Spectrum Local News: New Western N.Y. training program seeks to find jobs for everyone
Leonard Campbell takes a lot of pride in what he does. A position – just a few years ago – he couldn’t imagine being in.
“Only had one job. I was a mover. I dove in a pool and broke my neck,” he said.
He was prescribed opioids, but developed an addiction. Through Drug Court, he tried to start anew.
“I was looking everywhere,” he said. “And it was getting very, very depressing. Drug Court told me to apply here.”
He landed a job at The Arc Erie County.
“They might be just scrubbing toilets and stuff like that. But I take pride in everything I do,” he said.
While he was able to find a job, there are many obstacles the disabled community faces when it comes to employment.
“I think if it was a 67% unemployment rate for any other group of people in New York or the U.S., I think there'd be like, you know, some real drum pounding on how do we resolve this,” Maureen O’Brien, who works with NY-SID, said.
“When you collect social security disability income, their income restrictions on how much income you can earn, before you lose some of your disability benefits,” she said.
She believes that benefits cliff, on top of not understanding individuals’ abilities, and misconceptions about accessibility, led to that number being so high.
“I think anytime an individual with a disability is employed in the public realm, and interacting with people that are non-disabled, they are teaching them something,” she said.
To get them through that door, the Arc Erie County launched a new janitorial training program.
“We've created a full space bathroom for the people doing the training program to learn how to truly clean a bathroom a full-size tub, the toilet as well as the sink,” Bryan Devans, director of Vocational Employment Services, said.
Typically going 10 to 15 weeks, it gives people with physical or developmental disabilities the time and support they need.
“Cleaning the rooms and those types of positions have some repetitive tasks that they can master and kind of excel and once they master those they can move on and up,” Devans said.
Devans says this janitorial program focuses on jobs that are in-demand. It’s on top of hospitality and culinary programs already ongoing.
“Kind of give themselves situated in a community where they can live their fullest life,” he said.
While it won’t take care of the benefits cliff issue, it could at least make some impact.
“They won't even pick up a mop because they're scared you're gonna do it wrong or something, but with the training,” Campbell said. “Yeah, it's definitely gonna make a difference”
Devans hopes it’ll help other find the same satisfaction he did.
“Love this job love the people,” Campbell said. “I don’t know I go home happy every day and looks forward to coming in the next day.”