After two decades at her current job, Stacia Holland became unfocused. The fear of losing her position was looming, and the 44-year-old adult with disabilities needed guidance.
Thankfully, STARS, who’s had her back throughout this challenging time, stepped in where her job left off. They not only provided Stacia with the tools to improve her work performance, but put a smile back on her face.
“Stacia has definitely grown in the aspect of communication and expressing what she needs from us, and how we can support her,” says Briannah Winkels, community-based supervisor for STARS’ Independent Employment Support (ISE) and Employment Support Aid (ESA) programs, which provide participants with the reassurance that they have support at their jobs.
The programs are a continuation of STARS’ Competitive Integrated Employment program, an individual first approach with high-quality, personalized services to empower and equip each participant for independence and success in the workplace. Some participants are also referred to the program through Arizona’s Division of Development Disabilities (DDD), as well as other agencies.
“Our participants are the most hard-working people,” Briannah says. “They love being needed and fully need our encouragement.”
ISE offers extensive assistance during the first year with an option to extend for a second year. Seamlessly transitioning from the program, participants then enter ESA, which delivers ongoing support without a predetermined end date. Many who receive these services develop positive work-related habits, attitudes, skills and work etiquette related to their specific employment.
Job coaches focus on creating and maintaining accommodations for members in their place of employment, while assisting them to become fully integrated in the workforce culture. The coaches are the liaison between members, managers and their support system.
Two years ago, DDD staff recommended STARS’ ongoing employment services to Stacia, who works as a courtesy clerk at a Fry’s grocery store. A self-proclaimed “social butterfly,” Stacia needed redirection to rein in her conversations with customers, as well as assistance with time management skills. Working off a list of areas for improvement provided by Fry’s management staff, Briannah says they worked one-on-one for two hours a week.
“We’d pull her off to the side to not put her on the spot,” she says. “We let her have the time to process the issues management brought up, while reassuring her that this doesn’t define her, but are just little things to fix. At first, it was more of her saying, ‘Why are you telling me this?’ to ‘Now, I understand!’ ”
Briannah says the Fry’s management staff is impressed with Stacia’s progress. “There’s been a lot of success from when we started to where we are now,” she says.
Stacia agrees, but more than anything, she’s happy to just see her regular customers. “I like helping people and making their day,” she says. “I see how they’re doing. If they had a bad day, I try to cheer them up.”
The Glendale resident, who takes public transportation to work, says her mom is proud of her improvement and overall independence. “She’s happy that I can get to work by myself,” Stacia says.
Briannah says it’s important that both businesses and families continue to work together for the betterment of the participants’ success. She often tells parents, “I know you were worried, but look at them now—they’re independent, they have friends, and they are socializing.”
Just ask Stacia, the one with the smile on her face. – By Julia De Simone
