Edward G. is a young man with an intellectual disability living in the South Miami-Dade County area; he was referred to Best Buddies Jobs in January 2006. He was assessed to be an At-Risk referral as he was living with an overbearing stepfather who was making life very difficult for Edward and his mother. When I first met Edward he was a timid and quiet young man, with a nervous demeanor. According to his mother, Edward was under constant verbal abuse by his stepfather. Apparently, Edward was called demeaning names and told he was stupid, lazy and would never amount to anything. His self esteem and self-confidence were practically non-existent.

No job history, but desire to succeed
Edward had very little work experience, just occasionally going out with his stepfather to do odd jobs. Edward had never held a competitive employment job until he was referred to Best Buddies Jobs. At the time of our first meeting, I sensed Edward had a strong desire to prove he could work if given the opportunity. He had no idea what he wanted to do, however  I assured him that he would in fact be working in a paid job. I also noticed he needed job coaching on preparing for employment, e.g., proper dress and hygiene for starters. Edward told me that he had been trying to find a job on his own, but so far no one ever called him back.

Job skills training and coaching
Edward was assigned an employment consultant, Mr. Ray Bell, who immediately began job preparation skills training to help get him ready for job development. Edward began learning how to fill out a job application, how to address an employer, proper presentation and to practice good hygiene. Ray conducted several mock interviews with Edward to prepare him for meeting employers. According to Ray, Edward was slow initially in learning how to properly present himself. Yet in time, Edward showed progress. Despite all the obstacles, he remained positive and eager to prove himself.

Interviewed
During the job development process, Best Buddies Jobs developed a job lead with the upscale Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The hotel had an opening in the golf cart maintenance area. The job was discussed with Edward and his mother, and he soon agreed to submit an application. A job interview was arranged in mid February 2006. On the day of the job interview, Edward commented, "I have never seen such a big and beautiful hotel in my whole life." Ray coached Edward to stay positive and remember everything they worked on for the past month, with regard to meeting an employer.

Edward said, "Wouldn’t be cool if I got a job here." Edward met with the Human Resource manager first with Ray, then by himself. Though he was nervous, he managed to do well in the interview. They were informed that Edward would be given a chance, even though he had little work experience. Edward said, "I got the job." He could not wait to tell his mother the good news. When Ray met with his mother, she cried and thanked God for this opportunity. She said she never imagined that her son would be working for a big, fancy hotel.

Hired
Edward was hired on February 23, 2006 as a golf cart maintenance person near the golf course of the Biltmore Hotel. Edward began training how to prepare the golf carts for re-charge, minor maintenance procedures, and light cleaning of the maintenance area. Edward soon learned the basics of his job duties and was performing his tasks well. The manager Jason, took the time to personally show Edward best practices to work smart and efficiently. Edward now has become a member of the Golf Maintenance team and is working 30 to 35hrs per week. He loves his job and has made new friends there. His self-esteem has risen to new heights and is now more confident in his abilities.

On May 16, Edward was invited to attend an Awards Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Miami. The event entitled the In-Key Awards, recognizes outstanding Hotel employees in the Greater Miami area.