Brightening up the campus, cultivating their independence

Ana Loport laughed as her supervisor described the eclectic collection of objects often found strewn about the campus after events such as graduation or Undie Run. The treasures might include underwear, condoms, and empty wine and beer bottles.

On regular days, Loport and her colleagues spend their time picking up more typical trash, such as cigarette butts and leftover food, and raking scattered leaves and pine needles around campus.

Loport and the other members of her crew are employed by Social Vocational Services, an organization that places people diagnosed with developmental disabilities in programs such as this maintenance crew at UCLA.

“It’s fun here,” Loport said. “There are a lot of people here, and sometimes I talk to students.”

Derick Taylor, program director for Social Vocational Services, said the program attempts to place developmentally disabled people in jobs that they are interested in. Options include a position on a kitchen crew or a cleaning crew at a studio in Culver City, as well as various other maintenance crews similar to the one at UCLA.

Taylor said the program allows workers to reach a level of normalcy they wouldn’t have otherwise.

“They have a job, they are proud of it and get paid for it,” he said. “It is something that lifts their spirits.”

Working side-by-side with UCLA Facilities Management, this crew completes certain jobs that then allows the Facilities Management workers to focus on more technical tasks such as trimming bushes and maintaining flower beds.

“They help me by clearing the grounds, which gives me a chance to do other things,” said Alfredo Vasquez, a groundskeeper for Facilities Management.

Workers are paid by Social Vocational Services, and their wage rate depends on their individual ability.

Each person’s work is observed, and it is determined how fast and efficiently the employee works compared to a regular UCLA maintenance worker.

Based on this assessment, their wages are set, Taylor said. Though their wages sometimes fall below the state minimum, this assessment follows state standards for disabled employees, he said.

“If they work (at the same rate) as a “˜normal’ person, they are capable of getting a regular wage,” Taylor said.

Christine College said she has been working with the crew at UCLA for five years and that she is now able to work independently on her designated tasks.

“I don’t like to be told everything,” she said. “I am very satisfied with this job because I like to become more independent.”

With the money she earns from this job, College said she shops for her own clothes and buys her own food. Along with her independence, she said she feels much better when she stays busy.

“I like having a day program … I don’t function as good when I’m home bored all the time,” College said.

Ivan Edmunds, a job coach and supervisor for Social Vocational Services, said that his work is rewarding and the program is beneficial for everyone involved.

“For the students, we are keeping the campus clean, and at the same time (this job) makes the clients feel needed and appreciated,” he said.

Edmunds said it is important for the supervisors to develop a close relationship with the workers so they can provide needed emotional support and monitor the clients’ well-being.

“They need somebody who is willing to listen to them. … Eventually (many) will share everything, and they become more attached” to the supervisors, he said.

Sometimes workers can experience drastic changes in their mood when their medication changes, and the supervisors need to be able to help them deal with those changes ““ a task that requires an established relationship between the client and supervisor, Edmunds said.

“If they are comfortable with you, you can talk to them calmly and get them to a normal level,” he said.

Workers in the program at UCLA are considered higher functioning than other groups, though their function levels vary within the group, Edmunds said.

The supervisors said they like to give the workers special treats, celebrate their birthdays and take them to restaurants on special occasions.

“We buy them donuts, pizza, ice cream and other treats,” Edmunds said. “They really like that.”

Social Vocational Services workers have developmental disabilities that range from cerebral palsy to autism, Taylor said.

But what brings them together is their willingness to work hard, Edmunds said.

Gevanva Howard, a job coach and supervisor, said one of the workers on the crew has occasionally been late to work because he is going above and beyond his duties and helping to clean the housing complex that he lives in.

“He is so thorough that he is sometimes late to this job,” Howard said with a smile.