This Bible verse is the essence for creating the Genesis at Work Foundation, Meaningful Work for God’s Children with Special Needs. Bryan Holland felt God’s call to begin this foundation out of his hope and love for his son Scott.
Scott was born with a contagiously happy personality and also happens to have an extra chromosome known as Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome. Throughout his young life, Scott has shared his enthusiasm, ability to inspire, and genuine caring with classmates, coaches, teachers, and now fellow employees and employers.
With October being National Disabilities Employment Aware- ness Month, it’s the perfect time to introduce the Genesis at Work Foundation. This new nonprofit has a very impactful purpose: to find meaningful work for God’s children with special needs, enriching lives and businesses. A kickoff celebration is planned for Saturday, October 29 at the Sharonville Convention Center. Pella Windows and Doors is one of the corporate sponsors for this event.
Win-Win
Thanks to his advertising background and deep roots in Cincinnati, Bryan Holland was able to call on many contacts to form a group of strategic advisors to assist in the creation of the Genesis at Work Foundation. They were instrumental in helping develop the foundation’s mission and business strategy. Genesis at Work creates win-win partnerships with job seekers and businesses through customized work to meet the needs of both.
By collaborating with companies to train and implement customized work practices, the foundation provides support for the employment of 3-6 people with special needs, including intellectual and developmental challenges. The Inclusive Employers Program offered by Genesis at Work helps fill job openings and diversify workforces while positively impacting the businesses’ bottom line.
At the age of 22, individuals with disabilities are no longer able to attend high school. That leaves many with limited options. Genesis at Work supports job seekers by offering a comprehensive discovery session to better understand the skills, strengths, interests, learning style and work environment that best suits the individual. A customized plan, including a visual resume for potential employers, is created. After matching the job seeker with an employer, ongoing support and training are provided as needed.
In addition, Genesis at Work provides inspired, faith-based learning, helping families care for those with special needs through video or audio podcasts, blog posts, speaking events, workshops and spiritual life coaching.
“For families caring for those with special needs, this program offers an opportunity for greater meaning, purpose and hope,” says Bryan. “For many, work is an opportunity to be blessed and bless others through their gifts. It allows individuals to reflect these qualities, enabling a more meaningful quality of life.”
Inspiration
Bryan has witnessed firsthand the benefits that individuals and organizations involved in Genesis at Work will experience. In seventh grade, Scott’s mother encouraged him to join the junior high football team as a manager in hopes of making the transition to high school a little easier by broadening his circle of friends. His resulting confidence would benefit Scott in school and the working world.
Being the team manager allowed others to get to know Scott on the sidelines, at practices and during games. Scott developed a passion for his school and its sports teams, the Mariemont Warriors. He continued his involvement in high school, adding varsity basketball, and developed friendships with more students, coaches and other high school staff.
“Scott is one of the most important members of our team because of the positivity and joy he brings,” says Mariemont Varsity Football Coach Nick Leone. “The positive experience of having Scott on our team makes me want to find more ways to include and involve as many people with special needs as possible.”
To this day, Scott remains involved with his beloved Warriors.
While still in high school, Scott was in a pilot program at the University of Cincinnati that focused on high school transitions – Collaboration for Employment and Education Synergy (CEES). He participated in the program’s first two semesters, which included a classroom curriculum targeting employment soft skills and role-playing, followed by internships on UC’s campus. The CEES program highlighted Scott’s skills: outgoing and positive, inspiring, successful with repetitive tasks and able to follow multi-step directions.
His work experiences helped him narrow his interests to sports and working as a team. A terrific match resulted: Scott was hired at Aramark in the CenterCourt Dining Hall at UC.
“Scott was one of the first students I had the pleasure to work with and helped me to realize how rewarding it is to work with persons with special needs,” says Greg Matthews, Scott’s supervisor at Aramark.
Scott enjoys his work at Aramark but also wanted to find work that allowed him to share his love of sports. He pre- pared for and set up interviews with a UC football trainer, a UC equipment manager and a UC facilities manager. All three brought Scott on board. Now, in addition to his job at Aramark, Scott works fall, winter and spring sports at UC. He is part of a team that sets up, works the games, breaks down and stows the equipment.
“Working with sports teams and my work teams and getting paid is the best!” Scott says.
That feeling is shared by Rebecca Michael, associate director of operations and events at UC. “Scott has positively impacted our department in several ways, and I think his uplifting attitude has been so infectious to our staff at every event he works,” Michael says. “He never hesitates to make a friend in the athletic department and with event staff and always makes doing our job more fun.”
With his family now living in Blue Ash, Scott has continued his journey to independence by taking the bus to UC. “I like taking the bus to the UC campus,” he says. “I have friends on the bus, and I know the drivers. I know my way around campus to get to my two jobs.”
This confidence and independence prompted Scott to interview and become team manager for the Sycamore varsity basketball team.
Scott’s contributions to the many organizations he has been a part of are evident. The Hollands believe that Scott has influenced student athletes in two ways. “Students will go on to become employees in jobs where they are comfortable working alongside persons with special needs, becoming their natural supports. Or they will become employers and influencers and act on the value of hiring persons with special needs.”
The Genesis at Work Foundation helps everyone, with and without disabilities, have a better future.
Visit genesisatwork.org to find out more about the Genesis at Work Foundation and its Inclusive Employers Program.