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...and a couple of neighboring villages, the local trading post, and the owner of the canoe that ferries people back and forth. OK, maybe I'm stretching a metaphor too thin here. But as we approach our first 'Friends of Sherwood' event, I've been reflecting on all of the people, businesses, foundations, government offices, and so on that keep Sherwood's doors open and allow us to keep providing the best services possible to people with disabilities.
There've been several reminders lately of the complex web of support that keeps a nonprofit going. Our newest board member came in to discuss ideas about how she can connect some new businesses to our clients who are looking for jobs. We got word of our United Way grant award for the next three years, which included some much-needed new funds to support the Career Connection program as it adapts to changing realities, including the loss of significant amounts of commercial revenue. One of our friends stopped by with leads for pet-related businesses that might want to buy our new pet treats.Cascade Bank stepped up to help us address cash flow concerns. And our office manager donated plants and flowers from her landscaping business.
That's what the Friends of Sherwood event is all about--reaching out to people who may have lost touch over the years, or newer friends who want to get more directly involved in changing the lives of people with disabilities.
If you'd like to join us or know someone who would, the get-together will be June 17th, beginning at 4:00. We'll do a brief program talking about recent changes at Sherwood and where we're headed, describe various kinds of volunteer opportunities, and then have an open house format for people to visit program areas. Hope you can join us!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Gaps in services for people with disabilities
In some ways, it's a good time for people with disabilities in Washington state and Snohomish County. The legislature surprised everyone by doing an about-face and funding all students who are transitioning from school district services to adult services. Last year, there was no funding at all for transition students. Given budget shortfalls, no one expected full funding this round--but we got it, thanks to some tireless advocates and supportive legislators. There was also no funding cut this time to employment vendors like Sherwood's Career Connection program, versus last year's 1.75% cut.
But gaps remain. The one that keeps rearing its especially ugly head is the gap between what people with the most significant disabilities want and need in terms of employment services and what the system can afford to provide.
The old model was to create sheltered workshops where people with the most signficant barriers could work and learn skills. A newer model has developed in recent years that stresses real jobs in inclusive community work environments. There are good reasons for the shift--people learn more, earn more, develop more relationships, and usually are happier when they have typical jobs in the community.
But as public funding has increasingly moved in that direction, and as the private contracts that used to help pay for workshops have steadily shrunk, it has created a gap in hours for people who have worked a long time in sheltered workshops. They may go from a 4- or 5-day-a-week work schedule in the workshop to a 1- or 2-day-a-week schedule of working or looking for work in the community.
What to do with the rest of those hours? What options are there for people with high support needs to find meaningful activities and have the necessary support from a caregiver to access various activities? Respite dollars are often tight for families, and aren't even available to Adult Family Home (AFH) providers. They must absorb the extra hours of care somehow, without any additional resources.
We continue to struggle with this. As an employment provider, our role is really to focus on work. We can't provide respite or recreational activities--they're outside of our area of training, and we don't have the capacity to add new programs. But of course we want to help the individuals we know who are affected by reduced hours.
Maybe it's time for a new discussion among providers, parents, self-advocates, and others to look for some different options.
But gaps remain. The one that keeps rearing its especially ugly head is the gap between what people with the most significant disabilities want and need in terms of employment services and what the system can afford to provide.
The old model was to create sheltered workshops where people with the most signficant barriers could work and learn skills. A newer model has developed in recent years that stresses real jobs in inclusive community work environments. There are good reasons for the shift--people learn more, earn more, develop more relationships, and usually are happier when they have typical jobs in the community.
But as public funding has increasingly moved in that direction, and as the private contracts that used to help pay for workshops have steadily shrunk, it has created a gap in hours for people who have worked a long time in sheltered workshops. They may go from a 4- or 5-day-a-week work schedule in the workshop to a 1- or 2-day-a-week schedule of working or looking for work in the community.
What to do with the rest of those hours? What options are there for people with high support needs to find meaningful activities and have the necessary support from a caregiver to access various activities? Respite dollars are often tight for families, and aren't even available to Adult Family Home (AFH) providers. They must absorb the extra hours of care somehow, without any additional resources.
We continue to struggle with this. As an employment provider, our role is really to focus on work. We can't provide respite or recreational activities--they're outside of our area of training, and we don't have the capacity to add new programs. But of course we want to help the individuals we know who are affected by reduced hours.
Maybe it's time for a new discussion among providers, parents, self-advocates, and others to look for some different options.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Who is Ms. B mad at? iTouch lets her ID the culprit
They all assumed Ms. B was mad at the dog. It had jumped on her while Cousin N was carrying her from the car to the house. Ms. B doesn't say a lot--she only has a few words, in fact--so it isn't always easy to get information about what's happening with her. Are you mad at the dog? various family members asked. Who are you mad at? the dog?
Cousin N went back to the car and got Ms. B's new iTouch. Ms. B has had communication devices before, but nothing with the kind of power that this new one has, with its many menus that branch off and allow her to communicate so much more than the old static systems where someone could program 16 buttons, or a few more, and that was that.
Cuz N helpfully chose the menu that says Yes No Maybe and the family again asked if Ms. B was mad at the dog. Ms. B scrolled back and found the menu she wanted. No dog on it. She pushed the button for Cuz N. You're mad at Cousin N? Yes.
Cuz N had refused to get Ms. B's jacket out of the car, deciding she didn't really need it. To her immense credit, Cuz N now went back and got the jacket. Ms. B had been heard.
Assistive technology (AT) can be a powerful thing. From something as simple as adding a switch to a child's toy so the child can activate it by him or herself, to a reminder system for someone to use on the job to remember the order of tasks, to a more maneuverable wheelchair, to a sophisticated communication device, AT gives people more independence.
Sherwood's expanded AT program, TechSTEP, has worked with Ms. B and others to help them find their voice. The results are amazing. If you're in the area, stop by for a tour, or contact us at 425.334.4071 to learn more.
Thanks to the Nysether Family Foundation and the Target Foundation for grant support for TechSTEP. We're all excited about having this service for people in Snohomish County!
Cousin N went back to the car and got Ms. B's new iTouch. Ms. B has had communication devices before, but nothing with the kind of power that this new one has, with its many menus that branch off and allow her to communicate so much more than the old static systems where someone could program 16 buttons, or a few more, and that was that.
Cuz N helpfully chose the menu that says Yes No Maybe and the family again asked if Ms. B was mad at the dog. Ms. B scrolled back and found the menu she wanted. No dog on it. She pushed the button for Cuz N. You're mad at Cousin N? Yes.
Cuz N had refused to get Ms. B's jacket out of the car, deciding she didn't really need it. To her immense credit, Cuz N now went back and got the jacket. Ms. B had been heard.
Assistive technology (AT) can be a powerful thing. From something as simple as adding a switch to a child's toy so the child can activate it by him or herself, to a reminder system for someone to use on the job to remember the order of tasks, to a more maneuverable wheelchair, to a sophisticated communication device, AT gives people more independence.
Sherwood's expanded AT program, TechSTEP, has worked with Ms. B and others to help them find their voice. The results are amazing. If you're in the area, stop by for a tour, or contact us at 425.334.4071 to learn more.
Thanks to the Nysether Family Foundation and the Target Foundation for grant support for TechSTEP. We're all excited about having this service for people in Snohomish County!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Adventures in starting a new business
Today was a banner day for It's ALL Good, the new business we're starting to provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities. (Our first product will be high quality, 100% natural dog treats. More about that later.) We finished the labels, adding a great picture of our favorite bulldog, Piper. She's got some serious personality. Creating the labels was a true team project. We also submitted the paperwork to officially register with the state Department of Agriculture. It's all coming together--very soon we'll have our first 80 batches of biscuits packaged and ready to distribute to all the pet-loving friends of Sherwood who pre-ordered. There are some lucky dogs out there, about to enjoy their Banana Stars and Peanut Butter Bones!
It's exciting to finally launch our new social enterprise. If you're not familiar with the term, it essentially means a business with a social mission--in this case, jobs for people with disabilities. All of the money made by It's ALL Good will go into sustaining the business, including paying the wages of individuals with disabilities; and supporting Sherwood's Career Connection services. That's right: no private profit, no CEOs taking home huge year-end bonuses. The business exists to provide more real-world, hands-on training opportunities for people with disabilities who need to build their work skills to get jobs in the community, and also to provide part-time paid jobs primarily for people with disabilities.
AND it makes some darn good dog treats. Our in-house expert, Callie, developed the two recipes using all natural, human-grade ingredients. (Yes, you can eat them--and at least one of our board members has been seen snacking on them! Though we'd recommend sticking to people snacks.) The treats are wheat, corn and soy free. The Banana Stars are also grain free. Also in the works are treat-of-the-month flavors, such as Turkey Dinner for November and Cheesy Hearts for February.
Stay tuned for stories and updates as we launch It's ALL Good! And in the meantime, if you're interested in ordering dog treats, please contact Callie at 425.334.4071.
It's exciting to finally launch our new social enterprise. If you're not familiar with the term, it essentially means a business with a social mission--in this case, jobs for people with disabilities. All of the money made by It's ALL Good will go into sustaining the business, including paying the wages of individuals with disabilities; and supporting Sherwood's Career Connection services. That's right: no private profit, no CEOs taking home huge year-end bonuses. The business exists to provide more real-world, hands-on training opportunities for people with disabilities who need to build their work skills to get jobs in the community, and also to provide part-time paid jobs primarily for people with disabilities.
AND it makes some darn good dog treats. Our in-house expert, Callie, developed the two recipes using all natural, human-grade ingredients. (Yes, you can eat them--and at least one of our board members has been seen snacking on them! Though we'd recommend sticking to people snacks.) The treats are wheat, corn and soy free. The Banana Stars are also grain free. Also in the works are treat-of-the-month flavors, such as Turkey Dinner for November and Cheesy Hearts for February.
Stay tuned for stories and updates as we launch It's ALL Good! And in the meantime, if you're interested in ordering dog treats, please contact Callie at 425.334.4071.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The thing about sheltered workshops
The thing about sheltered workshops is that they DO serve a purpose--but can't we do better? Advocates point to the need for work that matches people's abilities, the importance of having a regular job to go to, and the relative safety and security of sheltered workshops compared to typical jobs in the community. True enough.
But we also know that typical jobs have many benefits for people with disabilities that workshops can't match. First of all, the work is meaningful and develops skills that people in the real world pay for. A lot of work that we give people in workshop settings is 'special' work--simple, repetitive tasks that don't translate well to typical job settings. People get bored. Boredom sometimes leads to negative behaviors. Over time, being in a workshop actually makes it HARDER for people to get jobs in the community, where they could learn new skills, broaden their social relationships, and earn more money so they can have more independence and choice.
The majority of workshops pay subminimum wage. Wages are based on measuring people's productivity against that of a 'typical' worker doing the same task, so their pay is supposed to be commensurate with how much they produce. This can become a self-fulfilling trap of sorts. We give people menial, boring tasks, which often don't change for years--and when they work slowly, we point to that and say they aren't 'ready' to work in the community. We lower our expectations. We stop being creative and looking for ways to improve their productivity so they CAN work in a typical job.
The economic model of workshops hasn't worked well in years, and it keeps getting more difficult to sustain. In a rapidly changing world (think automation and global outsourcing), the kinds of work that used to be set aside for people with significant disabilities have become less and less available. Commercial contracts are harder to find and they pay less. Public funding is also less available as funders put their resources into community-based employment.
Recent research indicates that people who move from workshop settings to community jobs report more satisfaction and more social connections. They also make more money. Sure, there are some people who are not motivated by money. But nearly everyone benefits from having more of it. If you rely on Social Security as your main source of income, there's very little left over to buy a movie ticket, have lunch out with a friend, go bowling, or buy a new CD. The subminimum wages paid to people with disabilities often result in ridiculously small checks--a few dollars a month, which often isn't even enough to cover the costs of transportation to and from work. Working at minimum wage or above can make a real difference in the choices people with disabilities have, which translates into a better quality of life.
Have we solved all of the problems of moving people away from workshops and into more meaningful, typical, integrated settings within their communities? Sadly, no. There are gaps. As workshops continue to downsize and close around the country, the challenge is on for funders, caregivers, and service providers to replace sheltered workshop time with time that is more valuable for individuals. Sherwood is working on it--many, many people are working on it--and one day we will be able to say unequivocally, YES, we can do better.
We're in the early stages of launching our first social enterprise--'dog treats with a mission' if you will--that will create new employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities. Watch this space for more info.
Thanks for reading.
But we also know that typical jobs have many benefits for people with disabilities that workshops can't match. First of all, the work is meaningful and develops skills that people in the real world pay for. A lot of work that we give people in workshop settings is 'special' work--simple, repetitive tasks that don't translate well to typical job settings. People get bored. Boredom sometimes leads to negative behaviors. Over time, being in a workshop actually makes it HARDER for people to get jobs in the community, where they could learn new skills, broaden their social relationships, and earn more money so they can have more independence and choice.
The majority of workshops pay subminimum wage. Wages are based on measuring people's productivity against that of a 'typical' worker doing the same task, so their pay is supposed to be commensurate with how much they produce. This can become a self-fulfilling trap of sorts. We give people menial, boring tasks, which often don't change for years--and when they work slowly, we point to that and say they aren't 'ready' to work in the community. We lower our expectations. We stop being creative and looking for ways to improve their productivity so they CAN work in a typical job.
The economic model of workshops hasn't worked well in years, and it keeps getting more difficult to sustain. In a rapidly changing world (think automation and global outsourcing), the kinds of work that used to be set aside for people with significant disabilities have become less and less available. Commercial contracts are harder to find and they pay less. Public funding is also less available as funders put their resources into community-based employment.
Recent research indicates that people who move from workshop settings to community jobs report more satisfaction and more social connections. They also make more money. Sure, there are some people who are not motivated by money. But nearly everyone benefits from having more of it. If you rely on Social Security as your main source of income, there's very little left over to buy a movie ticket, have lunch out with a friend, go bowling, or buy a new CD. The subminimum wages paid to people with disabilities often result in ridiculously small checks--a few dollars a month, which often isn't even enough to cover the costs of transportation to and from work. Working at minimum wage or above can make a real difference in the choices people with disabilities have, which translates into a better quality of life.
Have we solved all of the problems of moving people away from workshops and into more meaningful, typical, integrated settings within their communities? Sadly, no. There are gaps. As workshops continue to downsize and close around the country, the challenge is on for funders, caregivers, and service providers to replace sheltered workshop time with time that is more valuable for individuals. Sherwood is working on it--many, many people are working on it--and one day we will be able to say unequivocally, YES, we can do better.
We're in the early stages of launching our first social enterprise--'dog treats with a mission' if you will--that will create new employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities. Watch this space for more info.
Thanks for reading.
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