"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings." – Samuel Johnson
Connor G. is an independent guy, who uses his time and talent, to allow others to reach that same level of independence. His independent mindset comes through in the way he speaks, and the way he views the world. Due to this fact, Connor has succeeded personally, academically, and professionally, and is adept at his job as a youth counselor. He is actively inspiring the adults of tomorrow to be as independent as he has become.
In September of 2014, at the age of 21, Connor was involved in a traumatic fall that damaged his spinal cord and left him paralyzed in his lower extremities. After an initial two month stay and rehabilitation at ECMC, and a longer stay at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, he was ready to figure out his new place in the world, living with the challenges his injury created. He resumed his education at ECC, and then applied, and was accepted at Lake Forest College in Chicago, where he began a four-year program of study. It was around this time that Connor discovered ACCES-VR and was enrolled in the program.
Connor's ACCES counselor, Amy Szymula, helped him throughout his college career and assisted him with finding accessible housing and his own transportation; Connor drives a Subaru WRX outfitted with hand controls. He transfers into his vehicle, stows his chair in the back, and is good to go. After completing his BA in Sociology and Anthropology, he moved back to Buffalo to complete his Master of Science Degree in Social Work at SUNY at Buffalo. Connor graduated in May 2020 and ACCES put him in touch with Andrea Todaro at Innovative Placements. He was ready to start looking for his first career job!
Their search went quickly. "Andrea was thorough and would touch base with me 2 to 3 times every week, during our search. She made sure to follow up with me as often as I needed during the process." She helped Connor get his resume and references together and organized. Andrea would apply for nearly 30 positions on his behalf as well. The mock interview training was extremely beneficial. "Andrea Samra asked real world questions and helped me refine my answers." In an interesting move, not only did Andrea execute the mass distribution in Western New York, she was able to do the same in the Tampa Bay area, where Connor was hoping to relocate. "My girlfriend found a job down there, and I wanted to go with her, and find a job working down there as well." The search returned many hits and he applied for his current job at DACCO. The interview process was fairly painless; he had one interview with his direct supervisor, and a second with the manager of the entire program; Connor felt an immediate connection with the company.
Connor was hired by DACCO as a youth counselor for middle and high school students in the Hillsborough School District in Tampa Bay, Florida in January 2021. In this capacity he helps young people deal with issues including anxiety, depression, identity issues, and drug and alcohol abuse. Many of the students he helps have difficult home lives. Students have stressors and Connor helps them develop coping mechanisms to overcome circumstances, just like he was able to do. He spends his days traveling to schools throughout the district conducting sessions with students. His current caseload is around 25. Initial sessions include paperwork that Connor must complete to begin services. While necessary, this is not the highlight of Connor's job. "The paperwork can be kind of dull and tends to eat up the first two sessions." Paperwork includes enrollments, assessments, creation of an individualized service plan, and PHQ9, which is a test designed to measure mental health. By the third session, he is able to start diving into problems and addressing needs. Students are usually discharged after 12 weeks of therapy as part of Project Success. Connor has observed a solid success rate, with most students making progress. If students need more time and help, further services are available. Connor likes being able to help his students, "It gives many of them an outlet that they don't always have."
It was during his hospital stay following his injury that Connor began to see the virtues of social work. "Many patients did not have the level of assistance they needed. For example, someone to help them find information and make decisions to benefit their mental health." As part of his undergraduate studies, Connor interned in a special education classroom, and discovered that he had an interest in working with kids. He discovered a community with a need that he could help fill. "I loved working with kids. After my injury, I discovered how important mental health is—you can't just focus on physical healing—you need to look at the internal mind and make sure that is stable as well."
Connor likes his coworkers and the overall feeling that he is part of a team at DACCO. He also enjoys his work immensely. He underwent two weeks of on-the-job training, which covered all the paperwork procedures and the actual assessments they use to diagnose and provide services. Connor makes $14 dollars an hour/30K annually. DACCO offers a generous benefits compensation plan including health and dental insurance, a retirement plan and weekends off; summers too, presumably!
A watchword for Andrea was "momentum" and she maintained that throughout the process. "She is open and easy to talk with, which helped keep us on the same page at all times. I would recommend Innovative Placements because the process and support are so thorough. This is my first job in my field!" says Connor with a clear sense of enjoyment.
— Martin Kilroy, Writer for Innovative Placements