From DSL Career Solutions Specialist, Kristen Falcone
Bailey Jones gained employment with Flik Dining, based at Trinity High School, in September 2015. He works five days a week in the cafeteria, helping to serve food to the students, and is incredibly dependable. He has excellent rapport with his coworkers, students, and faculty.
He knows most people on a personal level, always asking about themselves and their families. Bailey loves to attend the sporting events at Trinity, and has been a volunteer for the Culinary Club. Recently, he was a judge for a chili cook-off contest. Bailey is very involved in the Trinity community, and he loves being part of a work family. The Flik employees, as well as Trinity staff, have been supportive, encouraging, and always positive. His supervisors, Jeremy and Lee, provide Bailey with feedback and advice when needed, and also have developed a genuine connection with him, that allows him to feel supported and cared for.
During his time at Trinity, Bailey’s support through Career Solutions has slowly and appropriately decreased. As with all of our clients, an Employment Specialist is present often and frequently when a job begins. We are there to provide training not only to the client, but also to the employer, helping to forge proper interactions and expectations. As time goes on, and successes are being met, we fade to being present less often, therefore allowing the client to settle into some independence.
With Bailey, visits to see him at work steadily decreased into a pattern of twice a month. This meant he was working without support from an Employment Specialist around 20 days of an average 22 day work month. As he continued to exhibit a strong work ethic and perfect his skills, his services were then agreed to a decrease of one visit per month.
In January of 2020, a decision was made by Bailey, his parents, his employer, and Employment Specialist that he was ready to be discharged from Career Solutions services. This means that Bailey is now 100% independent and working a five day a week job just like any other person you’d meet.
He is extraordinary. He is passionate. He is kind, helpful, attentive, and determined. Bailey is not just an incredible person, he is an incredible employee, and his skills are appreciated at all times. He is so very excited and deeply proud of himself for reaching this amazing milestone of full independence on the job. He deserves a high five from everyone who knows him!
#career #HumanResources #DownSyndromeofLouisville #DownSyndrome #BeInspired #CareerSolutions
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