New England

Lisa is a certified lifeguard and swim instructor at the YMCA in Fairfield, Connecticut. After much success as a competitive swimmer in the Special Olympics, Lisa transferred her skills to a career at the YMCA. As a lifeguard, Lisa tests chemical levels in the water and looks after swimmers by surveying the pool during swim sessions. As a swim instructor, Lisa prepares for class sessions and teaches group swim lessons. With support from her supervisor, coworkers, and family, Lisa earned and maintains the necessary certifications for her job, successfully carries out her work responsibilities, and has earned the reputation of being a responsible, detail-oriented, and dedicated employee at the YMCA.

Eric lives in Portland, Maine, and describes himself as "helpful, kind and open to anybody." He owns his own business, Eric's Pizza Express, where he sells pizza, sandwiches, and drinks from Anthony's Italian Kitchen, a well-known local restaurant. He does everything from setting up and taking down the cart to serving customers and working the cash register.

Judy's job developer spends a significant amount of time maintaining relationships with employers in his local community and has often relied on these relationships to create new opportunities for the individuals he supports. Taking into account Judy’s interest in working with people who are elderly, he got in touch with his contact at the Council on Aging and helped Judy secure a job preparing and distributing meals for the local Meals on Wheels program.

Although Michael has held several jobs in the past, he has struggled with retaining them. This success story illustrates how identifying shortcomings in previous on-the-job supports can lead to an improved understanding of current needs. Michael's needs were met by supplementing his job coach with supports from his co-workers and supervisor. Michael now works four days per week as an assistant for the maintenance team at a local rest home. He performs janitorial duties and assists with small maintenance jobs such as plumbing, repairs, and landscaping.

Maggie likes being busy. She lives near Boston, MA, and has had several successful jobs in the community. Currently, she works as an office manager's assistant at AMP Agency.

Cody is a young man who wanted to work with children in the field of sports and recreation. Cody has reported challenges to obtaining such a position, including no prior experience, use of a motorized wheelchair for mobility, and limited speech. To overcome these barriers, Cody and his employment support staff developed, marketed, and adapted a new position as a greeter at a local YMCA. Watch Cody's story here.