3. How Yes She Can Inc. is approaching
job skill development
for young women with autism
Yale University
February 13, 2015
MARJORIE MADFIS, MBA
SHERI BARON, PHD
@YESSHECANINC
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4. Presenters
Marjorie Madfis
Founder and President Yes She Can Inc.
Mother of 18 year old girl with ASD
30 year career in corporate marketing
MBA, Boston University
Sheri Baron
Director, Yes She Can Inc.
Clinical psychologist, over 20 years in private practice
specializing in HFA/Aspergers Syndrome
PhD. Syracuse University
Post-doc Teachers College, Columbia
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5. Intentions
1. Share our experiences and insights
with you
2. Learn from your experts
3. Collaborate to further our mission of
improving employment opportunities
and outcomes for women with autism
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6. Agenda
1. Adults and employment data
2. Ready for work
3. Yes She Can vision
4. Reality: Laying the track while the train is moving
5. Girl AGain as laboratory
6. Profiles
7. The work we do
8. Goals for year 2
9. Q&A
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9. And then….
8 years following High School
◦only 53% of adults have worked for pay (Shattuck, 2012)
◦ Unemployment rates for autism higher than other disabilities
◦ difficult time navigating work due to cognitive,
communication and behavioral challenges (Zager, 2014)
Implications:
◦Cost of caring for adult with autism who is not
working > $2 Million over their adult life (Autism Society,
2011)
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11. After high school options
College campus programs
◦ Accredited college with various supports (Adelphi)
◦ College programs designed for special ed students (NYIT VIP)
◦ Parallel programs on college campuses (Lesley College Threshold)
Vocational residential programs
◦ Most end at 21 under IDEA
◦ some continue with adult programs in community (Chapel Haven, Vista)
Last year of high school vocational prep
◦ Project SEARCH
“Day Hab” programs
◦ with or without walls
◦ “full day” = 9-2:30
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12. High school skills vs workplace skills
School Work
Support Teacher and TA Peers
Reward Right answer Solutions to problems
Approach Independent Collaborative
Social Forced Necessary
Intense
interest
Obsession Expertise
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14. Autism Employment Models
Sheltered workshops
Agency run businesses
Revenue funds the organization
Arc of Westchester: eDocs NY
SAARC: Beneficial Beans
Family run businesses
For profit or non-profit
Long-term employment
Extraordinary Ventures
Rising Tide Car Wash
Spectrum Designs
Aspiritech
Training for competitive
placement
Specialisterne
Competitive differentiation
Ultra Testing
Conventional businesses with
VR supported employment
Shoprite
Conventional business with
intention
Walgreens
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15. Criteria for Yes She Can
1. Female-focused
2. Start from individual’s strengths and passion
3. Satisfy market demand
4. Apply business perspective – generalize and transfer skills
5. Immersive learning approach
6. Coaching and mentoring for sustainability
7. Create community of women at work
8. Instill culture of inclusion and respect in “NT” local community
9. Experiment, iterate and measure success (laboratory)
10. Scalability (incubator)
11. Serve as a model
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16. Training with a business perspective
Tasks with a reason - Why
Process – How
Problem-solving
Collaborative decision making
Dealing with uncertainty
Setting priorities
Responsibility and commitment
It’s not about you- it’s about the customer
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17. Teaching tasks vs business concepts
Does “what” + “why” = generalize?
examples Task Concept
Shopping bags Accuracy Marketing
Inventory Counting Purchasing
Product
knowledge
Study Expertise
Product display Arrange by
rule
Customer
motivation
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18. Immersive learning
Learning on the job
One-on-one teaching
How to and why
Opposite of production line –
try all aspects of business
Stretching
Accomplishments
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22. American Girl brand
Founded 1986 – mail order catalog
Girls in American historical periods
Attention to authentic detail
Girls who can read – ages 8-11
Collect in depth
Girl empowerment message
Retail store experience
Café, Hair Salon, events
Mattel (Barbie)
Aspirational, attainable luxury
Shifting to younger aged girls
Doll that looks like self
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23. Is there a business?
Market demand
New carries a high price tag
Dolls: $115
Outfits: $22-$40 each
Furniture: $30 - $300
Huge secondary market
Girls who want to add to collection
Girls who want a first doll
Adult collectors
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24. Is there a business?
Product Supply
AG has been around for 27 years
Oldest cohort = 37 years old
Sources
Ebay, Craig’s List
Garage sales
Donations
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27. Girl AGain model
Structure
Supply DemandWork
Merchandise
Donations
Purchases
Customers
Marketing
Promotions
PR
Events
Retail space
Tasks
Processes
Funding
Accounting
Colleagues and managers
Social skills
Behavior coaching
Job
expertise
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28. Opened Feb 8 2014
Hartsdale NY Strip mall
Inside another new business, Sweet Heaven Spa, 125 sq. ft.
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29. Moved Oct 29 2014
Edge of downtown White Plains,
walk to Metro North train station
and bus hub.
750 Sq. Ft.
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30. The work: on the job training
Merchandise
◦ Research, sort, assess, analysis, decision making, collaboration
Sales
◦ Communicate, sell, transactions, social
◦ Events – demonstrate, lead
Marketing
◦ Website development, contact database
◦ Social media
Operations
◦ Accounting: Quick Books
◦ Store maintenance
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33. Societal impact
Introducing our customers to women with
autism in responsible positions
“grease the skids” for conventional employers to
hire women with autism.
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34. Scalability
Girl AGain cannot employ all women who want
to work
By creating an incubator with constant thru put
(“graduation”) more women can participate
Conventional employers need to
absorb Yes She Can trainees
Eventually, Yes She Can will have a portfolio of
businesses that meet the criteria of viability
Not all women have a passion for American Girl. Really.
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36. Characteristics of workplace success
Motivation and perseverance
Good social communication skills
Good emotional regulation
Adaptability and flexibility (cognitive and emotional)
Dealing with these issues all the time, day in and day out.
If trainees are able to achieve in these areas, they have a good
shot at job success.
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37. Potential for success at work
Support for academic success in HS and college –
but scholastic success is not enough.
Little preparation for work success
social, emotional and communication skills needed
to be good employees.
No idea why they get hired and why they get fired.
Do not know what they are doing right or what is
getting them in trouble.
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38. Girl AGain – a laboratory
A work environment in which:
Social communication skills are practiced in a safe place
with a range of people
The Hidden Curriculum is directly taught.
Where genuine honest
feedback is provided
We realistically address their
strengths and weaknesses
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39. Business expectation and psychology
Workplace Do’s and Don'ts
Business Rules: Personal hygiene, Who is the boss
Why its important?
People will not want you as part of their team
Clarity on who provides direction and assessment
Do Don’t
wear clean clothes, bathe, use
deodorant
wear wrinkled dirty clothes, low cut
shirts, etc.
understand there may be more
than one “boss”
ignore information just because is
does not come from your “boss”
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40. Immersive teaching
I cannot do this work from
a therapist’s chair.
We need an authentic environment
in which young women can learn and
practice what is necessary to become
good employees.
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43. Monica
Overview: Age 25, Asperger’s, GED, lives with mother
Paid employment experience: none, volunteer roles
Career goal: work with animals
Joined Yes She Can : Fall 2014, before store opened
Work schedule: Thursdays and Saturdays, 4 hours each day
Skill Assessment
◦ Strengths: motivated, pleasant to be around, will advocate for self,
travels independently, sustains focus, willing to help others
◦ Challenges: Talking to strangers, small talk, anxiety regulation,
difficulty with math, rigid at times
Exit Strategy
◦ Center for Career Freedom: office software skills
◦ Access- VR placement
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44. Paige
Overview: Age 25, ASD, OPWDD, attended CIP, lives at home with mother
and sister, takes classes at community college, has boyfriend
Paid employment: day care center, 3 days a week, 3 hours per day
Career goals: voice-over actress
Joined Yes She Can: Fall 2014, before store opened
Work Schedule: Thursdays, 4 hours
Skill assessment
◦ Strengths: Personable, capable of doing all tasks in store, willing to help other
workers, travels independently
◦ Weaknesses: Following directions and sustaining attention; poor speech
articulation; talks too much-does not know when others are disinterested, even
with direct instructions dresses inappropriately
Exit strategy: not defined
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45. Isabelle
Overview: Age 18.5, ASD, attends high school and working towards CDOS
credential, lives with parents; OPWDD
Paid employment: none. Internships through school, and JCCA
Career goal: to work at American Girl Place hair salon (or perform at Disney
World)
Joined Yes She Can: from beginning
Work schedule:: Saturdays and Sundays 2 hours in mornings, and at events
Skill assessment:
◦ Strengths: passion for and knowledge of American Girl products; enjoys sharing
knowledge; doing work tasks involving high interest (research, pricing, display),
follows schedule
◦ Weaknesses: Following directions and sustaining attention when interest is low;
emotional regulation; social skills and social understanding; rigid; separating from
being a customer
Exit strategy: none
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63. What’s next
Girl AGain: trainees
Formalize processes
Measurement methods
Exit strategies for each trainee
Create “serious games” for practicing skill
Work with employers - Create transition and training
Girl AGain: operations
Acquire more donated merchandise
Yes She Can goals
Fundraising and grants
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66. Marjorie Madfis
Founder and President, Yes She Can Inc., Manager, Girl AGain boutique
Marjorie Madfis founded Yes She Can Inc. in November 2013, inspired by her daughter, Isabelle who is
a teen with autism. Marjorie realized that her daughter and other teens with autism transitioning
from high school to the adult world, need specialized coaching and training to be able to join the
workforce. From her observations and experience with her daughter, she believed that people with
autism particularly needed to have an immersive experience to prepare for the competitive work
place.
Previously Marjorie had a successful 30-year career in corporate marketing with expertise in interactive
marketing, branding, strategy, and direct marketing. In 2013 she retired from IBM after 17 years of
service where she held leadership roles in digital and social media marketing.
Prior to joining IBM, Marjorie was a direct marketing consult providing services to Ogilvy & Mather and
IBM, and to leading publishers including Hearst, TV Guide, and Time Inc. Previously, she held positions
as Director of Marketing at Doubleday Book Clubs and Account Supervisor at Wunderman Worldwide.
Marjorie holds an MBA from Boston University, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Community
Development from University of New Hampshire.
Marjorie lives in White Plains, New York, with her husband and daughter. She serves as a member of
the Westchester County Autism Advisory Committee, and had founded the White Plains School District
PTA Committee on Special Needs. She has been an active fundraiser for Autism Speaks (NAAR) and
Autism Science Foundation.
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67. Sheri Baron, PhD.
Director, Yes She Can Inc.
Sheri Baron is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with
children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Baron has extensive experience working with toddlers
through young adults diagnosed with High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome.
She received her doctorate in psychology from Syracuse University and completed post-
doctoral work at Teachers College, Columbia University. She spent five years doing research at
Downstate Medical Center involved in studying brain-behavior relationships that is the
relationships between neurotransmitter and hormone changes on mood and behavior. This
interest led to a focus in private practice on the effects of regulation of sensory,
mood/emotional, and attentional systems on symptoms experienced by patients.
Dr. Baron has a strong interest in helping her patients and others with social and
communication disorders develop those skills necessary to obtain meaningful work and
ultimately attain independence. In April 2014, she began volunteering at Girl AGain boutique
operated by Yes She Can Inc. to provide job coaching, counseling and behavioral support to the
women who participate in the program. She joined the Board of Yes She Can Inc. in October
2014
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68. Addendum
Website: www.GirlAGain.com
Website: www.YesSheCanInc.org
Videos: The Local Live
Facebook: GirlAGainBoutique
Features:
◦ WCBS radio: Stories from Main Street
◦ Today.Com: Living the 'American Girl' dream: Mom opens shop to help daughter with autism
◦ The Journal News: 1-of-a-kind shop helps autistic girls follow their dreams
◦ Autism Daily Newscast: video
This presentation is available on slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/marjoriemadfis
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69. Calling All American Girls
Seeking gently used American Girl brand dolls
and their clothing, furniture, accessories, and books
to be prepared and resold in our boutique
Operated by Yes She Can Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization developing job skills
and employment opportunities for young women with autism.
Call to arrange donations: 914-428-1258
Learn more at www.YesSheCanInc.org
4 Martine Ave. White Plains, NY 10606
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