This October marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual recognition of the positive impact people with disabilities make in the workforce.
Northeast Arc, which is headquartered in Danvers, but serves thousands of people in nearly 200 Massachusetts cities and towns each year, has been a leader in supported employment for decades. The organization trains and coaches people with disabilities, matching them with employers who may be having trouble filling job vacancies.
One of the people benefiting from Northeast Arc’s employment program is Marblehead resident, Emily Gawrys.
Gawrys, 37, works at The Mariner, a senior living facility in Marblehead. She started as a housekeeper in July 2023, before the facility opened to residents. In her role she is responsible for vacuuming, dusting, picking up trash, as well as other responsibilities. Gawrys also does laundry for the residents and delivers it to their room once it has been cleaned and folded.
Rachel Semel is a Pre-Employment Program Manager at Northeast Arc and also serves as Gawrys’ job coach. Semel worked with Gawrys and The Mariner staff during the onboarding process to help Gawrys know what is expected of her and to learn how to do specific tasks.
Like other job coaches employed by Northeast Arc, Semel fosters relationships and identifies co-workers and managers who can support the individual when the job coach is not there. The support of the job coach fades as the employee gains independence, however, the coaches continue to check-in and can provide more support if the individual is learning a new task or having difficulty.
The reaction by both the staff and the residents of The Mariner to Gawrys is overwhelmingly positive.
“They love her so much,” Semel said. “The residents are all excited to see her, and she is always getting compliments on her smile and infectious giggle. The staff also notice how much she cares and how hard she works to do a good job. It is a very welcoming and inclusive environment.”
Andrew McClaskey, maintenance director at The Mariner, said, “When Emily came for an interview with one of her job coaches, it was apparent that she was going to be a good fit for the team I was putting together to open the assisted living facility. Emily’s duties shift occasionally, and the folks from Northeast Arc are there whenever we need them, while also providing enough autonomy so she has a work life with our team.”
Gawrys, who is legally blind, couldn’t be happier in her job.
“My coworkers are really nice, and we share a lot of stories,” she said. “I love my job coaches. Rachel taught me how to vacuum and better ways to clean. If I need something she always comes to help me.”
She added, “My parents love my job too because it is close to my house. I can walk to work if needed.”
McClaskey said, “I would highly recommend this program to any employer looking for reliable, hard-working employees. Northeast Arc wants the people they support to succeed so they work hard to make sure the skill set of the individuals they support match the needs of the employer.”
McClaskey added, “This program by Northeast Arc accomplishes two goals: Emily helps The Mariner get important work done, and, conversely, The Mariner provides Emily an opportunity to work with dignity. It has been a very good experience. Emily is one of us, and we are very happy to have her here.”
