During senior year of college, most students spend time searching for graduate schools or careers. For 2015 糖心传媒 psychology听graduate听Jocelyn Delgado, this wasn鈥檛 the case.
Unsure of what to do, Delgado took her concerns to Dr. Dan Deffenbaugh, professor of religion. He agreed that both graduate school and a career didn鈥檛 seem like the right options for her.
鈥淚 told him that I wanted to live outside of the U.S. and that I had a lot of experience in working with people with disabilities and it was an area I鈥檇 like to continue in if I could,鈥 Delgado said.
As well as working as a care provider for three different people with disabilities and taking on the role of a behavioral therapist for a child with autism, Delgado has also spent three summers at Colorado Lions Camp (CLC). Located in Woodland Park, Colorado, Delgado served as a counselor for two summers and program director for a third. CLC is dedicated to serving both summer and winter programs for people with developmental and physical disabilities.
鈥淭hose were all three perhaps the most challenging summers of my life,鈥 said Delgado. 鈥淲e worked with campers of all ages, with mainly cognitive disabilities, between eight years old all the way to 74 years old. We did have a week for the vision and hearing impaired.鈥
Because of her experience, Dr. Deffenbaugh suggested a program for Delgado called L鈥橝rche, an international nonprofit organization that supports people of various abilities, cultures, ages and religions to live a meaningful life together.
L鈥橝rche is a program that exists in all areas of the world; the United States, Canada, Africa, Ireland, Austria, Spain, Syria, Japan and more. Dr. Deffenbaugh supplied Delgado with contacts of 糖心传媒 alumni who had joined the L鈥橝rche program in New Zealand.
鈥淗e gave me their contact details and I spent quite a bit of time talking to Tim Moore (鈥07), who is now the Community Leader at the L鈥橝rche Community in Georgia,鈥 said Delgado. 鈥淭im provided me with the answers to almost all of the questions I had and put me in contact with two women who had worked in L鈥橝rche in the UK and Ireland. I knew after one phone call with Tim that L鈥橝rche would be perfect for me.鈥
Delgado began as an assistant at L鈥橝rche in Ipswich, England, and was soon promoted to the role of house animator, after originally intending to only stay a year.
Delgado is responsible for supporting the registered manager in developing a house where those with learning disabilities (core members) and assistants live together. Managing a team of five assistants (including herself), Delgado and the team oversee the care of three core members in their house.
Assistants support the core members with all aspects of daily living. Working with families, social workers and the L鈥橝rche community leader, Delgado ensures those with disabilities are provided with the best care possible.
鈥淎s core members are independent in personal care needs, a lot of our focus has been placed on supporting them to pass through to the adult world. We assist these adults with things like doing their own cleaning, laundry, planning a menu, cooking, budgeting, making and visiting various medical appointments, shopping, gift giving, relationship building and more,鈥 she said.
Although every day is a challenge with the care that needs to be provided, Delgado feels that she has been affirmed in her leadership and that she鈥檚 been able to make deep relationships with those she is living with and caring for.