JESPY House joins organizations across the nation celebrating Disability Pride Month by advocating for the importance of employment and its role in creating and maintaining independence for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). JESPY clients love their jobs because they get to help others, develop and hone new skills, earn money, establish and accomplish personal and professional goals, contribute to the business community, and “have a fulfilling life.” With its Work Readiness and Employment Engagement (WREE) program, JESPY serves as a local and national model of building self-esteem and independence through the provision of comprehensive employment training, opportunities, and advancement for adults with IDD.
Disability Pride Month has celebrated disability identity, recognized the importance of community members with disabilities, educated about issues central to the lives of people with disabilities, and represented a time to advocate for continued policy advancements since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July 1990. As the nation celebrates this milestone again, JESPY recognizes that there is much more work to do especially in areas such as employment for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. People with disabilities make up 27% of the U.S. population. In 2023, people with disabilities experienced lower employment (22.5%) as compared to their counterparts without disabilities (65.8%) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Scant national employment statistics paint a sparse picture of the obstacles that adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities experience in the workplace. People with IDD are often not considered for the same jobs as their peers without disabilities who have similar skill sets. In addition to lower employment and higher unemployment, people with IDD have often experienced underemployment, restricted more to part-time opportunities, and limited employment choices in facility-based or sheltered employment as compared to competitive and integrated jobs in communities.
JESPY’s vast experience supports findings that competitive and integrated employment is essential for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to live independently, prevent poverty, integrate into their communities, and advance their personal development (such as self-esteem, socialization, and money management). The Work Readiness and Employment Engagement program currently serves 174 clients and welcomed 40 new clients between July 2023 and June 2024. WREE provides clients with prevocational, job placement, and job coaching supports to help clients not only attain jobs, but also to maintain them.
“JESPY does not view employment as one and done. We help our clients thrive in their jobs so that they will continue to have fulfilling and engaging employment. Our clients want to contribute to their employers’ businesses, bottom lines, and customer experiences,” said Audrey Winkler, JESPY’s Executive Director. “There is a misperception that people with IDD are not equipped to participate meaningfully in the workforce. That could not be further from the truth. We have seen success stories time and time again. Our clients aim high, develop skills, advocate for themselves, and flourish at their jobs beyond their wildest expectations.”
JESPY continues to expand and diversify its employer partnerships in order to respond to client interests. More than 40 new employer relationships were developed between July 2023 and June 2024. Employers have found JESPY clients to be punctual, hardworking, and committed to their jobs. They often remark on the diligence of JESPY clients. Their ability to learn new things not only helps them as individuals, but also helps the businesses where they work to grow.
Employers value their partnerships with the Work Readiness and Employment Engagement program because it provides them with quality employees and trains them for their specific job tasks. Many JESPY clients remain loyal to their jobs and can stay for decades. Sixty-eight percent of new JESPY employees retain their jobs in the first year. Job retention reduces the negative impact of high turnover rates such as increased costs associated with recruiting, onboarding and training, and lost production.
Cheryl McCants, Founder and CEO of Impact Consulting Enterprises has recommended JESPY clients to other employers. “We love working with JESPY clients,” McCants said. “In fact, Roger, our copy editor, copy writer, [and] social media content creator is a fabulous addition to the team. He is the one that always reminds us of things that we’ve missed, keeps us on track, and is a phenomenal contributor to the team. So, we are super excited to have JESPY House clients work with us.”
JESPY House clients work in a number of fields including insurance, healthcare, legal, data entry, education, warehouse/textiles, government, food service, retail, and more. JESPY House’s national partners include Target, Stop & Shop, Prudential, Five Guys, Walgreens, and UPS. The Work Readiness and Employment Engagement program also works closely with a host of smaller employers in NJ’s Essex, Morris, Hudson, Somerset, and Union counties.
Ari G., a JESPY client, started working 20 hours a week at Five Guys doing food prep, cleaning and sanitizing, and dishwashing in March 2020. Ari loved his job and wanted to do more. He met with his supervisors and advocated to be trained in more tasks including cooking hamburgers, grilling, and serving as a cashier. He progressed to working a minimum of 35 hours a week. Ari continued to excel at his job and the New Jersey Association of Persons in Supported Employment recognized Ari’s great success by awarding him the coveted Supported Employee of the Year award in 2022.
“I am very excited to be moving up the ladder at Five Guys by getting promoted to team leader,” shared Ari. “I have studied very hard to pass my Five Guys management exam. I thank my job coach for all the support and guidance. I enjoy working with all my coworkers and supervisors. I like talking to every customer and providing excellent customer service. I love working at Five Guys!”
The JESPY job coaching services have greatly contributed to Ari’s development; Ari receives JESPY job coaching services on a weekly basis. The job coach collaborates with Ari to enhance his productivity and communication skills. Additionally, the job coach is teaching Ari Spanish to assist with Spanish-speaking customers at the store. Regular communication between the job coach, store manager, and district manager ensures feedback on Ari’s progress.
“Ari was recently promoted from a store associate to a team leader,” said Angelo Montoya, WREE Assistant Supervisor and Ari’s job coach. “We provided Ari with various study techniques and strategies to aid him in his preparation for his management test. Additionally, we conducted practice sessions with him on management-related questions during his job breaks to help him get ready for the actual exam. Five Guys is a very supportive employer. I take great pride in Ari’s advancement.”
Longtime JESPY client Jane C. has worked as a file clerk at the Township of Maplewood’s Building Department for two years. Her job coach recommended her for the position, assisted her with the application process, and prepared her for the interview. “I love the work I do at the Building Department,” said Jane. “I organize all the paperwork in each file and place each record in order by lot and block. JESPY continues to assist me with meeting the expectations of my supervisor. I recently received a raise and am happy that I can continue with this job.”
Lisa Fiore, Work Readiness and Employment Engagement Manager, takes great pride in Jane’s professional development at the Township of Maplewood’s Building Department. “Jane wanted to do more and progress in her career,” Fiore commented. “She was working at TJ Maxx, as a store associate. (She still works there.) Jane had an interest in office and administrative work. The WREE staff began assessing her skills for administrative positions. The clerk position for Maplewood is the perfect fit for her. She is always motivated to do her best. She is an asset to the Building Department.”
“There is so much untapped talent simply because of outdated and incorrect notions about neurodivergent people,” said Winkler. “We hope that more employers learn more about the great value that JESPY clients and other people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities can add to the businesses where they work. We want employers to create more opportunities for people with IDD to use their abilities, support more customers, engage with their communities, and strengthen our local and national businesses.”
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