Strategies to Facilitate Natural Supports
Everyone utilizes natural supports within their day. Natural supports are described as those personal relationships with others that benefit us in some way or another. These relationships may be with people in our home, community or workplace.
Natural supports can include family, friends, coworkers, teachers, church or club members, pets, therapists, and many more. The natural support these people can provide could include a ride to work, general companionship, providing reminders for recreational opportunities, collaborating on what to buy at the grocery store, helping you complete the driver’s training hours, or picking up a book you have on hold at the library on their way home from work.
Natural supports in the workplace are like those in our everyday lives. These supports can include the security guard who scans your badge, the maintenance staff that empties your trash, the supervisor who rings the bell for lunch. All these people support you on the job. Natural supports utilized in the workplace can assist in making competitive integrated employment feasible and sustainable.
More examples of natural supports on the job include:
- Work peers who assist with different job duties, provide answers to questions related to the job, and give feedback and encouragement.
- Work supervisors schedule weekly check-ins, set and communicate clear expectations, and ensure proper training.
- Company standards and protocols identify work benefits, available accommodations, and job responsibilities.
- Workplace integration means all employees receive the same invitations to company and team meetings and corporate celebrations.
Be sure to check out the resources below when planning your next steps towards employment.
