Discovering A Path To Independence: Alex’s Story

Alex came to employU to find a path for future employment. Referred by Vocational Rehabilitation, she started working with employU for Discovery Services to help determine what would be most successful for her. Through this process, she was also referred to take part in a unique partnership with Unicorn Children’s Foundation. This partnership allowed her to work at Once Upon a Child for 20 hours to learn basic retail skills.  

Alex has very limited motor skills due to her disability. With the support of her Discovery Specialist, Jeff, she was able to learn how to complete the tasks needed. Jeff worked with an Occupational Therapist to help find ways for Alex to complete her job tasks independently. Jeff also helped her sign up for transportation services so that Alex could not only get to and from work, but also travel locally. “She now has the ability to use public transportation to access her community more effectively on her own,” Jeff explains.  

Within this internship at Once Upon a Child, Alex gained the confidence to work on her own. Jeff admires Alex’s upbeat attitude and knows it will take her far saying, “Alex was always in good spirits and excited to come to work. Even when there were issues and she was having difficulty, she would joke about the situation.” Alex is looking forward to continuing on her career path by building her employability skills through volunteer work.   

For more information on our Supported Employment and Discovery Services contact us using the form below or visit https://employu.org/supported-employment/  

Contact Us