Being accepted in the community workforce is more than just a part-time job!

Ely has received supports from Employment Services since her completion of the OPTIONS Program at St. Clair College in June 2006. 

Ely has made a visible personal transformation since she began accessing supports from Employment Services and Making It Happen.  When Ely started receiving supports, she was very shy, quiet, and insecure.  Ely would typically not maintain eye contact and spoke so softly she was difficult to hear.  Ely began working at Home Hardware in November 2006.  When she began, she was nervous, uncomfortable with customers and coworkers and very introverted.  However, Ely's personal growth has been noted by all who know her.  Ely has become a lady who is confident in her skills, completes tasks very efficiently with little assistance, and seeks out new duties that may enable her to learn new skills.  Beth and Mark Krug, owners of Home Hardware, have complimented Ely ongoing from stock/cleaning person who worked 1 - 2 days per week, to a valued staff member who has conquered running cash, assisting customers, and following up on custom orders.  Ely now works 4 days a week.  Beth and Mark are as impressed as everyone else with how Ely is mastering all the skills that she was most afraid to try, i.e., running cash, and identifying SKU #'s.  Ely now greets customers and coworkers with visible confidence that is reflective in her pleasant and outgoing demeanor in addition to her upright posture and steady eye contact when communicating with others. 

In addition, to thriving at her workplace, Ely has participated in a literacy project as well as a Making It Happen Christmas play.

Ely obviously has the drive to succeed and chose to access the supports available to her to help achiever her goals and rise above the stereotypes and social-economic factors she has faced.

Written and submitted by Kim Walker

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Meet Ashley

Ashley is like any other four year old girl. She loves princesses, Teletubbies and Dora. She plays with her one-year-old sister, hugging, kissing, and laughing. Ashley loves to play on the computer, to sing and to play.

The only difference is that Ashley is Autistic.

Ashley and her parents utilize Community Living Chatham-Kent’s Children’s Respite Program. Children’s and Adult Respite is provided in two houses in Chatham. Respite provides parents and caregivers with a much-needed break in a home-like environment with a well-trained staff that can provide whatever care a person may need.

Ashley drops into Respite each day during the week for the lunch hour. She has a nutritious lunch, plays with the other children and uses Respite's Snoezelen Room to relax. She also loves the outside play area which is filled with toys and equipment.

Ashley parents have the same hopes and dreams as any other parent. They want her to attend a regular classroom with her peers and for her to aspire to do what she wishes. At age four, Ashley excels at the computer, and may one day be in the computer field.

Community Living supports Ashley, her family, and their quest for Ashley to be fully included in the community.  Ashley, and others like her, should be given the chance to fulfill their dreams, to go to school, to spend time with peers, and to graduate.

With the support of her family and Community Living Chatham-Kent, Ashley is well on the road to success.

 

©Community Living Chatham-Kent