Announcer (00:16):
Welcome to Networks Looks At, topics that are near and dear to our hearts at Networks that are really at the core of who we are. We hope you really find these helpful, so enjoy it. Take care.

Nikita Arnett-Orr (00:37):
Hey, this is Nikita Arnett-Orr.

Joe Murphy (00:40):
And Joe Murphy from Networks for Training and Development.

Nikita (00:44):
This episode is part of our series about working in the disability field with the focus on roles and supported employment. These roles provide an integral part of making our communities inclusive.

Joe (00:55):
We hope you enjoy listening.

Nikita (00:57):
All right. Welcome back, listeners. Today we're interviewing Jessica from the Arc Alliance. Jessica, welcome.

Jessica (01:05):
Thank you for having me.

Nikita (01:07):
Thank you for being here. Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit your role, your company, and how long you've been there, or just how long you've been in the field in general?

Jessica (01:19):
Sure. So I'm Jessica Wagaman, I'm the executive director at the Arc Alliance Advocacy Services. I've been at the Arc now for about seven years, but I've been in the field, uh, for 17 years, specifically doing Supports Coordination Services. So the Arc Alliance provides Supports Coordination Services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or autism diagnosis. We support them throughout their lifespan. Currently, we serve around 1,700 individuals and I have about 60 staff at this point.

Nikita (01:56):
Oh, my gosh! 1,700 individuals?

Jessica (02:00):
Yes, yes.

Nikita (02:01):
What is the area?

Jessica (02:03):
So we serve six different counties. So we're in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Berks, Chester and Delaware.

Nikita (02:12):
Wow! [inaudible 00:02:13]-

Jessica (02:12):
So but we are located in Montgomery County but we do serve all the surrounding counties.

Nikita (02:19):
Wow! That's a lot of people.

Jessica (02:21):
Yes, yes. (laughs)

Nikita (02:22):
That's amazing. And you've said you've been in the field for 17 years, at the Arc for seven?

Jessica (02:29):
Yeah.

Nikita (02:30):
Why are you in this field? (laughs) Like why have you been in there for so long? 17 years, that's graduating high school. (laughs)

Jessica (02:35):
Long time, yeah. (laughs) So I actually started off in supports coordination right after college, so I started off as an SC and it was such a great experience. I was new to the area but with the caseload I had at first, it helped me get to know the area very well. I worked in Philadelphia, but it was just all the wonderful people that I got to meet and knowing that I was actually making an impact in their lives. And from there, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue to advance in my field going from a supervisor to a unit manager to a director to now an executive director. So I think being able to move up and try different positions and grow within my field has really kept me around for a long time as well.

Nikita (03:24):
Yeah. I love that you're speaking about the growth opportunities that are available in this field. I think really depends on the organization or the agency that you're working for, some have a more established ladder to grow versus others, but it's really nice when you are able to share that you started out, like, at the bottom, like supports coordination and worked your way up. I think that's really great for the career-minded [inaudible 00:03:51].

Jessica (03:51):
And as you know at the Arc Alliance all of our directors, supervisors, they've all been SCs. So I think that helps a lot, especially when we have the new hires coming in, like, letting them know, "We can relate to you. We've been in your shoes. We've done this role. So we understand where you're coming from."

Nikita (04:07):
Ooh! That's really good too, 'cause no one likes being somewhere where like the manager, director doesn't understand. That's just not good.

Jessica (04:16):
Yeah.

Nikita (04:16):
That's really, really great. So you've kind of talked about it a little bit but I just wanna know what else makes the job so fulfilling and attractive? Why should people consider working in this field?

Jessica (04:29):
Well, I know I mentioned that it feels good that I'm making an impact in people's lives, but the one thing I learned when I entered this field was I have a lot more to learn from the individuals that I support than (laughs) they do from me. I have learned so much from the individuals that I've worked with and the families that I've worked with throughout the years. Just really giving me a better perspective of life and understanding individuals in different situations, but it's an opportunity for you to grow as a person as well. I don't know if many jobs you can really say that, that you can learn so much from other individuals like we do.

Nikita (05:07):
Mm-hmm. Thinking of other jobs and industries and I'm like, "Construction? Are you really learning (laughs) about yourself in construction?" Possibly.

Jessica (05:22):
Yeah.

Nikita (05:22):
(laughs)

Jessica (05:22):
(laughs)

Nikita (05:23):
But not in this way. So [inaudible 00:05:23] I think that that's, that's really wonderful. (laughs) What do you think makes you really good at this job?

Jessica (05:29):
I've been told that I'm a strong advocate, I'm very outspoken and I believe when being an advocate, sometimes you have to be okay with ruffling some feathers. You're putting the individual or the system or your agency at first, depending on what you're advocating about, but being able to put those others first and being able to see the big picture as well. You need to be able to see five steps ahead when you're trying to make decisions or planning for [inaudible 00:05:57] individual's life or if I'm making decisions around the agency. So I would say between my advocacy and just being able to see the big picture really helps me with my job.

Nikita (06:08):
Mm-hmm. And something you said earlier about how when you first started in the field as a supports coordinator in Philly, how it helped you to explore the area, I think that's also something that probably makes you really good at your job, right? Because you're open to learning and adventuring it sounds like, just exploring, and I think that that's just a really, really great trait for people to have, just being open to learning.

Jessica (06:39):
Absolutely. It is a job where you can make some great connections and you're working within the intellectual disability system but you're tapping in the community resources and national resources and other service systems. So you get to learn a whole lot about just the community in general and what's out there.

Nikita (07:00):
Oh, yeah, absolutely. Supports coordinators, they have to know everything that's going on in the community, (laughs) essentially. Um-

Jessica (07:07):
That's [inaudible 00:07:07]. We're definitely the jack of all trades. That's for sure. (laughs)

Nikita (07:09):
Yeah. And then especially with employment, there are like the job coaches and job developers, and job developers are the ones that are going out and meeting people and making, like, the business connections and all that. So there's really room for a lot of different kind of people in this field to work on the things that they really like to work on, right? Like-

Jessica (07:31):
Absolutely. Absolutely.

Nikita (07:36):
Yeah. All right. Can you tell me about a feel-good moment, maybe something funny that's happened at work? I'm sure over 17 years, there's been a ton of moments [inaudible 00:07:44] one or two. (laughs)

Jessica (07:44):
Oh, yeah, there's been a ton [inaudible 00:07:45] feel-good moments, for sure. I think my experience is kinda change. When I was an SC it was very hands-on with the individuals. Now as the executive director, I'm kinda bigger picture. Feel-good moments, I will say you right now, I'm working with a lot of legislative staff, meeting with state and federal legislators to get awareness out there about our individuals, the system, what our system needs. Also, just trying to advocate either if it's for additional funding for the system or if it's to change different policies or laws or regulations that affect our individuals. So any good meeting with the legislator where you know they're listening and really understanding what's going on, I think that is always a feel-good moment, to be able to get that awareness out and get people to be able to connect with our individuals and advocate for them on even bigger picture of them what I'm doing.

Nikita (08:40):
Yeah. I'm actually really interested in if you're open to speaking a little bit more about the advocacy and the legislative work. What does that look like on a day to day or, I guess, week to week?

Jessica (08:54):
It kinda depends on the time of year with what's going on with the legislator, if it's budget time then we're meeting with the legislators ahead of time to advocate for the additional funding that we need in our system 'cause our system historically is very underfunded. Other times, the year we're advocating for more policy changes. So I just met with a federal legislator to talk about Social Security benefits and how they need to be increased in certain limitations, need to be taken away and there needs to be more flexibility around that. But other times, I'm meeting with legislators again to advocate for more funding for our system because there's a staffing crisis right now and our system is, like I said, historically underfunded and just trying to get that awareness out that our individuals matter too. I get that everybody needs more money at this time but, you know, our individuals, it's affecting their lives. When you underfund the staffing, it's affecting the individuals that we're supporting then too.

Nikita (09:54):
Mm-hmm.

Jessica (09:55):
So, you know, just trying to get that awareness out. I'm fortunate enough to be part of the Arc of PA as well. So they are big in advocacy and they have a lot of connections with the legislators throughout the state. So we get called in before local chapters to advocate and meet with our legislators.

Nikita (10:14):
Hmm. Yes, thank you so much for sharing. I think that the other people that I talk to for this podcast, they are working in direct services and no one has really talked about advocacy and the big picture stuff yet, so I think that that's really great for people to hear.

Jessica (10:35):
And anyone can be an advocate with our system. You can set up a time to meet with your legislator at any point, you don't have to be in a position like mine. You could be an individual family member and ask to meet with your legislator to try to advocate for the needs of the system. So it's really also empowering other people to be able to speak up and share their stories.

Nikita (10:56):
Yes, I love that. Oh, my gosh. Is there anything that you would like to tell people who maybe interested in working in this field or something that they need to know about it?

Jessica (11:07):
I think it's just, I've been doing this for 17 years and by choice (laughs) and I love it. I've met some absolutely amazing individuals, you have the opportunity to make so many different connections 'cause so many people are coming in and out of your life. It's just amazing and I would tell anyone, like, it's definitely a great opportunity, a great system to enter and you are gonna get something out of it. You're gonna learn, you're going to have a different perspective. You're going to create some amazing relationships. So I encourage anyone that has that drive to advocate for others and support others to give it a try.

Nikita (11:49):
Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much, Jessica, for being with us today. It has been so great talking with you. I can hear the passion in your voice and then I hope that others hear it too, maybe it's just me. (laughs)

Jessica (12:01):
(laughs)

Nikita (12:01):
No, I (laughs) I think that they'll definitely hear it. I would love to get in involved with the advocacy stuff, however.

Jessica (12:10):
Great. Yes, it takes a team. So anyone that's interested, please let me know.

Nikita (12:15):
All right. Well, thank you so much, Jessica. It was great having you on our podcast.

Jessica (12:20):
Thank you so much.

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