Utilizing Resource Ownership

Nathan was introduced to Job Squad, Inc. a couple of years ago through the WVDRS. He was interested in becoming an employee of Pre Sort in Charleston, West Virginia.  Nathan was hired at Pre Sort to work on the line, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the business had to lay off some of their employees.  Nathan was a new hire, so unfortunately he was laid off.  Nathan’s parents did not give up, however, and continued to seek assistance in helping Nathan find employment in the community.  Job Squad, Inc. received the DHHR Customized Employment grant in 2014 in Kanawha County which allowed Nathan to begin his employment search again. 

Jan, a Career Counselor in the Charleston office, met Nathan and his family back in March 2014.  Jan began the “Discovery” process with Nathan which allowed her to get to know ‘who Nathan was’ as an individual – what his skills, interests, and talents really are.  Jan found that Nathan is a very enthusiastic and energetic individual who wanted to work.  She also found out that Nathan had developed a fondness for Chris Wilson, the supervisor at Pre Sort, along with the other employees who worked there.  Each time she met with Nathan, he continued to express great interest in returning back to work at Pre Sort.  The problem was there were no employment opportunities available at Pre Sort.

Together, Nathan and Jan continued to explore other opportunities in the community that would accentuate his talents and accommodate his personal needs.  Unfortunately, none of these job strategies turned into an employment opportunity that was beneficial for Nathan.  Jan began to discuss her frustration with Chris because she knew that Nathan had a real desire to work and was able to make a contribution in the employment arena.  Together, Chris and Jan discussed the possibility of bringing Nathan back to work at Pre Sort because this was Nathan’s desire.  Fortunately, business has picked up for Pre Sort and Chris made the determination that Pre Sort could use another piece of equipment called a Strapping Machine.

 Through Resource Ownership, Nathan’s parents provided the funding for the piece of equipment and Nathan has been hired to once again work at Pre Sort.  Resource ownership is a mutually beneficial process of acquiring materials, equipment, or skills that, when matched to a job seeker’s interests and customer needs, generates profits for the employer and wages for the employee. (Griffin, C.C., Hammis, D. & Geary, T. (2007). The Job Developer’s Handbook: Practical Tactics for Customized Employment. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.) An example Griffin-Hammis uses is a truck driver who owns a tractor-trailer applies for a hauling job. Without the trucking equipment, the trucker faces unemployment, or a less satisfactory, lower paying hauling job.  People with the most significant disabilities are not often recognized for their exploitable gifts and talents, hence their high unemployment rate. Resource ownership counteracts the effects of disability stigma by suggesting a shared risk between the worker and the employer (and perhaps the funding agency), and a partnering approach to job creation.  Nathan is the owner of the strapping equipment at Pre Sort and if for any reason he were to leave his employment site, he would be able to take this equipment with him, or allow Pre Sort to purchase the equipment at that time. 

Resource ownership follows the tradition of career investment deeply ingrained in the psyche of our culture. The job seeker’s satisfaction must remain the focus of attention, blended through careful negotiation in the marketplace to reveal mutual gain between the employee and the employer. Anything less than the consumer-driven approach wastes taxpayer money, makes the job seeker appear incompetent to the community, and is not customized employment. Through the skillful work of Jan, our Career Counselor at Job Squad, Inc., and the willingness of Chris Wilson, supervisor at Pre Sort, utilization of Resource Ownership was negotiated and allowed Nathan to become an employee of Pre Sort, working four days a week, 20 hours per week.  This was a “win-win” situation.