RE: Work for young adults with DS

[Guest guest]

Where do you live? I will see what I can think of but we have not yet experienced it - is jsut 11 years old. I looking for ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son. Background: He graduated from school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his own. He receives SSI and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day. I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities. My questions: What have you learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective employers? Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would benefit both the employer and the employee? Please give any other advice/ideas that you all have. Thank you so much. Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]

Hello Shirley,

I also am a mother to a 19year old son, ZACH. I understand your concern and frustration.

We live in N Georgia and Zach has been working a a local grocery store here called INGLES as a bagger. He works MWF 1-5 and SAT 12-4, while still attending our local high school as a senior in the am. We went thru Vocational Rehab/Dept of LAbor here in Georgia which was a 2 month paper work process to get him to the point of entering employment at INGLES. I thought he would be with a job coach for the first couple of weeks, but the employees took him under their wings and have done all the training with him. He is doing very well and LOVES his job and takes it very seriously!!

He had worked there last year at a program thru his high school, and fell in love with the job, and told me for the last year he wanted to work there. He is making $6.77 per hour, which does affect his SSI, but I am more concerned at this point with his acquiring job skills, independence, and being a valuable part of this community. Is was a very difficult process for me to leave him there at first...all the fears any other parent faces when their child starts a job and even MORE with OUR kids!!!

The name of the program thru Dept of LAbor is Community Work Adjustment Training.

They do offer job coaches for those who need it..Do you think Josiah would be interested in working at your local grocery store? I love his name by the way..Feel free to email me apart from the group..I would love to hear from you..it;s always good to find someone whose child is about the same age as yours!

Debbie Pressley

Subject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DSTo: "Upsndowns" <Upsndowns >, DownSyndromeInfoExchange Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 3:57 PM

I looking for ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his own.

He receives SSI and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective employers?

Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any other advice/ideas that you all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]

We have a Walgreen's distribution center that opened recently and they want to hire 40% of their workers with disabilities, so Walgreens might be worth checking out. Sweeping up, taking out trash, etc. Grocery stores here seem to hire people with disabilities. One young man with DS washes cars at a car dealer. ARC and Goodwill are good job sources.

ette

-------------- Original message from "cshos" : --------------

I looking for ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his own.

He receives SSI and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective employers?

Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any other advice/ideas that you all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]

Have you seen this?

http://www.patriciaebauer.com/making-business-ownership-a-reality

the lady who wrote this gave a workshop at the NDSC convention

in Boston. I didn’t attend, but others who attended said it was

great..lots of ideas.

Here is her contact information http://www.beachcenter.org/staff/staff_detail.aspx?id=44

I think that she would probably have some good resources for you.

KathyR

From:

DownSyndromeInfoExchange

[mailto:DownSyndromeInfoExchange ] On Behalf Of cshos

Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:57 AM

To: Upsndowns; DownSyndromeInfoExchange

Subject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DS

I looking for

ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work

for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from

school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our

state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were

terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work

independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach

for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his

own.

He receives SSI

and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern

for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church

activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the

sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you

learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective

employers?

Sheltered

workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son

received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very

low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away

with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT

be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder

otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be

more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something

that would benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any

other advice/ideas that you all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to

Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]

What a great example of someone who wants to live outside of the

Government ‘help’ system.

From:

DownSyndromeInfoExchange

[mailto:DownSyndromeInfoExchange ] On Behalf Of Kathy

Ratkiewicz

Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:34 PM

To: DownSyndromeInfoExchange

Subject: RE: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DS

Have you seen this?

http://www.patriciaebauer.com/making-business-ownership-a-reality

the lady who wrote this gave a workshop

at the NDSC convention in Boston. I didn’t attend, but others who attended said

it was great..lots of ideas.

Here is her contact information http://www.beachcenter.org/staff/staff_detail.aspx?id=44

I think that she would probably have some good resources for you.

KathyR

From:

DownSyndromeInfoExchange [mailto:DownSyndromeInfoExchange ]

On Behalf Of cshos

Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 11:57 AM

To: Upsndowns; DownSyndromeInfoExchange

Subject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DS

I looking for ideas from some of you

experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from school last May. We

have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of

rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became

evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their

services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of

time and then expect him to handle the job on his own.

He receives SSI and lives with us, so

'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now.

He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs

to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but

want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you learned? What should I

avoid? How should I approach prospective employers?

Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY

little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's

work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast

food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum

wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average

worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one

:-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a

prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would

benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any other advice/ideas that you

all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]



Thank you all SO much for your ideas to help us find a job for Josiah. You've given me several ideas to pursue. If you think of anything else, please let me know.....getting him into a job and getting the funding set up seems to be a quite a process.

Shirley

[Guest guest]

If your son is able to 'do the job' he should get paid accordingly. I know of one girl who is employed by Walmart, and is ds, still lives at home but gets paid $8.00 an hour. I know some of our kiddos make not make the grade so to speak but I would not short change them any money if they can 'do the job.'

smom

"Where there is passion and a fire burning in your heart, there is hope..."

"I cannot do everything, but still I can do something." Ms. Helen Keller

Subject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DSTo: "Upsndowns" <Upsndowns >, DownSyndromeInfoExchange Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 10:57 AM

I looking for ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his own.

He receives SSI and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective employers?

Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any other advice/ideas that you all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

[Guest guest]

Yes, I do agree. Shirley

[DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Work for young adults with DSTo: "Upsndowns" <Upsndowns >, DownSyndromeInfoExchange Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 10:57 AM

I looking for ideas from some of you experienced parents about finding some meaningful work for my 19yo son.

Background:

He graduated from school last May. We have done about 1 1/2 yr of job training through our state's department of rehabilitation services. Those services were terminated when it became evident to them that he would not be able to work independently. Their services were designed to send a job coach for a limited amount of time and then expect him to handle the job on his own.

He receives SSI and lives with us, so 'earning significant income' is not my biggest concern for him right now. He participates in Challenger League sports and church activities, but he needs to have a job--even if it's 3 hrs a day.

I'm aware of the sheltered workshops, but want to look first at other opportunities.

My questions:

What have you learned? What should I avoid? How should I approach prospective employers?

Sheltered workshops pay the workers VERY little income....one friend told me her son received about $20 for two week's work. They get away with paying very low.....can grocery stores, fast food stores, or any private company get away with paying lower than minimum wage? I'm thinking that he would NOT be as valuable as the average worker who gets minimum wage (although I wonder otherwise on that one :-). I wondering if he would be more valuable to a prospective employer if he could be paid $3-$5 per hour...something that would benefit both the employer and the employee?

Please give any other advice/ideas that you all have.

Thank you so much.

Shirley--mom to Josiah, now 19yo

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