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    Tuesday, November 05, 2024

    Easterseals expands career development services for people with disabilities in region

    Julia Musgrove, of Gales Ferry, checks a dish to make sure it’s clean as she works in the dish room of the Cross Hall Galley at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. She is one of the first clients of Easterseals' Career Development program for individuals with disabilities in the New London region. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Julia Musgrove, of Gales Ferry, puts clean bowls away as she works in the dish room of the Cross Hall Galley at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. She is one of the first clients of Easterseals' Career Development program for individuals with disabilities in the New London region. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Julia Musgrove, of Gales Ferry, asks David Oko, project manager with CW Resources, about an upcoming shift as she works at the Cross Hall Galley at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. She is one of the first clients of Easterseals' Career Development program for individuals with disabilities in the New London region. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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    Groton ― In her new job at the Cross Hall Galley at the Naval Submarine Base, Gales Ferry resident Julia Musgrove is always willing to move around and work at different stations.

    Her supervisor, Jennifer Aiello, called her a “team player.”

    “She’s always willing to help,” said Aiello. “She always comes in with a positive attitude, and she’s a pleasure to have here.”

    Musgrove, 26, was hired to work part-time here, after gaining work experience through Easterseals.

    Easterseals, a nonprofit organization, is hoping to reach more people and have more businesses and organizations in the region participate, as it expands its career development services for people with disabilities to New London County.

    Easterseals works with the state and other partners to help people develop a career, said Daniel Bracken, career and development services manager at Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut. Easterseals receives referrals from the state.

    Bracken said Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut has a robust career and development program in the Hartford area that it is now aiming to replicate in New London County.

    Bracken said the program includes services such as work-readiness training, interviewing, job shadowing, and trial work experiences. Through its relationship with the state Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Easterseals offers trial work experiences in which people experience what it would be like to work in a job for a period of time, as Easterseals assesses and builds upon their strengths and identifies any potential barriers to employment. Easterseals then develops adaptive strategies to help clients become more successful.

    Easterseals offers placement services to help people find a job, including direct hires in which Easterseals introduces a client to an employer, on-the-job training, and Competitive Placement Opportunities in which employers can preview potential employees before making a hiring decision, Bracken said. Easterseals also offers post-placement services, including job coaching or advocacy.

    Bracken said this is a particularly challenging time, as some of Easterseals’ partnerships with businesses shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet restarted. Also, as consumers shop less due to the high cost of living, some stores, which typically had a surge in hiring such as before the holidays, are hiring less.

    To help, he said Easterseals is working to identify and build more relationships with businesses and community partners.

    Bracken said Easterseals’ mission is to work with the community and businesses to help provide more inclusive opportunities for people who have disabilities and open as many doors as possible so they can pursue their dreams.

    Musgrove, who has autism, began with Easterseals career development in April. She started with a trial work experience at Pop on the Block in Olde Mistick Village and then a competitive placement opportunity at Fiddleheads Food Co-Op in New London.

    She then had another placement at Cross Hall Galley and will soon become an official part-time employee there. During the placements, she was paid by Easterseals with funding from the state Bureau of Rehabilitation Services.

    “I’ve gotten a job, and I’ve met some lovely people,” said Musgrove.

    As a mess attendant at Cross Hall Galley, which serves about 1,800 people a day, Musgrove has helped in the dish room, cleaning tables and sometimes on the serving line.

    Musgrove said she likes her job because it’s unique, and there is a lot of support. Whenever she has a question, she said she always can ask her supervisors or the project manager.

    David Oko, project manager with CW Resources, the organization that runs Cross Hall Galley, said Musgrove always comes to work in a happy mood and gets along well with her co-workers.

    “Everybody loves her,” he said.

    Oko said 49 out of the 50 employees working at Cross Hall have a disability. He said there are three agencies CW Resources hires from, and Easterseals is now the fourth. Musgrove is the first client from Easterseals hired at Cross Hall Galley.

    New Britain-based CW Resources is an organization that provides “employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, veterans, wounded warriors, and the economically disadvantaged,” according to its website.

    The commander of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic this year awarded the Cross Hall Galley with five-star accreditation for its customer service and support.

    “It’s a great environment,” said Oko. “We preach respect: respect your coworkers, respect the men and women who come through this galley.”

    Musgrove encouraged people, even if think they can’t get a job, that if they persevere and have a good support system, “there’s always going to be people that will back you up.”

    Musgrove’s mother, Suzi Schell, said she feels really good about Musgrove’s new job.

    “As her mom, I know that she has Easterseals as a contact, if she needs support or advice,” Schell said. “I know CW Resources is going to be very supportive of her learning and patient with her as she’s learning, so I feel like she’s in a really good place where she can succeed. I feel like this whole process has set her up to succeed.”

    Businesses and organizations interested in partnering with Easterseals can reach Bracken at (860) 270-0600 x212 or dbracken@escrec.org.

    k.drelich@theday.com

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