POLICY WORKS INC

Lights! Camera! Access! (LCA) is a project that Policy Works, Inc. in collaboration with EINSOF Communications, Forward Works Consulting, and Michael Adams Studio, who together serve as the strategic and operations partners. Its primary objectives are to increase employment of people with disabilities in front of, and behind the camera/keyboard; to improve disability protrayals and reduce stigma; and, to integrate access to media with captions and audio descriptions. LCA supports these objectives by offering a biannual six-month web-based series of workshops and professional incubator events available to two cohorts of participants from across the nation. The LCA Collaborative is a collection of multi-dimensional initiatives that weaves and braids established traditional and digital media entities (networks, studios, industry associations, union, production, internet and cable content creators and providors) with authentic disability and diversity leaders, organizations, film festivals, veterans, accelerated high school and college students, recent graduates, and transitioning youth. This combination results in a dynamic disability-inclusive diversity community. LCA Creates interconnected strategies and tactics to accomplish our three objectives by hosting monthly national LCA events twice a year for participants who are aspiring media professionals with disabilities, or who are deaf. Policy Works, Inc. provides a workshop entitled How to Leverage Your Disability to Sharpen your Competitive Advantage and facilitates and event entitled The Disability Expressionists Cafe. These LCA program activities are offered bi-annually to two national cohorts of LCA participants of 30-34 individuals with disabilities interested in careers in the media arts.

Camp Networx! is a camp-in-the-box product designed to support self-advocacy, career exploration, and workplace readiness summer camp-style experience for youth, students, and adults with disabilities. The camp program is a series of facilitated activites or camp-wide summits supporting by ensuring peer mentor-led workshop events. The program is designed as pre-employment support for individuals exploring career pathways being served by SVRAs. The program explores storytelling as a connection strategy for youth, sutdents, and adults with disabilities designed to increase confidence and competence in developing social, community and career networks. Participants in the program identify, describe and submit six images to complete their Camp NetWorx! MyCube project. The MyCube is a Camp NetWorx! program deliverable where participants or campers explore, create and present their six-sided MyCube as a storytelling experience in a peer-supported community. The Camp NetWorx! program and its MyCube project are designed to be provided virtually, or on-location supported through Peer Mentoring Works training modules, tools and resources.