MISSION: UCP WORK, Inc. is dedicated to providing services to residents of the Tri-Counties with mental and/or physical disabilities, so that they may work and live independently as contributing citizens within the community of their choice.
I Love My Job and I’m Making a DifferenceMeghan Donovan
To continue our celebration and focus on NDEAM this week, we are featuring Cullen Dorais whom is currently employed as the Warehouse Manager at Pacific Resources International (PRI), a disability-inclusive business and leading importer of fine foods and health care products, based out of Carpinteria, California. He obtained the job through the support of UCP WORK, Inc. Employment Services in June of 2015, and is responsible for managing stock levels, receiving incoming pallets, and building the outgoing pallets. “I ensure the smooth running of the warehouse side of my company’s operations,” Cullen stated.
When asked what has been the most helpful for Cullen in maintaining his job at PRI, he explained, “Having a Job Coach has been a great relay when communicating issues between myself and my supervisors, and a helpful means for my supervisors to voice any concerns about my performance so we can deal with them proactively.” As part of UCP WORK, Inc.’s Employment Services, participants are provided a trained Job Coach, by choice, to support the hired individual on the job, develop and maintain work skills, and ensure successful involvement in competitive employment.
Additionally, Cullen shared that he loves working with a small company, because the relationship with his bosses is much more personal. He described that at other jobs, where he’s worked for large corporations, he felt disconnected from the chain of command.
Keeping with the theme of NDEAM, we asked Cullen what message he would tell potential employers to make them aware of hiring individuals with disabilities. He responded, “People with disabilities want nothing more than to have the chance to contribute to society. You will not find a more hard working person who wants to be there and be motivated!”
For more information about the seven core components of a disability-inclusive organization, and a menu of strategies for achieving them, visit the Inclusion@Work Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization via the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).
Interested in UCP WORK, Inc. Employment Services, email Judy Linares, Program Services Director at jlinares@ucpworkinc.org or call 805.566.9000 to discuss the level of work and employees you are looking for.
