By Leigh Anne Wenning
Contributing columnist
October is recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is a special time for us to highlight the contributions of workers with disabilities and to raise awareness about the very real impact and importance of inclusion in the workplace. Statistics have continued to demonstrate that people with disabilities are reliable and dedicated employees.
Locally, we at the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities (SCBDD) support over 70 individuals with disabilities to be competitively employed in our local community. We collaborate with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. We also provide support directly to the employees to help remove obstacles, as well as the employers to make sure the job is a fit for all parties.
The SCBDD starts working with students with disabilities in high school in order to gauge their interests and skill levels, as well as to start broaching topics like punctuality and workplace attire. Every year, a group of students goes through our Summer Work Experience camps and has the opportunity to experience several different jobs, as well as learn about the skills needed to do them.
Additionally, SCBDD supports a job club where the people we support can get together and share their experiences on being employed in the community.
We would like to thank our local business partners who continue to employ people with disabilities in Shelby County. Our top five employers in Shelby County are Kroger, Walmart, Pizza Hut, Lee’s Chicken and Buckeye Electric.
If you or someone you know wants to know more about how you can hire people with disabilities, please call 937-497-8155 and ask for Jeff Coaty.
For more information on other services provided by SCBDD, please visit our website at www.shelbydd.org and make sure to follow us on social media.
The writer is the superintendent of the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
