gain simple, actionable strategies for expanding professional networks and using community mapping to support meaningful community engagement and pathways to employment

This webinar is appropriate for employment professionals and educators who support people with disabilities in employment.

Questions? Reach out to Kelly.Wanzer@umb.edu.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

July Topic: Building Financial Confidence—supporting people to develop Financial Literacy skills with tools and resources

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

August Topic: Skills for Life—teaching people practical skills that promote learning

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.