For people with disabilities, recession ups challenge of getting a job

For nearly a year in 2008, Edward Robinson looked for a job around his Huntersville home, applying everywhere from grocery stores and movie theaters to bowling alleys and home-improvement centers. He landed a few jobs, but they never worked out.

“It was very frustrating and discouraging for all of us,” said his mother, Patsy Robinson.

Not only was Robinson, 23, dealing with a recession-pinched job market, but he also has autism, with limited verbal and social skills. But with help from Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Robinson stuck it out, and this month marks his one-year anniversary at Killingtons Restaurant and Pub in Huntersville.

“Goodwill was instrumental in Edward getting a job,” Patsy Robinson said. “They never gave up, and now he’s doing really well.”

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Goodwill is urging employers to consider hiring people with disabilities.

But with the economy struggling to recover, it’s easier said than done.

Liz Foster, vocational coaching services manager for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, said that thanks to high unemployment and companies downsizing, it’s an uphill battle for people with disabilities to find work.

“We used to be able to go into a business and identify the need for someone to do a few simple tasks. But now everyone is consolidating jobs and doing more with less,” she said. “It’s not that companies are unwilling. It’s just that they’re financially unable to accommodate an individual who may not be able to read or write or who has other challenges.”

Higher unemployment rate

Federal figures show that people with disabilities have faced higher unemployment than their nondisabled counterparts.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which in 2008 started tracking the employment status of people with disabilities, in 2009 the unemployment rate for people with a disability was 14.5 percent compared with 9 percent for those without a disability. Moreover, 19.2 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2009. Among people without a disability, 64.5 percent were employed in 2009. Employment statistics for people with disabilities is not available at the state or local level.

The sluggish economy has made it even tougher for people with disabilities to get employment, Foster said.

Since the recession, she said, her agency has had to get more creative in finding jobs for clients and look in multiple industries such as retail, food service, restaurants, janitorial and movie theaters.

“We help them (employers) understand our clients’ strengths; that’s what we sell to them,” said Foster. “The people we serve are motivated to work, and it helps improve their quality of living and be a part of the community. It’s about a lot more than just getting a paycheck.”

One way Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont has tried to find employment for its clients is through its Vocational Coaching Services, which provides employment-skills training and coaching for people with physical and mental disabilities, Foster said. The training covers everything from how to write resumes to improving job-interviewing and computer skills.

Foster said the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in Raleigh funds Goodwill’s disability programs and also refers clients to Goodwill.

Foster said Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont serve on average about 100 disabled people a year in the Charlotte area and find jobs for approximately 30 to 40 percent of them.

Foster said that once a client is hired, a job coach accompanies them to the worksite to guide them through the training process.

“Once they’re stable, they’re on their own,” Foster said. “Without Goodwill, our clients might be able to find a job, but not maintain it. That’s where vocational rehab is critical.”

Diagnosed with autism

When Edward Robinson was 4 he was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder, a form of autism that’s characterized by delays in the development of basic functions, such as socialization and communication, his mother, Patsy Robinson, said. Growing up, he was quiet and withdrawn and took special-education classes in school.

Not long after Patsy Robinson and her family, including her husband, Edward Robinson Sr., moved to Huntersville from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2007, they connected with Goodwill through the Charlotte branch of Arbor Education and Training, a national organization that provides work force-development services.

Edward Robinson attended Goodwill’s Employment Skills Training Program for one year. He then was assigned a vocational-coaching specialist, who helped him apply for jobs at different businesses, Foster said. He finally landed a job last year working in the garden center at the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Huntersville.

But Patsy Robinson said her son hated the heat that came with working outdoors and was scared of all the bees that were attracted to the garden center. He then worked briefly at the Goodwill store in Mooresville, helping clean it and stock merchandise, but there wasn’t enough direct supervision and he often strayed from his job duties, his mother said.

Edward Robinson and his coach continued searching for the right job for him, and nearly a year went by before Killingtons hired him in October 2009 to work in the kitchen doing prep work and cleanup.

Killingtons’ executive chef, Brian Bruce, said he and the restaurant’s owners, Greg and Shannon Roderic, felt it was important to participate in the Goodwill program.

“When the opportunity arose we were more than willing to give it a try,” he said. “We feel everyone deserves an opportunity.”

At first, Edward only worked about eight hours a week, Bruce said, but he soon gained confidence and his job skills improved. He now works anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week.

“He’s had a huge effect on our staff,” Bruce said. “He makes everyone look at things in a new light. He has his mishaps like everyone else, but he has a great work ethic. He’s always on time and does everything he’s asked to do. He sets the example for what we look for in a model employee.”

Having a big impact

Edward Robinson Sr. said he’s noticed big changes in his son since he started his job, which he hopes will prepare him to take on more responsibilities later in life.

“It seems like his mind has opened up and his learning capacity has gotten greater,” the father said. “I think a lot of it is due to the fact that he’s socializing and gaining confidence. I’m not sure how far his abilities will take him, but it’s important he start taking these steps because we’re not always going to be here.”

Steven Struble of Pineville faced challenges when he was trying to find a job. His mother, Tammie, said he has autism. Through a special-education program at South Mecklenburg High School, her son was referred to Goodwill.

Like Robinson, Struble, 20, learned job-readiness skills at Goodwill and worked with a job coach to find a job.

“He tried nursing homes, motels and retail stores,” his mother said.

He was eventually hired to help a new baby store prepare for its grand opening, but his mother said he was let go after a few weeks because he couldn’t keep up with the work’s pace.

Finally, after nearly a year of looking, he got a part-time job at Old Navy on South Boulevard in April and helps clean the sales floor, dressing rooms and bathrooms.

“The (job-hunting) process was tough,” Tammie Struble said. “But it would have been a lot harder without Goodwill.”

Struble said he loves his new job and hopes to study youth ministry at Central Piedmont Community College next year.

Old Navy District Manager Molly Arthur said Struble’s energy and outgoing personality made him a perfect fit for the retailer. Old Navy has employed other Goodwill participants at other Old Navy locations across Charlotte, Arthur said.

“We definitely believe in giving back to the community, and this is a great way to support individuals who are interested in getting into the work force, and we have a lot of jobs that line up with their skills and their abilities,” she said.

Jason Huntley of Charlotte also found a job through Goodwill.

Huntley, 27, was diagnosed with autism when he was 6, said his mother, Cynthia.

“He was extremely quiet,” she said. “When I took him to day care they would say, ‘Oh, you have the greatest son. He never says anything.’ Well, that’s not a good thing. For a while I ignored it. I didn’t want to accept it. But when it was time for him to go to school I knew something had to be done.”

She enrolled her son in teaching programs designed for children with autism, and while he progressed, he still has limited communications skills and lives with his parents.

“He wouldn’t be able to get a job on his own,” his mother said.

Goodwill helped him get a job at Red Robin in the University City area about two years ago, where he works in the kitchen doing food prep. General Manager Melvin Cochran said working with Goodwill is a companywide initiative and Steven is one of two employees at the restaurant with disabilities.

“These guys want to get out and work and be a part of the community, and we support that,” Cochran said.

Other than a brief stint at a grocery store, Red Robin is Huntley’s first job, and his mother said he’s made great strides.

“For the first time, Jason mentioned that he would like to get his own apartment,” she said. “That’s still up in the air, but he’s ready. And I think his job at Red Robin has prepared him to be independent. And, honestly, the more he’s away from his parents the better he does.”

Sam Boykin can be reached at [email protected].