HPS, Helping People Succeed, Inc.

Organizational Barrier to Competitive Employment

HPS, Helping People Succeed, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization located in a 3 county area where the primary jobs are minimum wage service industry jobs and the population is made up of retirees. The majority of obvious jobs within the community were food service, janitorial, retail and flower farms. Most of the staff had been with the organization for a number of years and were very content with the sheltered workshop concept—in fact, some felt that it was good for people who were mentally retarded to be separate from the rest of the community. Staff enjoyed taking care of their clients and felt the checks they received from their sub-minimum wages (averaging less than $10 for a two-week period) were adequate. There was no apparent reason to change.

Strategy to Address Barrier

In order to accomplish organizational change, staff had to own the process. They had to understand that individuals with disabilities had the same right and responsibility to work in the community as people who did not have a disability. The organization used the following steps to begin organizational change:

1. Used a value clarification process to help staff understand what their own beliefs were. This system started very broadly and ended up with the staff member having to commit to their place in the conversion process.

2. Staff were then asked to identify “clients” who could work.

3. Funding was identified to begin the process.

4. The Board of Directors redefined the organization’s mission with input from staff.

5. Funding was identified and a three-year plan developed to support the organization’s plan.

Case Example of Organization Change Strategy

Following the values clarification process, staff were asked to identify individuals who could work. They were directed to ignore barriers to employment such as parental concerns, behavioral issues, transportation, etc. They were asked to just look at the individual and determine if he or she could work.

Management expected that maybe 25% of the organization’s 175 clientele would be deemed eligible for competitive employment. Staff returned with their estimate—95% of individuals served at that time were deemed eligible for employment!
We were on our way. Trusting staff and allowing them to be a major part of the process is one of the keys to success
Strategies to address barriers: Organizational | Individual

Allegan County Community Mental Health
The Arc of Stanly County, Inc.
Career Design & Development Services
Career Support Systems, Inc.
The Cobb/Douglas Community Services Boards (CSBs)
HPS, Helping People Succeed, Inc.
KFI
Rise, Inc.
Via of Lehigh Valley