Kristin Nguyen was born in Bellingham graduating from Bellingham High School and Western Washington University. She knew she eventually wanted a career that allowed her to help people, but she spent her school years working in a grocery store.
Little did she know that’s where she would get her first taste of helping. “Back when I went to school, people with disabilities weren’t integrated. They were in separate classrooms. So my first exposure was customers shopping in my store, and their support staff taught me how to get to know and treat people,” she says.
That same grocery store soon hired a person with a disability, and Nguyen watched firsthand as the employees came together to help their new coworker be successful. That spirit continued when she started work at Cascade Connections, and over 28 years later, she is still with them as the Vocational Services Administrator.
Cascade Connections Prepares Students for Transition
In the 45 years that they have been operating, Cascade Connections has always advocated for people with developmental disabilities in a variety of ways, including supporting them in the job market. In 2024, they unveiled a program that specializes in preparing a younger participant for working life while they are still high school students.
“It’s not a conversation that people necessarily start when somebody turns 16, and we want to change that. The sooner you start talking about what your future will look like, the more successful you’ll be in finding the jobs that you want. We encourage high school students to get jobs and experience while they’re in school, but people with disabilities have often been left out of that,” Nguyen says.
Working in Whatcom County Schools
Cascade Connections has partnered with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, a part of Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services. They have also hired a teacher, Gregg Hill, who has experience working with people with disabilities, to travel to five different schools in the county and work with students.
Those students are enrolled in the Community Transitions program, which helps students up to 21 years of age move from school life into the adult world. Hill teaches a variety of workplace subjects, including “soft skills” like time management, self-advocacy, financial literacy, and setting goals, which go into finding and keeping a job.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to teach in different high schools in the county. This program fills a huge need for students, and it’s great to see support and options for students as they transition from high school to the next step in their life, whether that’s college, tech school, internships, or straight into a vocational career,” Hill says.
Into The Workplace With Cascade Connections
Cascade Connections has assembled a wealth of information about a diverse array of workplaces and career paths and uses interest tests to help figure out what kind of direction a student might like to take. Those students can explore their options by touring job sites, shadowing workers and taking paid internships. This allows them a chance to try out different types of jobs and workplaces, as well as learn how it feels to work alongside coworkers and take direction from a boss.
The program started in October of 2024, with 47 students at high schools in the Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Meridian and Mount Baker school districts. They are preparing to tap into a roster of interested employers already connected to Cascade that numbers in the hundreds.
Cascade Connections is always on the lookout for more employers to work with. Anyone interested in learning about the program and its benefits for their business is encouraged to reach out to Cascade Connections.
Who Really Benefits?
The rewards for the students are apparent. They receive an education tailored to their needs and speaks to their interests. Plus, having a job leads to a broader worldview, more social opportunities and, of course, the chance to gain financial independence.
For employers, there are many benefits as well. Besides helping the youth in their community, employers are able to work with and meet potentially qualified applicants for future openings. Many of these students could be an untapped resource for underfilled industries. Individuals with disabilities have a much lower turnover rate than others. Internship opportunities for students are not paid by the employer.
There is another factor that Nguyen says is a little harder to put into words regarding the effect supported employment has on workplace culture, “Really, people are just nicer to each other. One person needs support, so everybody becomes more supportive of each other. You go back to basics, putting things in place to help this person learn and making sure things are going well for them. It lowers the stress level when you feel like you’re contributing to somebody’s success,” she says. “One of the biggest reasons I like this job is showing the rest of the world what it’s like to include people who are different in our lives. We are all better people because of it.”
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