Hire Me SC starts online resource for families

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Hire Me SC, a statewide workforce development campaign to increase employment for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has started a new online resource for families of people with disabilities.

The employment gap between those with disabilities in South Carolina compared to those without is 42.2%, and this new initiative aims to close that gap by encouraging families to empower their potential workers to meet their employment goals, according to a news release.

“It can be difficult for families to know where to start and what employment decisions their loved ones should make without overstepping boundaries or interfering with their independence,” Kimberly Tissot, president and CEO of Able South Carolina, said in the news release. “The resources available through Hire Me SC help build confidence in family members so they can empower, support and be an advocate for their loved ones as they decide what kind of employment is right for them.”

Hire Me SC, supported by Able SC and the S.C. Disability Employment Coalition, is committed to educating family members of individuals with disabilities looking to enter the workforce, fostering connections with other families and encouraging individuals to share stories about their employment journey, the release said. As a way to achieve this commitment, Hire Me SC launched this new online resource to serve as a hub of employment information, including external resources, tips for families, empowering success stories and more.

“Family often plays a significant role in the employment decisions made by a person with a disability, but a lack of knowledge and support can lead to family members compromising the freedom the individual has to make their own employment decisions,” Tissot said in the release.