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My name is Henry Winkleman.

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I'm a working person with ability not disability.

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Here at the Clarks company my job title is Development Coordinator

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I am the Development Coordinator for opening up new stores and renovating existing ones.

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I'm the development coordinator for the First Step Program

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which is a program for people with disabilities

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return to work through a short term intership here a Clark's

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The goal of the program is for people, during their six month internship,

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to build their self-esteem and their confidence and to realize

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that they bring value to companies.

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Once they build up their self-esteem and confidence

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their really truly able and ready to learn the skills that they need

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to become fully employed.

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Having a job makes me feel excellent.

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When I don't have a job, I felt worthless.

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I felt like I provided no value to anyone.

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I found that it very very hard to find a job

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and luckily I became involved with Triangle and the MRC.

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My memory disability, in fact, aided my redevelopment,

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because whenever people would say you can't do that

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I would just turn around and think that I could and I would do it.

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I always kept look toward the future.

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To really succeed, it makes sense to start at the bottom

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take a good first step, then you can take another step forward

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and another step forward, but you need to start at a basic level

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where you can bring yourself a sense of self-worth and where you can show other people

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the value that you have and offer.

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When I hear the word disability used, I think that it is the worst word

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in the English language.

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Disability implies that you do not have abilities and that you are unable.

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In fact that is not what it is supposed to mean,

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It is supposed to mean abled but limited in their abilities

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Disability, should be stricken from the English language.

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I talk with employers very often about offering opportunities to people with disabilities

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and I think I would describe it in a way that very few can

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because I have a person who had a disability

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and now I'm an employer.

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I would say that you made the right choice

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You're offering opportunity to people that is crucial, but what you're going to find

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is a diamond in the rough.

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With a little bit of time, effort and education, these people grow

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into the most productive members of your staff.

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The advice that I would give to people looking for work is

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give 100% effort.

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Too many people give that 50% effort and that is what they get out of it

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but if you apply yourself completely,

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devote yourself to looking for a job, you'll find a job.

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Don't ever give up.

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Keep going; keep moving forward.

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We can all lay back on our past, but the future is where the future lies.