What More Can I Do?

There are times when everyone says that they can’t do any more for the person they’re supporting than they’re already doing. But what if we didn’t limit ourselves to what we think we can do? What if we tried just a little bit more? When one avenue doesn’t work, try another way.

Brad was going through a lot of transition. He was moving from school to work, moving to a new residence, and living in a new area. Things didn’t go well at first. After looking at several alternative options, Brad decided he wanted to stay at his current residence.

The staff supporting him wanted his experience to be a successful one. He was bored at the workshop and wanted a job, so he stopped attending his workshop. The staff supporting him began helping him fill out applications for jobs. Together, they completed 40-50 applications in three months.

While they didn’t have any luck finding a job, they helped Brad maintain a positive outlook. They tried another way. They offered volunteering as an alternative. At first, he said he wasn’t interested. Later, he decided to give it a try.

Brad began working at an equestrian farm, caring for the horses and assisting the riders. He also began working at a local senior center. Throughout all of this, his staff was transporting him to these locations, waited while he completed his responsibilities, and then drove him home.

Since he has done such a good job at the senior center, they have told Brad that if a job opens up, they would like to offer him a job. Brad’s confidence and feelings of self-worth have increased. His smile shines when you ask him about his jobs.

The team at his residence could have let him sit at home all day. They could have said that that’s as much as they could do for Brad when he stopped attending the workshop. Instead, they supported him in his ambition. While Brad hasn’t found a job yet, he’s well on his way because the people supporting him believed they could do more. And they did!