ORLANDO, Fla. — After highschool, adults with developmental disabilities usually discover themselves unemployed and caught at residence.
“All of the helps simply evaporate. And in the event you don’t combine them right into a group or a job or one thing, they’re like an island of 1 with their household,” stated Christine Bancalari, co-founder of the Down Syndrome Basis of Florida.
Orlando Well being’s internship and recruitment program for adults with developmental disabilities goals to alter that.
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The We Construct program celebrated its third yr of operation in December. Since 2021, 25 interns have graduated from the paid internship program, and 17 at the moment are employed by the hospital. 4 extra are set to graduate this month.
David Wolf, 33, completed this system in September and accepted a job in constructing upkeep.
Earlier than enrolling in We Construct, he was bagging groceries.
“He realized only a few issues there. It was simply get him in, get him out, get a paycheck,” stated David’s father, Jeff Wolf.
Now, David Wolf is washing flooring and serving to with upkeep tasks, and his hospital supervisor has already talked to him in regards to the potential for promotions.
“He stated there’ll be loads of alternatives for David. I’ve by no means felt that with any of his different jobs, that there was a future different than simply everyday operations,” Jeff Wolf stated.
Orlando Well being companions with Particular Olympics Florida, the Middle for Unbiased Residing and the Down Syndrome Basis of Florida for the We Construct program. Every group refers interns and offers them with a “success coach.”
The coach teaches hospital workers how you can work with individuals with developmental disabilities — and helps the intern learn to handle the office.
“They’ll return residence and speak to their coach to know, in the event that they perhaps didn’t get one thing that day. They’ve that additional help to emphasise what that talent was they’re making an attempt to be taught,” stated Sherry Wheelock, CEO of Particular Olympics Florida.
Graduates of this system work in constructing upkeep, type and retailer provides within the warehouse, put together meals within the cafeteria and transport sufferers and gear across the hospital.
They’re all paid above the state’s minimal wage, which is $13 an hour, and are supplied advantages resembling medical health insurance.
Bancalari, whose grownup daughter has Down syndrome, stated We Construct graduates are encouraging to sufferers who’ve kids with developmental disabilities.
“When you may have a child who will get recognized with Down syndrome, the very first thing individuals hear is what their baby can’t do. Having people with Down syndrome working within the hospital system is superior as a result of individuals see them in a really profitable function, doing issues that they perhaps of their thoughts didn’t assume was attainable,” Bancalari stated.
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