This year the Village of Progress celebrates its 54th year of service to men and women with developmental disabilities. Looking back, it is stunning to see how far we’ve come.

In the 1960s and 1970s the development of “sheltered workshops” was a very forward-thinking approach to delivering services. The goal was to provide persons with developmental disabilities a safe (“sheltered”) place in which to engage in productive work with other disabled persons (“workshop”).

The Village has always prided itself on going above and beyond what many workshops offered over the years. The Village has had a long history of participating in local parades, attending a week-long camp each year, and various Special Olympics sports.

During that time, the main emphasis was providing those who attended with employment, a safe place to work, and a sense
of community. It was a model that well served the Village of Progress and the individuals who have attended here.

Over the past few years, however, the Village has set its goals in a slightly different direction. A much greater emphasis has been placed on encouraging our individuals to explore the community around them in a more integrated way.

Learning to navigate the community with greater independence helps people with disabilities to gain confidence and competence. But an important side benefit is that it introduces our men and women to people in the community – many of whom often don’t have the opportunity to interact with those with disabilities.

This has led us to gradually shift from in-house programs toward activities that help our men and women with disabilities explore the world around them. We’ve started asking ourselves whether we better serve our individuals by removing some of the “shelter” from
sheltered workshop.

Just ten years ago, it’s probably safe to say that 90% of the people who attended the Village of Progress would have spent 90% of their week inside our building. Now, it is no understatement to say that virtually 100% of those who attend the Village have the
option of spending most days a week engaged in activities outside the building and in the community.

Our work activities have shifted from in-house to community based. For example, over the past year, our men and women have made a combined 1,314 trips to Crest Foods to work on the packaging lines.

We have also provided over 450 opportunities for our individuals to work at Nash Recreation Center and Stronghold. In addition, we accompany individuals to clean at local churches, township offices, and the Oregon Coliseum. We’ve also recently started taking groups to Rockford periodically to help sort and stock the souvenir shop for the Ice Hogs Hockey Team.

Going into the community to explore social activities has also been part of this shifting emphasis. In every case, there are two guiding lights that direct our path. First, does it encourage our men and women to explore the community? And does it offer the community a chance to interact with our men and women?

Over the past year, for example, we have provided:

• 1,757 opportunities for individuals to engage in community-based work.
• 600 opportunities to work at the Village Bakery.
•  2,500 to take part in small-group recreational opportunities in the community.
• 400 bike rides with volunteers this summer alone.
• Over 1,200 opportunities to go on short, focused outings such as: lunch at local restaurants, hiking in local state parks, baseball games, picnics, volunteering at animal shelters, visits to the zoo, and even an occasional matinee at an area movie theater.

This is in addition to special activities for very small groups that are definitely memorable:

• A trip to see a Blackhawk Hockey Game.
• Visiting a local casino.
• Dinner and The Penn & Teller Magic Show at the Egyptian Theater in Dekalb.
• Windy City Bulls Basketball Game.

By encouraging our men and women to stretch their legs and minds by engaging in the world around them, they have the opportunity to let their imaginations grow, along with their self-confidence. And the communities they explore have the
opportunity to see our population for the unique, fun, and caring men and women they are.

Everyone benefits when everyone is included.

Brion Brooks
Executive Director, Village of Progress, Inc.