SAN MARCOS, Calif. (KGTV) — A North County nonprofit is empowering individuals with autism, helping them become more independent in life.
TERI, which has been providing services for 45 years, offers various programs that open new doors for many in the community.
Their newest initiatives teach job skills, allowing participants to earn an opportunity to make their own money.
In 2022, TERI launched a paid internship program that includes a position at the Common Grounds Café on their campus.
The café is a hidden gem, specializing in teas, coffee, and delicious food. Andrea England, a graduate of the Culinary Vocational Intern Program, shared her experience with ABC 10News.
“I assist the chefs and prep cooks with food running and chopping and sometimes with baking cookies," England said. “It's just been fun and exciting watching the campus grow as well as the internship program.”
England participated in the internship when it first launched. The program helps build essential job skills like time management and communication.
“Every shift they work, every interaction they have breaks down those barriers for people who may think that maybe people with intellectual disabilities won't contribute quite as much in the workplace. That’s a stigma we’re definitely trying to break down,” said Meredith McDermott, the director of the IES program at TERI
The internships run between 8 months to a year, giving participants experience to add to their resumes for future jobs.
“Having an opportunity for advancement and being able to support yourself independently is inherently important to all of us, and the individuals that we serve are no different,” McDermott said.
From intern to employee, the program has turned England's dream of becoming a baker and making her own money into a reality.
“It's great to have money, and then I can spend it and save it,” she said. “I actually have a family member helping me so I don't spend too much, but it's just great to have that money for myself for the future, you know, so I'm not struggling paycheck to paycheck.”
England hopes to own a restaurant one day, and with the skills she’s gained, that dream may soon come true.
