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Charlotte Amalie
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Not for Profit: Projects with Industries

Oct 8, 2007 — Disabled residents are getting the tools they need to become successful in the workforce thanks to Projects with Industries.
Sponsored by the V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled, PWI helps people with disabilities become gainfully employed, according to program supervisor Liza Harlan.
"Some employers are not willing to accept people with disabilities," says Antoinette Johnson, an employment specialist with PWI. Some employers are unaware that there is a large range of disabilities that can impact a person's ability to work, she says. Disabled clients may have high blood pressure, be wheelchair bound, or suffer from mental disabilities, Johnson explains.
Harlan and her team take their clients step by step through the process of becoming potential employees. The program provides whatever the client needs, she says. The range of needs varies from transportation issues to assistance with obtaining a GED, Johnson says. It is the employment specialist's challenge to place the right client with an employer who meets their needs.
"(Employers) feel that the candidates are unable to do the job because of their disabilities," Johnson says. "We find their strengths and weaknesses before we place them."
By using the PWI program, employers receive capable, willing employees, and the employer strengthens the community and sets an example for corporate citizens on St. Croix, according to VIRCD.
"It's very important to know the culture of the employer to ensure a good match," Harlan says. The disposition of the client is important as well, she says. A person who becomes uncomfortable in large crowds, or someone who cannot endure stressful situations because of elevated high-blood pressure, will not get placed in a large company, she explains.
One of the major placement challenges is accessibility, according to Johnson. Many of St. Croix's historic buildings are inaccessible to VIRCD's wheelchair-bound clients.
There are people who may qualify as disabled who may be unaware of their disability, Johnson says. People suffering from arthritis, high-blood pressure, amputees, those suffering from sickle-cell anemia and more are all considered disabled. Harlan and Johnson recommend that a physician evaluate people who believe they have a disability.
"Community awareness is extremely vital for the V.I. so that they may open their doors to people with disabilities," Johnson says.
VIRCD has centers on St. Thomas and St. John. The program, serving the community for more than 15 years, is a joint effort between the Department of Education, state office of Special Education, and the Catholic Diocese of the V.I. For more information on the programs offered through VIRCD, contact the St. Croix office at 713-2253 or, on St. Thomas, 777-2253. To make a tax-deductible contribution to the program, mail a check to VIRCD, P.O. Box 308427, St. Thomas, VI 00803-8427.
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