Wheeling with new wheels

Vocational Venues will be simple and money made will be for charities- Aaron's Acres. I will show the 20 minutes video on communicating with people with disabilities and then focus on the film "Vocational Venues." Covering each of these: 4 financial incentive, 2 marketing incentives, 7 reasonable accommodations, 2 undue hardships + comments. I'll encourage people to make appointments with me to discuss particulars and people to join the monthly group. It will encompass local churches and businesses. Eventually a big name business will sponsor the project and I will be able to offer job openings to Goodwill, EARS, L.E.S.S. The Lighthouse and maybe privately too.

Wheeling with new wheels

I am registering for a major conference in Philadelphia June 10. Originally I was only going for 1 day but I may stay for the entire thing. It will offer a significant amount of information on talking with employers about hiring the disabled employee. It will be on a much larger scale, however, I will take some of the information home to Lancaster and apply it. The most importan thing is to meet a few people wiling to get involved with my efforts so I can get this program off the ground. I will start small and grow it into a medium sized project. It's time has come and I need noth continue to think about it rather just do it. I'll neer know untill I try.

Wheeling with new wheels

A friend suggested that I put a film, of me managing throughout my day, on facebook. At first I did not like the idea- I'm not photogenic. However, I gave it some thought and realized that getting my points across while being in the environment 1)a heavy bathroom door with a low toilet; 2) a salad bar with no ability to reach the other row of food choices may be much more powerful. My first disability presentations were done by film students at NCACC; I showed it so often that I wore it out. This may be a good way to get the attention of the business people and others in the community. I developed an outline and now I will contact the local community college. At the Ability Expo in NJ I will ask people with disabilities what issues should be addressed.

Wheeling with new wheels

This Infobility website is getting frustrating. I don't think it even needs to be online. I want this to help Lancaster first and foremost. Furthermore I have an acquaintance who wants me to give her my opinion of important tips for people in wheelchairs. She says she wants to have a sensitivity program for medical professionals, I am for collaboration but she said she knew nothing about that aspect. I wondered how she can share what she does not know and hasn't made any contacts with medical people. Meanwhile I am going to the expo but I'll just direct people to my wordpress blog and tell them that an employment focus is in the works.

Wheeling with new wheels

People do not understand, they think they're helping but they aren't. They are actually making things harder. My temple had "Mitzvah Day" in which you do good deeds for those who are less fortunate. Twice the director or the program insited that I take a box before I leave. Well I tried sneaking out but the other director insisted I nnot leave without the box. When he met me at my van he had a HUGE box filled with Passover food. I would not let him put it on my back seat, it would fall and I'd be trapped in my van. He tried fitting it in my way back and opened my door. He tried unsuccessfully and pulled it out. Then he emptied my front seat and pushed it in. I started to back out of my parking space and my manual wheelchair fell to the ground. The man did not close my back door. I was driving around with the box but then I needed my front seat. My friend jammed it in my way back and slammed the door. Not meaning to seem ungrateful but...

Wheeling with new wheels

Right now Cub Scouts Program Assistant is my paid job. It was an experiment to get involved in other fields. I did not feel useful at some of the meetings cause the kids ran around a lot and they did not listen to me. I asked if I could help them find other locations for meetings and the administrators said no. I was contemplating leaving but now I think it would be good for me to show up at the campsite and attend meetings in which the kids play soccer. Recently I got approval to design a cub scout program this summer that would result in the kids earning a badge. I am glad I did not give up. Many people said I should just quit but I refused to give up and now I will not be jobless.

Wheeling with new wheels

I just received a message from someone I met at a meeting of entrepreneurs. He's contacted someone from a local college on my behalf and will keep me posted. Not all people are out for themselves, just many who I meet. OVR, the agency that I complain about, has spent about $500,000 equiping my vans and my specialized driver lessons. If I really wanted to I could get a job there but I'd have to become much more complacent since if the government is paying my salary then I can not advocate against them. I need to be careful what I say to others because if I sound angry, professionals will not be interested in my ideas regardless of how worthwhile they are. It is a really delicate balancing act.

Wheeling with new wheels

I just attended a program in which churches are really good resource for employment of people with disabilities. It's not about faith but the congregants who are employers. A disability awareness program is done and then discussion focuses on jobs. Many churches have offered to work with and find employment a few people with challenges. I never considered this avenue but it seems to be a rather easy and successful resources. This is an environment in which people, who happen to be employers, are not on deadlines and are generally more receptive. Financial incentives are rarely discussed rather the concept of altruism is central. Vocational Venues, Lancaster is looking up but not quite ready to roll yet.

Wheeling with new wheels

I am so tired of "helping" professionals at work and it not counting as work. If it was anyone else it would be a feather in their cap and it would be remembered once there was a job opening. Instead the other person takes the information I spend time finding and I get in trouble for it when I want to claim my work. Even if I do a favor for a friend's kids I get yelled at and the real reason is I make her look like a bad mom if I'm showing her kids videos she can't. I refuse to go for another real job cause I will just "work my wheels off" and be told "you don't need to do that." What happened to doing extras in order to get ahead? Moore than one person said I'm being taken advantage over and over because I'm disabled.

Wheeling with new wheels

I hate to quit my scout job but the locations are far from where I will live and I will be that much more motivated to concentrate and grow Vocational Venues. I'm getting involved with a refugee program run by a co-worker. I will meet business people who will let me conduct a program. Also the company that owns my apartment is huge and they'll listen too. Time to change my focus and achieve my goal for people with disabilities and for myself.

Wheeling with new wheels

It's been 1 month since I've written. I am moving because I can not deal with the construction downtown. Environment is important so I plan to be around people who like open spaces. I am also changing my focus to assisting employers who may consider hiring people with disabilities. I think more focus needs to be on them because regardless of how much money is allotted for hiring of consumers the employers is the one who does the hiring. That is not a popular angle but this will be my strategy. My new apartment place is run by a huge company so I plan to find someone in human resources to talk with about starting an employment symposium. It has worked well for 16 years in Philly.