KylePawsKC (2)

PAWSABILITIES

A Pathway to Greater Independence

Changing Lives

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Man’s best friend may be the inspiration behind PawsAbilities products. However, our story began with a human touch. PawsAbilities was born out of a desire to provide meaningful jobs and independence for people with intellectual disabilities in Kansas City. 

Employment is the pathway to independence and helps define one’s place in community life. During training, Paws students learn job skills baking dog treats, sewing dog bandanas, and crafting other products. Skills include operating commercial kitchen equipment, operating a cash register, cleaning and janitorial tasks, sewing, baking, packaging, inventory, and customer service. Trainees run the Olathe PawsAbilities retail store and the mobile pop-up store which visits local businesses and events. Educational classes consist of pre-employment skills, such as building resumes, exploring job interests, conducting online job searches, and growing communication skills.

The Impact

PawsAbilities is showing outstanding results, with individuals successfully retaining jobs over a long term. This success can be correlated with three elements of the program:

  • targeted skills training with individualized plans, and pre-employment component
  • strategic placement into positions which match individual strengths, preferences, and skills
  • providing ongoing support including essential transportation services and job coaching

What people say

To learn more about acceptance into the PawsAbilities Employment Program, please follow this link for program criteria and application process. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ickc.org.

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