National Disability Employment Month Hire Ability Henry
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0:00 - 0:02My name is Henry Winkleman.
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0:02 - 0:06I'm a working person with ability not disability.
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0:08 - 0:12Here at the Clarks company my job title is Development Coordinator
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0:12 - 0:17I am the Development Coordinator for opening up new stores and renovating existing ones.
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0:17 - 0:20I'm the development coordinator for the First Step Program
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0:20 - 0:22which is a program for people with disabilities
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0:22 - 0:26return to work through a short term intership here a Clark's
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0:26 - 0:29The goal of the program is for people, during their six month internship,
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0:29 - 0:32to build their self-esteem and their confidence and to realize
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0:32 - 0:35that they bring value to companies.
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0:35 - 0:37Once they build up their self-esteem and confidence
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0:37 - 0:41their really truly able and ready to learn the skills that they need
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0:41 - 0:43to become fully employed.
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0:43 - 0:46Having a job makes me feel excellent.
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0:46 - 0:48When I don't have a job, I felt worthless.
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0:48 - 0:51I felt like I provided no value to anyone.
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0:51 - 0:55I found that it very very hard to find a job
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0:55 - 0:58and luckily I became involved with Triangle and the MRC.
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0:58 - 1:02My memory disability, in fact, aided my redevelopment,
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1:02 - 1:05because whenever people would say you can't do that
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1:05 - 1:08I would just turn around and think that I could and I would do it.
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1:08 - 1:10I always kept look toward the future.
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1:10 - 1:14To really succeed, it makes sense to start at the bottom
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1:14 - 1:18take a good first step, then you can take another step forward
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1:18 - 1:22and another step forward, but you need to start at a basic level
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1:22 - 1:27where you can bring yourself a sense of self-worth and where you can show other people
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1:27 - 1:29the value that you have and offer.
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1:29 - 1:33When I hear the word disability used, I think that it is the worst word
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1:33 - 1:35in the English language.
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1:35 - 1:39Disability implies that you do not have abilities and that you are unable.
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1:39 - 1:42In fact that is not what it is supposed to mean,
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1:42 - 1:46It is supposed to mean abled but limited in their abilities
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1:46 - 1:49Disability, should be stricken from the English language.
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1:49 - 1:54I talk with employers very often about offering opportunities to people with disabilities
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1:54 - 1:58and I think I would describe it in a way that very few can
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1:58 - 2:01because I have a person who had a disability
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2:01 - 2:03and now I'm an employer.
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2:03 - 2:05I would say that you made the right choice
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2:05 - 2:11You're offering opportunity to people that is crucial, but what you're going to find
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2:11 - 2:13is a diamond in the rough.
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2:13 - 2:17With a little bit of time, effort and education, these people grow
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2:17 - 2:20into the most productive members of your staff.
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2:20 - 2:23The advice that I would give to people looking for work is
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2:23 - 2:26give 100% effort.
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2:26 - 2:29Too many people give that 50% effort and that is what they get out of it
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2:29 - 2:32but if you apply yourself completely,
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2:32 - 2:35devote yourself to looking for a job, you'll find a job.
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2:35 - 2:37Don't ever give up.
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2:37 - 2:40Keep going; keep moving forward.
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2:40 - 2:46We can all lay back on our past, but the future is where the future lies.
- Title:
- National Disability Employment Month Hire Ability Henry
- Description:
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Ablevision is proud to present 6 stories of working individuals with disabilities. They describe what it was like to find a job and what it means to be working in the community. Henry works as a Development Coordinator for the Clarks Shoes Company. He also runs the First Step Internship program which gives people with disabilities an opportunity to train for competitive employment through an internship program at Clarks. Triangle's Ablevision is an innovative, award winning show produced entirely by people with disabilities. For more information about Ablevision, or to order episodes in their entirety, please visit www.ablevision.org. Enjoy!
- Video Language:
- English
- Duration:
- 03:10