This section
features vignettes describing choice participants and staff of the Choice Access
Project. UCPA asked project staff,
advisors and participants to submit stories about their experiences in the
project.
A Site Coordinator’s
Experience
(This
vignette was written by Paul Landry, the Site Coordinator for the Detroit site
for Years IV, V and the extension year.
As a professional with cerebral palsy, Mr. Landry offers a critique
of three critical roles within the project, participants, advisors and the site
coordinator.)
Participants
For the
participants, the employment process used in the project was successful in that
it actively involved them in letting them participate in a very individualized
process. By doing this, the
participant was able to shine, to show their abilities and to affirm what they
did in everyday life. During
the process with the Person Centered Planning, Vocational Profile and Vocational
Profile Meeting, participants were actively involved and felt very empowered.
The hardest time in the process was the job development stage that kept
participants waiting far too long. The job development stage was difficult
because participants did not feel that they were as much in control.
Providers seemed to feel that they need not meet with the participant
until a job was developed. Provider’s
acted as if meeting and reporting
to the participant on what they had been doing was a waste of time and that time
would better be spent going out looking for jobs.
Participants
within the project were given a voucher or budget and could apply for additional
funds if they had further needs in order to maintain employment.
The use of the funds had to be for an employment outcome and the
participant had to be actively involved with the process.
At times I felt at times that participants did not take the ownership of
the having the funds and just saw that their budget as money available to them.
One strategy that I wished I had tried earlier was to send participants a
monthly or quarterly report of their funds spent and fund's that were still
available. A strategy that seem to
begin to work was providing participants with a timeline to indicate the process
is moving. This could of been more
productive if a “funds report” were attached.
One thing that we needed to accomplish for participants was for them to
have more ownership with how their funds were spent and to feel
that the services they approved must worth the funds that were expended.
Even though
funds were made available through the grant, participants still had problems.
Due to governmental supports available to individuals who were in the project,
they did not see a loss when things did not go well. They did not take problems as a personal loss.
People saw their traditional programs as something that they could always
go back to, or maybe to a different program, but they felt the system would
always support them. I felt
that participants needed to know that they should take the support as a
foundation. Then they could
build upon that support with a commitment to succeed.
Simply stated, for participants to take on the responsibility of being
successful themselves, instead of relying upon the system when things did not go
well for them. Too often, people
wanted to blame the system instead of taking charge and ownership of their own
situations. We all need support but
we also need to take ownership in making our own decisions from the support that
is provided.
Advisors
Some of the
best advisors that provided service within project came from the disability
community. They were people who understood the system and who were willing to
help change to the system to an outcome-based choice model.
Good employment advisors seemed to be able to assist the individual
throughout the project and yet maintain a neutral position during the
individual’s choices and decision-making.
Through the process, we saw that it was typically better to hire the
employment advisor before the participant’s
Person Centered Planning meeting. In that way the advisor could be
acquainted with the individual’s support needs.
At the end of the project, we began to have the participant and the
employment advisor develop a timeline to assist in moving the process along and
to see the progress that had been made. The
timeline also helped the participants to put parameters on how they wanted their
services delivered. Additionally, the timelines helped the coordinator to better
facilitate the process with the participant’s input and support needs.
Site Coordinator
In this
project, the site coordinator’s role could be looked upon much like that of a
local VR counselor, except that the coordinator played more of a role as a
facilitator who maintained the participant’s budgets and their contracts.
The difficult part of the position, was to negotiate contracts when
participants had never been in the position of buying services or knowing the
going rates for employment services. One
problem that we still struggle with is allowing individuals to only buy items
such as a computer or taking computer classes in relation to a specific job. The
project did not want to become merely a way for participants to get equipment,
but to have the equipment tie into a related employment outcome.
As a
coordinator, I often had to work on daily basics with advisors to facilitate the
process and to insure that the participant directed the process. At times, I would have to be involved with providers in
negotiating contracts with the participant
Employment Dream Comes
True for Choice Participant
(This
vignette was written by Adrian Couvillion, the Site Coordinator for the New
Orleans site for the entire five years of the choice demonstration project and
he was retained by a number of participants to assist them in their extension
year. Mr. Couvillion brought to the
project the unique perspective of having a significant life impact of cerebral
palsy, in addition to his professional skills.)
Wallace
Norcross came to our program in Year three. His family and friends thought, that
because of his severe disability, Wallace could never become employed. Wallace's
mother came with him to our initial meeting and said that she just couldn't see
how could ever get a job. After
talking with her, she reluctantly agreed to let us look for a job for Wallace.
After his profile meeting and many weeks of waiting during job
development, Mr. Norcross accepted a job at a local K-Mart Store. He was hired
as a security guard to discretely watch the shoppers. His job began during the
Christmas season. Wallace was so intent on doing a good job that he would
sometimes stay too close to the shoppers and they would report him to the
manager. Because of the customers reporting Wallace, at the end of the holiday
season he was laid off. We then
went to work on identifying a new job for Mr. Norcross, this time one that made
more sense and in an occupation more suited to his preferences.
During a
Profile update, we discovered that Wallace was an avid baseball fan.
His job development provider was able to get an interview for Wallace
with our local baseball team, the New Orleans Zephyrs. After several meetings
with the Zephyr’s personnel staff, we were able to secure a job for Mr.
Norcross. He was hired as an usher
and promotions clerk, giving out gifts as the fans enter the stadium. He was
fortunate enough to be working for the team they year they won the minor league's World
Series! We
consider this placement to be one of the best we made in the entire project.
Wallace truly enjoys going to work and his co-workers enjoy working with him. He
talks with the players, knows all the staff and has made many friends with the
fans going to the games. Finally,
the choice project was been able to help Mr. Norcross secure a new motorized
wheel chair lift to help him get in and out of his home and to guarantee access
to the community.. Wallace’s
mother always thanks me for getting him the job.
She called me the first day that they had put in the wheel chair lift at
his home.
Stephen's Hager’s
Business
(This
vignette was written by Ellen Condon, from the Rural Institute in Missoula, MT,
who was also Stephen’s advisor)
When Stephen
Hager first applied for United Cerebral Palsy Choice Access project funds he was
18 years old, still attending high school and living at home. Through the
special education program at his high school he had been on several visits to
employers, and he had done some in-school jobs such as collecting attendance,
shelving books in the library and helping with lunch preparation in the
cafeterias He participated in different ways depending on the activity. He had
no formal community job training or work experience nor had his team entertained
the idea of community employment as an outcome for transition from high school.
Stephen's
parents arranged volunteer work for him at the local Humane Society walking dogs
with support and spending time with the cats' They insured that he was very
involved as a member of his community, volunteering at the local art festival,
attending summer camp, and participating in his churches youth group. Stephen's
family always believed that he had lots to offer his local community and could
be a contributing member. They thought that Supported Employment was a great
idea but they weren't sure how to turn Stephen's gifts into marketable skills
for an employer.
After
Stephen and his family had begun the application process to United Cerebral
Palsy’s Choice Access Project, they were also informed that Stephen had
received a funding slot with the local Developmental Disabilities Agency, REACH
Inc., for residential and day program service. Stephen moved into a group home
with five other people and began receiving day program services at the sheltered
workshop. When they family learned that they had access to the choice project
funds they chose to use them to augment what the local developmental disability
provider was offering. They contracted with a staff person from the agency to
complete Stephen's Vocational Profile.
Through the
Vocational Profile process, Stephen's team discovered that he loves noisy,
active environments with lots of opportunity for interaction. He is personable,
loves to laugh, he attracts people and he loves to have fun.
We found that Stephen needs support with all activities of daily living.
He uses a wheelchair, standing table, and a walk-about for support in
mobility. The team did express the desire to get more information about
assistive technology to enable Stephen to communicate with customers in his job
and to increase his opportunities to participate in job activities. The team
traveled to Montech, the University of Montana’s Rural Institute's assistive
technology lab, where they received information
and ideas about several switches and augmentative communication devices which
Stephen could use on the job. They also had the opportunity to gather lots of
information about how best to position Stephen to maximize his control of
switches and other technology.
During the
Profile meeting Stephen's team decided that self-employment would best meet
Stephen's "characteristics of an ideal job". The first idea they
broached was selling Peace Frogs Products from a cart. After some research the
family decided to continue exploring alternative ideas. The second idea on the
prospecting list was
creating a
business partnership with a local artist with whom Stephen and his family
already had a relationship. This turned out to be the ideal partnership and job
match.
Stephen has
now formed Stephen Hager Enterprises, a collaborative venture with a local water
colorist, Jerolyn Dirks. Together they create watercolor images that are printed
onto note cards. Stephen creates
the background layout by pressing and pounding pigments on paper which leaves
softly mottled patterns. "These fluid, spontaneous shapes spark more
discoveries and creative detours than any of the planned paintings I do,"
says Dirks. Jerolyn had the idea
that Stephen's energy and active, animated movement could be used to create art.
She has him listen to upbeat jazz music which is his favorite as he
creates patterns on water color paper. He uses a special table which enables him
to stand while he works. Several of Stephen's creations went into Dirk's Rock
climber picture which was this year's Special Olympics Logo. Currently the team
has a series of four floral print cards and are planning ahead for the next
series.
Stephen and
Jerolyn's work was displayed at the Empire Federal Savings and Loan in Bozeman,,
MT, and Dirks displayed the works at the International Licensing show in New
York where she was pursuing having their images made into mugs, magnets, and
tee-shirts. During the summer months of 1999, Stephen sold his cards at the
Farmers market in Belgrade, MT. It was a great opportunity for him to meet
people and market his cards. He uses his Voicepal communication device to greet
people. The
cards are available for purchase at several businesses around Belgrade and
Bozeman.
Stephen
participates in all facets of his business. He participates as much as possible
in most meetings with business managers. Stephen has his own business account
where he uses a hand stamp to endorse his checks. REACH Incorporated staff
assist him to check his voice mail, Web site and e-mail daily to gather new
orders for cards. Stephen folds some of his cards with assistance of an adapted
jig and his younger sisters assist him with the packaging when he gets
backlogged with orders. His parents oversee the business and financial
management issues and REACH staff assist him with the overall day to day
management duties and marketing.
Stephen's
parents Terri and Vic feet that things are going very well. Terri stated that
"I helped Stephen take control of the year from the development of the
Vocational Profile through the job development phase and then to the business
start up phase. Again Stephen has raised the eyebrows of many of those who learn
of his business and who have watched it develop over the months. The response
has been positive. I see the note cards as a beautiful, artistic product. This
process has allowed us to really look at Stephen's strengths, abilities, and
contributions. We couldn't be more proud as his parents!"
This is particularly poignant since nineteen years ago Stephen's family
was advised to institutionalize him.
Packages of 8 cards are priced at $15. 00 and are
available through Hager Enterprises, P. 0. Box 4430, Bozeman, MT 59772.
Choice and Natural
Supports -- Karen Appleaum’s Story
(This
vignette was written by Susan Linders, Choice Coordinator for the Pittsburgh
site for Years 2 - 5 and the extension year.
Ms. Linders is an employee of Sharp Visions, Inc., a local support
organization in the Pittsburgh area)
Karen joined
the Choice Access project in 1994, during the initial year of project services.
She had sustained a traumatic head injury as a result of an accident and
she lives in a supported living arrangement in Pittsburgh.
As a young adult with a significant disability, Karen had gained a
reputation of being either unreasonable or unrealistic in relation to her
employment goals. Many in the system felt that she was simply unemployable. When the project began, Karen hired a local service agency to
assist her to become employed, then she later fired the agency because she felt
that they did not produce results in a reasonable time.
This did not help enhance her reputation among local service providers.
After a
period of waiting and interviewing various potential providers, Karen settled on
a small, independent provider who had gone into business in response to the
choice project. The new provider
looked at the efforts that had been made by the traditional agency and a unique
arrangement was made for job development. Since
Karen had previously turned down numerous jobs that had been offered, there was
fear on the part of the new job developer that there might never be a realistic
chance for being paid. With our
assistance at the project, Karen and her provider negotiated an individualized
job development in which the provider charged her $10 for each employer contact
identified in the Profile Planning Meeting and $5 for each follow-up
contact.
If a job was accepted, the balance of the traditional fee of $2,000 would
then be paid.
The job
developer contacted numerous employers and presented Karen with a number of job
possibilities felt to be consistent with her ideal job characteristics.
Karen declined every opportunity presented to her.
Instead of becoming discouraged, her provider called a second Profile
Planning Meeting to address Karen’s concerns and her reasons for rejecting the
job possibilities that had been presented.
During that meeting, it was suggested that Karen’s resistance was due
to fear of the unknown and to negative experiences with prior service providers. Karen agreed that fear might be the reason and stated that,
all along, she really wanted to work with her father who owns a small supply
business. Since her father was
present, the Profile Planning Meeting turned into a job development negotiation.
Karen’s father stated that he had been unsure whether there would be a
conflict of interest using support funds in a family business, whether it was
really best for Karen to work there and whether they could work together as
supervisor and employee.
After a
lengthy discussion, Karen’s father agreed to carve out an administrative
assistant position for her. They
first set clear workplace rules and expectations which Karen agreed to follow.
Her work responsibilities include entering accounts receivable and
payable information into a data base, updating business transactions, filing
invoices, creating mailing lists and tax reporting.
Karen and her job developer determined that she would accept job site
supports more readily from an existing employee in the business than from a
service agency. With permission
from Karen’s father, the job developer approached an employee with whom Karen
had a previous relationship and a $2.00 per hour incentive raise was offered
using choice funds. The employee readily accepted and a support contract was
written between Karen and her co-worker for a discrete period of time in the
first several months of employment.
Karen
purchased a computer from her choice account and she wanted to start slowly, one
day at a time for five hours per day. When
the project ended she was working three days per week and planning to increase
her hours soon. In the time
since Karen joined the family business, there have been noticeable changes.
Her father says that he and his daughter have a different, better
relationship -- from dependent adult child with a disability to a contributing
member of the family business. Karen
is now a voting member of the business, along with other family members.
Linda Miller’s bumpy
road to employment
(This
vignette was written by Barbara Cardinal, Associate Executive Director of UCP of
Detroit. Ms. Cardinal provided
local site management of the Choice Access site in Detroit throughout the entire
life of the project.)
Lynda became
a participant in the Detroit site of the Choice Access project during the second
year. At the time her of selection
in the project, she attended a POHI (Physical and Other Health Impaired) program
in the local school district. It is important to realize that, in Michigan,
students in special education programs stay in school until they are 26 years
old. Linda exited the school in
1997. She had never had any
community employment or vocational programming during her school years.
Lynda has a significant impact of physically disability.
Upon entry into the project, Lynda had just received a new power
wheelchair and a computer that assisted her in communicating with others.
With her new adaptive equipment Lynda could now focus on improving her
mobility and communication.
Lynda’s
main supports are provided by her parents.
They are very proud of her and what she has accomplished. Her sisters and brother, as well as friends and teachers also
support Lynda. Everyone understood
that getting a job was very important to Lynda.
Lynda supervises and monitors her younger nieces and nephews.
She is always willing to help others in any way she can.
She creates formats and designs projects for her family, friends and her
teacher. The discovery process
indicated that she wanted to work in the computer field and maybe expand to
other interests such as fashions, art and design.
Lynda has always shown a flair with the clothes she wears.. Her parents had visioned Lynda running her own computer
company. However, they were willing
to support her in whatever employment or career she chooses.
During her
first year with the Choice Access Project,
Lynda gave a presentation to the Statewide Community Mental Health Board
Members, with assistance from the Choice Access Coordinator. Clearly Lynda was the star of the presentation.
Using her new computer she spoke to the whole group regarding her dreams
for employment. Her parents were very proud of her and the Board Members saw
a living example of choice.
Lynda hired
a Service Provider to do the Vocational Profile and facilitate the Vocational
Profile meeting. A critically
important thing that we learned over the past six years was the importance of
the discovery process. Profiles
that were done incorrectly or done in haste would not yield necessary
information One of the problems
that plagued some of the customers was finding willing and responsive service
providers. Lynda, like several
others, chose to fire her first provider and hire one who would be consistent
and who would produce a finished product that satisfied Lynda.
Lynda
finally was able to hire a Job Developer who began looking for a job that met
Lynda’s preferences, contributions and conditions.
A job was carved out at the Traveling Book Worm, a local book store.
The core routines consisted of entering data into the computer and
designing flyers and brochures. Lynda
could work at her own pace. The
quality of her work was important as well as accuracy.
The employer oversaw her training as with the training of all new
employees. Her co-workers were
willing to help Lynda learn her job. This
was the very job that Lynda wanted. It
was in a quiet, supportive
environment. She would be working
with computers and designing flyer and brochures.
Lynda began
working at the bookstore in August of 1997.
With assistance of the Job Facilitation and her employer Lynda was
successful in learning the job. However,
the job was not without problems and barriers.
Transportation was a big problem. She
often had difficulty getting to the job site.
She tired easily and it was difficult for her to get projects done in a
timely manner. This did not keep
her from doing the job. It only
made things difficult and frustrating. I
believe this is one of many reasons why so few people with disabilities are
employed.
Lynda worked
at the Traveling Book Worm until the bookstore went out of business during the
last months of the project. With
the closing of the store, Lynda was once again unemployed.
By quickly accessing Choice funds, Lynda began to investigate other
options. She hired a new service
provider who was proficient in writing business plans for people who want to
start their own business. Lynda and
her family met with the service provider and they began to explore the options
of Lynda working at home. Working
from her home would allow for breaks when she became fatigued. This was also consistent with the original dreams of her
parents.
Her service
provider began researching a new business in the arena of designing brochures,
cards, flyer, etc. She ascertained
that there was a need for personalized name tags and stickers for taverns, the
purpose was to choose a designed driver. An
assessment was done on the computer equipment that Lynda was using at that time.
The result of the assessment was the Lynda would need to update her
equipment in order for her business to be successful.
As the
project ended, her new business was just emerging.
Therefore her business plans had to be put on a fast track.
A Business Development Plan was completed for a home based computer
graphics and database service. The
target audience for the business is to other neighborhood businesses as well as
neighbors, friends and family.
Lynda
solicits businesses by using her computer and she provides the following
products and services:
Personal mailing lists
Labels for cards and invitations
Flyers and sales announcements
Greeting cards and invitations
Personalized party favors such as: labels for
candy, buttons, etc.
Lynda’s mother
assists with pick-up and delivery. The
family provides space for her business. They also assist with utilities, budgeting, invoices and
taxes. Both of Lynda’s sisters
use their business contacts for marketing and business ideas.
She is currently contacting the Michigan Department of Career Development
Small Business Development Centers, as they specialize in business owners with
disabilities. They can assist her in learning techniques such as: marketing
and pricing.
Lynda bought the needed computer equipment and had
it installed. Initial training was
purchased to increase her knowledge of the computer. The training also helped her with accuracy.
Further training will be necessary.
The service provider was willing to continue to work with Lynda on honing
her computer skills.
In the very beginning of the process the parents
had talked about Lynda having a home based business.
We learned from Lynda that the discovery process offers many avenues to
explore. Starting a business never
entered the picture until the last year of the project.
We do not discount the job that Lynda had prior to her home based
business, it provided valuable information for Lynda.
It assisted her in making a decision and commitment to owning her own
business. It is not easy to start one’s own business and Lynda is
certainly taking a risk. However,
she is undaunted and is going forward with her business plans.
Through all the entire process Lynda had the same
Employment Advisor. This allowed
Lynda to have consistent contact with one person who knew the services she
wanted and who would assist her in following through with her dreams.