Work Is More Than Work
The June 29th Herald (Sharon, PA) describes a program that helps young autistic adults transition from high school to adulthood. The program is run by St. Anthony’s Point and St. Michael’s Harbour, Inc., Hermitage. After participating in it, 23-year-old Michael Mondak is working in the Community Library of the Shenango Valley and matriculating at the Shenango campus of Penn State University; 20-year-old Shane Myers is working at Farrell Golden Dawn and Big Lots in Hermitage, and will soon be working full-time. Both note that, besides work and life skills, the program has taught them something more:
…..the program seems to have taught them a lot about themselves as well as career and life skills.
Myers said it helped him see that his disabilities wouldn’t stop him from getting a job. And the staff is nice and willing to help with anything, he said.
Mondak said it helped him to find a job that suits his strengths and to help him develop friendships.
“We’re no different than other kids, other young adults …,” Myers said. “We can get a job like regular people. We can do anything a regular person can do but it may take a little longer. Or we might pick it up faster than regular people, so there can be some plus sides.”
Indeed, a lot of plus sides.
Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, disabilities blog, disability, employment, Family, family blog, growing up, job, Parenting, pdd-nos, summer, vacation, Work
4 opinions for Work Is More Than Work
Melody
Jun 30, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I wish I’d had access to something like this. It seems like I’m getting pushed through from high school to college way too fast. However, the college I’ll be attending has good disability programs, so I’ll have access to a lot of help with things like academic and career planning, as well as personal budgeting, tutoring, social opportunities, and workshops. Now, have to learn to do the laundry!
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jun 30, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Have heard about some schools cutting those very programs—-hope they can see how important they are!
Jen
Jul 1, 2008 at 7:11 am
We’ve been very lucky in that my daughter’s class this year (she’s in a grade 7 DD class), were able to go on field trips to some of the employers that she could eventually work for when she’s an adult. Although she’s in an “academic” leaning class, it’s great to see that they’re also preparing her for the fact that when she’s older she will have a job, and be able to support herself (at least partly). She’s not that thrilled with it at the moment as her idea of adulthood is being able to play on the computer 24 hours a day, but we’re lucky that so many options will be available to her as an adult. I’m glad that they’re starting to talk about it at this age, instead of waiting until she’s 18.
mayfly
Jul 1, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Yesterday afternoon, I took my daughter to the movies. The person at the ticket booth had CP, I think. He had some trouble separating the tickets along the “dotted line” as he had the use of only one arm. It took him longer, but he got it done. He wouldn’t have been able to handle Friday or Saturday night, but on 2:30 on a Monday afternoon, he did great.
We saw Kung Fu Panda. I was nervous taking her as she had a total meltdown at a restaurant the day before and a repeat performance was not out of the question. I was also concerned about what people in the audience might say. My thoughts were that the movie had been out for a while, it was a kids movie, and it was 2:30 on a Monday afternoon. If my daughter bothered them, they could pound sand, but how to say that in a loving way.
Well there were no breakdowns. My daughter was loud at times and after the first 20 minutes was out of her seat much more than in it. The movie held her attention for a very short while. I enjoyed it, she remained happy, and we stayed for the whole thing.
No one said anything negative to us.
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I did buy a big box of Skittles to help keep her in fine spirits. It worked well, except she spent most of her time trying to reach the box.
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