Celebrating 10 years of helping youth with disabilities find jobs
With more than 1,100 students served over 10 years, King County’s School-to-Work program has plenty of reasons to celebrate. On October 12, 2015, as part of National Disability Employment Awareness month, the Department of Community and Human Services Developmental Disabilities Division celebrated 10 successful years of the program and 1,136 students served by hosting a gathering of partners and stakeholders at the Southcenter Double Tree. “The School-to-Work Program helps youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout King County seek and gain employment prior to exiting their high school transition programs,” Richard Wilson,… Read More
Breaking down job barriers for people with disabilities
October is Disability Awareness Month and King County is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and 25 years of hiring people with developmental disabilities into the work place. In 1990, the King County Council created the Supported Employment Program in response to the issue of employment inequity for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Supported Employment Program matches job seekers with developmental disabilities to jobs by identifying efficiencies and unmet needs throughout King County government. One of those employees is Brooke, a mail clerk with King… Read More
Untapped Potential: Behavioral Health Employment Program helps individuals with disabilities join the workforce
At a recent employment resource fair, staff from the King County Behavioral Health Supported Employment Program ran into Tiffany Turner, a graduate of the program. Tiffany now works full time as a manager at the Recovery Café, a community of support for individuals who have experienced trauma, mental health and/or substance use issues. As a single parent of three children, Turner had many challenges trying to raise her children with limited resources or support from others. She found herself overwhelmed and unaware of the symptoms of her illness or how to use… Read More
Employees celebrate “Equity for All” at Pride Parade
In the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, more than 300 King County employees, along with their families and friends, joined together to march in the Seattle Pride Parade on June 28. Tens of thousands of people decked out in rainbow colors thronged Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and celebrate the decision that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. The One King County group was one of the largest in this year’s parade, wearing bright “Equity for… Read More
Show your Pride this weekend
On Sunday, June 28, King County employees, along with their family and friends, will be marching together for the first time ever in the annual Seattle LGBT Pride Parade. Led by King County Executive Dow Constantine, employees from across the County will take part in the parade in support of the “Equity for All – One King County” theme. “I invite you, your family, and friends to join me and hundreds of fellow King County employees from across our divisions, departments, and branches of government to march as One King County in… Read More
Bridge Fellows graduate from development program
The first cohort of Bridge Fellows have graduated from the inaugural Bridge Fellowship program, part of King County’s commitment to empowering and developing its employees. The Bridge Fellowship program selected applicants from across the County to participate in a one-year leadership development program designed to advance participants’ careers with King County. The employees who participated in the program learned more about King County as an organization, shadowed employees in other County roles, created development plans for growth, and worked collaboratively on a team project designed to extend the knowledge of Equity and Social Justice across… Read More
2015 MLK Celebration focused on voting rights
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed not possessing the right to vote was similar to enslavement. “[A right to vote] enables all Americans, most especially those who have been denied other rights, to participate fully in their community, this country and our world,” said Maria Gitin, the Keynote speaker at King County’s 28th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, held on Thursday, January 15, at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Gitin joined the civil rights movement in 1965 at the age of 19 to work for the Summer Community Organization and Political Education… Read More
2015 MLK calendars available starting December 8
We are thrilled folks love the King County calendars and await them eagerly. We appreciate your patience! Calendars will start arriving to distribution points during the week of December 8, 2014. We are unable to deliver to each office, so please check below for your nearest distribution point. EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN AREA: Calendars will be delivered to county offices outside the downtown area, so please wait for the delivery. If you do not have a calendar by December 16, please call 206-263-2444 and we will direct you to a location where… Read More
New Website features Martin Luther King County’s African American History
The website http://www.BlackPast.org has created a special section on the history of notable African-American residents of King County. The site includes brief profiles of the individuals, organizations, institutions and events that shaped the history of King County. Biographies include Edwin T. Pratt, Norm Rice, Jimi Hendrix, Larry Gossett and Wanda Herndon. Also included are primary documents, speeches, bibliographies, and a photo gallery related to that history. See more here. The website was created with the help of a grant from 4Culture, King County’s cultural service agency.
RACE: Are WE so Different?
The King County Employee-Based EEO/AA Advisory Committee presents “Bravery in Equity: Are you brave enough to have a conversation about equity?” Beginning in November 2014, this project will bring a selection from the Pacific Science Center’s “RACE: Are WE So Different?” exhibit to King County facilities for one year. Each location will host four educational panels that will be rotated every three months. These panels provide a brief history of equity and social justice facts in King County and surrounding areas. We hope this exhibit challenges King County employees and patrons to… Read More
Employee News 