By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Employment Connections program is a service of Hays-based Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for persons ages 18 and older in the 18 counties of northwest Kansas.

The popular program has been around for more than 50 years, says LaVonne Giess, director of employment services at DSNWK.

“We help people with all types of disabilities find a job opportunity,” she said. “If they want to work and that is their goal, then we will make it happen.”

Two types of services are offered.

Work services are a group of people with a supervisor who goes to the workplace and completes a set amount of work.

“We have a lawn care crew. We have a snow removal crew. We clean the (Hays Regional) airport Monday through Friday. We’ve been doing that for over 20 years,” Giess said.

“We clean the respirators at Enersys and put them back in their lockers. We’ve been there for more than 20 years.”

In addition, DSNWK teams carry out janitorial work and help with moving.

Giess is proud that her crews never get sick.

“Many employees have problems with this. We don’t have this problem with factory representatives. We always have people who can step in as temporary workers and cover for someone else, or employees can step in and cover for them.”

Employment Connections also provides community-based employment for individuals.

From job assessment and development to training and long-term support, Employment Connections’ mission is to help individuals acquire the skills they need and secure a competitive job.

“We look at what kind of work they want to do, what skills they have and what they need help with,” Giess said.

Employment Connections staff works closely with local businesses to match clients with jobs that match their skills and goals and meet the hiring needs of Northwest Kansas communities.

“We support our clients in filling out the application documents and during the interview,” says Giess.

Once a client is hired, on-site staff provide job coaching and training.

“We’ll do a task analysis,” Giess said. “Maybe one of our clients needs a picture board, if they have difficulty reading, things like that, whatever adjustments might be needed.”

DSNWK employees have long-term experience working for many Hays companies, including Xibit Customs, Bright Minds Academy, Walmart, Good Samaritan Society, Cross Manufacturing, Master Cleaners and McDonalds.

The jobs, mostly part-time, include dishwashing, meal preparation, childcare, car detailing, shelf stocking, assembly, cashiering and laundry.

“Just a broad, broad spectrum of opportunities. We’re all over this community,” she said.

DSNWK participants in Employee Connections have to pay bills just like the rest of us, Giess said.

“Many of them live in their own apartments,” Giess said. “They have to pay rent. They like to go out to eat. They like to participate in activities.”

“They are a very, very important part of our community.”

Companies interested in hiring in Northwest Kansas through Employment Connections can find more information on the DSNWK website at https://www.mydsnwk.org/what-we-do/employment-connections.