New Outreach Specialist chosen for Independence Inc.

Penny Pozgay is entering her third week as the new Outreach Specialist at Independence Inc., and as someone who knows the system well she couldn't be more qualified for the job.

In addition to her involvement with Independence Inc., she is also Chairperson of the Committee on the Employment and Advancement of People with Disabilities (CEAD) in Williston. Pozgay said that about half of CEAD is made up of people with disabilities, and the other half are service providers and others who are interested in helping. It is their activism and community involvement that have allowed for the Independence Inc. outreach office to be possible.

In her new position, Pozgay helps the agency find creative solutions for people with disabilities, and often may recommend alternatives like counseling or financial responsibility classes for consumers. They ultimately try to empower people to be independent, think for themselves and reach out to the appropriate person or agencies.

For example, Pozgay said they had to teach one of their consumers how to iron shirts for his new job, because it is something he didn't know how to do. They are working with another consumer with a vision impairment who wants to live alone but can't provide her own food because of her disability, and they are teaching her the skills necessary to live independently. She said they also deal with many elderly individuals.

"We prefer to try to help the individual remain as independent as possible, and if that means teaching them how to iron a shirt or cook in their kitchen, then that is what we provide," she said.

As a mother of seven, Pozgay said she hadn't planned on working when she found out about the job opening. However, she was advised to apply and said the interview was unlike any she had done before.

"I was thrilled coming out of the interview. It was really different that anything I have ever interviewed for. The question they asked me that stood out the most was 'how would you determine when you have met a persons needs and are finished?' I answered that it wouldn't be up to me, it would be up to the consumer," she said. She said her philosophy of thinking was something they were looking for, and it was very refreshing.

Although she received an e-mail about the position about two weeks before seeing an advertisement by the City Council, she said she waited to apply until others knew about the opening.

"I wanted to be considered fairly, and felt that the right person would get the job, and whether it was me or someone else was not the issue. Being a part of CEAD, the idea is that individually we all do what we feel is right for the common good, and so that was my feeling about this position," she said.

Pozgay added that a big part of the job so far has turned out to be assessing people's needs.

"Im starting my third week, and we've had a few people looking for the business next door realize what we do and want to know more. And through my connection with CEAD, we have already had individuals referred to us, so that is very telling. It says that the community is in need of more than what is currently available."