Parental Advocacy and Problem Solving

The reason I started this blog was because in my everyday work, I often come across stories that need to be told.  That happened to me this week when I attended a meeting for a consumer that we support at a job in a cafeteria.

The individual that receives job coaching support at work has been doing very well.  At her meeting, the team was discussing new goals that she could work on for the coming year when her mother shared with everyone the journey that led to where she is at now.  She shared that at one point her daughter was working in a sheltered workshop where she was earning about $20 a week. She was encouraged to try another workshop setting and was dismayed when her daughter brought home a check for a little over $2.00 for her week of work.  She decided to take her daughter out of this place and was told, "It's better than having her sit at home."  The mother said that she disagreed and that her daughter would sit at home until a better placement was found.

The mother searched for another service provider that she felt was more in line with her daughter's goals and was told that her daughter may qualify for a job in a cafeteria setting, but that speed would be a factor.  So what did this mother do to support her daughter's search for a more suitable job?  She went to a thrift store and bought all the silverware she could find.  She brought it home and poured it all out on the kitchen table and told her daughter, "We need to work on sorting this as quickly as you can," and they got to work.

Not only was this mother an advocate for her daughter because she knew that she was capable of a job that would allow her to earn more, but she took the extra steps to help her daughter build the skills that were required to get the job.  I thought this was one of the most awesome examples of parental advocacy that I had ever heard of!  Today, her daughter works in a cafeteria setting five days a week, earning a wage that is well above minimum wage.  With the money she earns, this individual enjoys the benefit of being able to shop through catalogs and pick out clothes that she is able to purchase with her income.

I can't overstate the importance of advocacy in helping individuals with disabilities achieve their employment goals.  I realize that community employment for many individuals with disabilities takes commitment.  Often it is not only the commitment of the individual, but of their family, and their team.  It takes people who are willing to face problems head on and come up with solutions that will lead to a more independent and fulfilling life.

It's the kind of problem solving we all do when we have a goal that takes some effort to achieve.  And it is my experience that the goals that we work toward, the goals that do not come easy, that are usually the most gratifying.  Let's get to work!

If you are an individual with a disability and want to increase your own self-advocacy skills, ask for help.  The Ollie Webb Center can assist you with finding the resources you need to increase your ability in speaking up for yourself and expressing your wants and needs to get the most out of your life.  Contact them at (402) 346-5220.