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Health & Fitness

Area Agencies Invite Businesses to Embrace Workplace Diversity

Smart business owners and operators know that there are two important ingredients to improving their bottom line: spend less, sell more. They also know that employee retention saves money and that a loyal customer creates profits. Loyal customers not only come back to buy again and again, they share the good news with their friends and families.

What business owners may have failed to consider is that, statistically, employees with disabilities have a higher rate of retention than other employees. David Casey, owner of Casey’s and Mike’s Markets, hires from the disability community. He commented that he wants employees who show up to work every day and stick around for the long haul. “As a business owner, I like to see employees that take ownership in their jobs, and bring a certain amount of enthusiasm to the workplace.” He said that he’s found that members of his staff, who have the opportunity to work with people of varying abilities, find the experience to be personally and professionally rewarding.

In addition to providing higher retention rates and lower costs, people with disabilities represent 1 in 5 American consumers, and spend $150 billion annually in the United States. That number goes up by more than double when you include the families of those people from the disability community. This group is a very loyal consumer group.

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Andrea Barczak, a resident of the Western Suburbs and parent of a child with Down’s Syndrome, said, “As a family member and friend of someone with a disability, I seek out businesses, in and out of my community, that show they value, accept and include people with all types of disabilities.” Barczak is not just talking about the bagger at Jewel. She’s looking for customer service providers, health care providers, professionals of all kinds, being integrated into competitively-paying, meaningful employment where their unique talents are appreciated.

Unfortunately, in 2013 Illinois ranked 50th in the nation for providing services to people with disabilities. Illinois also had the second highest unemployment rate in the nation and ranked second worst in economic growth according to the Illinois Policy Institute. Just when we were feeling bad about Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn passed the Employment First Bill, promising people with disabilities more and better employment opportunities.

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The La Grange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE) concluded that 2014 would be ripe for a great idea, one that would employ disabled Illinois residents and empower them to be active consumers. With partner organizations, The Helping Hand Center and the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, LADSE began a conversation with Project Search, an internationally proven employment initiative for people with disabilities. Project Search takes students from school to permanent work via total immersion training in the workplace. It has 280 successful programs across 40 states and four countries.

Karen Steffan, Director of Vocational Services at LADSE, will pilot the first Project Search program in the state of Illinois. She believes that the biggest deterrents to employment for people with disabilities are misconceptions and low expectations. “We know through experience that students and adults with disabilities will outperform most perceptions and expectations.”

She recognizes the success of Project Search is largely dependent on the partnership of business, education, and community. “Everyone has their dream job, their personal talents and skills--including people with disabilities. Employment training programs like this allow for dreams to become reality.”

LADSE, DRS and Helping Hand have taken an important step toward that employment promise made by Governor Quinn. Now they’re waiting for the business community to respond with the inclusionary mentality required for such a vibrant and progressive employment idea to get people to work in our area.

Thom Serafin of Serafin and Associates, a Chicago marketing and public relations firm, stated, “These days, it’s very uncommon for a business not to consider all areas of civic responsibility in their marketing strategies. They want… they need to be the good guys to attract customers. They must appear to be greener, kinder, and more diverse, to attract the increasingly conscientious consumer.”

Steffan challenges business to see the potential greatness of the employees that will come out of Project Search, but she also wants to show business what’s in it for them: higher retention rates, loyal customers, tax benefits, and that opportunity to attract loyal consumers, from within and without of the disability community, who want to bring their spending to a business that cares.

A meeting of LADSE’s Project Search Business Advisory Committee will be held on January 30th at 6:30 pm at the Helping Hand Center. Families of students will disabilities and community business members are invited to attend to discover how they can assist with the development of this initiative in Illinois. To register for this informational meeting, contact Tricia Iraci at 708.482.1170.

The Helping Hand Center is a local nonprofit agency serving people with developmental disabilities to help them reach their highest levels of independence. LADSE is a special education cooperative that collaborates with its member districts to provide high-quality, evidence-based programs and services that result in positive outcomes for students. DRS works in partnership with people with disabilities and their families to assist them in making informed choices to achieve full community participation through employment, education, and independent living opportunities. To get more information about Project Search, the services provided by area agencies, or to find out how you can join the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce in advocating for people with disabilities, please contact Chamber Program Director, Katherine Leibforth, at 708-387-7550 or katherinel@wscci.org.






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