Clubhouse Spotlight: Maya Diamant-Cohen

Clubhouse: How was your first year at the Clubhouse?

Maya Diamant-Cohen: It’s been a wonderful experience, I’ve learned a lot. I enjoy the experience of being at B’More Clubhouse.

CH: Do you love working here?

MDC: Yes! 10 out of 10!

CH: Why did you choose to work here?

MDC: I thought it would be very meaningful. I was impressed with the Clubhouse model and the people here.

CH: What is a professional goal you have for yourself at the Clubhouse?

MDC: To keep learning and growing and helping. To keep refining my work career.

CH: What do you bring to the Clubhouse?

MDC: A smile :)

CH: What is a great moment in your life?

MDC: Traveling on my own in Asia

CH: Where are you from?

MDC: I was born in Israel. I moved to Baltimore when I was 9, and I’ve been all over the place since I was 17.

CH: What do you like to do for fun? And when will you adopt a cat?

MDC: For fun, I like hiking and being outdoors. And I’ll adopt a cat once I get a home to welcome them to!

TE Development Updates

Transitional Employment (TE) is a unique Clubhouse way for members to return to the mainstream labor market. TEs are highly supported job placements with employers in the community. They are always part-time, time-limited (6-9 months), and offer hands-on training as well as absence coverage. TE Development is a Clubhouse-wide priority, which means that members and staff in every unit help to create these partnerships. Even though everyone helps with this work, it is still challenging. So when we cross a major milestone, it’s cause for serious celebration!

This month, we heard from a local employer that they would like to partner with us for a new TE placement! The job is at Copper Kitchen and the position is Junior Prep Cook. It took several months to reach this point, so we would like to share about our TE development process so the B’More community understands how we make this happen.

First, the development process starts with the Brainstorm Box. Located in the BizCom unit upstairs, colleagues are invited to add their ideas for good employment partners whenever “lightning strikes.” Each Thursday, the BizCom team goes through the ideas and organizes them. Then we have Business Breakfast on Friday mornings at 8:45 AM (sometimes we get donuts too!). Business Breakfast is the meeting where we decide by consensus which employers are worth pursuing for TE partnerships. Colleagues volunteer to follow-up with each new target. This can look like doing internet research about a company, offering to call or email them to invite them for a tour, or planning a visit to patronize their business. From there, TE development can go a number of different ways. Sometimes, employers are all in at the first meeting but then stop responding to our calls or emails. Sometimes, we spend months building relationships with the employer just to find out the job would make a better SE (Supported Employment) than a TE.

But with Copper Kitchen, we had a best case scenario! Copper Kitchen got to know B’More Clubhouse last Fall as we were preparing for our annual fundraising event. Copper Kitchen donated a high-value catered meal package for our silent auction and that’s where our relationship with them began. In December and January, we exchanged emails and shared ideas about mutually beneficial collaboration and they agreed to hear about TE opportunities. Two Copper Kitchen personnel came to B’More in February to take a tour and see the Clubhouse in action. Then in March, we met over at their commissary kitchen for another TE meeting (as well as a food tasting!). In April. we discussed some potential job descriptions for TE positions. Then in May, we received a final job description and started accepting members’ resumes!

TE Development can be a long and challenging process, but the pay-off is so satisfying! Ways to help include: adding ideas to the Brainstorm Box, coming to Business Breakfast, helping with employer tours, volunteering to go out to TE meetings around the city, and helping us find useful connections to employers in our network. Please lend your talents and skills, your creativity and imagination, to our TE development efforts!

Introducing: The Bizcom Unit

 

On May 1st B’More Clubhouse unveiled a new work team called the BizCom Unit. It’s a combination of the Communication and Career Development units. Located upstairs, the BizCom Unit still does the work of the two previous units and will allow us to do much more. We’ve reorganized some furniture to create new work stations, like for the newsletter, reachout and TE development. We just have one planning meeting now, Monday mornings at 10:30am (which is subject to change). Probably the most visually exciting new thing is: we have a new flat screen TV! (which we use for work, of course).

                                      

Here’s what some B’More Colleagues have to say about the unit after the first month:

Eric says, “it’s an excellent place to get ideas and thoughts. Teamwork has made the place better, having ideas and putting everything together.” 

Flame said the unit work is “easier,” and there’s, “more access than before. Well put together, and the TV is helpful,” for collaborative work. 

Jason said this is “an exciting new development,” and he thinks the unit, “is more organized because of the different stations.” 

Mariana shared, “There’s more opportunity to collaborate together. The setup allows us all to work together and learn from each other.” Mariana also added that, “the organization of the space could use some work.” 

Michelle said it’s “more fun” now and she sees that we “work together as a team.” 

Lastly, Revan said it’s “effective,” and “boosts productivity.”

All B’More colleagues are invited to come check out the new BizCom unit, try some of the work, and tell us what you think!

15th Anniversary Celebration

 On Friday, May 31st, B’More was buzzing from the moment the front doors opened. Colleagues put finishing touches on decorations, began cooking all the food, and filling up the dunk tank. At 11 o’clock, the party shifted into high gear. Members, staff, board members, and other community supporters were all sporting this year’s T-shirt as they were playing games and mingling throughout the Clubhouse.

The dunk tank was probably the most memorable part of the day. Cusa, Josh, Jason, Walker, and Richard all took turns in the hot seat. Mish and Mariana worked the SnoBall and popcorn machines most of the day, Walker and Paula did a ton of grilling, while Michelle and Cusa were making deep fried Oreos. Big shout out to Copper Kitchen who provided delicious appetizers for free and stayed to serve food until the end of the party. When asked, almost everyone said their favorite part of the day was catching up with old friends and getting to know all the new members who joined in the last year.

There was music, a slideshow, ring toss, basketball--but most importantly, we crushed the all-time attendance record with over 130 partygoers! Check out the June Newsletter for more pictures from this special event.