{"id":4278,"date":"2023-11-17T18:03:47","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T18:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alsoweb.org\/?p=4278"},"modified":"2023-12-29T20:00:08","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T20:00:08","slug":"we-crush-myths-every-day-long-term-disability-advocates-on-why-they-stay-at-also","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alsoweb.org\/nonprofit-blog\/we-crush-myths-every-day-long-term-disability-advocates-on-why-they-stay-at-also\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe Crush Myths Every Day\u201d: Long-Term Disability Advocates on Why They Stay at ALSO"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe Crush Myths Every Day\u201d: Long-Term Disability Advocates on Why They Stay at ALSO<\/strong><\/h1>\n

It\u2019s not often you find people who rave about their job. Who can\u2019t say enough good things about their team. Who say they go home fulfilled at the end of every day.<\/p>\n

But over several years, that\u2019s what we\u2019ve found, interview after interview. From managers to direct support professionals, the disability advocates at ALSO love their jobs. In fact, they love their jobs and stay for decades. That\u2019s unusual anywhere these days, but especially so in an industry with notoriously high turnover.<\/a><\/p>\n

This enduring job satisfaction seemed important, not only for the people who work at ALSO, but for the individuals ALSO supports, who certainly benefit from long-standing relationships with staff. So we interviewed some of ALSO\u2019s long-term employees (including a married couple who met at ALSO), to find out why they stay and how that career longevity creates better lives for the people ALSO supports. This blog specifically features an interview with Darrin Barham. Stay tuned for future blogs with additional interviews.<\/p>\n

Darrin Barham, Supported Living Services Director: 14 Years at ALSO<\/h2>\n

\"Darrin<\/p>\n

October 2009 marked the beginning of a new phase in Darrin Barham\u2019s life. After a friend told him about the brand new Supported Living Services program at ALSO, he interviewed for the Supported Living Program Coordinator position. Then he gave a kidney to his father. \u201dI found out afterward I got the job, \u201c says, Darrin. \u201cIt felt like a fresh start for my dad and myself\u2014a new beginning with people that would be a part of my life going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople I Love to Spend Time With\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Darrin has stayed at ALSO for a variety of reasons, but a big one is the camaraderie, with both the individuals ALSO supports (more on that later) and with ALSO\u2019s team. \u201cI love our team,\u201d he says. \u201cI love our executive team, our managers, and the people we hire to provide support (direct support professionals). We\u2019ve built a strong foundation of people that I love to spend time with, that I love to be around on a regular basis.\u201d A shared mission underlies that foundation. \u201cWe all work on the same goals\u2014to help people live the life they want to live\u2014so there are a lot of resources that are available to help you make any decisions. You don’t feel like you’re on an island by yourself.\u201c<\/p>\n

That kind of support is especially important during difficult times. \u201cNot every situation has been pleasant\u2026If things don’t work out, then having that team support behind you, people letting you know that you did everything you could; it really does wonders for your confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding a Future\u201d with Supported Living Services<\/strong><\/h2>\n

That confidence and joy overflows into Darrin\u2019s work with the individuals he supports. \u201cI love meeting with family members and individuals looking for support, and learning what they want their life to look like,\u201d says Darrin. \u201cWe\u2019re building a\u00a0 future with them; building a team to help them achieve the goals that are important in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Darrin emphasizes that supported living services help individuals with intellectual and development disabilities live the life they want to live, \u201cnot just telling people how you think they should live, but listening to learn how they want to live, and then helping guide them down their path, and being part of that journey with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe Crush Myths Every Day\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The journeys are another reason Darrin stays at ALSO.\u00a0 He loves to watch the progress. \u201cIt’s fun to go see someone after six months (in supported living services) and watch the individual spreading their wings and actually living independently\u2014doing things that maybe their whole their lives they\u2019ve been told they probably can’t do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even family members sometimes need convincing that independence is possible. \u201cAt the initial meeting they might say, \u2018I can’t foresee my child living on their own.\u2019 I always tell them that there’s a myth out there that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can’t live on their own. We crush that myth every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have two individuals right now who live in their own places They are staffed one-on-one, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It\u2019s their <\/em>home; they live by themselves; it’s just that they have twenty-four hour support.\u201d Darrin says people are amazed when they hear that level of independence can be achieved with in-home supportive services. \u201cIt is a lot of hard work, because you have to hire people you can trust and believe in, who show dependability and reliability.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Impact of Long-Term Disability Advocates<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Darrin believes that trust and reliability are doubly important to the people ALSO supports. \u201cIt’s hard for them to be vulnerable and open about letting people into their lives and their homes if they can’t trust that somebody’s going to be there on a long-term basis,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they can sense that someone won\u2019t be there long, then they’re not going to open up their life to that person\u2026they’ll just hang tight until the next person comes along that they can totally trust.\u201c<\/p>\n

The Impact on Long-Term Disability Advocates<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cI can’t tell you how many times my life has been impacted in positive ways just because of the people that we support and their perspective on life,\u201d Darrin says. \u201cThat is one of the things I’ve really enjoyed\u2014just seeing the lens of life through other people’s perspectives.\u201d<\/p>\n

That two-way impact has kept Darrin at ALSO for fourteen years, and he doesn\u2019t see that ending anytime soon. \u201cThis isn\u2019t like any other job where you clock in, clock out, and go home. You truly become part of people\u2019s lives, and they become part of your life. To me it\u2019s a calling, not a job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Live the Life You Want to Live at ALSO<\/strong><\/h2>\n

ALSO provides both exemplary disability support services, and a supportive, team-based employment environment.<\/p>\n

Looking for in-home supportive services for yourself or a family member with an intellectual or developmental disability? ALSO can provide the guidance and support you need. Register for a free tour today!<\/a><\/p>\n

Searching for jobs working with people with disabilities? Check out ALSO\u2019s career opportunities<\/a>\u2014from direct support professional jobs to managerial positions\u2014and make an impact today!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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