We are celebrating our November Participant of the Month, Ryan!

Participant of the Month is awarded by nominations from both peers and staff for individuals who have clearly demonstrated one or more of our three R’s: responsibility, resilience, and respect. Here are some of what people had to say about Ryan’s RESPONSIBILITY:

A staff member shared, “After a cooking demo, Ryan stayed late to help staff clean-up after the rest of his apartment had left.” Another staff echoed Ryan’s willingness to help saying, “Ryan always volunteers to help in Food with Friends! He volunteers to help before class starts, during class, and for clean-up.”

The staff continued, “He is also super kind, funny, creative, a great participant in class, and looks out for his friends.”

When asked why he has been recognized as Participant of the Month, Ryan shared, “I think the reason why I have been recognized as The Participant of the Month is that I always bring a positive attitude anywhere I go, and I will always help with activities and help out in any way I can.”

Ryan is currently a junior in MICC’s College Program. He is involved in Story Telling Fitness and Lego Masters. He shared that his favorite thing about MICC is “meeting new people and making friends”.
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Congratulations, Ryan!

MICC Careers Program proudly celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Disability:  Part of the Equity Equation.” NDEAM celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices.

“A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, Taryn M. Williams. “People with disabilities make up a wonderfully multifaceted group. By recognizing the full complexion of our community, we can ensure our efforts to achieve disability inclusion are, in fact, truly inclusive.” (U.S. Department of Labor, 2022).

Employment is the principal source of such essential psychological needs as time structure, social contact, collective purpose, social identity/status, and activity and the ability to meet these needs correlates strongly with the individual’s well-being.

MICC Careers Program knows that employment is a vital piece of the puzzle to become and remain independent. More than financial freedom, employment provides a sense of purpose, social interaction, structure, and the ultimate ability to make decisions for yourself.

The Careers Program focuses on an employment-first model, ensuring participants are employed in the community and receive a competitive wage.

Participants enroll in Certificate Programs such as Culinary, Health Services, Hospitality, or Retail that are accredited by Century College and noted to have the best curriculum of its kind nationally. Our partnership with Century College has proven what we value, post-secondary education is for everyone.

MICC supports participants in finding meaningful employment aligned with their skills, interests, and preferences. When entering the workforce, participants experience a sense of belonging, personal growth, challenge, and confidence.