YORK COUNTY, Pa. — October is National Disability Employment Awareness month.
To highlight the month, Penn-Mar Human Services is highlighting its customized employment program, which has helped people in the Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) community find jobs for a little more than a year now.
Dawn Silvin and Richard "RJ" Powers are two of three people employed through the program.
They work in both York County government offices.
“I’m fortunate that I’m here because I have a lot of people that really like me here,” Powers said.
Staff say they’re eager to come to work each day.
“I want to make sure I have enough to occupy my time and keep me busy sometimes, and getting paid some money, trying to make a living,” Silvin said.
Since its inception about 10 years ago, the program has helped more than 100 people living with an intellectual or developmental disability get jobs throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland.
“We figure out where their strengths are and what their abilities are, and we focus on those when placing the individuals in employment and we customize around it,” said career counselor Savannah Couch.
Partnerships are created through networking, cold calls, and interviews.
People are matched with employers based on strengths rather than limitations.
The process can take up to 3 to 6 months.
Right now, Silvin works as a custodian and is looking to branch out.
“More of an office setting, maybe paperwork, or doing stuff on the computer,” Silvin said.
For Powers, he’s content with his role and is always willing to chat.
“Ladies at the reception, they’re grateful, my bosses are grateful, so I don’t forget who I am as a person, without them I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t be interviewing you,” Powers said.
It’s a work ethic any employer would be grateful to find.
“They work hard, they show up every day, and they’re very reliable employees, they just need somebody to give them a chance,” Couch said.
Local leaders hope to see employers give more people with IDD a chance to work.
“My message to the community is if you’re an employer out there and you’re not taking advantage of this program, I would encourage you to talk to Penn-Mar and take advantage of it,” said President Commissioner Julie Wheeler.
Pen-Mar also offers other programs like Day Learning, Family & Peer Support, and Community Living to name a few.
The organization relies on community support and accepts one-time and recurring gifts.