Inclusive Employment and Empowerment - Erin Riehle

Mar 5

A Vision for Inclusive Employment and Empowering Abilities with Erin Riehle

48 min 32 sec

Episode Description

Erin Riehle is a visionary advocate for inclusivity, with a passion for transforming the lives of people with learning disabilities. As a nurse in A&E of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, in the 1990’s she founded Project Search, a revolutionary global program that reimagines the transition from education to employment for these individuals. Our conversation unpacks how word of mouth has organically grown the programme from local to global, the difference between collaboration and cooperation with multiple partners, and some lovely stories of how our own assumptions often get in the way of how people with learning disabilities can achieve what we can never imagine.

Timestamps:

(04:24) Internships provide holistic, diverse skill development training.

(08:52) Bridge the school-work gap by training disabled individuals.

(11:04) Collaboration led to successful employment for youth.

(14:16) Erin's promotion to sterilise dental instruments.

(22:44) Define shared success to foster team collaboration.

(25:48) Teacher transition from teaching to business skills.

(29:58) Unplanned program at Cincinnati Children's resonates globally.

(37:24) Adapt to cultural differences and embrace collaboration.

(39:15) Teaching a student to work left to right.

(42:47) Passionate about creating transformative moments in employment.

(46:36) Overcome fear, pursue ideas, and expect more.