I got the job! There is huge excitement in the O’Malley household when Jack is offered the job locally. This new role is as a ‘sales assistant’ in his local Centra, Dublin 16. The owner Mrs Breda Cahill currently employs 4 staff with an intellectual disability in her 2 Dublin stores. Breda is a huge supporter of employing people with intellectual disabilities. https://centra.ie/locate/leinster/dublin/16/marlay-park. Jacks mum Mary said; Jack loves his job at Centra. He has a sense of pride in wearing the uniform and knowing all about the stock. The fact that he’s earning money as opposed to being a volunteer is fantastic. It’s a source…
Leaving school is daunting for anyone as it’s moving into the next phase of your life. The usual route is going to College, getting a job or doing an apprenticeship in some form or another. Exciting times ahead for all. However, for some people with an intellectual disability it can be a more challenging route. So what happens… Parents with a child with special needs will work with their social worker and get a referral to one of the below service providers. The recommendation is early intervention but most clients will transfer to one of these services providers after they leave school…
As an avid tennis player I’m always trying to encourage families and friends to join me for a game. Of course not everyone enjoys the game or sports for that matter. But yet I will still continue on my quest to get a game or 2 with anyone who will take on the challenge. There is an outlet that covers a variety of sports for people with intellectual disabilities. Here ‘athletes’ can choose 1 or more sports to take part in and as they are competitive sports they train very hard to achieve their goal. Athletes meet and train weekly at their local club. http://www.specialolympics.ie/….
Where can I meet or make new friends? Over 40 years ago a number of parents could see the need to set up a social club for their children, many of which had a special need/intellectual disability. Nothing else was around at the time so they took matters into their own hands and started ‘Dundrum Arch Club’. This club now in it’s 40th year offers a social outlet for adults age 17+ with an intellectual disability. There are now over 50 Arch Club in Ireland mostly run on a voluntary basis – http://www.archclubs.com. So what happens at Dundrum Arch Club and why should…