By Judy Goodman
Meet Jimmy Sawyer, Vincent Roth and Sharon Fowler. On any given day, you will see them amidst the floor-to-ceiling paper stacks at St. Louis Data Destruction. They work at the first stop in the warehouse, busily sorting papers and files according to a five-grade system. Thanks to Partners In Innovation, these workers provide a vital function for the company.
“They’re lifesavers,” remarks John Walsh, vice president of St. Louis Data Destruction. “In today’s economy, it’s harder than ever to find good people. These employees come in, do their jobs and are very reliable. Jimmy and Vincent may have disabilities but they do a great job for us.”
Not too long ago, the concept of inviting people with disabilities into the work place was unheard of. Instead, individiuals were given employment experience in sheltered workshops. While many good things happen in the workshops, the effect is a “sheltering” from the rest of the world.
Partners In Innovation is a new strategy for providing employment opportunities for individuals with high-level support needs. It’s a community-based program developed by the St. Louis ARC, Association for Retarded Citizens, and implemented in area businesses. This model was designed to provide the necessary support level without the deficits of the “enclave” model or sheltered workshops.
“This is for individuals with higher support needs who would traditionally not be successful in community-based employment,” explains Kristen Noles, manager of Partners In Innovation. “What’s so unusual here is that the ARC provides a job coach, like Fowler, who stays on the job and becomes a permanent co-worker.” In other programs, job coaches are simply trainers and phase out over time. The work of the coach and employees is coordinated by Data Destruction staff.
This revolutionary approach allows people with disabilitiies to work in the communities in which they live while meeting the needs of local employers. The workers have an opportunity to socialize by mingling with other staff in the mornings and during breaks. Partners In Innovation has been welcomed as an exciting accomplishment, reflecting the trend toward community integration for people with disabilities. The program is looking for potential workers from agency job development lists and is seeking additional employers with whom to form new partnerships.
St. Louis Data Destruction is a 14-year- old, family-owned business that specializes in the destruction of confidential business records. Their client list is varied and long, including health-care agencies, police departments, credit card companies, private investigators, accountants, financial institutions and manufacturers. Their shredders handle 10,000 pounds of paper per hour, which is then baled and shipped to manufacturers for recycling. Two months later, this material may come back to us as paper towels or hamburger boxes.
“I began to appreciate over time what our new workers were capable of doing,” Walsh adds. “So much so that I recommended the program to Enviropak, which has since hired an entire shift of workers. I encourage business owners to think about this resource for employees.”
Another employer that experienced success with the program is the Materials Recovery Facility, a department of University City Public Works. “We have developed a creative and effective way of meeting employer’s needs with an able work force,” Noles says. “I’m getting calls from around the country to share our experience.”
Employers are encouraged to evaluate their needs and consider the contributions that can be made by people with disabilities. Anyone interested in learning more about Partners In Innovation may contact Mary Mosqueda at the St. Louis ARC, 314/569-2215, ext. 414.
Judy Goodman is a spokesperson for the St. Louis ARC.
