The Untapped Workforce of Southwest Florida

FOR MANY FLORIDIANS. THE ROUTINE OF DAILY LIVING MEANS COMING FACE-TO-FACE WITH UNSEEN OBSTACLES. ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT FROM THE ABLE TRUST, MORE THAN 13% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION LIVES WITH SOME FORM OF INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AND OVER ONE AND A QUARTER MILLION WORKING AGE ADULTS LIVE WITH A DISABILITY TO ASSIST THOSE INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS SUCH AS THE LEAD ASSOCIATION FOR REMARKABLE CITIZENS OR LARK OFFER A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS LARKS AS THEY NOT ONLY EQUIP PEOPLE WITH JOB SKILLS. THEY HELP BUSINESS OWNERS UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF HIRING WORKERS WITH UNIQUE ABILITIES >> FOR MORE ON THE EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I'M JOINED BY ANGELA CATS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LARK. >> AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN STUDIO TODAY. YOU'RE WELCOME. MY PLEASURE. CAN YOU FIRST GIVE US A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THIS NONPROFIT? ABSOLUTELY. >> LARK WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDED IN 1954, BY A GROUP OF FAMILIES WHO REALLY DIDN'T FELT THAT THEIR CHILDREN DESERVED IN EDUCATION DESERVE TO BE TREATED AND INCLUDE YOU TREATED JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE INCLUDED IN SOCIETY AT THAT TIME, CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WERE NOT AFFORDED PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO THEY WERE EITHER FAMILIES RE THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO INC, BE INSTITUTIONALIZED THEIR CHILDREN OR TO KEEP THEM AT HOME. AND WE HAD ONE YOUNG MOM THAT CHANGED ALL OF THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY PAVED THE WAY FOR MANY OTHER AGENCIES. WE ONE OF THE VERY FIRST AGENCIES IN THE STATE IN THE NATION TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK. SO 72 YEARS LATER, WE'RE STILL DOING IT. >> AND HOW DO YOU PROVIDE THIS HELP SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME READY TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE? WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS ARE ADULT DAY TRAINING PROGRAM. >> WHICH IS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 9 TO 3, SOME INDIVIDUALS WOULD COME 5 DAYS THEM JUST A COUPLE JUST DEPENDING ON THEIR GOALS OR THEIR LIFESTYLE. WHAT ELSE, WHATEVER ELSE THEY DO IN THEIR SPARE TIME AND EVERYTHING WE DO, IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP MAXIMIZE A PERSON'S INDEPENDENCE. UNEMPLOYMENT SUCCESS. SO THEY ATTEND CLASSES AND THEY CAN BE EDUCATIONAL. THEY CAN BE RECREATIONAL LEISURE, VOCATIONAL BASED. BUT AGAIN, EVERY ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM MAXIMIZE THEIR INDEPENDENCE. AND THEN OFF CAMPUS, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITIES FOR SERVICES PROGRAM WHICH HELP INDIVIDUALS LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE RESIDENTIAL SERVICES WHERE WE PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND HOUSE INDIVIDUALS. >> I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THESE JOBS ARE MUCH MORE THAN A PAYCHECK OH, ABSOLUTELY. >> THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ASSIST REALLY WANT TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE AND WORK PLAY AND LIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT IN. YOU THINK ABOUT THE PRIDE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR WORK IN PROVIDING FOR YOURSELF OR FOR YOUR FAMILY ARE BEING A PART OF THAT. EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT. AND SO IT'S WE REALLY HAVE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO NOT JUST HELPING THE INDIVIDUALS GAIN THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE EDUCATE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE VALUE OF THAT. >> ARE THERE ARE MISCONCEPTIONS AND IF SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT A COMPANY MIGHT HAVE WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO HIRE SOMEONE WITH IT WITH A DISABILITY. >> BUSINESS MAY NOT REALIZE THE POTENTIAL THE INDIVIDUAL ACTUALLY HAS. SO IN THE INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY COME THROUGH OUR PROGRAM, NOT ONLY DOES A BUSINESS GET A VALUED EMPLOYEE, THEY ALSO GET A TEAM THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE BOTH OF THEM IS THAT WE HAVE OUR JOB COACHES AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE. AND SO THOSE JOB COACHES CAN GO TO A BUSINESS IN SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ANGELA'S, YOU KNOW, SUPERPOWERS, RIGHT? SO THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE REALLY EXCELS AT. AND THERE MIGHT BE ONE THING THAT ANGELA DOESN'T DO REALLY WELL BUT IT'S NOT THAT THE BUSINESS SHOULD MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD THING TO DO, BUT THAT THEY JUST ARE GETTING AN AMAZING. EMPLOYEE FROM IT, TOO. SO THE MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THAT MAY BE THE INDIVIDUAL ISN'T GOING TO WORK AS HARD. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LOYAL, ENTHUSIASTIC OR ALL THE THINGS THEY ACTUALLY ARE. AND SOMETIMES OFTEN BETTER THAN SOMEONE WITHOUT DISABILITIES. >> AND WHAT KINDS OF ROLES DO YOU FEEL? >> WE WORK WITH RIGHT NOW. 83 DIFFERENT BUSINESSES HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. IN A BROAD RANGE OF PROFESSIONS. SO SOMETHING THAT MAYBE YOU WOULD SEE AT THE GROCERY STORE. SO MAYBE YOU'D SEE SOMEONE WHO IS ASSISTING BAGGING GROCERIES OR COLLECTING CARTS ON UP TO VERY TECHNICAL WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. THEY'RE TEACHING PRESCHOOL CLASSES OR THEY ARE WORKING ON TECHNOLOGY AND BUILDING EQUIPMENT OR IN YOUR CHANGE IN YOUR TIRES THAT THE TIRE STORE. >> WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THIS MAKING IN THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT YOU'RE SERVING? >> THE DIFFERENCE THAT IT MAKES IS THAT THEY ARE LIVING THERE ME AT THEIR BEST LIFE, A MEANINGFUL LIFE OF PURPOSE AND DIGNITY. JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. THEY DESERVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY AND THEY DESERVE TO BE VALUED. THEY ARE THE MOST WONDERFUL GIVING THOUGHTFUL, GENUINE PEOPLE. AND AGAIN, WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES, SUPPORT AND TRAINING, THEY CAN BE JUST A SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR SUPERPOWER. IS ANYBODY ELSE? AND SO THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING TO THIS COMMUNITY IS AMAZING. THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE REALLY HEARD FROM OF FROM EMPLOYERS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM PLAYERS IS THAT SHIFT IN CULTURE OF THE WORKPLACE WHEN THEY HIRE PEOPLE WITH UNIQUE ABILITIES AND THEY BRING THEM INTO THEIR WORKFORCE, THEIR CUSTOMERS NOTICE IT. THEIR STAFF NOTICED IT AND CREATE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND THAT'S DEFINITELY A BENEFIT TO. ALL RIGHT. ANGELA KATZ, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE. THANK