October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Easterseals’ WorkFirst customized employment services program, which launched in 2008, has helped hundreds of people with disabilities find meaningful employment.
“I would probably still be looking for a job right now if it wasn’t for this program,” said Sean, 24, a recent WorkFirst success story. “It’s a great program and it helped me a lot.”
Sean loves helping people but was looking for something a little more fulfilling than his previous roles in food service at restaurants and supermarkets—work he wasn’t passionate about.
“We started the discovery process to identify his strengths and his goals,” said Austin Holeman, Vocational Specialist, Customized Employment, WorkFirst. “Sean wanted to branch out and find something that would make a difference in his SoCal community.”
Discovering Sean’s Passion
Through the discovery process, Austin worked with Sean to look beyond traditional job search and explore opportunities that not only aligned with Sean’s interests but to identify the contributions that Sean could bring to a business.
“Whenever I tried searching for work myself, I found the same few job places to apply," Sean said. "Like the ‘jobs’ online where they say they’re hiring, but they really aren’t and the responses you get are scams. Austin finding real places was nice.”
“He’s a social person with a strong friend circle and an ability to connect,” Holeman said. “That’s one of his strongest skills.”
Through the discovery process,” Holeman continued, “I saw him interact with his two dogs, Ollie and Lincoln, and the care he took for them and the responsibility he has for them. We spoke about his passion for animals and how we could expand upon that instead of his experience in food service.”
Austin arranged for Sean to meet with veterinarian Pyung H. Lee, the owner of Menifee Valley Animal Clinic. The meeting provided an opportunity to begin building a relationship with the business. Rather than focusing solely on existing job openings, Austin worked to understand the clinic’s needs and focused on where Sean’s unique strengths and abilities could bring added value.
And, while there was a great connection made, there was no opportunity available at the time. However, Dr. Lee did invite Sean to stay in touch.
While Sean and Austin continued to explore the possibility of developing other job opportunities in the community, Sean had his heart set on working at the animal clinic and continued to check in periodically.
“That was his number one choice,” recalls Holeman. And then, a few months later, they dropped by the clinic and the relationship they had developed opened the door for Sean to join the team.
Right Where He Belongs
“I would have never found this job if it weren’t for Austin,” said Sean. “Austin showed me things I didn’t know I was going to be interested in, like the veterinarian work I’m doing now.”
In his role, Sean reassures clients, explains procedures, and reviews medications and at-home care for their pets. He also ensures that animals are calm, assists with medication treatments, restrains animals for procedures and assists during surgeries.
“Sean has good energy for the animals and they respond well to his care,” says Martha Lefler, part of the veterinary team who works with him. “We appreciate how engaged Sean is with the clients and his ability to connect with each person individually, as well as his eagerness to make sure that he is performing each duty correctly and explore opportunities to expand his job responsibilities.”
From Finding Work to Finding His Passion
“I really like it here and they’ve been very understanding of my disability,” Sean said. “I like helping people and I like animals. I reassure people that we are going to do what we can do to the best of our ability.”
“I wish more people knew about WorkFirst, especially people like me who have a hard time. It’s a really useful program, especially with how difficult it is to find a job right now. I really appreciate it.”
