Lindsey needed support in most areas of her life. She needed help with making and keeping appointments, completing paperwork, and communicating with others. She didn’t do many things on her own. And she longed to gain more independence.
She wanted a job to gain work and social skills. And she thought getting a job would help her become more independent. But she knew she would need a helping hand to start. So she started looking for help.
Finding the right tools
Lindsey visited Goodwill after learning about their employment programs from the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). Goodwill’s employment programs offer support with finding a job and keeping a job, interview training, creating a resume, and on-the-job skills. This was exactly what Lindsey was looking for.
So she enrolled in Goodwill’s Individual Supported Employment program and began her journey to more independence. She knew it would take some time before she could start doing things on her own. She was relieved to have Goodwill’s support when she needed it.
Goodwill helped her with filling out the necessary paperwork for potential job opportunities. And they helped her with interview training and transportation to interviews. Shortly after connecting with Goodwill, Lindsey secured a job.
Confident, independent, secure and self-sufficient
Since getting a job, Lindsey gained more confidence, independence, and self-sufficiency. Then she got a second job and worked between the two for a few years. Working two jobs seemed to be a good fit for a while. But after some time, she needed to focus on one.
When it came time to leave her second job, Lindsey advocated for herself. With the self-confidence she gained, she wrote a two week resignation and gave it to her supervisor. She was proud that she took the initiative to do that on her own.
After she left her second job, she requested more hours at her first one. Within a month, Lindsey began training new team members. And she thrived at teaching. Taking on this new responsibility inspired her.
Taking on personal responsibilities
DDA requires proof of work hours to continue receiving services. Lindsey’s mother would normally send her paystubs to DDA for her. But Lindsey felt more confident and started taking ownership of that responsibility.
Since getting help from Goodwill, Lindsey achieved the goals that she set for herself. She wanted to be more independent and gain work and social skills. She is exceptional at her job and has recently celebrated 10 years with her employer. She reaches her full potential every day and is excited to see what bright future lies ahead for her.