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Saturday, October 12, 2024

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

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Just as Positively Naperville goes to print for its November issue, we will be completing the National Disability Employment Awareness month at the end of October. Declared by Congress in 1988, the idea was to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 4 American adults have a disability. Workers from every type of job opportunity literally are in integral part of our nation’s workforce and are employed in industries and jobs just as diverse as they are.

There are all kinds of studies that show hiring persons with disabilities benefits not only those workers, but their employers as well through increased profitability, competitive advantages, and an inclusive workplace for all workers.

At Little Friends, we have made some significant investments in providing adolescents with training experiences that mirror some community work experiences that our students may be able to have after their education period ends with us. New opportunities on the horizon include a new program where students will learn how to disassemble electronic technology with the purpose of recycling these components. Our plan is to provide job training that ultimately results in job opportunities and work for individuals who learn these skills.

We learned about this opportunity from an organization in Colorado named BlueStar Recycling. Their business model is built around only hiring employees who are on the Autism Spectrum. Their input and guidance not only helped us but served as motivation for what can be done when focused with opportunity.

We are excited about this new program and will be implementing it by the start of the New Year. Next year we hope to be writing at this time about some of the new jobs we’ve helped create with this program!

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Mike Briggs
Mike Briggshttp://littlefriendsinc.org
Mike Briggs is the President and CEO of Little Friends. Little Friends empowers clients with autism and other developmental disabilities to thrive in our community. Their groundbreaking programs and nationally-renowned staff provide lifelong opportunities for growth, so their clients can work, learn, play and experience the joy of life’s everyday moments.
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