can a doll teach job skills?
TRANSCRIPT
Can a doll teach job skills?
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How Yes She Can Inc. is approaching job skill development
for young women with autism
Yale UniversityFebruary 13, 2015
MARJORIE MADFIS, MBA
SHERI BARON, PHD
@YESSHECANINC
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Presenters
Marjorie MadfisFounder and President Yes She Can Inc.Mother of 18 year old girl with ASD30 year career in corporate marketingMBA, Boston University
Sheri BaronDirector, Yes She Can Inc.Clinical psychologist, over 20 years in private practice specializing in HFA/Aspergers SyndromePhD. Syracuse University Post-doc Teachers College, Columbia
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Intentions1. Share our experiences and insights
with you
2. Learn from your experts
3. Collaborate to further our mission of improving employment opportunities and outcomes for women with autism
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Agenda1. Adults and employment data
2. Ready for work
3. Yes She Can vision
4. Reality: Laying the track while the train is moving
5. Girl AGain as laboratory
6. Profiles
7. The work we do
8. Goals for year 2
9. Q&A
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Autism employment
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80% of adults with ASD are unemployed
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And then….8 years following High School ◦ only 53% of adults have worked for pay (Shattuck, 2012)
◦ Unemployment rates for autism higher than other disabilities
◦ difficult time navigating work due to cognitive, communication and behavioral challenges (Zager, 2014)
Implications: ◦ Cost of caring for adult with autism who is not
working > $2 Million over their adult life (Autism Society,
2011)
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Ready to work?
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After high school optionsCollege campus programs
◦ Accredited college with various supports (Adelphi)
◦ College programs designed for special ed students (NYIT VIP)
◦ Parallel programs on college campuses (Lesley College Threshold)
Vocational residential programs◦ Most end at 21 under IDEA
◦ some continue with adult programs in community (Chapel Haven, Vista)
Last year of high school vocational prep◦ Project SEARCH
“Day Hab” programs ◦ with or without walls
◦ “full day” = 9-2:30
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High school skills vs workplace skills
School Work
Support Teacher and TA Peers
Reward Right answer Solutions to problems
Approach Independent Collaborative
Social Forced Necessary
Intense interest
Obsession Expertise
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Yes She Can: the vision
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Autism Employment ModelsSheltered workshops
Agency run businesses Revenue funds the organization Arc of Westchester: eDocs NY SAARC: Beneficial Beans
Family run businesses For profit or non-profit Long-term employment Extraordinary Ventures Rising Tide Car Wash Spectrum Designs Aspiritech
Training for competitive placement Specialisterne
Competitive differentiation Ultra Testing
Conventional businesses with VR supported employment Shoprite
Conventional business with intention Walgreens
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Criteria for Yes She Can1. Female-focused
2. Start from individual’s strengths and passion
3. Satisfy market demand
4. Apply business perspective – generalize and transfer skills
5. Immersive learning approach
6. Coaching and mentoring for sustainability
7. Create community of women at work
8. Instill culture of inclusion and respect in “NT” local community
9. Experiment, iterate and measure success (laboratory)
10. Scalability (incubator)
11. Serve as a model
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Training with a business perspectiveTasks with a reason - Why
Process – How
Problem-solving
Collaborative decision making
Dealing with uncertainty
Setting priorities
Responsibility and commitment
It’s not about you- it’s about the customer
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Teaching tasks vs business conceptsDoes “what” + “why” = generalize?
examples Task Concept
Shopping bags Accuracy Marketing
Inventory Counting Purchasing
Product knowledge
Study Expertise
Product display Arrange by rule
Customer motivation
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Immersive learningLearning on the job
One-on-one teaching
How to and why
Opposite of production line –try all aspects of business
Stretching
Accomplishments
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Creating the ecosystem
Structure
Supply DemandWork
Job
expertise
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Leveraging a passionMy inspiration
for our first program
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Izzie’s career goal: American Girl Place hair salon
expertise
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American Girl brand
Founded 1986 – mail order catalogGirls in American historical periodsAttention to authentic detailGirls who can read – ages 8-11Collect in depthGirl empowerment message
Retail store experienceCafé, Hair Salon, events
Mattel (Barbie)Aspirational, attainable luxuryShifting to younger aged girlsDoll that looks like self
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Is there a business?Market demand
New carries a high price tagDolls: $115 Outfits: $22-$40 each Furniture: $30 - $300
Huge secondary market Girls who want to add to collection
Girls who want a first dollAdult collectors
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Is there a business?Product Supply
AG has been around for 27 yearsOldest cohort = 37 years old
SourcesEbay, Craig’s List
Garage sales
Donations
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The realityBUILDING THE TRACKS
WHILE THE TRAIN IS MOVING
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Girl AGain model
Structure
Supply DemandWork
Merchandise DonationsPurchases
CustomersMarketingPromotionsPREvents
Retail spaceTasksProcessesFundingAccounting
Colleagues and managersSocial skillsBehavior coaching
Job
expertise
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Opened Feb 8 2014Hartsdale NY Strip mallInside another new business, Sweet Heaven Spa, 125 sq. ft.
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Moved Oct 29 2014Edge of downtown White Plains, walk to Metro North train station and bus hub.
750 Sq. Ft.
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The work: on the job trainingMerchandise◦ Research, sort, assess, analysis, decision making, collaboration
Sales◦ Communicate, sell, transactions, social
◦ Events – demonstrate, lead
Marketing◦ Website development, contact database
◦ Social media
Operations◦ Accounting: Quick Books
◦ Store maintenance
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Coaching & MentoringBusiness coaching
Social & behavioral coaching
Career mentoring
Peer mentoring
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Community of Women
“I can be myself”
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Societal impactIntroducing our customers to women with autism in responsible positions
“grease the skids” for conventional employers to hire women with autism.
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ScalabilityGirl AGain cannot employ all women who want to work
By creating an incubator with constant thru put (“graduation”) more women can participate
Conventional employers need to absorb Yes She Can traineesEventually, Yes She Can will have a portfolio of businesses that meet the criteria of viability Not all women have a passion for American Girl. Really.
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Girl AGain as laboratory
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Characteristics of workplace successMotivation and perseverance
Good social communication skills
Good emotional regulation
Adaptability and flexibility (cognitive and emotional)
Dealing with these issues all the time, day in and day out.
If trainees are able to achieve in these areas, they have a good shot at job success.
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Potential for success at work
Support for academic success in HS and college –but scholastic success is not enough.
Little preparation for work successsocial, emotional and communication skills needed
to be good employees.
No idea why they get hired and why they get fired.
Do not know what they are doing right or what is getting them in trouble.
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Girl AGain – a laboratoryA work environment in which:
Social communication skills are practiced in a safe place with a range of people
The Hidden Curriculum is directly taught.
Where genuine honest feedback is provided
We realistically address their strengths and weaknesses
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Business expectation and psychology
Workplace Do’s and Don'ts
Business Rules: Personal hygiene, Who is the boss
Why its important? People will not want you as part of their team
Clarity on who provides direction and assessment
Do Don’t
wear clean clothes, bathe, use deodorant
wear wrinkled dirty clothes, low cut shirts, etc.
understand there may be more than one “boss”
ignore information just because is does not come from your “boss”
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Immersive teaching
I cannot do this work from a therapist’s chair.
We need an authentic environment in which young women can learn and practice what is necessary to become good employees.
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Profiles
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Trainees
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MonicaOverview: Age 25, Asperger’s, GED, lives with mother
Paid employment experience: none, volunteer roles
Career goal: work with animals
Joined Yes She Can : Fall 2014, before store opened
Work schedule: Thursdays and Saturdays, 4 hours each day
Skill Assessment◦ Strengths: motivated, pleasant to be around, will advocate for self,
travels independently, sustains focus, willing to help others◦ Challenges: Talking to strangers, small talk, anxiety regulation,
difficulty with math, rigid at times
Exit Strategy◦ Center for Career Freedom: office software skills◦ Access- VR placement
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PaigeOverview: Age 25, ASD, OPWDD, attended CIP, lives at home with mother and sister, takes classes at community college, has boyfriend
Paid employment: day care center, 3 days a week, 3 hours per day
Career goals: voice-over actress
Joined Yes She Can: Fall 2014, before store opened
Work Schedule: Thursdays, 4 hours
Skill assessment◦ Strengths: Personable, capable of doing all tasks in store, willing to help other
workers, travels independently
◦ Weaknesses: Following directions and sustaining attention; poor speech articulation; talks too much-does not know when others are disinterested, even with direct instructions dresses inappropriately
Exit strategy: not defined
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IsabelleOverview: Age 18.5, ASD, attends high school and working towards CDOS credential, lives with parents; OPWDD
Paid employment: none. Internships through school, and JCCA
Career goal: to work at American Girl Place hair salon (or perform at Disney World)
Joined Yes She Can: from beginning
Work schedule:: Saturdays and Sundays 2 hours in mornings, and at events
Skill assessment:◦ Strengths: passion for and knowledge of American Girl products; enjoys sharing
knowledge; doing work tasks involving high interest (research, pricing, display), follows schedule
◦ Weaknesses: Following directions and sustaining attention when interest is low; emotional regulation; social skills and social understanding; rigid; separating from being a customer
Exit strategy: none
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Running the business andOn the job training
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Making a complete outfitAssessing condition
Researching competitive pricing
Decision making
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Displaying doll outfitsCategorizing by doll, once and not done
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Cleaning dollsPlaying with dolls for a purpose, attention to detail
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Displayed to sell
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Rearranging displays
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Preparing furniture Following directions
Working with tools
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Thank you IkeaCollaboration, following directions, using power tools
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SalesDid I mention how much I love Felicity?
When enough is enough
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Book Keeping
Learning QuickBooks
NY State
ACCES-VR
work trial program for businesses
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Marketing
Web site development
WordPress
MailChimp
Data entry
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IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU What does the customer need or want?
(testing theory of mind)57
TransactionsIt’s NOT math
Dealing with anxiety
Using tech for work
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BankingEven dolls need to learn how to make a deposit
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In-store events for girlsDemonstrating expertise, practicing leadership
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Events for girlsPresentation skills, recognition, respect
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Year 2 goalsMARJORIE MADFIS
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What’s nextGirl AGain: trainees Formalize processesMeasurement methodsExit strategies for each traineeCreate “serious games” for practicing skillWork with employers - Create transition and training
Girl AGain: operationsAcquire more donated merchandise
Yes She Can goals Fundraising and grants
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Thank you
Marjor [email protected]
SBaron2001@aol .com
914-428-1258
YESSHECANINC.ORG
MARJORIE MADFIS, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
SHERI BARON, DIRECTOR
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Questions?ANSWERS?
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Marjorie MadfisFounder and President, Yes She Can Inc., Manager, Girl AGain boutique
Marjorie Madfis founded Yes She Can Inc. in November 2013, inspired by her daughter, Isabelle who is a teen with autism. Marjorie realized that her daughter and other teens with autism transitioning from high school to the adult world, need specialized coaching and training to be able to join the workforce. From her observations and experience with her daughter, she believed that people with autism particularly needed to have an immersive experience to prepare for the competitive work place.
Previously Marjorie had a successful 30-year career in corporate marketing with expertise in interactive marketing, branding, strategy, and direct marketing. In 2013 she retired from IBM after 17 years of service where she held leadership roles in digital and social media marketing.
Prior to joining IBM, Marjorie was a direct marketing consult providing services to Ogilvy & Mather and IBM, and to leading publishers including Hearst, TV Guide, and Time Inc. Previously, she held positions as Director of Marketing at Doubleday Book Clubs and Account Supervisor at Wunderman Worldwide.
Marjorie holds an MBA from Boston University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Community Development from University of New Hampshire.
Marjorie lives in White Plains, New York, with her husband and daughter. She serves as a member of the Westchester County Autism Advisory Committee, and had founded the White Plains School District PTA Committee on Special Needs. She has been an active fundraiser for Autism Speaks (NAAR) and Autism Science Foundation.
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Sheri Baron, PhD.Director, Yes She Can Inc.
Sheri Baron is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Baron has extensive experience working with toddlers through young adults diagnosed with High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome.
She received her doctorate in psychology from Syracuse University and completed post-doctoral work at Teachers College, Columbia University. She spent five years doing research at Downstate Medical Center involved in studying brain-behavior relationships that is the relationships between neurotransmitter and hormone changes on mood and behavior. This interest led to a focus in private practice on the effects of regulation of sensory, mood/emotional, and attentional systems on symptoms experienced by patients.
Dr. Baron has a strong interest in helping her patients and others with social and communication disorders develop those skills necessary to obtain meaningful work and ultimately attain independence. In April 2014, she began volunteering at Girl AGain boutique operated by Yes She Can Inc. to provide job coaching, counseling and behavioral support to the women who participate in the program. She joined the Board of Yes She Can Inc. in October 2014
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AddendumWebsite: www.GirlAGain.com
Website: www.YesSheCanInc.org
Videos: The Local Live
Facebook: GirlAGainBoutique
Features:◦ WCBS radio: Stories from Main Street
◦ Today.Com: Living the 'American Girl' dream: Mom opens shop to help daughter with autism
◦ The Journal News: 1-of-a-kind shop helps autistic girls follow their dreams
◦ Autism Daily Newscast: video
This presentation is available on slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/marjoriemadfis
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Calling All American Girls
Seeking gently used American Girl brand dolls and their clothing, furniture, accessories, and books
to be prepared and resold in our boutique
Operated by Yes She Can Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization developing job skills and employment opportunities for young women with autism.
Call to arrange donations: 914-428-1258
Learn more at www.YesSheCanInc.org
4 Martine Ave. White Plains, NY 10606
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