After a long group day and a late night rotary meeting and presentation, I appreciated the chance to sleep in a bit this morning (730am) and spend a few hours at home with my host family before heading out to my first vocational tour.
We got out the road map (yes a map not a GPS!) and found our way across town to the Sandybeach Centre. I wasn't sure what to expect walking into the smallish center that provides services for adults with disabilities as well as extensive staff training for professionals in the field. I was greeted in person by their CEO Tina Dent who devoted several hours to speak with me about their services, opportunities, and challenges as well as inquire about the same in Indiana. The conversation was fruitful and I left very impressed with the services they offer and how they have adapted to the current structure to continue to provide high quality services. By the end of our time together be both had some items and ideas to do further research on that we both hope will be of benefit to our programs.
I met a few participants along the way who eagerly shared what they were doing and how they appreciated the services they received from Sandybeach. I felt a sense of partnership, as it's evident that even 9,000 miles apart we share the same desires, rewards, challenges, and frustrations in wanting to provide quality and consistent care to individuals with disabilities (or the disadvantaged as they say here) despite the ever changing funding and system regulations.
My first vocational day exceeded my expectations and therefore created more excitement for what I have to learn in the following days and weeks.
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