The road toward full employment for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities can be a long and arduous one. Faced with institutional roadblocks, uninformed potential employers, and an unique form of discrimination has made the goal of finding meaningful and long term work for many young people hard to find.
That is starting to change on the Eastern Shore with the help of the Benedictine School in Ridgely. Benedictine, which cares for more than 200 children and adults, has made significant progress in having their students fully integrate into America’s workplaces.
One outstanding example of that effort has been Marshawn Cornish. A native of the Mid-Shore born with intellectual disabilities, Marshawn teamed up with Dale Skinner, Benedictine’s Supported Employment Manager, to break down those barriers of employment last year. Working hand in hand with Regional Shore Health staff, Marshawn started to work at the Easton Hospital’s cafeteria and has very quickly become one of the most popular and dedicated workers.
In his Spy interview, Marshawn and Dale talk about the process of finding the right job with the right kind of employer. Marshawn also describes his sense of belonging to a special team as well as the special fulfillment he receives in his work.
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