Three webinars — two in August and one in September — will provide helpful information for disabled individuals involved in production agriculture, according to a Texas AgrAbility program coordinator.
“All three of these free webinars should be of assistance to those people with disabilities who want to obtain work in agriculture or maintain or advance the agriculture-related work they are already engaged in,” said Makenzie Thomas, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program coordinator for the Texas AgrAbility project.
Thomas said all three webinars are compatible with the mission of the Texas AgrAbility project, which is to provide services to individuals with disabilities, chronic health conditions and functional limitations so they may begin or stay engaged in production agriculture.
Webinar dates, times and topics
— Aug.14 at 2 p.m., Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Self-Employment, Jeanie Hanzal, certified rehabilitation counselor, Disability Rights Texas. Many people in agriculture are self-employed and this often creates challenges for accommodating a disability. This webinar will cover vocational rehabilitation services, eligibility criteria and how to access vocational rehabilitation for self-employment. To register, go to https://tx.ag/VocationalRehab.
— Aug. 24 at 2 p.m., Disability in the Agriculture Workplace for the Migrant Seasonal Farmworker (Spanish language-only), Elizabeth Gandara-Castillo, migrant and Hispanic farmworker coordinator, Texas AgrAbility. This educational webinar will provide information on services for migrant and seasonal farmworkers with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Topics include common disabilities that impact migrant and seasonal farmworkers, assistive technology and secondary injury prevention. To register, go to https://tx.ag/MigrantWorkerSpanish.
— Sept. 14 at 2 p.m. Promoting Independent Living in Rural Communities, Jackie Pacha, executive director, Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living. Centers for Independent Living works to support community and independent living for individuals with all types of disabilities; however, finding disability resources in rural areas can be a challenge for farmers and ranchers. This webinar will provide an overview of the Centers for Independent Living, eligibility criteria for utilizing the agency’s services, services provided, and how to get involved with the local center. To register, go to https://tx.ag/RuralLiving.
For more information in these webinars, contact Thomas at 979-321-5226 or makenzie.thomas@ag.tamu.edu.
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