FROM THE PRESIDENT August 2012 Focus Newsletter Building Opportunities....Enriching Lives “The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.” Helen Keller As we go through our daily lives, it is easy to take for granted the things that are going on around us. But step back and reflect for a moment … it is actually quite amazing to realize that behind every item you see, behind every service you experience, there is a person who worked to create that item or provided that service. Work is an important and noble thing, both for the worker and the people who benefit from the product or service. Work is what makes good things happen in our society, and all too often, we forget to appreciate the hard work of each person who is a part of making those good things happen. Some jobs are high profile, while other jobs are more “behind the scenes” and we may not even realize they are happening. The fact is, every job has value, and every person that is part of making a product or providing a service is a valuable contributor. ODC’s goal is to give people the opportunity to work, and to help them become valuable employees. When people work within our facilities, the focus is on learning and enhancing employment skills. The jobs they perform become a “tool” for learning how to be successful on the job. They learn skills which will be important within almost any employment setting in the community - for example, how to follow instructions, create a quality product, work well with co-workers, communicate, problem solve, etc. We work with each individual to address any barriers to employment, and our focus is always on ability, rather than disability. As people make the transition into a job in the community, our goal is to match each person’s skills and interests with an employer who can benefit from those skills and interests. In some cases, a person may have the ability to fill a traditional job description, and ODC will help to provide the training and support they need to be successful on the job. In other cases, in order to create the best job match, ODC will work with a business to identify tasks that may be one or two line items within a traditional job description. These tasks are important to the business, but may not always get done, as employees have too many other items on their “to do” list. We refer to these tasks as “unmet needs” By identifying these unmet needs and finding the right person to perform these tasks, ODC can help both the business and the employee achieve success. Within this newsletter are stories of workers who are doing their part, contributing to creating the goods and services that are part of our everyday lives. We are proud of their achievements and grateful for their contributions! Pam Ross, ODC President
Transcript
FROM THE PRESIDENT
August 2012
Focus Newsletter Building Opportunities....Enriching Lives
“The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also
by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”
Helen Keller
As we go through our daily lives, it is easy to take for granted the things that are going on around us. But step back and reflect for a moment … it is actually quite amazing to realize that behind every item you see, behind every service you experience, there is a person who worked to create that item or provided that service. Work is an important and noble thing, both for the worker and the people who benefit from the product or service. Work is what makes good things happen in our society, and all too often, we forget to appreciate the hard work of each person who is a part of making those good things happen. Some jobs are high profile, while other jobs are more “behind the scenes” and we may not even realize they are happening. The fact is, every job has value, and every person that is part of making a product or providing a service is a valuable contributor. ODC’s goal is to give people the opportunity to work, and to help them become valuable employees. When people work within our facilities, the focus is on learning and enhancing employment skills. The jobs they perform become a “tool” for learning how to be successful on the job. They learn skills which will be important within almost any employment setting in the community - for example, how to follow instructions, create a quality product, work well with co-workers, communicate, problem solve, etc. We work with each individual to address any barriers to employment, and our focus is always on ability, rather than disability. As people make the transition into a job in the community, our goal is to match each person’s skills and interests with an employer who can benefit from those skills and interests. In some cases, a person may have the ability to fill a traditional job description, and ODC will help to provide the training and support they need to be successful on the job. In other cases, in order to create the best job match, ODC will work with a business to identify tasks that may be one or two line items within a traditional job description. These tasks are important to the business, but may not always get done, as employees have too many other items on their “to do” list. We refer to these tasks as “unmet needs” By identifying these unmet needs and finding the right person to perform these tasks, ODC can help both the business and the employee achieve success. Within this newsletter are stories of workers who are doing their part, contributing to creating the goods and services that are part of our everyday lives. We are proud of their achievements and grateful for their contributions! Pam Ross, ODC President
Page 2
Partnerships + Innovation = Jobs!
ODC staff members are experts at identifying and creating jigs
and adaptations that create more job opportunities for more
clients. One example: Great Northern Corporation’s (GNC)
Manitowoc Ice project.
GNC produces solid fiber runners that come to our Marshfield
facility flat and need to be “broken”, or pre-folded along their
score lines prior to assembly. The process needed improvement
as it was time-consuming, required significant physical strength,
and caused a great deal of fatigue when performed for an
extended period of time.
The Marshfield operations team consulted with Mark Kunkel of
Wooden Creations and worked to create a solution. With the
generous support of our donors, ODC was able to purchase a
cardboard brake, constructed by Mark, that increases the speed
of the job, requires much less strength and creates much less
fatigue. This operation can now be performed by many more
workers than ever before!
Paul has worked in ODC’s facility-based employment
program in Marshfield since 1991. In early 2012, he lost
his left hand in a farming accident, which left him
unable to perform some of the tasks he had mastered .
With the assistance of a new cardboard brake, Paul is
now able to participate in the GNC runner job.
Amanda (above) uses a
completely refurbished tape
machine to place strips of
tape on a box for Fey
Printing. The manual
method of application is a
tape roller that requires
workers to apply the tape by
hand (right).
The Wisconsin Rapids team was delighted to
hear that, due to the generous gifts of donors,
they would have the funds necessary to
completely refurbish an electronic tape
machine. The machine is used by workers to
apply strips of tape to a variety of items at the
customer’s request.
According to ODC staff, the tape machine
saves countless hours and is very simple to
operate; unlike the manual method of
applying tape, it takes very little physical
strength and is therefore a job that most
workers can do.
Page 3
Job Coach Jen Pelot provides training and support for
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters’ employees hired through
ODC. The Rafters’ are a summer collegiate baseball
team.
A Day in the Life of a Job Coach
As Executive Assistant, I am a relative “newbie” at ODC - still
learning the ropes. My quest is to learn as much as I can as quickly
as I can; to that end, my colleagues have graciously allowed me to
shadow them as they go about their daily routines.
This is how I came to know a day in the life of a job coach. While
I’m on the sidelines, helping our communities learn more about
ODC and its important programs, they are on the front line, serving
the individuals we are dedicated to support and assist. Their
formal position description reads, “provide on-site training and
support for individuals in community-based jobs or work
experiences.” While that statement is descriptive, it doesn’t begin
to cover the depth of their service to our clients - as supervisor,
teacher, counselor, mentor. It also fails to incorporate their role as
employer advocates, addressing the needs, concerns and
questions of those who employ our clients.
Assessment is also the key in ensuring successful relationships with our
employer partners. These days, businesses are sailing in stormy seas
where conditions may rapidly change. What are our employer partner’s
current needs? If and when those needs change, can we find creative
solutions to facilitate an ongoing relationship?
And yet, the goal of every job coach is to gradually decrease the amount
of time spent with each individual at the job site - success, for them,
means more independent and self-sufficient clients. Sometimes,
however, the conclusion of those relationships is bittersweet.
“When our clients begin their employment, so many have barriers and
issues to overcome,” said Jen Pelot, an ODC job coach in the Wisconsin
Rapids area. “As time goes by, many of them begin working on their
own. My favorite part of the job is when I see these successes - it’s
wonderful, but a little tough, when they’re ready to go it alone.”
Jennifer Blum, Executive Assistant
Dominique (left) is employed at Pomp’s Tires
in Wisconsin Rapids. Job Coach Sue King
provides the assistance necessary for her to
be successful in her role.
Over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve followed our job coaches to 25 of the over 120 businesses and organizations
that employ individuals through ODC’s community-based employment program in both Marshfield and Wisconsin
Rapids. In every instance, assessment was the key. Our coaches are continually assessing the needs of our clients: are
they facing any barriers to productivity and if so, how can our coaches remove those barriers? Assistance may include
creating duty lists that make it easier for employees to complete their daily tasks; it may include more one-on-one
coaching at the job site; it may include assisting the employee in dealing with issues outside the workplace that are
affecting their ability to succeed on the job.
1191 Huntington Avenue
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
BOARD OF DIRECTORS TRUST FOR REHABILITATION Committee
Theresa Richards | Chairperson
Larrie Hayes | Vice-Chairperson
Luke Weiland | Secretary
Tom Janke | Treasurer
Non Profit Org
US Postage
Paid
Wisc Rapids WI
Permit 31
Kathy Daly
Larrie Hayes
Jere Johnson
Norm Kommer
J.P. LaChapelle
Tammy J Salewski
Ann Stevning-Roe
If you have already made a contribution to ODC this year, please accept our
sincere gratitude on behalf of all who benefit from your generosity!
If you haven’t contributed yet this year, or if you wish to give again,
please consider making a gift today. Every contribution moves us forward in
our mission: to enrich the lives of adults with disabilities or other barriers to
employment.
Visit us at www.odcinc.com for more information on how you can make
a difference in the lives of those we serve. Thank you for your support!
