AtWork!

AtWork! Is Working Towards Eliminating Subminimum Wages

2010-05-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

A national effort must be undertaken to improve the overall quality of community employment outcomes both in terms of individual outcomes and proper funding of services and long-term supports. The movement of individuals into non-work day facilities, instead of into community employment, is not an acceptable outcome of the phase out of subminimum wage.

AtWork! has for some time been working towards eliminating subminimum wages. Each year more and more clients are finding opportunities in the community to work at labor market wages, and those who are on a pathway to employment through exploration, volunteering and job trials, are participating in AtWork!’s enterprises for fewer days. Ultimately, those who work in our enterprises will be those for whom landscaping, packaging and assembly and work in our recycle enterprise is an appropriate vocation. There will be no need to pay subminimum wages. AtWork! is moving forward toward this goal before there is a Federal mandate to do so and is three years ahead of the national movement.

Call for Phase Out of Subminimum Wage

2010-05-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

Since establishment of the Federal minimum wage in 1938, a special minimum wage generally known as the “subminimum wage” has existed for individuals with disabilities. This provision allows employers, holding a 14(c) certificate from the US Department of Labor (DOL), to pay individuals with disabilities less than the federal or state minimum wage that is generally mandated for all other workers. Pay is related to the individual’s level of productivity, with the intent of paying individuals in proportion or commensurate to their productivity compared to workers without disabilities.

Currently there are approximately 5,600 employers who hold 14(c) certificates, employing approximately 425,000 individuals with disabilities at workshops and in group employment settings. Approximately 95% of these individuals are employed in sheltered workshops. Approximately ¾ of all workers receiving subminimum wages in sheltered workshops have an intellectual or developmental disability. More than half (54%) of workers in sheltered workshops earn less than $2.50 per hour, with 23% earning less than $1.00 per hour.

AtWork! supports the national movement calling for a phase out of this special subminimum wage provision. It should occur over time. No other minority group experiences this kind of discrimination. It needs to be gradual so that people aren’t harmed and alternative employment options can be developed or the businesses that employ them at subminimum and so they can figure out how to keep them working at minimum wage.

Does America Have a Sustainable Culture? – Part 3

2010-05-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

Last in a series of excerpts from a speech delivered by AtWork! CEO, Chris Brandt, at the AtWork! 2010 fundraising breakfast, March 25th, 2010.

This week on the radio I listened to President Obama say: “It’s a new season in America”. Let’s make it a new season for people with disabilities, too. Citizens with disabilities should have the support they need to find and keep a job and to contribute to the productivity of a sustainable culture. Hundreds of young people with disabilities between the ages of 21 and 35 sit at home with nothing to do because the system has failed them. They were not one of the lucky ones to graduate with a job and a service provider. Their stories are much different than Darwin’s. They are stories of isolation, disappointment and dwindling hope. Our state legislature will provide funding for only ¼ of the students with disabilities who will graduate from high school in the next 2 years. Who will sustain the investment we have made in these talented young people? Will you?

One final sustainability question that didn’t get on the radio: How many breakfasts does it take to sustain a nonprofit? Just like your body needs the sustenance of a good breakfast everyday, AtWork! needs the on-going contributions of our circle of support and our cohorts in the movement, to sustain the vital work we do on behalf of people with disabilities everyday. Enjoy your breakfast; it will fuel you for the work of the day. Contribute generously; it will fuel AtWork! to sustain the jobs, the hopes, and the dreams of the people with disabilities you have met and heard about today. And who knows, one person, one job at a time, you just might help create a sustainable culture here in Bellevue, Issaquah, Seattle, King County, and beyond.

Together we can make our vision of a sustainable culture a reality.

Does America Have a Sustainable Culture? – Part 2

2010-04-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from a speech delivered by AtWork! CEO, Chris Brandt, at the AtWork! 2010 fundraising breakfast, March 25th, 2010.

All of us must make and sustain a commitment to helping people with disabilities achieve equality and justice in our society if we are to sustain the American dream. America does not have a sustainable culture until it can unequivocally state: “With liberty and justice for ALL”.

What is your vision of a sustainable culture? The radio host had the final say and decided that a sustainable culture expects integrity and responsibility for obligations from its citizens. I decided that day that in my vision of a sustainable culture everyone knows that they belong, that people care if they show up and notice if they don’t. AtWork! helps people with disabilities find a place to belong. In my vision, everyone contributes and has purpose and meaning in their lives. AtWork! helps people with disabilities discover their talents and matches them with a business who needs their talents.
AtWork! made a commitment to leave no one behind. That means we will sustain our commitments to people with complex support needs, people that others might label as too disabled to work or unemployable. In AtWork!’s vision of a sustainable culture, my vision becomes true for everyone regardless of the severity or complexity of their disability.

Some of you have made that commitment too. Many of you have joined us in this last great civil rights movement for a sustainable culture. A culture renown for equal opportunity for people with all types of disabilities, including cognitive and multiple disabilities. A culture celebrated for its sustainable opportunities for people with disabilities to live in typical places where other people live, not in institutions where your only neighbors are inside a fence and have disabilities too. A society distinguished by sustainable jobs for people with disabilities that match the interests and talents of this untapped and eager workforce and that create sustainable benefit to a business’ bottom-line.

Read this blog on May 4th, to learn more about how you can contribute to a sustainable culture.

Does America Have a Sustainable Culture?

2010-04-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from a speech delivered by AtWork! CEO, Chris Brandt, at the AtWork! 2010 Breakfast, March 25th, 2010.

Last week I was driving between Issaquah and Bellevue with a talk radio show playing in the background. I wasn’t paying much attention because I was thinking about what I would say to you all today. I mulled over the theme sustainability and what it takes to sustain a person with disabilities in a good job and how employers benefit from including people with disabilities in a sustainable workforce. Then I started thinking about the things that make our society sustainable and the issues that continue to plague us like homelessness, hunger, poverty, illiteracy, and an unemployment rate of 75% for working age adults with disabilities.

My ears perked up, as the radio announcer said: “I’m no longer certain that America has a sustainable culture.”

How often does that happen? There you are intensely reflecting and the radio host starts talking about your deepest thoughts. I was flabbergasted and started paying attention. I learned that for the radio host, a culture is only sustainable if people keep their commitments, even if the going gets rough and the culture provides an easy escape from responsibility. He was talking about people who are upside down in their mortgages walking away and into foreclosure even though they can still afford their house payments.

The question for his listeners: “Is it ever okay to walk away from your legal commitments, your promises?” The call-ins to the show were split and those that advocated for walking away based their decisions on the circumstances of the moment.

Read this blog on April 29, to learn about how AtWork! is contributing to a sustainable culture.

A Few More Online Resources for People with Disabilities

2010-04-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Accessible Homes is committed to providing the most unique highest quality accessible products and services to our customers. We take extreme pride in enriching and enabling the physically challenged and aging population with ADA approved products. Accessible Homes is a "CAPS" Certified Aging in Place Company registered with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Parking Mobility is a Vancouver Canada based website that enables users to report when a car is parked without a disability placard with their mobile phones. The goal is to make parking more accessible for those who need it and reduce violations by those who don’t. The site also has a map that identifies disability parking throughout the metropolitan area. They would like to see other cities take up this cause and provide a similar service.

Mathew Stoloff is an attorney who focuses on matters involving disability rights, student rights, special education, employment law and animal law. He writes an excellent blog around these issues and has a Twitter account @matthewATlaw that we follow.

Fun Twitter Accounts to Follow

2010-04-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Leslie O'Donnell @FroggyPrinceMom says she is a previous teacher, unofficial psychologist, professional jeweler, oddball, friend, wife, at-home-mommy, and special needs kids reporter…choose your own adventure.

Carly Fleischmann @CarlysVoice has been profiled by CNN, NBC and CTV. Her Twitter site says “As long as I can remember I have been diagnosed with autism. I am not able 2 talk out of my mouth however I have found another way to communicate by spelling on my computer.” You can learn more about Carly at her website.

Marianne Russo @ChildAnxiety is the moderator of The Coffee Klatch M-F 9am Wed 9pm est. An interactive forum for parents of special needs children.

Rob Rose @TRIFCorg is a local Bellevue Washington Rotarian, a professional portrait photographer who owns Brandt Photography. What he really loves to do is help children with disability in Nepal! He has a foundation, the Rose International Fund for Children, that has a terrific website.

We were first introduced to Surf dog Ricochet through a YouTube video. This wonderful dog rides a surf board with people with disabilities, not only keeping the board stable for the rider but also able to help right someone in the water should they fall off. He raises money for charity with his amazing talent. Watch videos and learn more at his website. His Twitter account is @pawinspired.

More web fun and resources in our next blog, April 22nd.

Government Websites: Information & Resources about Disability Issues

2010-04-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

Continuing our series about online resources for issues related to disabilities, we profile three government sites that provide valuable information for employers and for job seekers.

• Ability One: The AbilityOne Program's mission is to provide employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the manufacture and delivery of products and services to the federal government. The program coordinates its activities with nonprofit organizations across the country to employ these individuals and provide goods and services to the federal government at a fair price. AtWork! is an Ability One contracted agency. We hold contracts with the Federal Government to do landscaping and grounds maintenance at the Ft. Lawton Cemetery and at the VA Hospital, both in Seattle, under the Ability One program. We also qualify under the Ability One program to provide document management services.
• Disability Gov is a website set up by the Federal Government to connect the disability community to information and opportunities. The site is organized by topic: benefits, civil rights, community life, education, emergency preparedness, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation. The Employment section http://www.disability.gov/employment offers job seekers, employers, and employees practical information about finding a job, recruiting and hiring people with disabilities, and job accommodations. It also offers resources on starting a small business and laws and regulations that protect the employment rights of people with disabilities. And family members and teenagers with disabilities can find information on mentoring programs and job training services.
• King County Developmental Disabilities Division: The division provides a full range of services and supports that enhance the lives of King County citizens with developmental disabilities and their families. “We help individuals and families with infants and toddlers who have a developmental disability lead full, active, integrated, and productive lives in their communities.” This includes help with early childhood development, school readiness, access to community activities, employment, retirement, housing, and advocacy. The website is a gold mine of resources for families, providers and others who work with individuals with disabilities in King County, Washington.

Read our April 20th blog for some fun Twitter accounts to follow.

Washington State Online Resources for Disability Issues

2010-04-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

In our last blog on April 8th we gave you some information about three great sites for information and insights into issues of concern. Here are some resources in Washington State that provide current and useful information.

• Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to expanding employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The consultant team works intimately with private businesses, county governments, school districts, social service providers, and families to offer technical assistance, innovative project design and demonstration, ADA consulting, financial systems analysis and design, and information technology assessment.
• The Arc of King County is the oldest non-profit organization serving children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in the Greater Puget Sound area, and is one of the oldest such organizations in the United States. They provide direct, hands-on support to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families through outreach, advocacy, and direct support. Most of their services are free including outreach to senior parents caring for their adult children with disabilities, peer support for parents, self-advocacy training, classes on numerous topics, direct support for adults living in their own homes, and an information and referral phone line.
• Washington State Business Leaders Network is an extension of the nation-wide Business Leadership Network (USBLN) established in 1994 by the former President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD) now coordinated through the Department of Labor's Office on Disability Employment Policy There are active BLN Chapters in more than 32 States. This is an excellent resource for businesses interested in helping to diversity their workforce by hiring people with disabilities. It has links to other websites and resources as well as a section about best practices.

Watch for our next blog on April 15th to learn about some excellent government sites.

Favorite Online Resources for Disability Issues

2010-04-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

There is a whole community of supporters out there on the internet communicating and advocating for issues related to people with disabilities. AtWork! has been blogging, tweeting, posting notices on Linked In and Facebook for nearly a year and we’ve come to rely on several outstanding sites for information and insights into issues of concern. Here’s a list site you may want to check out.

• Disability Scoop is the first and only national news organization serving the developmental disability community including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fragile X and intellectual disability, among others. Five days each week Disability Scoop sifts through the clutter to provide a central, reliable source of news, information and resources. Plus, Disability Scoop is the only place to find original content and series like “Scoop Essentials” that take an in-depth look at what lies beyond the day’s headlines. Launched in 2008, Disability Scoop is the premier source for developmental disability news.

• Disability Resource Exchange . Written by Rudy Sims, a young man with a disability called cerebral palsy. He writes on his website that he is…”in a wheelchair. I was also in chronic pain for 10 years. The pain is much better now and I am a very happy person looking to help others cope effectively with disabilities, health problems and the difficulties of life. I'm also always looking for new ways to use my knowledge of technology to raise disability awareness and work together with other people to accomplish that. I have created and maintained several websites for people with disabilities and health problems my two main sites are my blog and a social network for the discussion of disability issues bringing together people with and without disabilities.”

• Blue Path We’ve blogged about this great site before. BluePath promotes businesses that welcome people with disabilities as valuable customers. BluePath provides information for people with disabilities about where to shop, dine or go for fun. Through the directory of business profiles, customers with disabilities can find detailed descriptions of accessible features for locations in their community or travel destination, making it easier for them to travel through their world. Reviews and ratings from previous customers provide further information about their experience at the business. BluePath helps people with disabilities find businesses that are usable and committed to serving them. We encourage you to let your favorite restaurant, shop or business know about Blue Path and suggest they become a member. Free memberships are available until June 30th.

Watch our next blog on April 13th to learn about several local Western Washington sites that are excellent resources.

Many are looking for work and this is no less true for people with disabilities.

2010-04-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

The national percentage of people of working age with disabilities who are employed continues to hover around 37%, compared with 80% for their peers without disabilities (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). According to Aspiritech, 85% of those with autism are unemployed or underemployed. However, according to the Harris Poll (2004), 67% of people with disabilities who are not currently working would like to be (Dixon, Kurse, & Van Horn, 2003).

In the late 1990s, a Presidential Task Force began work on improving the employment rate for adults with disabilities, a national priority that was further supported by the New Freedom Initiative of 2001, creating a bipartisan effort. Despite these initiatives, the rate of employment for people with disabilities has not increased. their counterparts.

In February the most recent report from the Department of Labor said that the rate of unemployment among this population was 13.8% compared to 10.3% among the rest of the population.

Research has demonstrated that wages and hours worked increase dramatically as individuals move from facility-based to integrated employment, and suggests that less tangible benefits include expanded social relationships, heightened self-determination, and more typical job acquisition and job roles (Cohen, 2005; Mank, 2003; Murphy, Rogan, Handley, Kincaid, & Royce-Davis, 2002).

AtWork! Partners with Over 100 Businesses & Non-profit

2010-04-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Fifth & final of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2010.

AtWork! partners with over 100 businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide jobs and volunteer opportunities. We have solid partnerships with the Snoqualmie Casino, Costco, Dunn Lumber, and Oberto Sausage, to employ several people with disabilities in their businesses.

AtWork! operates social enterprises in recycling, landscaping, and kitting and packaging lines of business to provide training opportunities, jobs, and a source of revenue for program operations. We have just signed an MOU with a for profit company USArchive to create a new line of business called: “USArchive Powered by AtWork!”. AtWork! now has full document management capabilities creating a new revenue stream, work trial and community based assessment opportunities, and new jobs for people with disabilities. In addition we were instrumental in launching the Puget Sound Network, a collaborative of 19 nonprofit agencies including AtWork! that are combining capabilities and expertise to capture larger commercial and government contracts with the goal of creating 25 new jobs by September 2010.

45 agencies in Washington State have formed a new advocacy organization, the Community Employment Alliance. Our united advocacy in Olympia this session yielded positive results. In the end, we expect that services for people with disabilities will receive fewer cuts than proposed by the Governor.

To read all five postings in this series see "Previous Posts" in the column on the right of this web page.

Public Comments from AtWork!

2010-03-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Fourth of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2010.

Like most nonprofits, AtWork! has experienced funding reductions. In 2007 AtWork! received $475,000 from United Way. In 2010 we will receive $150,000. This is a significant impact to an organization with a $3.5 million annual budget. We have “replaced” most of this revenue through our own fundraising efforts, but we can’t help but think how many more people would have jobs today if this funding source had continued at a higher level of support.

Our commercial revenues, particularly in the recycling business have decreased due to the economy. We expect to generate about 1.5 million in commercial revenue from our new business, document management.

AtWork! uses Bellevue funds to leverage dollars from other sources. We receive funding from other 4 other cities to support the community liaison position that helps us develop volunteer opportunities and paid jobs. Without Bellevue’s support, it is unlikely we would capture funds from other cities. The City is counted as a partner in all of our grant applications. Bellevue has taken a lead role in helping AtWork! implement Washington State’s Working Age Adult Policy by funding the transitional employment consultant position. Support from the City adds credibility to funding applications. Individual donors are pleased when their dollars are stretched further because they are combined with the tax dollars the City targets for human services within their home town.

Read the continuation of Chris Brandt’s testimony here at the AtWork! blog on April 1st.

Gaps for Adults with Disabilities.

2010-03-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Third of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2010.

The 2009-2010 Human Services Needs Update identifies lack of paid and volunteer opportunities as gaps for adults with disabilities. In 2007, 2 clients served by AtWork! experienced a volunteer opportunity in the community. We have created significantly more volunteer opportunities over time: in 2008 36 people volunteered, and 90 people volunteered in 2009. 49 people had community jobs in 2007, 57 in 2008, and 67 in 2009. In 2008, 14 employers who had never hired a person with a disability before hired someone. In 2009, in spite of the economy, 8 new employers hired people with disabilities. We would like to see this trend line go up, not down.

Some people that AtWork! supports in community jobs are the primary wage earners for their entire family. Another gap identified is services for aging parents of people with disabilities who live at home. When people with disabilities have jobs, they contribute to the financial and overall well-being of their entire family. Fewer services are necessary in the home.

Read the continuation of Chris Brandt’s testimony here at the AtWork! blog on March 30th.

Public Comments from AtWork!

2010-03-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Second of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2010.

As a result of the recession, more high school students with disabilities are graduating without any adult services in place. The state legislature is likely to adopt a budget that funds employment services for only 300 of the 1300 students with disabilities in the state who will graduate in 2010 and 2011. If this trend continues, the number of young adults sitting at home with nothing productive to do will increase every year and we will have an even larger gap in services.

AtWork! continues to provide services to people who lose their county funding or have their service hours reduced due to federal waiver lids. We have a commitment to leave no one behind. In order to continue providing services when typical funding options disappear, AtWork! has focused on fundraising including holding an annual fundraising event and cultivating individual donors and on grant writing.

For the first time in its history AtWork! has launched a private pay program. We currently have 2 private pay clients and are serving 7 people who have no government funding.

We have launched a public education campaign to work with families of students in high school at a much younger age. Expecting the trend of limited and reduced funding to continue, we are being proactive in seeking support for employment services from families who are able to save and pay for their son or daughter’s services, just like most parents save for college.

Read the continuation of Chris Brandt’s testimony here at the AtWork! blog on March 25th.

The Impact of the Recession on AtWork! and the People We Serve

2010-03-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

First of five excerpts from testimony by Chris Brandt before the City of Bellevue Human Services Commission, March 16, 2009.

The economic recession has impacted AtWork! and the people we serve in two ways: the amount of resources available to serve them and the job opportunities available for people seeking employment. In fiscal year 2009 AtWork! (which ended September 30) served 237 people, of which 79 are Bellevue residents.

AtWork! served fewer new people last year than planned (bringing into service 24 clients, a little over ½ of the 40 we targeted). There simply was not enough funding for everyone who needs services. Particularly impacted are young adults 21 to 35 who did not get a job or into service after high school graduation. These individuals typically need more intensive 1:1 support to be successful in employment as they often have both cognitive and physical disabilities. When people with disabilities are not served in an employment program, aging families and residential support programs are additionally burdened. More importantly, they suffer from isolation, a lack of purpose, and stigmatization. Skills learned in high school deteriorate and inappropriate behaviors and mental health issues increase.

People with disabilities must be eligible for the federal home and community based waiver program to receive funding for employment services from the county and state. In the past the state provided funding for those who did not qualify for the federal match program. This is no longer the case.

In fiscal year 2008, 5 people employed in community businesses lost their jobs. In our fiscal year 2009 16 people lost jobs, with more than ½ related to the economy. So far in fiscal year 2010, which started October 2009, 11 people have lost jobs, ¾ due to the economy. Job development is more difficult as people with disabilities are competing with a large skilled laid-off workforce. AtWork! placed 20 new people in community jobs in 2009, the same as in 2008. The City of Bellevue’s support of AtWork!’s community liaison and job development staff person was critical to this success.

Read the continuation of Chris Brandt’s testimony here at the AtWork! blog on March 23rd.

NISH awards AtWork! a Certificate of Achievement

2010-03-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

AtWork!, a certified Ability One Contractor, received recognition from NISH with the awarding of a Certificate of Achievement for 2009.

The certificate was presented in recognition of the high standards of performance AtWork! has maintained throughout 2009 by providing a service for the Federal government under the AbilityOne Program. AtWork!’s supported employment landscaping program maintains the grounds of the Ft. Lawton cemetery adjacent to Discovery Park in Seattle and at the Seattle Veterans Administration Hospital.

Established in 1974, NISH is one of two national, nonprofit agencies designated by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled [a federal government agency] to support nonprofit agencies participating in the AbilityOne Program which provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities by procuring Federal contracts for goods and services.

In making the award, Robert Chamberlin, President & CEO of the AbilityOne program, said, “This recognition symbolizes a ‘job well-done.’ Outstanding overall performance in the AbilityOne program proves that persons with severe disabilities can be productive, contributing members of society.”

Reward Yourself With Visibility and New Customers

2010-03-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

Through barrier removal and diligent assessment of accessible features, businesses earn membership in BluePath and are promoted through an online directory. BluePath actively advertises its member businesses to people with disabilities and the organizations that work with them. BluePath helps businesses connect with an underutilized market of people with money to spend.

Through virtual feedback and response, BluePath facilitates a positive discussion about the needs of the customers and the abilities of the business to provide the best customer experience possible. BluePath aims to create understanding and build trust between businesses and people with disabilities. Through a variety of media, businesses can access technical assistance and information about accessibility guidelines, tax incentives, customer service and disability etiquette tips. BluePath seeks to calm the anxiety of businesses who don’t know where to begin when dealing with laws and codes

BluePath promotes businesses that have demonstrated minimum standards through a self-assessment process and seeks to advertise businesses that are user-friendly and have made a commitment to maintain as accessible an environment as possible.

Become a BluePath Member - FREE until June 2010!

Attract New Customers by Becoming a BluePath Business

2010-03-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

BluePath promotes businesses that welcome people with disabilities as valuable customers.

Until restaurant reviews include comments on accessibility, potential customers with disabilities may only guess whether they can get into the restaurant and enjoy the food. The same is true for other retail establishments, hotels, and businesses, especially when one is traveling and in unfamiliar territory. At the same time, business owners may incorrectly assume their building is completely accessible, when relatively minor changes might vastly improve the ease with which customers with disabilities could use it. A new resource by Northwest ADA Center, called BluePath, should help both business owners and customers get together.

BluePath provides information for people with disabilities about where to shop, dine or go for fun. Through the directory of business profiles, customers with disabilities can find detailed descriptions of accessible features for locations in their community or travel destination, making it easier for them to travel through their world. Reviews and ratings from previous customers provide further information about their experience at the business. BluePath helps people with disabilities find businesses that are usable and committed to serving them.

Become a BluePath Member - FREE until June 2010!

Attract New Customers as a BluePath Business

2010-03-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

A Good Community Is a Place Where More & More People Say, “I can get what I need to make my contribution.”

2010-02-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

More community settings cultivate encouragement where people help people see their abilities. They hold high, positive expectations that people will find ways to contribute, they support people to stretch a bit outside their comfort zone. People in a community are willing to make adjustments, to modify environments, procedures or routines to make it possible for everyone to participate more effectively. When people need personal assistance they have it in a way that doesn’t take away from their dignity or diminish their participation. They honor people’s preferences about who they want to assist them and what their preferences are.

When people with disabilities hold down a job, good employers expect as much from those employees as they do from the rest of their workforce. They understand that each person has their own way of completing their responsibilities and make adjustments or modify environments so that the person with a disability can be accountable for their work. They encourage and evaluate all of their employees, including those with disabilities and are willing to give them more challenging assignments that allow the person with a disability to grow in their job and within their chosen vocation. At all times they respect the person’s choices, knowing that their employee has the capacity and the capabilities needed to excel.

We invite you to welcome, encourage and assist others to join in and contribute.

AtWork! staff appointed to Regional Transit Task Force

2010-02-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

King County Executive Dow Constantine has named 28 regional and community leaders to a new Regional Transit Task Force that will advise on the future of King County Metro Transit services. Jane Kuechle, Chief Development Officer for AtWork! and a member of Metro’s Transit Advisory Committee, was asked to serve representing Accessible Services. “I am please to be able to give voice to issues and concerns of people with disabilities and the elderly who make use of ACCESS transportation as well as METRO, Sound Transit and other forms of public transportation,” said Kuechle.

“I’ve asked this cross-section of regional leaders and transit users to engage in a discussion about how we can best deliver transit service for all parts of the county within the resources we have,” said Executive Constantine. “I deliberately sought a group of people who are willing to put aside political divisions and think creatively about how to plan a transit system that will serve us well in the future.”

Constantine said the conversation will include development of a comprehensive vision for what the regional transit system should look like in the future as well as criteria for systematically growing or reducing the transit system, depending on the revenues available. Kuechle said she welcomes input from the public regarding accessible transportation services. The geographically balanced 28-member task force includes a mix of elected officials and representatives of business, labor, education, and human service agencies, along with riders.

“Our goal was to pull together a task force that was diverse and represented the broad perspectives across our county—from students to elderly people, from business to labor, from Seattle to Maple Valley, and more,” said Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips, sponsor of the motion creating the panel. “The Regional Transit Task Force is charged with developing a regional vision to shape our transit system for the future and address the revenue shortfalls Metro faces. I think these individuals, with input from the larger community, are up to that task.”

The task force is being asked to develop policy options for discussion by July and to adopt final policy recommendations by September 2010.

A Good Community Is a Place Where More & More People Say, "I Make A Difference Because of What I Offer."

2010-02-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Community members give practical help in figuring out how to match the person’s capacities to work that needs doing and assuring that person can see how they make a difference to the whole effort. Information and knowledge are shared and they open clear ways that people can contribute ideas to the way things are done. Community members facilitate connections to networks and associations. They encourage people to recruit, support and build alliances. They offer opportunities for people to be well-informed ambassadors of the effort.

Good community networkers look around and discover ways that people with disabilities can contribute. They seize on opportunities and connect those who want to work with those who are looking for workers. They think outside the box and don’t just assume that if a person’s skills and talents match only part of a job that there is not a place for them. Sometimes workers with disabilities change a workplace for the better simply by their presence, even if their contribution appears small when measured against an employee who can do everything. Workers with disability bring a new diversity to the community....a presence that does not instill weariness....rather one that inspires us all to be courageous and find new ways to work together.

A Good Community Is a Place Where More & More People Say….

2010-02-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

“I belong to this place and I act from responsibility for it.” In a good community more people can say, “My contribution is welcome and so am I.” There are more community settings that cultivate invitations to participate. Community members spend time listening to people in places where they are comfortable, discovering what they care about and what their capacities are. People reach out to ask clearly for active involvement. Community members are thoughtful about the ways people are welcomed and purposeful about greeting and involving newcomers. They also give thought to making their community accessible.

Community members can see how to contribute. They assist people to see a pathway that connects where they are now with a way of being involved. They think through the work to assure that there is something meaningful for each interested person to do. And they offer support so people understand how to be a part of things, both the tasks and the social dimension.

Good communities reach out and invite people with disabilities to participate, community members listen to discover what people with disabilities are good at and help them to find something to do that is meaningful for the person with a disability and for the community as a whole. They help the person with a disability be able to say, “My contribution is welcome and so am I.”

For Some Jobs, Asperger's Syndrome Can Be An Asset

2010-02-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

by Adriene Hill

February 11, 2010 NPR Morning Edition

Statistics on the unemployed have been dominating the news for months.
And while the current portrait of the jobless might seem dire, consider this: According to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than 20 percent of the disabled population in the country has work.

But Aspiritech, a nonprofit in the suburbs of Chicago, is trying to help improve the job outlook for people with Asperger's and high-functioning autism.
The company trains people in data entry and computer program testing — skills that come naturally to many with the disorder.

Important Work
Brian Tozzo is making sure programs like Yahoo Messenger and AOL interact properly with a cell phone. He types a message into his phone and pushes send.
"There it is — 'Hello, how are you?' " Tozzo says. "And on the PC you can see the same message, 'Hello, how are you?' and it passes, hooray!" Tozzo marks it down as a success in a spreadsheet that has hundreds, even thousands of repetitive tests.

At a different desk, Alan Sun is training with a similar list. "It definitely helps utilize my computer skills and lets me use them to help others," Sun says. "So, at least I'm seeing how my computer skills can be potentially useful to society."
Brenda Weitzberg, the founder of Aspiritech, says employment is so much more than a paycheck. "It is structure to the day," she says. "It is sense of self-worth, value." Employment is so much more than a paycheck. 'It is structure to the day. It is sense of self-worth, value.' - Brenda Weitzberg, founder of Aspiritech

A Natural Fit
Weitzberg started the business because she felt frustrated with the lack of job resources for her 30-year-old son. She says software testing is the perfect fit for people like him, with autism spectrum disorder. "They're very focused on detail," Weitzberg says. "Able to do highly repetitive work, able to spot imperfections." Aspiritech is relatively new and started with $25,000 in private donations. So far, it's trained eight testers. And the company just signed its first contract for work that will start later this year. Weitzberg's inspiration is a six-year-old Danish company called Specialisterne.

Difference Not A Disadvantage. Thorkil Sonne is the founder of Specialisterne. The company currently has three dozen consultants with autism spectrum disorder doing software testing and data entry. "[The company] actually sees autism — the autism characteristics — as a potential competitive advantage," Sonne says. He came up with the idea after his son was diagnosed with autism, and he says he thinks the outlook for his son has substantially improved since the company's inception. "I think that there's a much more positive attitude," Sonne says, "And openness in the business sector in Denmark."

Sonne's hoping to spread the model worldwide. Copenhagen Business School professor Robert Austin has studied Specialisterne's business. "It does something that a lot of other models that hope to help people don't do," Austin says. "It aligns the interest of the people being helped with the interest of a business." Austin says it's a hopeful model that he'd like to see work. It's one that doesn't view difference as disadvantage.