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Every weekday, Boston College School of Social Work Clerical Assistant Mindy Beaulieu rises at 5:30 a.m. to travel by commuter rail from her North Shore home to North Station in Boston, where she catches a ride to the Chestnut Hill Campus. She is always punctual and has not missed a day of work in three years.
That dedication is a hallmark of the 23 BC employees who are part of the University’s award-winning Supported Employment Program (SEP), which provides jobs for adults with developmental disabilities.
Beaulieu distributes mail and oversees the office supplies inventory at BCSSW, where she has worked since 2006. She also serves as an unofficial ambassador for the school, greeting new employees.
Ask Beaulieu what she likes most about her job, and she’ll list two things: taking care of the plants (a cactus named Spike is her favorite) and “having responsibility.” In her spare time, Beaulieu is busy writing a book and doting on her two cats, Bella and George.
“It’s very nice having Mindy around,” said her supervisor Sveta Emery, BCSSW associate dean for finance, research and administration. “She is very responsible and pays attention to detail.”
Boston College’s Supported Employment Program started in 1987 with seven employees, six of whom – Joanne Annello, Kevin Browne, Jimmy LaCroix, Margie Richardson, Kevin Slattery and Sandy Tuttle – are still working in BC Dining Services.
In total, there are 17 SEP participants working in Dining Services, which has been a steadfast SEP partner since the program’s inception. In addition to BCSSW, other SEP participants are employed in the Connell School of Nursing, BC Libraries, Human Resources, Mail Services and the BC Bookstore.
SEP participant Kim Hoy works as a library courier in the Social Work Library in McGuinn. Twice a day, Monday through Friday, she makes the trip to all the libraries on the Chestnut Hill campus – O’Neill, Bapst, Social Work and the Educational Resource Center — to transport books. According to her supervisor, Senior Library Assistant Elvira Reynolds, Hoy has also assisted with a labeling project and catalog searching. Hoy said the best part of the job has been meeting so many nice people.
“Boston College has its mission and this is a really concrete way for BC Libraries to take the mission to heart,” said Reynolds. “Kim and I have a great relationship.”
Each SEP participant works one-to-one with a job coach who handles training and assessment and provides ongoing support as needed. “The coaches’ energy and creativity is what makes this work so well. They give a lot of time and effort to each individual,” said SEP director Mary Brown, who has been with the program for 24 years.
“Kim’s job coach, Ted Hannigan, has been great. There’s a good channel of communication between us,” reported Reynolds.
That support is key, according to Reynolds, who has supervised SEP participants for more than a decade. “You’re not on your own. SEP is fully behind you. It’s been a wonderful experience.”
BC’s Supported Employment Program is considered a model work program for people with disabilities and was honored by the Arc of Massachusetts, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and services for Massachusetts citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brown says there is is a large demand for SEP positions and she has a wait-list that runs three to five years. According to a survey by the International Disability Network, only 35 percent of adults with disabilities are working; the majority of those unemployed cannot find jobs.
Any department on campus is eligible to participate in SEP. Brown says she is seeking positions that are five days a week, 15-18 hours a week. Salaries are paid from the employing department’s budget, while funding from the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services covers the cost of training and supporting each participant. Funding for the six remaining inaugural SEP workers comes from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.
“These jobs are so precious to these employees,” said Brown, citing the pride and personal satisfaction, as well as the social interaction, enjoyed by the SEP workers. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“Mary and her team are so dedicated and compassionate. The program is tremendous,” said Hoy’s father, Facilities Services Manager Rich Hoy.
Kim Hoy also participates in BC’s Best Buddies program, where she has been matched with Connell School of Nursing student Kim Bretta. They spend every Thursday afternoon together after Hoy finishes work.
“Kim feels good about herself and tells everyone she meets about her job at Boston College,” said Rich Hoy. “My wife and I have spent our lives trying to make Kim as independent as possible, but as a parent of a child with special needs, you always worry about what’s going to happen to them. But here, I know, Kim is safe and well-taken care of. There are always people looking out for her. She is surrounded by a great community.”