A New Opportunity for Christian Chairity

Before I was disabled due to psoriatic arthritis, and the comorbidities that developed I was an ABA therapist.  I worked at Nashoba Learning Group (NLG) in Bedford, MA.  (www.Nashobalearninggroup.org) NLG is a small school that specializes in teaching children with severe forms of Autism.  They serve a population of students from age 3-22 and have a curriculum that touches on the whole life of the child.  I see their ultimate goal is to bring each child as far as they can so that they can be the best member of society possible.  To accomplish this they are involved in vocational training at age 14 (for many students even earlier as pre-vocational training to develop core skills they will need).

Why am I writing this?  What does this have to do with Christian charity?  I see an incredible opportunity for the church.  The students need two things: 1)  a place to practice and develop the skills in public 2) somebody who will employ them once they are competent and independent in the skills they have acquired (or at least in need of no more than a shadow).  I feel that the church is in a perfect position to do both.  I believe that it fits with the church's mission for both Christian charity and evangelization and it will help to foster better relations with a community that feels shunned.  Let me explain how.

Many churches would love to reach out to the community more than they currently do.  They have a heart for social causes and social justice issues.  Many a good idea dies a good idea.  Normally because of one of two reasons; not enough monetary resources or not enough human resources.  I am going to offer to you a way to reach out to community; to a population that so often the community at large shuns and misunderstands. And the plus is that the monetary and human resources required will be little to none.  If you are a pastor, parish administrator, buildings and grounds manager, parish council member, youth minister, director of religious education, or just a parishioner that sees how this can work for your parish I am writing to you.

At the school I was at the students in the vocational program were learning many skills.  They were learning, office work; how to collate, file in alphabetical and numerical order, how to do mailings, stapling and hole punching, using a paper cutter, and many other tasks.  They were learning retail tasks; how to take inventory, stocking shelves, pricing items, running a register, folding merchandise to name a few.  Housekeeping and custodial skills were learned by many; laundry skills, cleaning a bathroom, cleaning a bedroom, cleaning a common area and so much more. And, they were learning kitchen and commissary skills; setting a table, cleaning a table, cleaning a dining room, cooking, cleaning dishes, and  more.  The skills are taught in a controlled environment using something called task analysis.  Step-by-step the children learn how to complete each task with precision and accuracy.  As they get older, they need places in the community where they can generalize the skills and eventually become productive members of society where they are paid for their work.  The church could be the perfect fit.

How do we do this?  How do we as church welcome the students?  We reach out; we invite; we make it happen.  There are many similar schools across the United States and the world, where these vocational programs are happening; find them and make a phone call.  Ask to speak to the vocational director or whoever is in charge of the vocation training.  Discuss with them how you can help them.  You can provide them with a warm, inviting and nonjudgmental place where their children can practice their skills and the benefit is mutual.  They can help with the church mailing; they can photocopy for religious education; they can clean the buildings and grounds.  They can file the baptismal certificates and wedding certificates.  They can data entry  the church census, weekly collection, or so many other things.  They can help the youth minister get ready for an upcoming retreat by putting together the packets for each retreatant.  I believe, the possibilities are endless.  We just need to get creative and recognize that they can help us as much as we can help them.

My son Nathaniel is 14.  We do not know yet what he will do in society.  It is still a great mystery, but right now we do know that most of what he sees as church is not inviting to him.  He has been made to feel like an outsider, like he does not belong.  He is not in a vocational program at this time, but if he was I can't but believe that the program I am proposing would be well received.  We will get many non-Catholics, and non-Christians if we connect with these secular schools, but that's okay.  This is an opportunity for us to bear witness to the love of Christ.  This is a form of quiet evangilization both to the students and their parents, the teachers or therapist, and the administrators.  It is our chance to show the developmentally disabled community that we welcome them.  Let us try to make a difference.

If anybody is already doing this in their church community or if because of reading this you develop a program similar to the one I'm describing then please comment on it.  Share with us the pros and cons.  I am speaking hypothetically.  I would love to see it in action.