Ken's Krew, Inc

Every individual deserves the opportunity to enter the workforce, earn a fair wage, and reach their full potential.  Employment is a fundamental human right with an important value in people’s lives. Participation in meaningful integrative competitive employment is fundamental to the physical and psychological well-being of people both with and without disabilities. For the estimated 5.4 million adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities in the United States, employment is a key social determinant of health and well being.  

Ken’s Krew Inc was founded 25 years ago by two families. KKI provides recruitment and job placement, training and retention services to individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. To date, the organization has assisted over 900 individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities in their transition from students to valued and productive employees. The efforts of these individuals, along with their vocational coordinators, our employment partners, and the support of their families has enabled our members to succeed in competitive integrative employment and to live more independent and fulfilling lives as productive members of the communities in which they live and work.

Ken's Krew currently operates in nine states, supporting over 550 individuals in 197 retail and hospitality locations. Vocational coordinators assess, train and support both the worker and the employer. Participants in the program are taught the skills necessary for independent employment and receive ongoing support services to maximize their potential for job success and employment retention. 

Ken's Krew recognizes the need for long term employment opportunities and provides ongoing advocacy/training opportunities that promote job retention. Employers are actively searching for diverse and talented workers to build an inclusive and dynamic national workforce. Miami-Dade County continues experiencing economic growth as local companies are growing and companies from other parts of the United States, as well as from abroad move their operations to Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade Beacon Council's unemployment report (October 2021) shows that the unemployment rate has decreased to 3.8%. Individuals with disabilities are an important population for businesses that are working to achieve greater diversity and inclusion of their workforce. There is a current opportunity to develop and expand employment recruitment and workforce pipeline programs to recruit, train, and retain the talents of workers with disabilities.

Through a proven replicable model, KKI has a track record of providing productive members of the workforce who are contributing members of the communities in which they live and work. Vocational coordinators assess, train and support both the worker and the employer. Participants in the program are taught the skills necessary for independent employment opportunities and receive ongoing support services to maximize their potential for job success and employment retention. We recognize the need for long term employment opportunities, and provide retraining, soft skills training, career advancement and employment advocacy support services for the lifetime of employment to all workers.

How we do it:
Credentialing courses: Offer the opportunity to participate in an industry standard credentialing course.
Recruit: Identify talent whose skills and preferences match available job positions.
Train: Provide a Vocational Coordinator to place and train the worker. The initial training period is a minimum of 72 hours with additional training provided as needed.
Retain: Provide retraining, soft skills training, career advancement and employment advocacy support services over the lifetime employment.

BEST PRACTICES:

• Same Job, Same Pay: Employees with disabilities will be paid the hourly or salaried wage associated with the job they are hired to do.

• Same Standards: Employees with disabilities will be held to the same high standards as non-disabled employees.

• Side-by-Side Work: Employees with disabilities will work side-by-side with non-disabled employees, creating an inclusive work environment.

Most organizations are limited to 90-120 days of support services after job placement. Research shows that 75% of individuals with disabilities successfully retain employment for three months with the number drastically reducing to 50% maintaining employment after one year. Ken's Krew maintains an average job retention rate of 6 years while consistently having a 90% or higher job retention rate for a minimum of one year. In 2023, we honored the first three workers who celebrated 25 years of employment. By providing ongoing support, workers continue to acquire and develop the life skills and soft skills that are needed to not only maintain employment but to have a successful career.