Yellow Daffodil Archives - Woods Services

Woods Team Members Shine at Social Innovations Awards

March 4, 2021

In an evening for community innovators to shine, staff at Woods Services, and Woods affiliate Tabor Services, were among those whose work was in the spotlight at the 2021 Greater Philadelphia Innovation Awards hosted by The Social Innovations Journal. The Jan. 21 event, presented virtually this year due to COVID-19, honored social innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers whose leadership, social impact and efforts in their communities make Greater Philadelphia a thriving region of innovation and opportunity for all people. The awards are presented annually by the nonprofit online magazine and voted on by the public.

We know how valuable our Woods team members are, and it was exciting to see their work for our residents and clients recognized publicly through the magazine and in front of the nearly 150 community leaders brought together via Zoom for the ceremony. The Woods stars honored on awards night are Karen Wilkins from Tabor Services, Dawn Diamond and the COVID Task Force members, and Kym Talerico and Avi Saltzman of Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop. Among the innovations they were nominated for are: tranquility rooms for employee well-being and retention, outdoor learning spaces created to maintain resident quality of life during pandemic lockdowns, and a program that provides work experience, develops confidence and independence, and even launched a jewelry line.

Read more to learn about these exciting, innovative, and award-winning programs underway at Woods and Tabor Services.

Innovations Improve Quality of Life during the Pandemic

We have all spent much time talking about and managing the coronavirus pandemic this past year. The “COVID-19 Innovations” category was an opportunity for organizations to share information about effective innovations in dealing with the outbreak. Woods and its COVID-19 Task Force members, led by Dawn Diamond, Darlene Barnes, Dr. Stephen Kolesk and Tine Hansen-Turton, deployed innovative strategies throughout the pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus to our residents and employees, including early adoption of masking, testing and other infection control measures, and converting some services to a virtual platform. Building outdoor classrooms, and creating a nature trail and an animal-assisted therapy program were innovative ideas for providing learning and exercise, and maintaining quality of life and engagement during a period of mandated isolation. Woods was honored with the category’s third place award.

Tranquility Rooms Transform Work Environment at Tabor

Karen Wilkins, chief human resources officer at Tabor Services, a member of the Woods Affiliate network, received third place honors in the “Healthy Food Access and Healthy Workforce Innovator Award” category for her efforts to ensure a supportive and nurturing work environment for employees. Focused on addressing workforce turnover that can result from a stressful and emotionally demanding job, such as with child welfare social work, Karen led a team of staff, maintenance workers and construction experts to transform the work environment by adding three Tranquility Rooms. The modified space features soothing sounds, accommodations for free in-person and virtual yoga classes, and massage chairs. In addition, a trauma-certified psychotherapist with child welfare experience is available for free private and confidential counseling for all employees in need. Karen understood the importance of a supportive organizational culture and how it would help families served by Tabor. Her efforts also contributed to Tabor Services achieving a 98 percent staff retention rate in fiscal year 2020.

Yellow Daffodil Experience Builds Confidence and Independence

Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop’s manager, Kym Talarico, and employee Avi Saltzman were recognized in the Workforce Development Award – Innovation in the Social Mobility Category. The nomination showcased Woods’ commitment to creating the broadest possible work opportunities that enable individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to contribute to the world around them in powerful ways. Product development, merchandising, sales and inventory are among the transferable skills taught at Yellow Daffodil. The work experience helps participants develop their self-confidence and gain independence. The runner-up award celebrated the environment of discovery Kym creates at Yellow Daffodil, encouraging employees to try new tasks that often ignite their passions, and the way Avi, who created a successful jewelry product line for the shop called Aviology, has inspired and supported others to follow his lead.

Congratulations to Karen, Dawn and the COVID Task Force, Kym, and Avi. We are so proud of your accomplishments! Thanks for making Woods shine so brightly.

To diversify hiring, let employees with intellectual disabilities demonstrate their skills

January 18, 2018

*This article originally appeared on the Generocity website here.

Employment is a goal typically realized by developing desirable skills and then getting hired to use them. But what about when the employee’s abilities or needs don’t fit an employer’s usual expectations?

In 2016, there was a 38-percent employment rate in Pennsylvania among those with disabilities. Two local organizations, Neurodiversity in the Workplace and Woods Services, are working to increase the hiring of those left out of the workforce by matching employees’ skills and needs to suitable opportunities.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace is an initiative of The Arc of Philadelphia, part of the SpArc Philadelphia family of organizations. “Neurodiversity” characterizes diverse neurological conditions as natural, genetic variations that do not preclude individuals from functioning at high professional levels. Advocates wish to establish neurodiversity as critical to workforce diversity — and as an advantage rather than a disability.

The initiative builds on this movement to help those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) overcome unique employment hurdles. Young adults with ASD have the lowest rates of employment among peers with other developmental differences.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace brings together individuals with ASD and companies that are open to a neurodiverse workforce, allowing prospective employees to showcase their skills to hiring managers; it began in 2013 with a partnership with SAP toward the goal of employing individuals with ASD.

Director Joseph Riddle said he believes this is a better hiring process for those with ASD because it removes certain social standards, such as eye contact or communication style, which are usually part of the hiring process and put individuals with ASD at a disadvantage.

“If we can help change the culture of the company to be more inclusive, individuals with ASD can easily be integrated as loyal and happy employees,” Riddle said.

In the last three years, Neurodiversity in the Workplace has placed 29 clients into full-time positions at seven different companies, including in software and accounting, with 100 percent retention. The organization has also trained over 2,000 professionals to work with a neurodiverse population — an important part of its mission to get more companies to discuss, attend conferences about and engage in hiring neurodiverse individuals.

While Neurodiversity in the Workplace is closing the employment gap for a highly skilled population, Woods Services helps develop vocational skills among individuals who would not otherwise have the opportunity.

As a population health management organization, Langhorne-based Woods provides health, education, housing, case management services and more to children and adults with exceptional medical and behavioral challenges. It also employs service recipients at its enterprises, most notably the Yellow Daffodil Flower and Gift Shop.

Over the last 50 years, the flower shop has evolved from a greenhouse rotation on the Woods campus to a social enterprise with an on-campus workshop and off-campus storefront. Individuals are hired based on their abilities and interests and do jobs in floral arrangement, inventory and customer service.

“Skills gained at Yellow Daffodil are highly transferable and can lead to community-based jobs,” said Katie Carnevale, communications manager at Woods. “We can quantify and describe what each individual is capable of based on his or her success at the shop.”

Woods also offers employment opportunities at Common Grounds, Woods’ on-campus café, and BeechTree, a body product shop that started as a work unit within Woods’ Beechwood NeuroRehab and was recently established as a standalone social enterprise. At BeechTree, adults with acquired brain injuries create the products, design artwork and represent the company at local events.

Those who have succeeded at these enterprises have advanced to working at local businesses, including a hotel, clothing store and restaurant. Carnevale said she believes these experiences also help shape residents’ hopes for their futures.

For instance, one young man who thrived as a Common Grounds employee has since graduated and plans to open his own restaurant, Carnevale said. Woods is working to expand its social enterprises and offer more employment, but establishing its competitive advantage to keep the businesses sustainable has been a challenge.

Employers have the ability to make a big impact through modifications to their hiring practices — and some are — but consumers should also remember their own purchasing power and call for products of a diverse workforce.

“As large corporations increasingly embrace diversity in their workforces as mutually beneficial, they give their voice to this movement,” Carnevale said. “Then, smaller, local businesses will take notice, too.”

Yellow Daffodil Featured on Fox 29!

June 21, 2017

Fox 29 reporter Joyce Evans, along with her cameraman Shane, spent a few hours at Yellow Daffodil on June 20th. The Yellow Daffodil staff had a great time interacting with the pair and talking about their roles at the shop and life at Woods. Click here to view the segment!