Journeys DDA

Community Supports

June 2022 • Idaho Falls, ID

What I liked

I liked being able to help children learn life skills Being able to build relationships with clients and their families. Learning techniques that help teach skills in a meaningful way Becoming a meaningful part of the lives of my clients

What I wish was different

I would have liked to work in Rexburg because that was where I lived. But I told them I was willing, so that was okay. I would have liked to have gotten a bit more training while being a Community Based Supports representative so as to understand what my responsibilities were. I never really understood my responsibilities while in that position I got special training to become an intervention technician nd they told me I'd get a bonus, but they didn't tell me there was a time limit for doing the training in order to receive the bonus.

Advice

I would say to dive in and do the work. Ask questions, and seek the support of those around you. Get groups together. Invest yourself, and the experience will be wonderful.

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Vocational Rehabilitation Job Coach

July - September 2021 • Rigby, ID

What I liked

It was a great way to gain experience in working with individuals with developmental disabilities, and was a great way to serve others.

What I wish was different

The pay scale is a bit low for why the job requires

Advice

Be ready to just get in and work. A lot of what you do will be hands on and you will learn by simply doing.

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Summer Work Coordinator

April - August 2021 • Middletown, NY

What I liked

I enjoyed having the chance to manage a team of employees and work with kids to get them their first work experience. I loved the group of people I got to work with in the office as well.

What I wish was different

Really the only thing would have been for the kids in the program to realize not to text in the middle of the night, other than that it was overall a good experience.

Advice

If you get to have this experience, don't try to do any other project like school or additional jobs. It is a very rewarding, but very demanding project.

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Community Based Supports

May 2019 - August 2020 • Ammon, ID

What I liked

I enjoyed working with the children.

What I wish was different

Wish COVID-19 hadn't been going on. It made coming up with child friendly activities a lot harder.

Advice

It is fun working with the children but you have to have a lot of patience.

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Job coach

June - September 2020 • Rexburg, ID

What I liked

I loved working with the teens and really getting to know them why helping them learn work skills.

What I wish was different

There was some confusion because of lack of job coaches so i worked a lot. Wished i could have been paid more because of my driving.

Advice

Go in with a smile on your face. Have fun with these teens, be honest and be their friend while still being their “boss”.

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Developmental Specialist

July - September 2020 • Idaho Falls, ID

What I liked

I just needed a short summer job. It was better than a call center because I felt like I was doing something good/useful. The clients were usually fun to interact with.

What I wish was different

It was close contact with some clients who aren't great about wearing masks, I think this job is where I got COVID from. Wouldn't recommend if you are high risk.

Advice

Ask questions to the employer to make sure the position you get is right for you. (The low sensory area was not my favorite but the regular adult area was fine for me.)

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Rehabilitation Services Aide

May - July 2019 • Rexburg, ID

What I liked

The direct supervisors are so kind and helpful! They are passionate about special needs care.

What I wish was different

The company is unfair to the workers. You are only paid for the time you are actually with a child, so if a child 30 minutes late but you are ready and waiting, you're not paid. That does not value an employee's time or preparation. Also, the software they use to schedule and record data is confusing and frequently has errors that have to be fixed later by hand.

Advice

If you are passionate about helping children with disabilities, this is a great place that will help you get certification. If that is not your passion, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.

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