“Traditional” Self-Employment Process Created from RESEED Project
By Rebecca Holland, Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation, Jemez Pueblo, NM
“You are the wind beneath my wings.” Just hearing that phrase paints a picture in the mind. Maybe a person sees a large eagle soaring above the treetops, just gliding on the air current. Maybe another person pictures someone who is struggling to stand up being assisted by a friend. They are words of strength and words of courage. They are words that speak from the heart and create an image that brings a feeling of confidence. They are the words that the Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation (JVR) Project used to begin creating its self-employment process.
The vision that JVR has always tried to paint for consumers is that the program is merely the “wind beneath their wings.” As a rehabilitation program, we are unable to assist customers unless they are willing to be served. We are the ones who help consumers see their strengths and abilities and then build a plan around those assets to help consumers become self-sufficient and independent. The consumer has to build on his/her strengths and allow those abilities to develop to their fullest potential. Self-employment has always been a way for this to happen.
Since JVR’s inception in 1996, self-employment has been a viable outcome for the program’s consumers due to the rural location of the reservation and the lack of conventional employment opportunities in the area. The JVR staff has struggled for several years to find a way to develop a self-employment process that meets the consumers’ needs but also matches the program’s standards. In addition, the challenge of making that process culturally appropriate and traditionally-based has been difficult. When the JVR received a Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion Design Project (RESEED) grant from the Rural Institute, funding became available to develop that traditionally-based self-employment process. The JVR contracted services from a strategic planner, and the program was able to take the time to brainstorm ideas for the process. Staff met on a regular basis, discussed the community’s values, and designed a culturally appropriate process.
It was through these planning sessions that the Walatowa (Towa language for “this is the place”) Self-Employment Process Flow Chart was created. The word “created” is used here because the process is culturally appropriate for the Pueblo of Jemez consumers and allows each self-employed consumer to visually see each element of the self-employment path on the chart. Since the community is so connected to the earth and the planting/growing process, the chart depicts each phase of the planting/growing process and then correlates it with the self-employment stages. In the background of our idea is an eagle, symbolizing freedom and independence. This is the cry of the self-employed consumers–to fly on their own and become self-sufficient.
The first section in the self-employment process is called the “planting/seeding” stage. This is when the consumer is beginning his/her self-employment and is building the foundation for running a business. Much like planting seeds in the ground, the consumer is developing a work ethic and building a business plan that will provide the necessary components for a viable business. Tasks that are completed include: development of a business plan, completion of a financial management workshop, and the creation of marketing and promotional materials.
The second section in the self-employment process is called the “nurturing/tending” stage. This is when the consumers are busy working diligently to learn all of the specifics of running a business and are learning how to maintain physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health so they are able to sustain themselves while running their businesses. Much like tending crops that have been planted, self-employed consumers must learn how to take care of themselves and learn how to work with their disabilities. Tasks that are completed include: attending mandatory appointments and meetings (dental, medical, optometric, counseling, etc.) and evaluating their progress toward the goal that has been established.
The third and final section in the self-employment process is called the “growth/harvest” stage. This is when consumers are learning how to run their businesses on their own. Much like harvesting a crop, this is when the “fruit” of the consumer’s labor is examined. Now the true essence of the business development is seen. During this stage, the consumer practices what has been taught in the areas of craft/business development, marketing, and creating inventory.
It is difficult to put into words the satisfaction that the JVR staff and consumers share from completing the consumer self-employment process. Having a visual chart has made explaining the self-employment process to consumers much easier. Although the process has been a “work in the making,” no one at the JVR would change a thing. A wise philosopher once said, “many things are learned along the way to completing a task.” The JVR would like to extend a big thank you to the staff at the Rural Institute for providing the opportunity to work on the Walatowa Self-Employment Process.
The JVR Staff includes:
- Rebecca Holland, Program Manager,
- Yolanda Toledo, Job Coach/Job Developer,
- Cathy Sabado, VR Counselor,
- Joyce Tsosie, VR Counselor and
- Leslie Baca, Administrative Assistant
Contact Information
Rebecca Holland
Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation
P. O. Box 687
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024