The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities is hosting weekly webinars to help educate and inform stakeholders. It has a goal of helping individuals with disabilities work and live independently so that they can live up to their fullest potential.
“The more people with disabilities believe in themselves,” said Chris Hendricks, a policy coordinator on the council, “the more the advocates who stand by people with disabilities can believe in the value of their work.”
It’s something that has been catching on across the state.
“We’ve really struck a chord with people across the state of North Carolina as we come out of this pandemic,” said Talley Wells, the executive director of the council.
Hendicks, who has cerebral palsy, says that disabilities can be seen as superpowers and that employers should be seeking those skills out.
“I think it’s time that employers open their eyes and see the tangible value that we bring to the table — the fact that we’re memorable, the fact that we’re more loyal, the fact that we can be adaptable in any situation,” Hendricks said. “If we’re talking about a population of people that had to adapt to the moment they came into being, they had to adapt to breathe, they had to adapt to walk, they had to adapt to exist, then adapting in a new working environment is a piece of cake.”
That rings true for Susan Barker. She worked for a copy shop for 18 years and was thriving. After transitioning to a new job, her employer was hesitant on letting her work with new technology and was worried that she would get hurt. Susan, however, just wanted to learn and keep working.
“I know that I have a hard time admitting that I’m disabled because a lot of people picture a disabled person in a wheelchair or totally incapable of doing everyday things on an everyday basis, but I am able to do those things,” Barker said. “I just do them at a slower pace, but I am willing and able to get everything done.”
Now, she participates in the council’s weekly webinars and is excited for what the future holds for her. She spends days at home completing everyday tasks and says she lives an independent and fulfilling life. She hopes that the webinars can help both employers and people with disabilities looking for work.
“I would say look at the person and not the disability,” Barker said. “Because I’ve always said 'you never know what a person can do unless you’re willing to give them a try.'”
And across North Carolina, the Council on Developmental Disabilities is continuing to push for change.
“We’re really about systems change,” Wells said. “There’s a lot of momentum happening here in North Carolina where all of the leadership, both at the general assembly and the governor’s office, are looking for ways to make North Carolina the best state for people with disabilities, and I’m really excited to be part of that.”
The webinars are held every other Thursday morning and include time for questions at the end. Upcoming webinar topics include assistive technology, college and post-secondary education and benefits planning. It also encourages the idea that disabilities are not a hindrance in the workplace but actually something to be sought out.