MAKING A DIFFERENCE : One Organization’s Approach: Offer the Dignity of a Real Job

Goodwill Industries of Southern California offers competitive employment opportunities and on-the-job guidance for people with developmental disabilities such as mental retardation through its Supported Employment program, established in 1987. More than 78,000 people participate in this and in similar programs nationwide.

After receiving vocational instruction and employment placement assistance, participants are paired with a job coach. The coaches, counselors employed by Goodwill, accompany participants on the job at no cost to the employer, providing continuous support that eases adjustment to the new worksite. Supported Employment gives employers a way to find trained and qualified disabled workers without any special costs, and it helps the newly employed clients increase their self-sufficiency.

THE PROCESS

* Training: Participants, referred to as clients, receive 6-18 months of vocational training in areas like janitorial, clerical or food service, assembly line work or fork lift operation, as well as instruction in seeking jobs, interviewing and completing applications.

* Job match: Goodwill counselors locate employment that matches client skills and abilities with employer needs.

* On-the-job coaching: Once hired, clients are assigned job coaches. Each coach and client are together 100% of the time on-the-job when employment begins. Coaches teach clients everything from how to travel to and from work on public transportation to how to perform specific job tasks.

* Coaching fade-out: Coach and client reduce time spent together as the client gains confidence and proficiency at work--a process called ‘fading.’ When time spent together falls to 20%, coaches will continue assistance at that level indefinitely, or if client requests it, suspend on-the-job coaching.

BOTTOM LINE

* More than 750 people placed in competitive employment since 1988

* Almost all clients earn, even initially, more than minimum wage (average starting hourly wage for all placements is $6.05)

* Employers qualify for tax credit on up to 40% of employee’s first $6,000 in wages

Source: Goodwill Industries of Southern California

One Participant’s Experience

Paul Battle came to the Supported Employment program in 1988 with no prior work experience and after enduring a series of family hardships including the murder of his 17-year-old brother in 1984. He has an 11th-grade education and mild mental retardation. After completing the Supported Employment janitorial training program in 1989, Battle landed a maintenance job at the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage. The museum named him Employee of the Year three years later, citing Battle’s excellent work ethic and positive attitude. Battle, who lives in Watts, said:

“I participated in the janitorial program and learned how to deal with the public and do my job, how to clean offices and restrooms, how to follow directions. I clock in at one o’clock and clean upstairs where other employees work. I clean up in the library and Mr. Autry’s office.

“I like coming to work and working with the people. I see Tom (Von Seydewitz), my coach, and he asks me how I’m doing, if everything’s OK. I’m never late for work, and I’m not absent too much.

“When you walk through the door people treat you real nice here. I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing. When I come in early I walk around and look at the new exhibits.”

BENEFITS

Byron Dalton

Assistant Director of the Developmental Disabilities Training Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

People in supported employment programs tend to earn substantially more than they would in facilities like sheltered workshops. Also the return on investment is better on this type of program than others I’ve looked at. People go to work, earn more money and the amount of money being used by the state and federal governments to maintain them begins to decline as their earnings increase. It’s true that it’s costly to train people with this intensity for up to 18 months, but with programs like supported employment we pay now in order not to pay later. For people with moderate or severe mental retardation it’s the best way we’ve found to provide people with the training and support they need on the job.

Over the years I’ve noticed that when people with developmental disabilities get a chance to work, a lot of them demonstrate extraordinary commitment to their work and organization. For many, the job is their form of recognizing themselves and generating the most positive feelings about themselves.

TO GET INVOLVED

For information about Supported Employment or other training programs offered through Goodwill Industries of Southern California call 213-223-1211.