We are approaching the 11th hour. Ryan graduates this month and we have yet to nail down an appropriate job for Ryan. If you missed the January 20th posts – I will explain; Ryan is going to work full time for a year, live at home in his “apartment”, and apply for the Vanderbilt Next Step College Experience program for the fall of 2012. We hope to have a job in place this July when we return from our mission trip to Peru. But, we don’t have it yet. But, not for a lack of trying…
Up
In January I scheduled a visit to the local food bank. (4th largest in the nation BTW.) I was on a sales call. I was selling the idea that they partner with Americorps, apply for funding for two or three full time interns, and consider Ryan as one of those interns. Closed that sell, baby. They loved the idea. Americorps was on their to-do list anyway and they had a solid track record of inclusion in their volunteer force. It looked like a done deal.
Down
I offered to call the state liaison for Americorps on behalf of the food bank. Maybe there was something I could do to streamline their application. Not a good phone call. First, I discovered that we had missed the deadline date by a week. The food bank would not be able to create a partnership until 2012. My disdain for bureaucracy did battle with the need to find a Plan B; thankfully the latter won. Through my teeth I asked, “Are there any current non-profits with Americorps interns who might be interested in adding an inclusive component?” (That’s bureau-speak for making a place for a special needs intern.) He reminded me of an option we had looked at last year, it was a poor choice last year – and still is. “More?”, I asked. But, sadly no. He closed the conversation with the mention of a nationally funded program or two. I made some notes and hung up.
Up
The www is cool. I went to the Americorps website, launched a search for Tennessee-based nationally funded programs and found the non-profit my liaison friend had mentioned. Another sales call. The director was easy to talk to and genuinely interested in “adding an inclusive component”. I told him about Ryan; his school, his work at Olive Garden, and his many activities and Director Will was on board. He said that applications for summer of 2011 are submitted in April. I told him to be watching for Ryan’s application. He shot back with, “I will email you so you won’t forget it”. Score!
Down
The Republican budget proposal wiped Americorps off the map. I don’t know if you are red or if you are blue, but posturing and politics often make bad policy. Beltway games.
Up
We applied and set up an interview anyway. Americorps survived with a 6% cut. It still seemed do-able. Ryan was nervous, oh so nervous in the interview, but it didn’t seem to throw the director. He was still on board. Sure, he would need to run it by his CEO, but we left more than hopeful.
Down
We got the phone call last week. Ryan didn’t get the job. Remember the budget cuts? This particular non-profit was hugely affected. Instead of hiring their normal ten interns they would have to settle for only seven for 2011. There just wasn’t room for Ryan.
And down
We asked a couple of local businesses if we could sit down with their HR department and talk about hiring Ryan. “We aren’t set up to hire special needs employees,” was the response. I confess; I have yet to figure out how to handle that type of answer. As parents of a special needs child our radar goes off at the slightest thing. I hear a “ping” inside my head, I identify the offending barrier, and launch my attack. And so I shot back. You don’t want to know the details. I suspect that I burned at least one bridge. I should have said with a laugh, “aww, you know… not many folks are (set up to hire special needs employees), what I was hoping to do was talk to someone about how other companies have done so with great success.” Yep, that’s what I should have said.
So, once again we are looking for a local company that would be interested in hiring Ryan full time. Cheryl said that we may not be looking for a where, but a who; someone who thinks this is an idea worth exploring. We aren’t looking for his Forever Job, just something entry-level for the next year. Don’t be bashful. If you have an idea, let us know.
No comments:
Post a Comment