Ricci’s Academy Helps Support

National Disability Employment Awareness

By John Voket

The unemployment rate among people with disabilities is double that of the general population, according to Kim Bragoli, senior communications specialist from Ability Beyond Disability. As one of the areas largest nonprofit providers of employment services for people with disabilities, Ability Beyond Disability reminds people of the value of workers with disabilities year round, but puts particular focus on the issue every October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) .

Ability Beyond Disability is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Bethel, Conn., and Mount Kisco, N.Y., that provides a wide range of services for approximately 1,300 people with a disability that inhibits their activities of daily living — including numerous residential alternatives, employment training, career counseling, job placement services, cognitive and life skills instruction, clinical and therapeutic support, and volunteer and recreational activities.

Its services extend into much of Connecticut and the Hudson Valley, N.Y.

Throughout October Ability Beyond Disability celebrated National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) with a variety of events aimed at raising awareness and providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Ricci’s Hair Academy in Newtown served as a mentoring center for the agency’s Disability Mentoring Day Celebration, opening the school to a group of individuals interested in learning about a career in salon business. On October 22, several candidates toured the facility interacting with staff and getting a brief orientation to possible jobs in the field.

Western Connecticut State University hosted Ability Beyond Disability’s second annual Disability Mentoring Day Kick-off on October 21 at its West Side Campus. The three-day mentoring event offered individuals with disabilities the opportunity to tour various work environments and shadow employees at local businesses.

The event was expected to draw between 75 and 100 people with disabilities with more than 50 mentoring sites that currently include government, hospitality, retail, food service, and media outlets.

Danbury High School students teamed up with Ability Beyond Disability to host a wheelchair basketball game titled “Hoops for Hope” to help raise funds and awareness about employment for people with disabilities on October 22.

Ms Bragoli said the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce has been a leader in efforts to help get the economy back on its feet and at the same time helping people with disabilities to get jobs with “31 jobs in 31 days.” Throughout the month of October, Ability Beyond Disability offered employers the opportunity to receive partial wage and training reimbursements for working with them to hire someone with a disability.

With origins dating as far back as 1945, National Disability Employment Awareness Month marks the federal government’s effort to urge employers to consider the talents of all workers, including those with disabilities.

For more information on Ability Beyond Disability’s employment initiatives, contact Ms Bragoli at 826-3185 or kbragoli@abilitybeyonddisability.org.