Rise ‘N Shine Program
Work and life skills training for students and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) from the IU 13, group homes and other locations. Promotes confidence and employment potential.
Developing Skills
It is estimated that as many as 8 million Americans; approximately 3% of the population, have intellectual disabilities. As a group, this population faces staggering unemployment, varying from 60% to almost 90%. Without gainful employment, many cannot lead independent and fulfilling lives.
Benefits To Establishments Who Hire:
Specific challenges come with employing people with ID, but companies are discovering many rewards. “There’s an ethical argument for hiring persons with disabilities, but what employers really want to know is whether it makes financial sense,” says advocate Jim Runyon. The answer, he says, is yes.
The Following Outcomes Have Been Found When Working With Adults With Intellectual Disabilities:
Adults with ID are often great performers of routine and systematic jobs. These jobs are often entry-level and can be high turnover positions. Working adults with ID have little absenteeism, low turnover attributable due to job dissatisfaction, and fewer accidents among employees.
Benefits To Adults With Intellectual Disabilities:
Work provides meaning and purpose to their lives, an opportunity to integrate with typical community, a meaningful, safe, and structured place to work, the ability to earn supplemental income, and acts as a stepping stone or reference to future job opportunities.
Why Is It Important?
Rise ‘N Shine is a program that provides work and life skills for intellectually disabled adults. These adults come to the Emerald Foundation with their supervisors on a routine basis from various communities and are considered valuable volunteers because of the work they do. By coming to the Foundation on a regular basis, these volunteers learn valuable skills applicable both at home and at a potential job.
More About Our Mission
Our volunteers focus on three general areas of work: cleaning, yard work, and food pantry. Beyond these three areas, there are countless other tasks done around the Foundation on an as-needed basis. Teamwork, communication, commitment and quality control are just some of the skillsets reinforced as they volunteer within some of our own programs such as Autumn’s Food Pantry. These volunteers pick up valuable job skills that can also be exercised in everyday home life. It is a goal of the program that these volunteers develop their confidence and employment potential and can then apply for work as a grocery store clerk, landscaping/grounds crew team member, janitorial worker or a kitchen worker.
Encourage Confidence
With your help, the Rise ‘N Shine program is able to promote confidence and employment potential for intellectually disabled volunteers.