ROLES OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE SEE PROCESS

• Rehabilitation Counselor
• Customer
• SEE Committee
• Consultant

Counselors do not have to be business experts to assist persons with disabilities to achieve a SEE. Counselors and the SEE Committee members are facilitators and are not expected to be business specialists or entrepreneurs. Local resources can provide consultation, assistance with the business plan, and advice on business start-ups.

Rehabilitation Counselor:

• Invests vocational rehabilitation (VR) dollars wisely
• Explains DRS' and the customer's responsibilities
• Assesses the customer's potential for self-employment
• Provides sufficient information about self-employment for the customer to consider
• Guides and supports the customer through the process
• Refers the customer to community resources for guidance and funding, i.e., Small Business Administration (SBA), Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Senior Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), etc.

Customer:

• Determines if self-employment is the correct choice
• Decides what business to pursue
• Develops a business plan
• Starts a business

SEE Committee:

• Listens to, evaluates, and makes recommendations on the customer’s SEE Proposal

Consultant:

• Guides the customer through the business plan
• Does not write the plan
• Recommends funding sources
• Suggests marketing strategies