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Nancy, I would like
to thank you for being with us here today, I really appreciate your
coming to talk to us about Self-Employment. Can you tell us a little
bit about your experience and your background?
Actually, I grew up in
Mississippi during the Civil Rights Era. I think that's where my social
justice interest was heightened, and I certainly see a parallel between
civil rights in the disability movement and that social justice piece.
Currently I'm the director of a program that supports individuals
with developmental disabilities. We have three Department of Labor
grants and our focus is on Customized Employment and of course, getting
people out of facilities and having a totally community-based support
system.
Self-employment is
offered as a viable employment alternative for people with disabilities
and it’s an option that's supported by the Department of Labor.
There is so much involved with self-employment or entrepreneurship
employment, creating the business plan, marketing, finding funding,
etc. Given all these considerations, how realistic is it for someone
with a disability to pursue this employment option, in your opinion?
With all due respect, I
think that question has been answered over and over again. Cary Griffin,
who has done so much in this field, yesterday said on a DOL telephone
conference call that he knows of 300 folks who are self-employed,
who have disabilities with a 90% success rate. There are so many positive
aspects to it, in terms of some financial incentives through the Social
Security Work Incentive Regulations. There are also the positive aspects
of this person being able to fully accommodate to what their needs
are through self-employment, whether it be the type of work environment,
the hours,or their passion. In terms of accommodation, it really is
the ultimate in accommodation. I would definitely say it is a very
viable option for individuals with developmental disabilities.
I know that you
have probably been doing this for a little while now. I don't know
how long you have been involved in self-employment. Can you give us
some examples of the types of self-employment experiences you and
your program staff have helped to facilitate for people with developmental
disabilities?
They are very varied. We
actually work with someone who started as a recording studio, and
I am including individuals who have mental illness as well as developmental
disabilities: a woman who makes her own quilts; an individual who
picks up and sterilizes, folds packages, towels for about six beauty
salons; an individual who owns his own vending company; an individual
who sells manicure/pedicure products within a beauty salon; an individual
who also makes fine jewelry; a woman who's going to start her own
business through a flea market selling international products; a woman
who has started her own business with selling NASCAR products; and
an individual who has his own business making keys. [These] are just
some examples.
[That is] quite a
range of options or interests. Of course, I imagine it's very highly
individualized based on the preferences and interests of the people
you're working with.
Exactly. That really drives
the process. It is the person's passion that determines what their
employment choice is.
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