[NYAPRS Enews] WDI/BBI/NYAPRS Real JOBS Disability Initiative had 64% Job Placement Record

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: NYAPRS has been very pleased to incorporate peer support
into this very successful partnership that links people with
disabilities and some regional colleges and providers to produce an
extraordinary 64% job placement rate.


 


Bouncing Back from a Life of Desperation


Snapshots of Impact 2011

A publication of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University 

 

After a lifelong battle with alcohol addiction, Yvonne Lescault's life
hit a low point in 2009: she temporarily lost custody of her young
children and became unemployed. "At the time, I never dreamed my life
would come to this. I had no money; I didn't know where I was going to
get my next meal," she says. Today, Lescault has a new outlook. She
credits the Real JOBS NY program with helping to rebuild her life. 

"I finally have a job and my kids are living with me again," says
Lescault, a Hudson Falls, New York, resident who now works as a
McDonald's manager. "When I started the Real JOBS NY program, I didn't
have any idea how to write a resume or use a computer." 

The program assists people with diverse psychiatric disabilities,
including depression, substance abuse, and anxiety, overcome barriers
that stand in their way to employment. "Without the appropriate people
to guide you along, finding a job seems like an impossible task for
someone in my shoes," she notes. "I now realize how important having a
stable job can be to the quality of your life." 

To develop a pathway to sustainable employment, Real JOBS NY provides a
unique support system for its participants, focusing on individually
tailored plans to meet the specific needs of each client. Lescault is
one of approximately 80 people who have been placed in jobs after
enrolling in Real JOBS NY-a collaboration of the Burton Blatt Institute
(BBI), Workforce Development Institute (WDI), and the New York
Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services. 

"This program targets the most underserved population of people with
disabilities, which are those with psychiatric issues. People with
mental illness have the highest unemployment of people with all
disabilities," says Stephan Haimowitz, BBI research associate. 

One of the clearest measures of the program's success comes in the
recent employment figures. Among those enrolled in Real JOBS NY during
the 2009-2010 period, 64 percent were employed at least three months
after being placed in a job. The national average for similar programs
is only nine percent.

The difference between Real JOBS NY and other workforce development
programs is the one-on-one attention, individualized case management,
and referrals to other services that help clients achieve employment
goals. "My vocational counselor helped me with everything from computer
skills to finding transportation," adds Lescault. "She even showed me
the appropriate steps to get a high school diploma." 

The location of the program also matters. Real JOBS NY, funded by the
U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration "Projects with Industry"
grant, is based out of Schenectady County Community College and SUNY
Adirondack. "The community college environment is highly appealing to
people with psychiatric disabilities who are seeking employment
assistance, because it is less stigmatizing to those who have tried and
failed in a traditional mental health center," explains Stephen Traver,
WDI director of vocational services.  

Lescault, who was referred to the program through family court, admits
she reluctantly sought out Real JOBS NY. She had a change of heart after
her first meeting with Alice Huntington, a vocational counselor for the
program. "During our initial conversation, I realized the program was a
perfect fit for me," Lescault says. "My life continues to improve. I
even bought my first car. People today can't believe the situation I was
in just a few years ago."

One of the clearest measures of the program's success comes in the
recent employment figures. Among those enrolled in Real JOBS NY during
the 2009-2010 period, 64 percent were employed at least three months
after being placed in a job. The national average for similar programs
is only nine percent.

 

The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University reaches around
the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social
participation of people with disabilities. Officially launched in 2005,
BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, former dean of SU's School of
Education and a pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the
lives of people with disabilities. BBI engages in projects on civil and
human rights, inclusive entrepreneurship, employment, and economic
empowerment. With a staff of more than 60, BBI has offices in Syracuse,
N.Y., Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Ga., New York, N.Y., and Tel Aviv,
Israel.

 

http://bbi.syr.edu/publications/general_bbi/bbi_annual_magazine_2011.pdf

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