Q&A about es-coach.
What is es-coach?
ES-coach is an app for smartphones that includes 3 short questions about service delivery and daily tips about best practices. It is texted to your phone daily and it takes less-than-a-minute per day to use i.
Why do I need to respond immediately or as soon as possible after receiving the text?
Responding as soon as possible increases the chances of recalling your exact activity.
What if I am not able to respond right away when I receive the text message?
If you are in the middle of something important, it’s ok to postpone completing the survey. Please respond as soon as possible when you can. For your convenience, you will receive up to two reminders each day.
Can I respond the day after?
Unfortunately, no. The daily survey expires at midnight. Unanswered surveys will show up as missing data.
What if I am not at work or on break?
Please select “I am not at work today” as a response to the first question and then follow the instructions. The daily survey will stop and resume on the date that you indicate when you will be back at work.
What about for future time off e.g. future vacations?
Log into your www.es-coach.org/ account and select "Stop/Resume" survey. Then set the Suspension start and end dates. Or let info@es-coach.org know. Alternatively, type STOP in response to a text to stop, RESUME to resume. If you ignore ES-Coach, after 5 days of not responding ES-Coach will automatically pause to minimize clutter on your inbox.
How many times am I supposed to complete the daily survey each day?
Only once each day.
For how long am I going to receive the daily survey?
For how long you and your team decide it is useful for your specific professional goals.
What if I am no longer available to participate?
Log into your https://www.es-coach.org/ account, find "Set survey active/inactive" and select "Inactive". Or type STOP on your phone in response to an ES-Coach text message. Type "Start" to resume. Or let info@es-coach.org know. We will stop sending texts immediately.
Are there ground rules to respond to the ES-Coach?
Respond immediately (When you can). Because ES-Coach asks about a specific 30- minute window of your day, the sooner you respond, the easier you remember, the more accurate your data in the dashboard. But we understand that responding right away is not always possible.
Respond every day. The more data you provide, the more accurate your data in the dashboard will be over time.
Respond honestly: Whether or not you are satisfied with your activities, report them. No one is judging you. Your supervisor or colleagues can’t see your individual data.
Are there any tips about how to respond to the daily es-coach survey?
Before you pick your answer, try to mentally answer the following questions. Go by exclusion:
- Was my activity about “Getting to know a job seeker”? If yes, click on it. Next, if none of the follow-up response items fit your activity, click “Other”.
- If it was NOT about “Getting to know a job seeker”, was it about “Finding, securing jobs”? If yes, click on it. Next, if none of the follow-up responses fit your activity, click “Other”.
- If it was NOT about “Finding, securing jobs” was it about some other supports BEFORE hire? If yes, click on “Other support BEFORE hire”? Next, if none of the follow-up responses fit your activity, click “Other”.
- Keep going until you identify the broad category that fits what you were doing.
In summary: “Other” is your way out of a difficult choice. But you need first to identify the broad category that fits your activity: “Getting to know a job seeker”; “Finding, securing jobs”, “Other supports BEFORE hire”, “Any supports AFTER hire”, “Paperwork, meetings, program business”, “Non-employment related e.g. day programs”.
TIP: If you are doing paperwork related to one of these broad categories, e.g. “Getting to know a job seeker”, select “Getting to know a job seeker” and then select “Completing forms/reports”. Each broad category has a "Completing forms/reports" follow-up response item.
Case scenarios
What should I respond if I was interacting with three people, for example, a job seeker, a case manager, and an employer?
Pick the most relevant interaction for advancing the employment goals of a job seeker. See these examples:
Example 1: During the 30 minutes before receiving the text, you were chatting with a person you support (job seeker), then with a case manager, and then with an employer. if the conversation with the person you support was the most relevant for advancing employment, select “A person I support.”
Example 2: During the 30 minutes before receiving the text, you were chatting with a person you support (job seeker), then with a case manager, and then with an employer. All three interactions seemed equally relevant for advancing employment. In this case, please select the last interaction, corresponding to the response item: “Someone from a business”
Example 3: During the 30 minutes before receiving the text, you were chatting with both a job seeker and an employer at the same time. Most of the conversation, however, was with the employer. Therefore, please select “Someone from a business” and then select “A person I support” when responding to the next question “Who else was involved in this interaction?”
Traveling: During the 30 minutes prior to getting the ES-Coach text my primary activity was traveling for work. Report it by selecting “Paperwork, meetings, program business”, then selecting “Traveling”.
Resume the daily ES-Coach survey
Is your ES-Coach daily survey paused and would you like to resume it? Here is how:
- Log into your account (Your email and password)
- Click on “Stop/Resume survey”
- Scroll down to “Set survey active/inactive”
- Set it “Active”
- Click “Save” at the very bottom of the page. Done.
Watch for the ES-Coach text on the next day. Forgot your log-in details? Your username is your email. If you forgot your password, click on “Reset your password” on top of the screen. Or ask info@es-coach.org. We will gladly help and even reactivate your ES-Coach survey for you.
Orientation
Watch these Orientation slides and let us know if you have any questions, email info@es-coach
Codebook.
Here you will find working definitions for all the terms used by ES-Coach ordered by WHERE, WHO, and WHAT. If you are unsure where an activity falls, the table below should help.
| WHERE | Definition | What it is NOT |
| In my office or home office | Your office at your employer or working from home | Anywhere outside your office or home office |
| At the residence of a person I support | Where the individual resides including group homes | |
| At a business (Not provider-owned) | Any community business not owned by the provider where a majority of the employees are NOT individuals with disabilities (ex: Target, WalMart, local office buildings, etc.) usually with intent of inquiring about hiring or following up on a job seeker that has been hired | Any provider owned business such as a workshop or business inside a provider where a majority of the employees are individuals with disabilities |
| In other community integrated settings | Library, mall, gym, restaurant, coffee shop, classroom, school or any community setting that's not a business that you are inquiring about employment . You are most likely in these settings for meetings, observing the job seeker, or doing some Discovery activities | The provider, a workshop, or a business within a provider |
| In a vehicle | ||
| Other | Workshop; day program | Community-based business, residence of a person you support |
| WHO | Definition | What it is NOT |
| A person I support | A client, consumer, or anyone you are helping find paid, individual employment and/or supporting after hire | Family, friends or acquaintances of the job seeker |
| Family, friends, or acquaintances of a person I support | A parent, sibling, grandparent, neighbor, church members or roommate. For the purposes of ES-Coach, an acquaintance can also be someone that can assist the individual with finding a job or learning a skill who they may not know yet e.g. someone in the community that makes pottery as a hobby that you connect with a job seeker who is interested in pottery. | A co-worker, manager, supervisor, or provider staff |
| Someone from a business | Manager, Supervisor, Employers/HR, business owners, employees, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce or other business associations. | Family, friends or acquaintances of the job seeker |
| Disability professionals | Colleagues from your agency and/or other agencies, case managers, benefit specialist, residential staff, VR staff, Medicaid funding representatives, legislators, etc. | Manager, Supervisor, Employers/HR, business owners, employees, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce or other business associations. |
| Other | Someone who would not easily fall into any other primary interaction category i.e. a technology consultant |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Getting to know a job seeker | Discovery activities, talking with the job seeker to find out their goals and interests, observing them at an activity or participating in an activity with the job seeker, business tour, informational interview, vocational/career profile | Completing applications, browsing job ads, negotiating with a business, community mapping |
| Talking with someone (e.g. Job seeker, others) | Getting to know the job seeker's skills and goals in an unstructured way, Interviewing people who know the job seeker well | Participating in an activity with the job seeker, completing applications, observing the job seeker in an activity |
| Observing a job seeker | Job shadowing, watching the job seeker perform a job task or skill but not assisting or participating with them | Participating in an activity with the job seeker |
| Participating in an activity with the job seeker | Participating in an activity with the job seeker in order to get to know them or their skill set e.g. participating in activity the job-seeker enjoys like frisbee golf or hiking while talking about their goals and plans | Talking to the job seeker in your office, filling out job applications, observing the job seeker perform an activity, informational interview or a business tour |
| Reviewing records | Going over the job seeker's work plan, resume, IEP, ISP, or any other documentation about the job seeker in order to better understand their goals and skills. This activity is usually done with the job seeker present but may be performed without them. | Creating a career profile with the job seeker, filling out job applications, browsing help wanted ads |
| Informational interview or a business tour | Taking the job-seeker on a tour of a local business or the job seeker having a conversation with an employer about the business to answer any employer questions about their skills and goals | Formal job interview, discovery activities, or an unplanned visit to a local business for research purposes |
| Developing a vocational/career profile | Creating a career / vocational profile | Developing a resume or applying to jobs |
| Completing forms/reports | Filling out any other forms not already specified that relate specifically to getting to know the job seeker | Filling out job applications, creating a resume, vocational interview |
| Other | Any other getting to know a job seeker activity that does not fall in any other category |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Finding, securing jobs | Completing applications, browsing job ads, creating a resume, negotiating with a business, community mapping | Discovery activities, benefits planning, transportation planning, job coaching |
| Community mapping/Researching businesses | NCSET defines community mapping as " sometimes referred to as asset mapping or environmental scanning. Community resource mapping is best noted as a system-building process used by many different groups at many different stages in order to align resources and policies in relation to specific system goals, strategies, and expected outcomes." Researching businesses includes: browsing a business website to learn about the business, browsing LinkedIN or other social media to learn about a business and people who work there. | A formal business tour |
| Networking | Warm calling, attending a Chamber of Commerce event, business breakfast; Talking through LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, other social media about employment opportunities with already established connections | Cold calling businesses or browsing job ads |
| Browsing ads, cold calling, job applications | Networking with established contacts, following up on a job lead | |
| Resume, portfolio, job interviews | Developing a (visual) resume or portfolio of skills, attending a job interview with a job seeker | An informational interview or business tour |
| Informational interview or business tour | Taking the job-seeker on a tour of a local business or the job seeker having a conversation with an employer about the business to answer any employer questions about their skills and goals | Formal job interview, discovery activities, or an unplanned visit to a local business for research purposes |
| Engaging with businesses/job negotiation | Talking with employers about customized employment opportunities, Talking with employers about potential new job openings, learning about their business needs, or building relations with specific employers (more formal than just "networking") | Networking (which is more general and casual), applying for jobs, business tours, or researching the business online |
| Completing forms/reports | Filling out any other forms not already specified that relate specifically to finding / securing jobs | Creating a resume or portfolio, filling out job applications |
| Other | Any other finding/securing jobs activity that does not fall in any other category |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Other supports BEFORE hire | Developing work or social skills, Benefits planning, transportation planning, discussions on Self-employment, technology accommodation planning, discussing the job seeker with a fellow disability professional | Discovery, completing applications, browsing job ads, creating a resume, negotiating with a business, community mapping |
| Developing work/social skills | Paid work trials and job tryouts, teaching the job seeker specific work or social skills, volunteer activities specifically to develop work/ social skills (or as part of an employment plan) | Skills training in a sheltered workshop |
| Meeting regarding a job seeker | Meeting with the job seeker to discuss pre-employment concerns or meeting with a professional colleague to discuss a job seeker's potential employment (the job seeker may not necessarily be in attendance) | Job interview practice, job interviews with an employer, Discovery |
| Assisting with benefits counseling | Completing forms / reports | |
| Transportation planning | Developing a transportation plan with the job seeker, travel training | Driving a job seeker to and from a job |
|
Technology and accommodations planning |
Discussing / planning accommodations needed in the workplace with the job seeker including technology accommodations (i.e. CART print, voice recognition software) | Informational interview |
| Completing forms/reports | Filling out any other forms not already specified that relate specifically to supports before hire | Resumes, job applications, benefit applications |
| Other | Any other supports before hire activity that does not fall into any other category | . |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Any supports AFTER hire | Job coaching, checking in with the job seeker at their place of work, facilitating natural support, addressing a workplace challenge, facilitating career advancement | Discovery, Completing applications, browsing job ads, creating a resume, negotiating with a business, community mapping, developing work or social skills, Benefits planning, transportation planning, discussions on Self-employment, technology accommodation planning, discussing the job seeker with a fellow disability professional |
| Checking in | Stopping by an individual's place of employment to see how they are doing | Job coaching or a formal meeting at the job-seeker's workplace |
| Job coaching | Informal check-in with an individual at their place of employment | |
| Facilitating natural support | Identifying co-workers or supervisors who may be able to assist the individual on the job so that the job-seeker can fade their paid-supports | Job shadowing or job coaching |
| Addressing a workplace challenge | Meeting with an individual and / or someone from their place of business about a workplace challenge (the individual you support may not necessarily be in attendance) | Job coaching or completing forms / reports |
| Meeting regarding a person I support | Meeting with an individual to discuss their job (not addressing an immediate challenge) or meeting with a professional colleague to discuss a job seeker's employment (the individual you support may not necessarily be in attendance) | Job coaching or completing forms / reports |
| Facilitating career advancement | Arranging training based on current job specific needs and potential changes, discussing promotions or changes in job duties with the job seeker or their employer | Job coaching, facilitating natural supports, or meeting about an individual |
| Completing forms/reports | Discussing with individuals/support teams the impact of work on their benefits, referring a job seeker to benefits counseling if career changes take place | Resumes, job applications, benefit applications |
| Other | Arranging transportation based on potential changes in job duties, making adjustments based on impact of earned income on benefits or any other supports after hire activity that does not fall into any other category |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Paperwork, meetings, program business. | Any administrative activities including authorization/billing paperwork, case notes/incident reporting, staff meetings, professional development, conferences. | Non-administrative activities that fall into one of the other primary activity categories or an activity that usually involves the job seeker |
| Staff or other general meetings | Staff meeting, meetings with local authorities, other human services, funding agencies etc. | Meetings with or regarding a specific individual(s) or employer |
| Professional development (e.g. webinars, conferences) | Conferences, professional development, trainings related to your job as an employment specialist | Staff meetings, job seeker skill development |
| Authorization/billing paperwork | Resumes, benefits paperwork, | |
| Traveling | Travel related to your job during work hours | |
| Case notes/reporting/forms | Completing service notes, reports, other forms not already specified, reports | Billing paperwork, benefits paperwork |
| Program administration, development | Any administrative activities related to the functioning of the employment program. | |
| Other | Any other activity that does not fall into any other category |
| WHAT | Definition | What it is NOT |
| Day programs, residential, etc... | Residential supports, facility-based work or non-work day programs, community-based non-work day programs, volunteer or community-based work not included in a individualized plan for employment, or leisure activities. | Community-based work or individualized employment-based activities |
| Facility-based non-work support | Non-employment activities that take place exclusively at the provider | Community-based non-work |
| Facility-based work support | Employment activities that take place exclusively at the provider | Facility-based NON-work, work in the community |
| Community-based non-work support | Non-employment community-based day services and supports, volunteering not included in a individualized plan for employment, community life engagement activities | Work in the community |
| Residential services support | Any services that takes place exclusively in a residential setting | Any community based service |
| Other | Non-employment related leisure or recreational activities or any other activity that does not fall into any other category |
The University of Massachusetts Boston
Institute for Community Inclusion
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, Massachusetts 02125
Voice:(617) 287-4300
Fax: (617) 287-4352
TTY: (617) 287-4350
Email: ici@umb.edu
https://www.umb.edu/
https://www.communityinclusion.org/