 |
|
|
 |
|
Developing skills and friendships in the workplace
"I have noticed how some clients are starting to develop their skills as they work in the workshop and I just wanted to share an example with you. C. is usually seen only using his left hand while he worked, He usually does a job that only requires using one hand. He was recently moved to another group (at his request) because he wanted to do something different. He was told that in order to work in a new group, he would have to keep up and help out. Suddenly C was working with others in an assembly line fashion. Not only did he keep up, but he developed a way to utilize both hands since his task was to place cords in the mailing envelope. Not only did C become an asset to the team, C seemed to enjoy working in his new group."
The pure excitement of being able to work
"I went to lunch with a parent and she said that before her son came to work at CSS, he used to sit "Indian style" in the corner of his room, so much so, that there was edema in the knee. Now, he is all over the house. He gets up each day, ready to go to work anxiously waiting for the van to pick him up. He does the same thing on Saturday and Sunday and his caregiver said that she had to drag him back into the house.
She says sometimes he gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and because he doesn't understand time, he will take up his parents asking for them to get breakfast ready because he has to go to work. With disappointment, he returns to bed. During the hurricane in 2004, it was quite a struggle for the caregiver, because he wanted to walk to work.
Finally, the last thing she said was " If you take away his work from him, you would be cutting off his right arm."
The importance of a paycheck to quality of life
"I had a conversation with SK last week. She and I were chatting and she was telling me about her plans for the weekend. She told me that since it was pay week, she would be going out to dinner and maybe doing some Christmas shopping with her sister. This is a great example of how our clients look forward to being able to do special things on payday and just how much their paychecks mean to them."
Co-workers acknowledging and praising hard work
"Last week a parent and sister came in to see what JB was doing. They were very impressed with our "synergistic therapeutic milieu" While we were talking another client, LR came over to us, and said, " I like your son, he's very nice and he works hard." This really pleased the family, but JB just beamed."
The feelings that come from having a purpose in life
"As I was headed down the hallway a client who was leaving for the day stopped to shake my hand. If course I obliged and while exchanging the handshake, the client expressed in an excited way that he would be coming back tomorrow! And I said "great, we need your help!" to which he replied, he has a lot of work to do. Then he thanked me for the work he had. I told him that's why we are here, to help him succeed and off he went."
Taking hold of a new opportunity and overcoming fear
"A new client was referred to CSS for supported employment services. The client was so excited about the chance to do something new. She had hopes of working just like everyone else. The client's parent was very concerned about M being "safe" and "protected." M worked in the community before, but because she was not offered the support of a job coach her experiences were not successful or positive. Because the clients' experiences in the community were not successful, the parent was fearful.
A job opportunity came available for M as a dining room attendant. The parent was hesitant. How could she allow her daughter to suffer more failures and possible rejection? When it was explained how working would enhance her development and bring a new quality of life that she has not previously experienced, the parent began to feel better. She shared that when M was born doctors told the parent to put her in an institution or use her as a servant.
I assured her that there are so many things that clients can do and if we worked together to offer support and guidance, M could begin to experience what it is like to be "normal."
|
|
|
|
