Valley United Way director urges return of BRS internship placements to hire people with disabilities

Carlene Williams, director of operations for Valley United Way, urged meeting participants to reinstate a pre-COVID practice of placing interns from BRS with local nonprofits to give people with disabilities on-the-job experience and help employers find candidates.

Williams said she has worked at Valley United Way since 2017 and was asked early in her tenure to supervise interns from BRS. "I had a chance to learn about these individuals and realize that, you know, they have so much to give to the community," she said, describing both visible and nonvisible disabilities among candidates.

She described the placement model as a practical hiring tool for nonprofits, saying it lets employers test-fit candidates without the full cost and time of standard hiring processes. "This is a way for you to hire someone and see if they will fit the job," Williams said. "Now your job now, at no cost to me, is to find me that person. I think that is so fantastic." She added that if the placement succeeds, an employer can hire the person permanently.

Williams said the practice was common before the COVID-19 pandemic but paused when organizations moved to remote work. She urged fellow employers and nonprofit leaders to consider bringing the partnership back so more people with disabilities can gain experience and be considered for permanent roles.

The remarks on the placement model were presented as recommendations in the public comment portion of the meeting; the transcript records no formal motion or vote to change policy or adopt a program.