“It gives me independence- I’m doing a lot more stuff here.”
“I like being here- it’s fun.”
“I met a lot of new people- I feel like I belong.”
These are all statements anyone would love to make about their job, and they are exactly what Ken Karpa, a participant in Centre Services, has to say about his volunteer job at the VA Hospital in Oakland.
When Ken first arrived at the Centre in January 2009, in conjunction with his junior year at the Children’s Institute Day School, he was happy to come to a place where he could learn some new skills and transition from high school to adulthood. As the months went on, however, he also became interested in finding somewhere to volunteer during his senior year. With the help of his case manager at the Centre, Ken began volunteering in September 2009 at the Neurology and Anti-Coagulation clinics on the 10th floor of the VA. This position was planned for him by the Volunteer Coordinator at the VA, Deborah Goral, who also directs the volunteer activities of several participants in the Career Foundations program at the Centre.
Ken’s responsibilities include putting together packets of patient information for the doctors to use in their daily clinics, assisting the patients as they complete their check-in process at the clinic’s computer kiosk, making deliveries to other departments in the hospital, shredding medical documents, assigning numbers to patients waiting in line to have their medical tests completed, and directing patients to the appropriate hospital departments. His most important job, however, is demonstrated when he talks to the veterans he encounters throughout the day, putting them at ease and making them feel comfortable as they get ready for their appointments.
Ken’s supervisors at the clinics, Joyce Lane-Nelson and Samantha Opferman, have repeatedly expressed how much all the patients appreciate the friendly greeting they receive as they come up to the 10th floor. The doctors have noticed as well, pointing out the respect and dignity with which Ken treats each veteran he encounters. Other departments have even begun to pay attention to Ken’s job performance, sometimes requesting that he come and work for them on smaller temporary projects in addition to his regular work. Ken has also made some great relationships with his colleagues at the VA, with some of them going so far as to make his favorite foods for a holiday party and re-scheduling its time so that he could be there to celebrate with them.
When Ken first began working at the VA, he was there all day every Wednesday accompanied by his case manager from UCP/CLASS. In January 2010, however, he began working on Fridays as well and taking on more responsibility. His supervisors were so pleased with his work that they asked him to stay in their departments on his new additional day rather than moving to another part of the hospital. Ken’s performance and his desire for increased independence is so strong that in March, he and his case manager worked out a fade plan in which she began coming in later and leaving earlier each day she supported him at the VA. Currently, he is volunteering on Wednesdays with minimal support and on Fridays completely on his own. This can be attributed to both Ken’s determination and the encouragement and support he has received from all the staff at the VA. It is obvious that they share the feelings of UCP/CLASS’ mission, “Working toward a community where each belongs”, because they have certainly made Ken feel like he belongs there.
