Name: Stephanie
Title: Direct Support Professional
Tenure: 15 years
"Terry, my boss, has been so supportive. She knows I'm good with people, so she asks me if I can find our participants jobs out in the community. I helped one of our individuals name Patyon
find a job a while back. I just saw her mom out at a craft store the other day.
She said, "My daughter is still there. I want to thank you for helping her."
Tell us a bit about your workplace and who you serve.
I work in our residential homes as a Direct Support Professional, and assist individuals with job development and finding them jobs in the community. When I find them something, I work at a variety of different businesses teaching the individuals how to do the job that is expected of them.
I want to do the right thing for our clients, give them as much independence to their lives, help them get and maintain their goal and strive for the best. I want them to succeed in their homes and out in the community whether it's supportive employment, hobbies, classes, etc. I believe in giving 100% to my job and I truly love it.
How did you get started finding our individuals jobs in the community with local employers?
I'm a people person, and I like to talk. I try to get to know people and am very kind.
I just go in there and I say, “I have this person and he is wanting a job and I was wondering, do you have anything available? He's willing to do anything.” With one individual they called me and told me they have a job for him ringing a bell. I have video of him… he's dinging, dinging, dinging that bell and he's just rocking back and forth and happy to do it.
So after the ringing, that's what we call it to him, I asked him if he wanted to stay there and keep doing that job. He said yes and Salvation Army said yes. So even if it's an hour or two a day or a couple hours a week, the individual is happy and they're productive and it's a good thing for them.
I’ve also helped another individual, Maggie. I was a coach and I trained her at a restaurant nearby, and now she's been there about 15 years. She wipes down tables and helps seat people and stuff like that, just some nice simple work.
David was working at an office cleaning at REM, and then I got him a job at McDonald's. When they opened another McDonald's down the road they asked me and David to go to the new store because we were such good workers!
Is there anything that you like to do outside of work that you've been able to bring to your job?
I do crafts sometimes and I'll do them with the individuals. Like today we colored pictures and then we put them on the wall to decorate their rooms. Sometimes we make cookies or bake. There's some of individuals that I've worked with that really like making cakes for each other.
How do you show the people who you serve that you care about them?
My kindness. I'm very kindhearted, and I want people treated the way I treat them.