May Employment Newsletter: Make Work,Work

Some people grow up knowing what they want to do. Some people discover their passion through taking classes. Some people need to work in different fields until they realize what they love doing.

Darnell is no different. As a long-standing Employment Services client at Broadscope, he navigated through numerous temporary and seasonal jobs over the years. Although he enjoyed temporary positions like working at Summerfest and Wisconsin State Fair during the summers, the reality of supporting a family of four made the impermanence of such roles challenging.

Through those temporary jobs Darnell gained important skills that can be utilized in many different settings. He also learned about himself and what type of permanent job he would like. Darnell enjoys working in security, but he doesn’t like working third-shift. He enjoys working places that have a strong comradery among employees. These temporary jobs eventually led him to his current job at Pick ‘n Save.

In October, Darnell celebrated his one-year anniversary at Pick ‘n Save – an amazing accomplishment, as this is the longest job that Darnell has had since becoming a client with Broadscope.  Darnell discovered his passion while at Pick ‘n Save. He loves working in the kitchen.

Having a supportive community helped Darnell achieve his one-year milestone. The Store Director, Brad, called Darnell “reliable and a hard worker.” Brad said, “we had to be patient in finding areas where Darnell works best and stays focused, which really paid off.” One of Darnell’s favorite parts about working at Pick ‘n Save is having great coworkers. Once he started in the kitchen, his coworkers were patient in training him new skills. Darnell and his coworkers also have a great relationship where they enjoy joking around and chatting throughout the day.

At Broadscope, success isn’t solely defined by the duration of a client’s job tenure or immediate attainment of a permanent position. It’s important to everyone at Broadscope to stand by our clients, even during tough times, and never give up on them. Darnell has been successful every time he tried out a new job, took on new responsibilities, and learned new skills. Throughout Darnell’s journey to find a permanent job, he showed dedication, positivity, and a willingness to try new jobs- all of which have contributed to Darnell’s success.

Finding a job isn’t always easy. At Broadscope Disability Services, we encounter many people with a strong desire to work but who face barriers because their abilities do not align with the qualifications that companies are looking for in their employees. Support from individuals like you, allows us to build relationships and assist our consumers in finding the job that is the right fit for them and their employer.

Austin’s Journey to Find Employment

When Diane contacted our Employment Services program, she was looking for assistance for her 19-year-old son Austin, who has Autism. Austin needed help figuring out what he wanted to do. He needed help learning how to interact with new people. Austin needed help because he faced societal barriers that made it difficult for him to just walk in, apply for a job, and interview without assistance.

Our Employment Services Department met with Austin and began working on an individualized plan. After learning about his interests and abilities, staff arranged job shadowing experiences. Austin was able to experience multiple roles and discovered that he really enjoyed tasks that were hands-on. Using that information, staff organized a Temporary Work Experience at the Bay View Printing Company, which allowed Austin to try out the position for five weeks before he or the employer committed to a permanent hire. With support from his Broadscope job coach, he prepared mailings and prepped items for packing. Diane, Austin’s mother, stated, “Broadscope staff was with Austin from day one to help him adjust.” Austin was able to learn at his own pace, and it was clear that his confidence was growing with each shift.  

When this work experience was complete, Austin was hired as a permanent team member at Bay View Printing Company. Not only was he hired on as a permanent employee, but he is also earning a living wage. “When we decided to hire Austin,” said Scott Town, Account Manager, “we wanted to be clear he is a member of our team same as everyone else.” 

We applaud Bay View Printing Company for its commitment to inclusion and equity.