Montana Consumer Controlled Careers

Working with Individuals in their Communities

By Mike Flaherty, Pete Hathaway, Sandra Christensen, and Gail Neal

Since 1997, Rural Institute organizational consultants have worked in thirteen Montana communities helping disability service providers help their customers find community employment through the Montana Consumer Controlled Careers project. Over 45 individuals with disabilities have found work through this project.

In 2001-2002 three developmental disability service providers participated in this project: Opportunity Resources in Missoula, COR Enterprises in Billings and Hardin, and Glenwood Industries in Plentywood. Each agency faced different challenges in helping people with disabilities find jobs, but each found clever solutions to those problems. A key to success for all three was commitment to finding the best job match for each individual job seeker. Rural Institute organizational consultants helped the employment consultants with training and technical assistance in self-determination, systematic instruction, and job carving. Together they helped nine individuals find work. Below are three peoples’ stories. Their names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

Opportunity Resources

Job carving made Jason’s job possible. His employer, Superior Hardwoods, needed someone to do some routine tasks so other employees would be free to concentrate on other work and provide better customer service. Jason’s Job Developer recognized that Jason could do these tasks and the work would fit Jason’s skills, abilities, and interests. In addition to performing general shop/equipment maintenance, Jason strips nails from old boards. He uses a metal detector and power tools to “de-nail” wood from antique bars. Once the wood is free of nails, it becomes a saleable product.

Prior to hiring Jason, Superior Hardwoods had to hire two people to do the work Jason does. His employer recognizes his value and has developed a good working relationship with Jason. In fact, the employer has been willing to accommodate Jason’s transportation problems. Superior Hardwoods is not located on a city bus route, so Jason’s Job Developer arranged to have another transportation service pick up Jason and deliver him to work. Unfortunately, this service is only available three days each week; Jason’s employer agreed to have him come in only three days and will expand Jason’s hours when the transportation service expands service.

Jason is a committed employee and always shows a positive attitude toward his employer, co-workers, and job tasks. As he learns new job tasks, his employer has made additional accommodations to insure Jason will be productive and successful. Most recently, the employer purchased new equipment and developed some visual aids that help Jason improve his work output.

Working in the community has helped Jason build his self-esteem. He wants to get his own apartment in Missoula and participate in the shopping and entertainment options the community offers everyone.

Glenwood Industries

Self-determination made Jeremy’s life possible. Staff at Glenwood Industries support people with disabilities to live independent lives and help them make informed choices. Rural Institute organizational consultants helped and Glenwood staff with training and technical assistance in facilitating self-determination. Jeremy benefitted directly from this training.

Jeremy completed Special Education school-based program in 1993. He needs significant support in speech and occupational therapy. During school he participated in vocational skills training. Since graduating he has come a long way. He lives in his own apartment and is working two jobs: one at the Post Office and the other at a sporting goods store. Recently he married the girl of his dreams. He is able to maintain his own checkbook and manages his money efficiently. Jeremy prides himself on keeping a tidy apartment and works regularly on improving his cooking skills. A big sports fan, Jeremy is a huge supporter of the Plentywood Wildcats.

COR Enterprises

Finding resources in your own community was the key to success for COR Enterprises in Hardin, Montana. Hardin is on the Crow Indian Reservation. Unemployment is high and job options are low. There is no public transportation and this is a perennial problem for everyone, not just people with disabilities. Since getting people to jobs was so difficult, COR decided to look for work that people could do in their own homes.

A former COR board member happened to be a fishing guide on the Big Horn River. He needed hand-tied flies to sell to his customers and wanted to work with COR and the people they serve. Fly tying seemed to be a perfect fit for several job seekers COR served. It required little space and could be done in the home. Plus there was a built in local market for the product.

The one stumbling block was the complexity of the fly tying task. That’s where the Rural Institute and their organizational consultants helped. They provided training in Systematic Instruction—a teaching system that breaks down complex tasks into teachable steps. Job coaches help the individuals complete each task by setting up the materials in an appropriate order and using prompts to help the person move from one step to the next.

Three people with developmental disabilities, including one with serious visual impairments, have worked tying flies through this project. Orders for the tied flies exceed what they can currently produce and they are on their way to earning a steady income and being contractors in their own fly tying business.

Contact Information

Mike Flaherty, Organizational Consultant
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
(406) 243-4619
mcf@ruralinstitute.umt.edu

Pete Hathaway
Opportunity Resources, Inc
2821 Russell
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 721-8744

Sandra Christensen
Glenwood Industries
202 East 1st Ave.
Plentywood, MT 59254
(406) 765-2040

Gail Neal
COR Enterprises
200 South 24th St.
Billings, MT 59101
(406) 248-9115