October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Proclamation Text
GOVERNOR DOUGLAS A. DUCEY
STATE OF ARIZONA
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, Arizona workplaces, who welcome the talents of all residents, including individuals with disabilities, are a critical part of our efforts to encourage a diverse community and a vigorous economy; and
WHEREAS, Arizona prospers when an integrated workforce includes people with and without disabilities working side by side earning competitive wages and benefits. Businesses and organizations that hire, retain, and promote people with disabilities continue to discover that a strong workforce is an inclusive workforce. People with disabilities bring skill sets, perspectives, strengths, and talents that benefit companies and the community; and
WHEREAS, Arizona employment broadens opportunity and helps to create an environment where individuals with developmental disabilities contribute to the community as jobholders. Competitive integrated employment provides Arizonans with developmental disabilities a pathway to achieve self-fulfillment, independence, and community inclusion; and
WHEREAS, each October the nation proudly takes part in an awareness campaign to support equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to celebrate their contribution to the workforce. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Increasing Access and Opportunity” and it emphasizes the essential role that people with disabilities play in Arizona’s economic success.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, do hereby proclaim October 2020 as
DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH
and I encourage all Arizonans to recognize the strengths that people with disabilities can bring to our workforce, our community, and our state as a whole.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona
Douglas A. Ducey
GOVERNOR
DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this ninth day of September in the year Two Thousand and Twenty and of the Independence of the United States of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Fifth.
ATTEST:
Katie Hobbs
SECRETARY OF STATE
About Gompers Employment Services Program
Gompers Employment Services has evolved significantly over the last decade. Employment Services went from a “vocational” program that focused on hands-on job skills to an “employment” program that focuses on members achieving employability. This concept not only included hands-on job skills, but other things such as transition-to-employment training, mock interviews, resume writing, interaction with coworkers, and how to dress for success. Gompers’ philosophy is to expose our members to as many different work experiences as possible to help them in identifying an area of employment interest. Once they identify an area of interest, Gompers can assist that member in achieving their employment goals. One of our most popular activities is taking groups of members on job-hunting trips throughout the community.
Gompers also offers its members an array of paid work experiences. We have a variety of contracts with businesses both locally and nationally. These contracts generally consist of, but are not limited to: janitorial, assembly, packaging, and repackaging, labeling, and order fulfillment. These contracts are fulfilled at our in-house locations in Glendale and Phoenix, as well as in businesses in the community in a Group Supported Capacity. A complete array of job opportunities is offered to all members in order to maximize the number of job experiences and skills they can learn. Gompers also provides one-on-one job coaching to support a member long-term once they have achieved employment in the community.
Employment Services supports between 100 and 115 members at any time with approximately 25 job coaches. We pride ourselves on a program model that focuses on people’s abilities and not their disabilities. We believe all members should get to try any job they desire. We create many “adaptive” tools for members to be able to be successful in their chosen jobs. This approach has resulted in great success for people in areas they would not normally dream of. Gompers is honored to be a part of so many positive partnerships throughout the valley to offer exciting and achievable opportunities to people with disabilities.
