Inclusive talent initiative: BAND AIDS
The Wayfaring Band rejects the assumption that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are limited in their capacity to enjoy the full human experience.
Part of that human experience includes the tangible benefits of purposeful employment. In our daily connections working with people experiencing I/DD, we hear firsthand about the serious lack of meaningful job opportunities for people with disabilities in our society. As a solution, we have developed the Inclusive Talent Initiative – our commitment to providing employment opportunities for people with I/DD as part of our own operational model and to compensate them for their time appropriately.
This approach significantly enhances the lives of those we employ and sets an example for other businesses, demonstrating the value of accessing this untapped yet vital segment of our workforce. Our team of Band Aids fills specific part-time jobs that fit their individual gifts, desires, and goals in the areas of social media consultation and production, website accessibility consultation, co-creation of our anti-ableist training curriculum, marketing and design support, program support, partner and donor outreach, and donor stewardship.
To ensure an authentic and sustainable employment model, our professional staff brings its expertise to bear, identifying and providing any accommodations necessary for each person hired as part of this initiative, ensuring a positive and productive experience that strengthens relationships and community building, supports creativity and creative expression, person-centered projects and skills training, as well as entrepreneurship and employment.
The Inclusive Talent Initiative provides meaningful employment opportunities to the disability community, addressing our organizational goal to authentically involve our clientele in a way that aligns with our ethics of paying all people for their work because in modeling a truly diverse workforce, we demonstrate that all people add value to any business or organization.