Chad is a man in his 20s who enjoys physical jobs, is outgoing and loves baking. He hoped to find a job that would keep him very busy without being too fast-paced and would allow him to be social, interacting with and helping customers. As Chad began a bakery job, although the job tasks were a perfect match for his interests, the fast pace, the structure, and the change in management were not. Instead of giving up, Chad found another position where the pace and customer interaction matched his skills and personality. He now works full time with full benefits.
Rachel is a young adult who describes herself as a social person who likes to connect to the community. Rachel recently began working at the Institute for Community Inclusion as a disability
advocate
advisor. She supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to engage with ICI’s projects, and she helps project staff design and distribute materials in plain language. Rachel realized in college that she wanted to become an advocate for people with disabilities, and she believes that her current job is a step toward reaching that goal. Read her story!
Brian is 23 years old, lives near Boston, Massachusetts, and has autism. He has a passion for photography, which he uses to share his perspective with the world via his website, 
Miranda is in her early 20s and describes herself as kind, confident, a hard worker, and multilingual. Her family and service providers describe her as independent and motivated to lead a self-determined life. She has a part-time job working at Marshall’s as a merchandise associate and volunteers at a local senior center and major medical center in the Boston area.
Ellice used her network to create a professional dance company that embraces diversity and inclusion. Abilities Dance Boston is a space for innovative professional dancers and the development of innovative dance forms that incorporate differences in movement and in each dancers lived experiences.
Through a comprehensive planning process, Matt’s team of support professionals helped him find a job he enjoys at the Sheraton Hotel. He brings his tool set with him to work (a birthday gift from his co-workers) and does maintenance projects and painting. He works 30 hours per week, and benefits from a supportive group of co-workers.
Miranda loves children and is also interested in helping other people with disabilities. She provides childcare during the school year at the Brookline Early Education Program in Brookline, Massachusetts. Because of Miranda's strong interest in childcare and the employer's inclusive philosophy, her job developer approached the employer with the idea of creating a meaningful job.
Brian is a man in his 20s who loves working with animals. He was able to purchase valuable equipment with the help of his job developer and use it to negotiate with a business where he was eventually hired. Brian now works 30 hours per week as a pet groomer.