Jobs for people with disabilities

[Brandon's Mom]

Where have you seen adults with disabilities working in your communities?

Brandon's high school job coach and case worker can't seem to be able to do their jobs and have asked that I come up with places where Brandon can work.

Brandon takes part in his high school's Work Exploration/Experience Program with his Community Based class. He worked at IHOP (International House of Pancakes) last year, but had to go from working 2 days a week, down to one day a week, because there wasn't anyone there on Monday's who spoke English well enough to help him. Silly me, I thought he might be discriminated against because he's got disabilities and didn't think that speaking English in America was a handicap. This year, they have him at another restaurant rolling silverware into napkins which is one of the things he did at IHOP last year so he isn't getting the opportunity to learn new skills or experiece something new (that IS the purpose of the program).

Since the program is Work Exploration, at his end of the year IEP I told the job coach that having one job all school year was NOT acceptable and I wanted him to have a new job each semester, at the very least. He didn't like his IHOP job but she kept him there because it was easier for HER than finding another placement. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! That will NOT happen this year and we are meeting next week with the teacher, job coach and the director of Special Education for the district because I want the job coach to do her job (yes, I know... I am so demanding).

I need some ideas on where he might be able to work. The following information should help determine what might be appropriate:

Likes: sports, kids, music, movies & cars

Abilities: he's able to stand and walk, understands most verbal communication, aims to please, is friendly, follows instructions well

Problem areas: cannot handle prolonged heat exposure (we live in HOT AZ so most outside jobs are out of the question), cannot read or write, uses his left hand only as an assist (non-functional), has mental retardation and poor vision

I would like some ideas to take to the meeting next week and if the job coach won't "run with the ball" and try and find local employment opportunites for him then dang it, I will! They only have the kids work 1-2 hours a couple of days a week, although I'm sure he would like to do more hours if he enjoyed the job. His district does NOT usually find them jobs which will pay them, but that is a whole other can of worms.

Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.

[lorilou]

Our local small town grocery store has several people with disabilities working there. Most of them are "bag boys" so they help load groceries into carts and then take them to cars (yes, we still have people wheel your groceries to your car!). I think most of them started in high school and many remain after they graduate. I know one young gentleman works full time since graduating from high school two years ago.

WAY BACK when I was in high school, I worked at Wendys. At that time they had a program with the highschool for teens with disabilities to get job training.

Don't forget Sams Club or Costco...their greeters are often disabled. We have a Sams Club nearby who has a young gentleman in a wheelchair as the exit person. I'd say he's probably a quadraplegic...he marks the receipts with a pen strapped to his hand.

HTH --

[Tracy Sheppard]

At our local Meijer store, they have many people with various disabilites working as door greeters and baggers etc. It is so refreshing to see them when we go in the store.

[laurensmom]

Target in NC has a good program, Lauren's teacher assist. daughter works in the stockroom, tagging clothing for the sales floor. Also some grocery stores here hire bag boys with disabilities., greeter also came to mind~~

My brother who is now 54 works in a very upscale restaurant at Mystic Seaport back home in CT., he has worked there for years, he loves to peel potatoes and carrots and any other chores that they have him do, he is so proud of his paycheck!!!! Plus, he gets to pick what the cook makes him for lunch everyday, I think he eats cheeseburgers and fries most every day he works tho!!!

Good luck to Brandon and you in finding the perfect place for him.

Hugs,

Debi

[Carly'sMa]

The young man down the street works at the packing facility for a local coffee roaster. Another person I know worked for Yankee Candle (factory is here in our area). There are landscape jobs, supermarket jobs, stocking shelves, janitorial, video store, pet shop. Our local Arc has a jobs program and it is pretty big -- people work for a local herb farm as well.

Good luck.

[queen]

My Mom works at a hotel and she has a few DD adults come in to help her do the continental breakfast, vaccuum etc. The veterinarian I worked for had a girl come in to help feed, clean and play with the animals.
Where would your son like to work? I am sure you could find a way for him to work at any business he has an interest in.
Good Luck!!
Michelle

[Austinsmom]

Hi Joy!!!
It is so nice to see your post, I have a million questions for you but I wanted to write you about this question
I am still on disability and not working right now…. but I am a job coach ( support staff ) for Adults with developmental disabilities
We have many places we go, we work within the vocational school itself, we have paid jobs, from putting away dishes from the dishwasher, Light office work, filling, cleaning, and gardening. We have some folks working part time at grocery stores, volunteering at the hospital elder care unit, there we bring in small groups for playing bingo each week 2 times a week, we go to volunteer at the senior thrift store, from gathering empty hangers to hanging clothes, stocking books, we work at a year round camp for disabled adults,many jobs are at the camp, yard pool, sorting, office cleaning, one small market allows us to have some of our clients fill stock on to shelves many of our clients end up working part time for extra money at many of these jobs, we do yard work around the bowling alley and one of our clients takes all the empties, cases of beer bottles from the bowling alley bar to recycle, he get one dollar a case and often he gets 20 cases in one day each week, we do many recycling programs, maintain and collect recycles from motel lodges, we work at the library too from dusting, stocking pamplets in the cases for local actiities and local info, to book placement, we have people work at the fish store, feeding, and glass cleaning of the tanks, we volunteer at the Zoo we clean glass, rake, sweep, stock supplies. We work for the forestry, we make necklaces with magnifying glasses at the end of yard for a kids program they offer at our discovery center, this makes money to provide free programs for the public all year long, we replanted pine trees one year, and any other help the forestry might want from us. We are looking into helping a few stands at the farmers market, one sells clothing one veggies.
What would you like Brandon to do, or to help with, make a list of what you think he would like, what would you like him to learn, see if they will accommodate him, we try to work anywhere we can or anywhere our clients want to work. We meet with clients and their families 4 times a year or more often if needed to see how jobs are going and if we want or need changes family suggestions are always encouraged where I work. Same old push, Mom's do the foot work then push . I hope this way to long of a post helps
Glad to see You
Love to you and your wonderful family
Deborah

[momtoeva]

At the federal governement agency where I work now, adults with disabilities work in the mailroom and deliver mail.

In Michigan, adults with disablities collected the recycling at the county prosecutor's office where I worked. My husband was a job coach for adults with developmental disabilities when we lived in MI and his clients enjoyed working at the Residence Inn cleaning rooms in a team much more than they enjoyed fast food jobs.

Where I grew up in NJ, one of the special ed students got a job taking tickets at the movie theatre. A lot of s.e. students worked at the grocery store as baggers or stock boys.

Good luck - it sounds like you and Brandon are on your way to finding him a job he really enjoys!

[taft]

Since they aren't getting paid anyway what about the humane society?? we adopted a cat a few days ago and there were at least 3 disabled people working or volunteering. My dh used to work with the disabled and one of his clients rounded up carts at walmart in the mornings for them. She really liked her job.

[Jennybean]

Here are a few ideas I had (some may have already been mentioned):

1. assembly line
2. breaking down boxes for recycling or assembling them for use
3. styrofoam peanut package filler at a parcil service like UPS
4. animal shelter
5. YMCA
6. door greeter
7. assistant at a flower shop
8. local diner bus-boy
9. arts & crafts at a local day care service

Well, I tried to come up with at least ten. Maybe you could speak with a local occupational therapist for more ideas. Hope everything works out for the best! Good luck to both you and Brandon.