Text Box: The News

 

 

Text Box: Fourth Annual DSP Appreciation Banquet Text Box: On March 27 SPEAK (Support Providing Employees’ Association of KY) held its’ fourth Direct Support Professional (DSP) recognition banquet at the Executive West Hotel.   The Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Council sponsored the awards ceremony in cooperation with SPEAK providers of services to people with disabilities. Dawne Gee, anchorwoman for Wave 3 TV, was the Master of Ceremonies. A SPEAK musical tribute in appreciation of DSPs was sung by Kelly Goforth. The evening of recognition is one of SPEAK’S activities to express appreciation to the direct support professionals who provide supports to persons with disabilities. Twelve direct support professional’s received the DSP of the year award and 13 direct support professional’s received the Shooting Star Award. The DSP of the year must be a person who has been working as a DSP for over a year and the Shooting Star is given to a new DSP that shows promise and heart for the work they do. Staff members, supervisors and many time consumers select nominees. The celebrated award recipients were: Text Box: DSP of the Year: Mattingly Center- Margaret Clark, Central State- Taiwo Bamikole, Dreams with Wings- Sarah Tackett, Seven Counties Services, Inc.- Stephanie Curry, Rauch, Inc.- Lillian Wells, Zoom Group- Paulette Campbell, Cedar Lake Residences- Sheree Stucker, Community Living- Karen Donohue, Dayspring- Phil Rhodes, ETA- Yvonne Allen, Harbor House- Sarah Beck, Options Unlimited- Amy Coffer, Lifeskills- David Hall. Shooting Star of the Year: Mattingly Center- Michelle Casey, Central State- Jonus McFarlin, Dreams with Wings- Eunice Metcalf, Seven Counties Services, Inc.- Tornette Wales, Rauch, Inc.- Latonya Crutcher, Zoom Group- Kim McCampbell, Cedar Lake Residences- LaDonna McDonald, Community Living- Nuno Abek & Beth Smith, Dayspring- Kym Cormier, ETA- Zelanda Simmons, Harbor House- Brittany Varvel, Options Unlimited- Robert Meng, Lifeskills- Danielle Jackson.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Congressman John Yarmuth at StudioWorks Text Box: 3rd District Congressman John Yarmuth paid a special visit to StudioWorks on March 20 to meet our superb artists and to view their works. Annie Rosenberg-Sattich, Zoom Group President, greeted the congressman and provided him with an overview of Zoom Group--our history, mission and programs. Annie noted that Zoom Group is one of Kentucky's largest providers of vocational training services for adults with mental retardation. Our programs are diverse, ranging from day programs to supported employment to commercial operations. We serve more than 300 clients and have been in operation since 1986. Two other speakers addressed Mr. Yarmuth. Ashley Noe, Site Manager of StudioWorks, said that our artists pursue varied media as they set out on the road to self-expression. These media include paint, ceramics, fiber, mosaic, photography and digital.  

Text Box: "Art is part of their identity," Ashley said. "We help them to nurture their skills." Jim Evans, Executive Director of Cedar Lake Foundation, stressed the strong and vibrant relationship between Cedar Lake and Zoom Group. Louisville-based Cedar Lake is a significant provider of residential services for adults with mental retardation, including many of Zoom Group's clients. "Zoom Group and Cedar Lake are a wonderful fit," Jim said. Annie said she was happy with the congressman's visit and that the welcome mat is always out to him or his representatives. "We truly appreciate the congressman taking time out to visit us," she said. "It was a good get-acquainted session and we look forward to meeting with him again soon." StudioWorks, located at 633 S. Fourth St. in the heart of Louisville's entertainment district, is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, please call (502) 582-3331. For pictures & more info: http://www.zoomgroup.org/Gallery.cfm?GID=12 http://www.zoomgroup.org/news.cfm?STID=154

 Text Box: Ask Beth

 

Text Box: ASK BETH This month I have decided to substitute my column for one of Peter Leidy’s little papers. I think he has a lot to say on behalf of DSPs. I hope all of you who receive this newsletter will take the time to read this. There are many lessons to be learned.  - Beth Richardson  ARE WE REALLY LISTENING TO OUR DSPs?                 The following is an excerpt from Peter Leidy’s- Little Papers   THE WORK OF PROVIDING DAY-TO-DAY SUPPORT TO ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IS COMPLEX, VARIABLE, AND REQUIRES A BROAD RANGE OF SKILLS AND PERSONALQUALITIES. WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT THE WORK IS THAT IT IS PERSONAL. THE WORK INVOLVES THE HEART AS WELL AS THE MIND.TO UNDERSTAND THE WORK, TO MANAGE IT SO THAT IT IS BENEFICIAL TO THE PERSON WHO RECEIVES THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTHENING TO THE WORKER WHO PROVIDES IT, ONE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE DEFINING ASPECT IS THE RELATIONSHIP FORGED BETWEEN THE WORKER AND THE PERSON RELYING ON HIS OR HER SUPPORT. SUCCESS IN DIRECT SUPPORT HAS LESS TO DO WITH THE MASTERY OF TASKS AND MORE TO DO WITH THE BUILDING OF TRUSTING, SUPPORTIVE, RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS.   10 Things I’d Like to Tell My Employer                                                               By Peter Leidy   There is much to be learned from the experiences of direct support worker. For agencies supporting people with developmental disabilities; for elected officials deciding how public money is spent; for people with disabilities and their families. If you are reading this, you are likely aware that support workers generally have low pay, low benefits, and low status. Yet they do very important work. As more citizens previously separated from the community begin to have meaningful lives, and as options increase for individuals to move out from their  family’s home, we see a greater need for direct support workers. It is a happy fact that as more people with disabilities gain opportunities for individualized support to live and work in the community, more personal assistants are needed. As agencies employing direct care staff learn to listen more closely to them, there is more reason to be hopeful about the future of community life for  people with disabilities. Hearing what staff on the frontlines has to say can and should lead to better support of staff and people with disabilities. Despite the great diversity among direct support staff, certain messages continue to rise to the surface. These recurring themes, if heard and acted upon, can result in better support to staff, a reduction in turnover, and improved quality of life for people being served. This “Top Ten” list reflects many of these themes, as heard over time from support workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere. It is not an exhaustive list, nor are the points in a particular order. (Please note: “Take this job and shove it” didn’t make the top 10.)   Let’s look at the list from the point of view of “Barb”, a direct support worker who assists “Theresa”, and what she would say to the agency she works for. They have worked together for two years, since Theresa moved out of a large facility into her own home. 1. Help me get off to a good start. Here are some thoughts as I reflect on when I began working with Theresa, and knowing what I know now. There’s a lot to absorb at the start of a new job. I need to learn about the agency, and mostly I need to learn about Theresa. And she needs to learn about me. Remember when you started –that feeling of being new? I am excited, and I am happy to have been offered this job, and I’m a bit scared. Everything is new, I have a lot of responsibility, and I want to do a good job. I would like you to tell me all about Theresa, and give Theresa plenty of room to tell me all about herself, in whatever ways she can. I mean the things I need to know to do my job, and the things Theresa wants me to know. I don’t expect Theresa’s life to be an open book for me to read – after all, we’re just meeting each other. But there are things I need to know, most of which are things Theresa wants me to know. What’s important to her? What are the musts and the must-nots? Help me learn how these influence my required job duties, and be specific about what those duties are.   2. Be aware of my isolation. This is a one-to-one job. I like it that way. Being able to spend time assisting Theresa and having the kind of relationship we do works for me. Most of the time, it is a satisfying way to spend my work time. But sometimes I feel pretty alone. I don’t have co-workers around much. I don’t often experience working with a team, even though there are others who support Theresa. It would be nice to occasionally have get-togethers with other people who do this kind of work, to find out what it’s like for them, or why they got involved doing this. Or to talk about what a great day Theresa and I just had – or what a difficult day we just had. A lot of people meet friends through work, and with direct support that can be difficult. 3. Ask for my input on issues related to my job. As Theresa and I get to know each other better over time, I will gain some valuable insights about her. My knowledge and understanding could be useful in the support we’re all providing for her. See my role over time with Theresa evolve from “Tell me what I need to know and do” in the beginning to “Let me tell you what I’m learning that we all need to know” as time goes on. I become a valuable resource for determining with you and Theresa what the agency’s support should look like. Also, I begin to seek ways that I can stretch in my job – to try new things, to learn more, and to grow. 5 4. Communication and supervision are important to me. There are several people directly involved with Theresa’s support. We need to get together on a regular basis, both for sharing important information and for supporting each other. As my supervisor, talk with me about supervision. It may mean something different to me than it does to you. Getting to know each other is important. Having regular contact is important. Checking in with me (rather than checking up on me) is important. Letting me know when you think things are going well, and not just when something is wrong, is important. Being available when I need to talk to you, or making sure someone else is, and getting back to me in a timely fashion when I try to reach you – these are all important. When we do talk, I need you to hear what I’m saying. I know you’re busy, and time is tight. But please listen to me. Find out what’s on my mind. If you tell me you are going to do something, follow up with me about it. Let me know you did it, or whether there will be a delay. If we have not talked in a while, don’t assume everything is okay. In this type of work, no news is not necessarily good news. 5. Offer training opportunities beyond what’s required. I love the blood borne pathogens training!! Who doesn’t? But there are so many more learning opportunities available (or which could be developed) that would be beneficial to me. I realize resources are limited. I know that time taken away from being with Theresa means finding someone else to work with her. Still, ongoing learning experiences are important to support workers – to gain knowledge, to help me do my job better, to get rejuvenated, to meet other people. 6. I like my job and I want to keep it. I like Theresa, and I like spending time with her. It is a good job, I do it well, and this is important to me. I don’t want to work in a job that I don’t like simply because I need income. I want to look forward to my job, at least most of the time, and be able to put positive energy into it. I’m telling you this because I think it’s important that you know how I feel about my work. I want you to know that I want to keep doing it, because if you know I’m invested in it, there is a greater chance that you’ll invest more in me, and that’s good for all of us.     7. Acknowledge my work and me. Sometimes my work is extremely challenging. Sometimes, others don’t seem to believe that what I am doing is very important. There are days when it feels like no one cares that I’m here, doing my job – even Theresa. Please understand that at times I need encouragement or a pat on the back, or just someone to say, “What you do is important and valuable.” I may get messages from family, friends, society that tell me otherwise. So I need you to show me you care, that what I do makes a difference. 8. I don’t get paid a fair wage. I’m not whining; I’m stating a fact. I knew the pay when I started, and I realize it may take a long time before this changes. But what can I do, and what can Theresa do, and what will you do, to work for change? Have you worked on this issue before? If so, tell me about it. I know it’s not as simple as asking you for a raise. There is an institutional bias in this country, and community services, already under-funded, have seen cuts at state and local levels. Meanwhile, the cost of health insurance has skyrocketed. Who do I write to? Who do I call? Let’s advocate together. 9. I understand the need for an organizational hierarchy, but…. All employees have a place in the hierarchy; the buck has to stop somewhere. It looks to me like my job is at the bottom of the totem pole, or darn close to it. If there must be a hierarchy, help me to not always feel that I’m at the bottom. My position here, and the others like it, is the closest on a daily basis to people with disabilities. We’re important. So, if on the organizational chart we need to be low, find ways to lift us up. Frankly, the chart doesn’t matter all that much to me. What matters is how I’m treated as an employee. Consider that it may also be best for Theresa if those of us from different places on the chart work collaboratively – if we acknowledge the chain of command but don’t dwell on it. If we mix it up here and there when possible. I’m not suggesting I begin telling the Executive Director what to do (though I’m not   opposed to the idea!) but rather, that those of you “above” us direct support workers respect us enough to understand what the hierarchy can sometimes feel like to us. Here is one example: I’d been working with Theresa for a year when her case manager, my supervisor, quit. A new case manager was hired (with no input from me or Theresa, by the way) and began getting to know Theresa. It got a little awkward, me knowing Theresa pretty well by then and teaching my new supervisor some things, but my new supervisor telling me what to do. She needed to learn her job, which included supervising me, yet there were some things I knew more about. She had a hard time accepting that it would take her a while to learn everything she’d need to, and wanted to quickly put on the “supervisor hat.” I wanted to say, “Chill out! You’ll have plenty of opportunities to direct me!” But I didn’t. 10. Some flexibility is good for everybody. My flexibility is important to you, and to Theresa. The need for it is inherent in this kind of work. So many things that go on in Theresa’s life rely on people to make them happen – people who, being humans, make mistakes and get stuck in traffic and get sick and oversleep. So you ask me to be flexible, and this is reasonable. I think there are times when flexibility on your part is also needed. Not always, in every situation, no matter what. That would not be reasonable—just as it would not be reasonable for you to expect that I would be willing or able to change plans or schedules all the time. But it’s worth thinking about ways in which you, my agency, and you, my supervisor, can show flexibility toward me. After all, I’ve been here two years now, longer than the average direct support worker. And I’ve done a good job. I’m reliable, I have a good relationship with Theresa, and I bring a lot to my work. Whether it concerns my job duties, or my schedule, or a time off request—whatever it may be, please consider the circumstances. Working together, with give and take, benefits all of us: you, Theresa, and me.     Peter Leidy was our guest speaker for the 2nd Annual SPEAK DSP Appreciation Banquet. Peter Leidy is an independent consultant and has over 20 years as DSP supporting people with disabilities and providing mentoring support to direct support professionals.