Stephen Smiel's Story - Relationships, Community, Service and Care | |
 | | Stephen Smiel |
Stephen Smiel is 40 years old, and for the past 18 years he has dedicated himself in his work to serving the customers of Price Chopper in the city of Rutland. Working as a Front End Clerk, Steve is a very visible face of the store, assisting customers at the registers. In fact, one of the favorite parts of his job is that social aspect of seeing customers as they come to the register. There is a real community feel - Steve knows many of the customers from his community - and so the greetings are quite genuine.
When Steve began at Price Chopper at age 22, he was supported by a job coach through Vocational Rehabilitation. After just a couple of weeks of direct support, Steve was ready to fly on his own. Now workers from the Community Access Program do periodic check-ins to see how things are going for Steve and his bosses.
For four to six hours per day, four days a week, Steve contributes to the success of this Price Chopper store. His supervisor regularly tells him he is doing a good job. Last year, in fact, he was featured in the Price Chopper newsletter. When asked what he is most proud of, Steve mentions a number of things. One is that his boss leaves him to do his good work independently. Others are that he is always on time, that he helps to restock the shelves, and that he helps out by carrying groceries to the car for the customers - his friends from the community.
An important part of the employment relationship for all of us is the social aspect - forming relationships and being appreciated. This is certainly the case for Steve. It is clear that he is appreciated by his bosses at Price Chopper. Approximately ten years ago Steve was raising money to participate in the Special Olympics world games and the store supported him with a check for $1,500. A few years later, on his tenth anniversary with the store, they allowed him to select a gift. Last year they had a birthday party for him. Steve appreciates that Price Chopper is an employer that cares.
Relationships, community, service, and care all add up to employment success - as is very evident in the story of Stephen Smiel.
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Meet the Winners of the 2012 Governor's Awards
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On June 4th, VocRehab Vermont hosted its Employment Institute III, bringing together  375 employment specialists and case managers who serve clients of the Agency of Human Services through Creative Workforce Solutions (CWS). CWS is an initiative designed to coordinate employer outreach across all departments of the Agency, thereby expanding job opportunities for those served through AHS programs.
The Institute offered service providers the opportunity to hear innovations in employment assistance to individuals with barriers to employment such as disabilities, poverty and corrections involvement.
During the luncheon, the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities was pleased to present our 2012 Governor's Awards to individuals and companies who have exemplary practices in hiring individuals with disabilities and who have demonstrated innovative solutions for accessible buildings. The awards were presented by GCEPD Chair, April Tuck, together with Dr. Susan Wehry, the Commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living.
The following individuals were this year's award recipients.
Employment / Accommodation Category:
The Employment / Accommodation award is for an employer who reflects the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act in their employment practices, including but not limited to:
a) The provision of equal access in the application and interview process;
b) The delivery of training that responds to individual learning needs and styles;
c) The implementation of creative programs and solutions with a "think outside the box" mentality;
d) The modification of work stations, work tasks, etc. to accommodate employees
e) The use of available programs and/or other recruitment practices that cast a wide net for including people with disabilities in the applicant pool.
The winners in this category were:
Employment / Accommodation Award in Food Service:
- James Consentino, Executive Chef, Aramark at Johnson State College, Johnson
- Tadd Stone, Manager, Aramark at Johnson State College, Johnson
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James Consentino, Tadd Stone, Dr. Susan Wehry
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- Jeremy Metcalf, Operations Director, Sodexo at Saint Michael's College, Colchester
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April Tuck and Jeremy Metcalf
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Employment / Accommodation Award for Small Business:
- Chris Loso, Loso's Professional Janitorial Service, South Burlington
 | | April Tuck, Barry Craig, Sherry Sartelle, Chris Loso, Dr. Susan Wehry |
- Lloyd and Valerie Howes, Howes All-State Cleaning & Maintenance, Tilton, NH. Ms. Jessica Blanchard of VABIR accepted on behalf of the Howes.
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Jessica Blanchard accepting for Lloyd and Valerie Howes
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Employment / Accommodation Award in Residential Care:
- Susan Sweetser, Administrator, Our Lady of Providence, Winooski
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Susan Sweetser and Dr. Susan Wehry
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Employment / Accommodation Award in Manufacturing:
- Wayne Snow, Production Manager, Ultravation, Inc., Poultney
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Wayne Snow and Dr. Susan Wehry
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Design / Accessibility Category:
The Design & Accessibility Award is presented to an architect, contractor, business, municipality, recreational facility or entity that has designed accommodations and provisions to create equal and aesthetic access, or who has created innovative and creative solutions for accessible structures, buildings or services.
The winner in this category was Karen Tronsgard-Scott, Executive Director, Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, Montpelier. The award was accepted by Ms. Chani Waterhouse of the Vermont Network.
 | | Chani Waterhouse accepting for Karen Tronsgard-Scott |
Media / Public Education Category:
The Media / Public Education Award recognizes an individual or member of the media: a) who has brought attention to disability issues and stories, using sensitive and nondiscriminatory language to depict people with disabilities and to reflect the worth of the person(s) being written about; and/or b) who has promoted or showcased a person overcoming barriers in an inspiring way.
The winner in this category was Owen Milne, Manager of Corporate Accounts and Integrated Interiors, Red Thread, Williston
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Owen Milne and Dr. Susan Wehry
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PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT THE EXCEPTIONAL AND AWARD-WINNING PRACTICES OF ALL OF OUR WINNERS!
Click here to read more!
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The GCEPD partners with national Campaign for Disability Employment, "What can YOU do? initiative
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By Melita DeBellis, GCEPD Executive Coordinator We know that people with disabilities are successful in the workplace because of what they CAN do. Every day, people with disabilities can - and do - add value to workplaces in Vermont and across the United States. Their talent is the investment that drives innovation. The knowledge, skills and abilities they bring to work each day are the assets that positively impact businesses of all sizes and in all industries, both financially and organizationally. Employees with disabilities: - Have talent
- Help businesses gain a competitive edge through innovative thinking
- Mirror an important and increasingly expanding customer base
- Are experienced problem solvers with a proven ability to adapt
- Value and want to work
We also know that people with disabilities are vastly underrepresented as part of the workforce. In both good and bad economic times, people with disabilities have far fewer job opportunities than the general population. Indeed, during the first quarter of 2012, "the unemployment rate for people with disabilities climbed back above 14 percent after dropping significantly at the end of 2011." This is according to a study by Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services, and referenced in Disabled World, http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/employment/rising.php. The article continues by saying that "people with disabilities experienced an unemployment rate nearly 74 percent higher than the rate for people with no disability during that same quarter." Why is this so? Many factors have an impact, ranging from the practical (transportation issues) - to the medical - to the intangible (fears and lack of information). That's why Vermont's Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) is beginning a partnership with the national Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) to broaden the conversation about how Vermonters can work together to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the state. The CDE's "What can YOU do?" initiative - WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org- is a national public education effort designed to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Its goal - and the mission of the GCEPD - is to promote the hiring, retention, and advancement of people with disabilities and to dispel negative stereotypes about disability and employment. 
The CDE seeks to achieve these outcomes "by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent that people with disabilities bring to the workplace, as well as the dividend to be realized by fully including people with disabilities at work". At work, for each and every employee, it's what people CAN do that matters. Why should this matter to you? Because as Saint Michael's College Instructor of Philosophy Patrick Standen (also the co-founder and president of the Northeast Disabled Athletic Association) discussed as our keynote presenter at the GCEPD's "The Art of Possibility - Living and Working with a Disability" symposium, "disability happens - to everyone." It is in the self interest of each of us to broaden the workplace as much as possible to include people with disabilities because according to the insurance industry, people under 35 have a 1 in 3 chance of becoming disabled. By age 42 that rate rises to 40%. Paraphrasing Patrick, you or I may not have a physical or perceptual disability now but odds are we will - perhaps not to an alarming level but disability is a reality of aging and part of living in an industrial society. We acquire disability in a variety of ways - at birth, through a catastrophic accident, due to a genetic load that expresses itself later on, and through general aging. Therefore, it's in each of our best interests to make the world a better place, because after we become disabled, each of us will still want to get up, go to work, go out, pay our bills, and integrate fully with society. Disability is part of the natural diversity of life and touches us all - through our own experience or that of a family member, friend, or colleague. We all have a role in - and benefit to gain from - advancing equality for people with disabilities in all sectors of society. As the Campaign for Disability Employment points out, people move in and out of disability throughout their lives. Therefore, universal strategies that consider the needs of all employees will help ensure the widest pool of talent. Good workplace policies and practices for people with disabilities benefit everyone and make good business sense. In the months ahead, the GCEPD will be unveiling resources and notable employment practices on our website. We invite you to follow our activities by going to www.hireus.org. Meanwhile, take a moment to consider what YOU can do to support the employment of people with disabilities in Vermont. Here are some options: - Utilize the services of one of the many noteworthy organizations in your area that work directly with individuals with disabilities and consider their candidates for employment;
- Learn best practices from other employers that employ a diverse workforce;
- Showcase your disability and diversity hiring practices in your annual report;
- Take advantage of the resources of the national Job Accommodation Network (www.askjan.org);
- Host a GCEPD-led panel of experts discussing workplace accommodations;
People with disabilities are successful at work because of what they CAN do. However, when it comes to increasing the employment of people with disabilities in Vermont, what also matters is what each of US - as employers and citizens of Vermont - does. |
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MORE ON - the 2012 Governor's Awards
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Here we are pleased to share with you the exceptional practices of our award winners!
The Employment / Accommodation Award in Food Service is presented to employers who reflect the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act in their employment practices, such as the delivery of training that responds to individual learning needs and styles and the implementation of creative programs and solutions to address the unique employment needs and challenges of employees with disabilities.
This year we are pleased to acknowledge three individuals in the food service industry whose practices have done just that.
Tadd Stone and James Consentino of Aramark are recognized for their vision, leadership, and initiative in creating an eight-week culinary training program at Johnson State College. Tadd Stone, the Aramark Manager, envisioned this program as a solution to his staffing needs that would engage individuals with disabilities who were interested in exploring careers in the culinary field and provide them with comprehensive training in the skills necessary for employment in the food service industry. James Consentino, Executive Chef, developed the curriculum and provided the training and resources to carry out the program. Working collaboratively, Creative Workforce Solutions recruited and screened the candidates for the program and the Vermont Department of Labor provided Workforce Education and Training Funds. Students participating in the program attended class and worked side-by-side with professional chefs, helping to run the kitchen and create meals. They showcased their skills in catered events and externships. Upon completion of the program, five students were employed by Aramark in full time positions with benefits; two in part-time positions, and two other students found positions in local businesses as a result of their externship.
Jeremy Metcalf, Operations Director of Sodexo at Saint Michael's College in Colchester is recognized for his development of a six-week culinary training program at the College. Now in its third year, this program has run ten training sessions for individuals with disabilities referred through Creative Workforce Solutions and its predecessor alliance. To date twenty-one individuals have passed through the program and two have been hired. Furthermore, Jeremy has been extraordinary in his efforts to support the individuals who go through the program to be successful in employment. The trainees and individuals hired by Sodexo enjoy a respectful, supportive, and friendly team environment and co-workers willing to help them learn the soft skills of the workplace. Jeremy customizes his training to fit the individual needs of the students. Upon completion of the program he helps the trainees to find employment, and he provides each with a personal reference. As his nominator, Kelly Edwards of Creative Workforce Solutions in Burlington, says, Jeremy "sees the whole person and really tries his hardest to work with a person that is struggling".
The Employment / Accommodation Award for Small Business is presented to two employers who reflects the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act in their employment practices in their small, family-owned businesses.
Chris Loso, of Loso's Professional Janitorial Service is recognized for his outstanding commitment to the successful employment of people with disabilities through its practices that go back for well over a decade. Each time they have a new service contract Chris will contact Creative Workforce Solutions to find talented individuals to meet his workforce needs. Furthermore, he sees each employee as the individual they are, consistently working with them to meet and support their unique needs. For example, an employee was hired who had anxiety about driving to new places. Not only was the individual taught how to find and understand an online map and directions to the work site, he was also led to the worksite by his supervisor until he felt comfortable driving on his own. As a result of these efforts to support this employee through his anxiety, he has become a great employee. According to nominator Nicole Clements of VABIR and Creative Workforce Solutions in Williston, this is just one example of his Chris and his entire team go above and beyond to support individuals referred through CWS.
Lloyd Howes and Valerie Russell-Howes, owners of Howes All-State Cleaning & Maintenance are recognized for their strong collaboration with Creative Workforce Solutions and for their extraordinary actions to accommodate the special needs of an employee with a traumatic brain injury, ensuring his workplace success. When Howes was seeking a floor maintenance technician for one of their Vermont customers, nominator Jessica Blanchard of VABIR in Rutland contacted them and asked them to consider her consumer, Larry. After Larry was hired to work in a store, it became apparent that the layout of the store was quite confusing to him due to his injury, such that he required frequent reminders and directions. In order to accommodate Larry and ensure his success, Lloyd Howe created a wonderful, color-coded map which broke down the daily tasks and linked them to the particular location in the store. This commitment to the successful employment of individuals with disabilities is further apparent in the practice of Lloyd and Valerie to repeatedly contact CWS regarding contracts and openings around Vermont, their hosting of two risk-free job trials , and their employment of six individuals referred from CWS to date. In the words of nominator Jessica, Lloyd and Valerie "are extremely compassionate, patient, and genuinely good people who epitomize what it is to be an equal opportunity employer."
The Employment / Accommodation Award in Residential Care is presented to an employer in the residential care field whose employment practices reflect the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This year the award is given to Susan Sweetser of Our Lady of Providence. Our Lady of Providence offers diverse opportunities for learning to employees with disabilities and welcomes them with open arms and open minds. In one year they have provided nearly a dozen employees referred through VABIR with opportunities to work and learn in nursing, food services, laundry, cleaning, facilities, and activities and music. Many of these individuals were subsequently hired as permanent employees. Where necessary, accommodations were provided to address both physical and cognitive limitations as well as language barriers. In the words of nominator Kathy Johnson of VABIR in Burlington, Our Lady of Providence is "a jewel, a warm and caring facility that provides personal, family-style care to its residents and extends that same respect, concern and support to their paid staff, prospective job candidates, and all those who seek an opportunity."
The Employment / Accommodation Award in Manufacturing is presented to an employer operating a manufacturing facility whose employment practices reflect the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This award is presented to Wayne Snow, of Ultravation, Inc. Ultravation has had a long standing relationship with the Rutland offices of Vocational Rehabilitation and VABIR and is an excellent community partner with the Creative Workforce Solution initiatives. In the past year Ultravation has employed and accommodated several new hires and has also sponsored progressive employment activities such as informational interviews, job shadows, assessments and plant tours. In his capacity as production manager, Wayne has worked very closely with clients referred by these organizations and through the local school-to-work program, striving to help them gain an accurate understanding of the work world. He has provided skill-building information including appropriate workplace behaviors to students with a wide variety of disabilities including autism, learning differences, and mobility and cognitive impairments. He also promotes the employment of people with disabilities by sharing his experiences with other businesses, doing this in a way that his nominators - Gloria Vitale, David Sagi, and Karen Letourneau of VABIR and VocRehab in Rutland - describe as "always acting in a manner that demonstrates respect and dignity to all their clients. He is dedicated and offers his time and commitment to provide great opportunities for our clients for success."
The Design & Accessibility Award is presented to an architect, contractor, business, municipality, recreational facility or entity that has designed accommodations and provisions to create equal and aesthetic access, or who has created innovative and creative solutions for accessible structures, buildings or services.
This year the award is being presented to Karen Tronsgard-Scott, Executive Director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence. Through Karen's dedicated efforts, the Network has worked diligently to create an accessible environment for everyone, including persons with disabilities, in terms of both availability of services and the employment of people who have disabilities. This commitment was highly evident when the time came for the Network to move into its new office space - originally built as a residence in the 1800s. The Network lobbied strongly with the building owner to ensure that renovations were made to make the space ADA compliant in terms of design and accessibility. Working in coordination with the building owner and contractor, Karen and the Network succeeded in having multiple access improvements made. The new accessible building elements included: designated parking areas; an access ramp; accessible stove and sink in the kitchen; threshold removal; accessible office and meeting space layout; and an ADA compliant bathroom. In the words of nominator Sarah Launderville of the Vermont Center for Independent Living, with this building renovation project, Karen and the Network "demonstrated a strong commitment to create a welcoming and accessible environment for employees, community partners, and the public they serve".
The Media / Public Education Award recognizes an individual or member of the media: a) who has brought attention to disability issues and stories, using sensitive and nondiscriminatory language to depict people with disabilities and to reflect the worth of the person(s) being written about; and/or b) who has promoted or showcased a person overcoming barriers in an inspiring way.
This year the award is presented to Owen Milne, Manager of Corporate Accounts and Integrated Interiors at Red Thread, for his dedication in promoting public awareness and understanding of the respect, dignity, and equality to which all people with disabilities are entitled. Owen's activities to educate the public in support of furthering the employment of people with disabilities are numerous and varied. He has met with groups and individuals to present his own inspiring story, entitled "Life in a Chair". He has served multiple times on employer-directed panels to demonstrate the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities and to educate employers about accommodations. Some of these presentations have been done during his past tenure as a member of the GCEPD. Owen also focuses his energies on meeting with individuals who themselves are newly-disabled to assure and inspire them regarding how to manage and thrive in their situation. Finally, Owen has brought his talents as a consultant to organizations as well as the City of Burlington, advising them on how to improve accessibility and set appropriate policies and protocols related to individuals with disabilities. In short, to paraphrase Benjamin Adler, Owner of The Skinny Pancake who nominated Owen for this award, "Owen is an ideal match for this award. His public education activities bring attention to disability issues and stories in a sensitive manner that reflects the worth of the individual and that also showcases his own success in overcoming barriers in an inspiring way."
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Taking Our Show on the Road
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We've been busy at the APSE conference and Business & Industry Expo. How might we serve you and educate your group, membership or staff?
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