"Our mission is to provide an engaging, goal-oriented environment that promotes informed choice, personal achievement, life skills, self-advocacy and employment choice," said Director Karen Kight of Abilities Unlimited Inc., in Hot Springs, a nod to the true purpose and inspiration behind the local program and the pathway it creates.
A unique outlet for many, AUI offers a wide range of vocational rehabilitation services to disabled individuals who may sometimes face different obstacles in the regular workforce due to various developmental struggles, as well as a myriad different assessment-based classes and programs.
For many, the program promotes an environment that inspires and offers social interaction, excitement in participation, compensation and the ability to learn new skills.
Originally organized in 1961 by a group of families that cared for family members with similar needs, the organization is approaching its 60th anniversary next year.
"It started out with a family who had adults with developmental disabilities living in their homes with nothing productive, (nothing) social (or) the activity that they wanted to engage them in," Kight said. "It started out just a handful of families that got together and that's kind of where the thrift store (Abilities Unlimited Retail Outlet) was started. ... That's what we focused on with training them and allowing them to work in the thrift store in processing clothing and that kind of thing.
"Many of them would be sitting at home. Many families may be affected by not being able to work because they would not have these services. ... It also allows them to work at their capacity without the stresses or the demands of employment outside of here. ... We have some that have never worked and this is their first opportunity to actually be a part of the work environment. They may not produce a lot of parts, but they're very pleased with the work they do. They're very proud of it and should be. Everyone thinks of our thrift store which is a wonderful place, but a lot of people do not realize the training and the experiences that go on out at our main facility -- the work that they complete (and) what they accomplish on a daily basis."
The main training facility and the organization's retail store, while associated, have alternative purposes and offer different services.
"Most people think that's what we're about," she added. "We don't have anything to do with recycling clothing at this facility; it's more assembly type-work. We breakdown the jobs they do into one to two steps. ... We do have orders that we have to give out, but they are very vocal and participate in an active part of being a team member. They can request different jobs that they would like to perform. There's times that they learn what it means to just do whatever's necessary to make it happen, which is another part of employment ... learning that we all pitch in and do whatever we need to do to get the product out. They learn a variety of tasks, so it teaches them different skill sets."
As an environment that promotes extensive learning opportunities on multiple levels, AUI rests its hat on the ability to help individuals experience the rewards of a job well done.
Aspects of the program strongly encourage teamwork and for some, a sense of "dignity" that comes with completing a job and acquiring genuine skills in a traditional setting with a positive atmosphere.
"Our day program is supported through Developmental Disabilities Services, and they have the opportunity based off of their assessments, whether to go to classes or prevocational type activities," Kight said. "Each individual has an individual schedule. We rotate them through the classes if that's what their schedule is -- every hour on the hour, and it's productive (the) learning experiences that they get.
"I think one of the main joys of getting into this field has been watching people who have possibly never been employed or doesn't have the skills to maintain employment of some sort, gain those skills and be either employed in a long-term training program such as ours or in competitive employment outside of what we do here in businesses, locally and/or across the state."
At AUI's daytime program, the division supports an average of 110 individuals with developmental challenges and 19 school students in the "Pathways2Employment" transition program that is also involved with some local schools.
For others in "Supportive Employment" and "Ticket to Work," the organization utilizes a long-standing work contract with a global company that enlists clients to assemble components that go into small, handheld forestry products like weed trimmers, leaf blowers and chain saws.
"We have other contracts with area businesses where we did jobs and then we'd do assembly, packaging, sorting or quality checks on products for different companies around town. They are compensated based off of their productivity or they're paid commiserate wages," Kight said.
"We have a special certificate under the Department of Labor and it allows them to work at the pace that they're able to work at without the demands of having to compete with someone who may not have the same challenges as they do, whether it's cognitive challenges (or) physical challenges. They're so proud that they get paid every Friday their paychecks. ... It keeps them active, productive and they feel good about what they're doing."
Before moving to Hot Springs to work at Abilities Unlimited Inc. -- following graduation from Henderson University with a bachelor's science degree in Social Work -- Kight grew up in a small town alongside four siblings.
"My older brother had a congenital birth defect that affected his vision and later in life, early teens, (he) lost his vision," she said. "I didn't realize the impact of that on our family, but as I got older and especially as I got into this field, I realized the sacrifices of my parents and of him -- the things that he was unable to do before the ADA came into play where the law changed about accommodating persons with all kinds of disabilities.
"Not really knowing what my focus would be as far as my career goals, (I) took the basics, and probably like a lot of students out there entering college, I didn't know exactly what field (I) wanted to pursue. Thought I wanted to go into maybe teaching because I always wanted to do something in the helping profession. I took that line of courses and readily gained a whole new respect for teachers, and just kind of realized that was probably not exactly the field that I wanted to get into, although part of employment teaching individuals about what's expected on a job is a teaching mechanism. ... I had a friend that talked with me about social work and I decided to take that course, and that was my major in college."
Going on 12 years as executive director of AUI, Kight has oftentimes faced many challenges in the field of social work, especially when it comes to "some of the societal issues that we face nowadays."
"My career took a different turn into the field of vocational rehabilitation and it's been a very positive pathway and one that I've enjoyed seeing people meet their goals and be able to have positive outcomes in their lives -- just to kinda be a little part of that," she said.
In relation to her love for and dedication to her career and role in the program, the Reddie alumna is motivated to keep things in motion at AUI as it moves forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kight said that her career's purpose lies with the lives she touches at Abilities Unlimited Inc., and based on what she's witnessed and experienced during her time with the organization, the ultimate reward is simply going to work every day and seeing a positive impact.
"This is where my passion, my heart and the will to come to work every day is fueled," she said. "I see people that are truly excited to come to their program each day. You can see and hear the enthusiasm; they know that they are important and want to be productive citizens. Just like you and I, we all need a purpose to get up each day, something to look forward to. I am told by those that tour that the one thing that stands out is how happy the clients are to see the confidence of a job well done.
"These work stations accommodate to ensure that individuals can successfully perform a task. We have a lot of machine interaction, we have a lot of safety features and we have counters on the machines where they can look at it and see how many parts they've produced for the day. They work alongside other employees that don't maybe have some of the same challenges they do. We all work together. We compete with each other unless it's a friendly competition. They can see products that they have helped assemble at our local retail stores. They are able to work without the pressures of having to measure up or compete with others while being able to contribute."
Kight believes that with a better understanding of why it's important for there to be employment choice for all scopes of functioning people, including supported employment, competitive employment or integrated employment, where more choices and options might be made available.
AUI took all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of staff and clients, and Kight remains hopeful that the process will continue and progress despite some challenges.
"Fortunately, we have been able to get back up and running with COVID-19," she said. "I'm reading in some states where programs like ours are actually closing their doors because of funding and lack of participation. We slowly phased in, over a period of time, about four different groups of clients and really took precautions to make sure that we could keep it as safe and healthy of an environment as possible. But the thing that probably challenges us the most is just being able to continue to provide services and to comply with the laws that have been passed on, understanding why it is so important to meet people with significant disabilities where they're at, and allow them and afford them the dignity of work."
The confidence in knowing that their respective department or class is always an option for them is a key factor for many clients who have created a close-knit connection with the AUI community.
Kight said that seeing client successes, their accomplishments and the excitement that they have about coming every day is "hands-down" the most rewarding part of her job.
"Many of them come five days a week, but some choose two days a week or three days a week," she said. "That's the beauty of this type of program because they have a choice to run their schedule. They can do volunteer work outside of here, they can work a part-time job (or) they can choose just to go shopping if they want to, or take an extra week off to be with their family. They know that when they get finished with that, we will be here. They will have a program that they can come to."
Multiple aspects of her time with the organization have shown Kight that she is on the right path in helping to further and expand the AUI training program, and the 12-year exec looks to continue efforts of providing necessary services to those in need.
"I've been the director for 12 years. I came back in 2000 after working with the state and was just a program coordinator, and never had the desire to become a director. Sometimes things don't always go as we plan, but (I've also put that in there) I have been very amazed at how we've all come together. And our board of directors are reputable people in the community. ... They're involved and they are committed to making sure our program goes forth without any problems. It's just a good program, whether I'm the director or not it's just meaningful to so many people and their families."