Job Experience Event (JEE) Success Stories

Employ 210 staffers, volunteers and trainees during the inaugural Job Experience Event.

​During Employ 210’s inaugural Job Experience Event (JEE) in May, more than a dozen neurodivergent job seekers joined us at Morgan’s MAC (Multi-Assistance Center) to learn about employment opportunities across the Morgan’s campus. During the event, Employ 210 staffers and volunteers supported attendees through a series of 50-minute rotations highlighting daily tasks in facilities ranging from the reception desk and the Happy Eats Café to onsite TEAMability, Sponsel Eye Experts and Practice Without Pressure. Following the final rotation, we interviewed each attendee about their experience. Easily among our most valuable takeaways from JEE, their responses touched on personal strengths and challenges along with which job-training sessions they enjoyed most — and perhaps even broadened their job-seeking horizons. 

Volunteer Cha Yong Patterson interviewing Lauren Bellieu about her takeaways from JEE.

​Lauren Bellieu   
Speaking with Employ 210 volunteer Cha Yong Patterson, attendee Lauren Bellieu explained that she’s exploring her employment options while on medical leave from her job as an administrative assistant at a local nonprofit. “I love the company I work for but I want to see what else is out there for me,” she said. “I want to push myself. I want to challenge myself more. And I kind of feel like I’m not. So when my mom and my brother filled out the [JEE] paperwork, I was like, ‘All right, I think I can do this. I like the idea of it.’”  
  
That positive attitude stayed with Bellieu throughout JEE — despite considerable challenges presented by her visual impairment. When asked about job skills such as attention to detail, observation and documentation, Bellieu gave herself low marks. But when it came to skills like following instructions and customer service, she gave herself high scores. “I like customer service and always have,” she said. “I also liked the team-building [activities] and observing the different therapies with the kids.”  
  
Admirably, Bellieu even had positive takeaways from the rotations she found the most difficult — specifically detail-oriented tasks that stressed her limited vision. “Oddly enough, even though I found it really challenging, I really liked putting the wagon together,” she said. “Even though it was really hard.” Bellieu’s favorite rotation, however, was working the busy front desk at Morgan’s MAC. “I liked sitting at the front desk and greeting people — as far as I could see from the front desk,” she added with a laugh.   

​Although reception work factors into her current job, Bellieu would like to be doing different types of office work as well — whether it be shredding paper or running errands. “I’d like to do more office work,” she said. “Like more filing or something that kind of challenges my brain throughout the day.”   
  
Encouragingly, it appears JEE succeeded in providing some of those challenges. In addition to making Bellieu feel more prepared for different employment paths, the event inspired her to challenge her feelings of shyness and insecurity. “I can get very shy and timid and afraid,” she admitted. “[The event showed me] that I can do anything — I just need to put my mind to it and not be afraid.” Reflecting on the event as a whole, Bellieu concluded, “My brain is telling me, ‘You operated differently today — and that was fun.’”  

JEE attendee Eric Guerrero inspecting fire extinguishers with volunteer Rayna Webb.

​Eric Guerrero 
During his conversation with Employ 210 volunteer Rayna Webb, JEE attendee Eric Guerrero shared that he enjoyed the hands-on training activities and felt comfortable and supported in the various work environments. While Guerrero admitted that he probably wouldn't apply for a groundskeeping position (the training for which entailed using a garbage grabber to tidy up the front lawn and parking lot), he said he was most drawn to a security rotation that Webb led. Circulating through the hallways on each floor, Guerrero helped ensure fire safety at the MAC by reviewing inspection records. “I enjoyed looking at all the fire extinguishers to make sure they were up to date,” he said.  

When asked if he has a “dream job” scenario in mind, Guerrero didn’t hesitate. “I’d say mechanics — like working on cars,” he said. “I helped out my grandpa once with his old Mustang from back in the day. He needed some help underneath — he’s a little old and can’t bend down very well. We worked on it for about a week and it’s running pretty good. He’s thinking about selling it, but I'm convincing him not to sell because I told him, ‘Once I get my license, I’m gonna take that car.’”  

David Amrein chatting with Amanda Brown-Rivera during JEE's Practice Without Pressure rotation.

​Amanda Brown-Rivera  
After completing rotations with the ABA therapists at BlueSprig and optometrists at Sponsel Eye Experts, Amanda Brown-Rivera arrived at the Practice Without Pressure rotation looking cheerful in a bright purple outfit accessorized with jingling necklaces and bracelets. As part of the rotation, Brown-Rivera helped create laminated cards and flyers designed to make neurodivergent individuals feel more comfortable during routine medical procedures. Among them was a grid depicting the steps of a blood draw: from the alcohol swab and tourniquet to the dreaded poke and blood collection. Looking at the illustrations, Brown-Rivera suggested that having them displayed in her doctor’s office would’ve been helpful for her in her younger years.  

“I’ll tell you: there were times where I probably fought this, where they couldn’t get me to do it,” she said. “And now I’m pretty good about letting them. I [still have] my moments when I’m kind of icky about it, but I try to hold back as much as [possible]. … I noticed that if I have my head turned and I’m not watching them do it, it makes it easier. Actually, the thing that has helped me the [most] is I’ll have them count with me before they go in and do anything.”  

Considering this, Practice Without Pressure Program Manager David Amrein asked Brown-Rivera what changed to make her feel more confident. 
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“The part I think changed is that, now that the doctors know I’m autistic and can only handle so much, they’re taking the time to work with me and my abilities,” she said. “I think that [doctors] taking the time and going step by step, and just not rushing it, makes a [big difference].”  

Roughly halfway through the Practice Without Pressure rotation, Brown-Rivera told Amrein and Employ 210 Special Research Associate Kiana Leal that it was probably her favorite so far.  

“I really like helping people,” she said. “I feel like this [job] would give me the ability to know that I can help others go through challenging times. … I think I’d be able to put my heart into helping people feel more comfortable and secure about things.”  
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Moving on from the blood-draw cards, Brown-Rivera picked out another option from the Practice Without Pressure materials: a drawing of a rainbow reminding patients to breathe with the words “inhale” and “exhale” printed along the stripes. Once in Brown-Rivera’s hands, the rainbow and the clouds connecting it quickly started turning her favorite color: purple.