Disabilities, Workforce Central, and the City Commission

                                 

Disabilities, Workforce Central, and the City Commission

Nationally, eighty percent of the people with disabilities seeking work are unemployed. In Massachusetts the unemployment rate for disabled people is slightly smaller at sixty seven percent. The City Commission on Disabilities held a forum regarding employment for disabled people on October 20, 2015.

Felicia Normsen, a panelist, advised disable job seekers not to mention their disability in the resume or cover letter. She said that one should always send a potential employer a resume reflecting his strengths and accomplishments. At the interview the disability might be a surprise to the employer, but it would be better to try to convince the interviewer face to face.

Another panelist advised job seekers to network with other disabled people and friendly businesses who are taking affirmative actions regarding the employment of disabled people.

The second part of the Commission’s on Disability event was the Commission’s own meeting. One of the interesting items it discussed was the implementation of the new ruling from the Massachusetts Attorney General that meetings covered by the Open Meeting Law could have some of the participants meet remotely. Remote participation is defined in the ruling, such as by telephone.

A speaker from Workforce Central addressed the Commission and explained the new project called Disability Employment Project. Sarah Loizaeux, Disability Resource Coordinator at Workforce Central, explained the project and its funding.  There is a grant from the State and Federal governments to increase the resources available to disabled job seekers. It was not made clear how this was to be done, but I think that Ms. Loizaeux position was underwritten.

Other areas of help for the disabled jobs seeker are the obtainment of a high school diploma and certificate programs from Quinsigamond College. Ms. Loizaeux did not have the statistics for the number of disabled people in the Quinsigamond certificate programs, but she said people who earned the certificates are in high demand by employers.

There was also a discussion of the plans to move the Stearns Tavern to a revamped Coes Pond Park. Phillip Niddrie of the City Manager’s office talked about the multigenerational and universal accessible park to which the Stearns Tavern would be moved next Spring. He said that the State has provided a four hundred thousand dollar grant for the project; the City would raise another six hundred thousand dollars for the park.

Seven Hills organization has agreed to maintain the transplanted Stearns Tavern. The plan is to have meeting rooms, offices, and some programs in the building.  However there is something of an embarrassment for the City as four of the rooms on the third level have no plans for handicap accessibility. Mr. Niddrie said that the City was working on fixing the problem.

One of the Commissioners asked whether the project was worth the effort as few people now use the beach at Coes Pond. He questioned the “ If you build it, they will come” thinking. I hope this does not go the way of the Lake Walk and park at Lake Quinsigamond.  

There is a public discussion of the Stearns Tavern and the revamped Coes Pond Park on November 9, 2015 at 242 Mill St. 6:30 PM.