What is the value of a job, a career, a vocation? Many adults without disabilities trudge off to work on Monday mornings, sleepy-eyed, and unenthusiastic. But did you know that adults with developmental disabilities are fighting just to gain equal opportunity to have livelihood? In a study done in 2016, 69% of adults with different abilities were eager to work and 62% of those working have sustained their jobs for more than three years.
Valley Educational Associates boasts 50% of program participants had work in 2017. We connect individuals with positions that match their strengths and abilities. Our goal is to work towards a more inclusive work environment. Every person has value and skills and we work individuals to find work sites that are conductive to these. Our vocational program grows their job readiness skills and our on staff job developer seeks positions in neighborhood companies. Our job coaches ensure the workers complete the job in timely fashion with exceptional quality. “We just really want the communities we live and play in to see the value and potential of all people, regardless of externalities,” says Kate DaSilva, Executive Director at Valley Educational Associates.
Click here to more about how employment impacts the lives of adults with different abilities: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/01/14/508602730/for-people-with-developmental-disabilities-food-work-means-more-self-reliance