Transcript - slide 7

I would like to end by giving a couple of examples of how the system-change efforts have affected the people that we serve. One example is a person who started her own business, and the second is a person who left the workshop for community employment. The [first] person's name is Sandy. She worked in the workshop for many years [before] deciding that just wasn't for her. She got a job at Safari Industries making parts for computers. She works about 20 hours a week, which is the number of hours that she wanted to work.

I think the best thing about her story is that she has truly become a part of the employment culture where she works. She is invited, of course, to staff meetings [and] also to social events that the staff have. If she is not able to get transportation, people that she works with will pick her up and take her to those events. Recently, she had some significant health issues and had to be off [from] work for a period of time. [Her co-workers] were very supportive during that time. They went to visit her, helped her with things that she needed help with, and welcomed her back when she was well enough to return. I think that if you asked her, she would definitely say that the switch from the workshop to community work has been a good move for her.