Peckham in Action
What We Care About
WORKING TOWARD A MODEL OF INCLUSION
People with disabilities are often marginalized and underrepresented in the workforce and face higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. They are often judged as less valuable and overlooked in society. Peckham is committed to changing this narrative by demonstrating that individuals with disabilities are as valuable in the workforce as anyone else.
We create an inclusive workplace that supports and promotes them through competitive integrated employment, access to benefits and meaningful career pathways. For nearly 50 years, Peckham has led innovative best practices to provide employment that empowers individuals with barriers to achieve their fullest potential in work, society and life.
We Care About
Amplifying Voices:
People with disabilities should have a voice in society. Peckham aims to amplify voices through disability advocacy and employment efforts, both locally and nationally.
Diverse and Skilled Workforces: Our workforce is incredibly diverse, consisting of highly skilled and productive individuals. Research and industry metrics prove diverse teams, including those with various disabilities, are more productive than those without disabilities.
Autonomy in Employment: People should have the authority and autonomy to make their own decisions. Employment is a critical component of a person’s life and a key social determinant of health, alongside physical, behavioral and financial health. A meaningful job with a living wage and opportunities for upward mobility is vital for overall well-being.
SourceAmerica’s Rick Terrazas, Peckham’s COO and SourceAmerica board member Lisa Webb Sharpe, SourceAmerica board member Bob Daniels and Congressman John Porter (Ret.) present an AbilityOne Champion Award and an American flag made in the program to Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in front of a white backdrop with SourceAmerica’s logo and an American flag in the background.
Peckham self-advocates Jeffery Winchester and Heather Bowes with SourceAmerica president of government affairs Rick Terrazas in front of a white background beneath the SourceAmerica logo with an American flag to the left.
Peckham CEIO Jo Sperry, Peckham Self Advocate Member Laurie Penfold, and Dr. Connie Sung, Co-Director of the MSU Center for Services, Research and Training for Independence and Desired Employment attend the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly.
Members of the Riverside Peckham Self Advocacy Team recognized for community efforts.
Disability Employment Research
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Inclusive Manufacturing: The impact of Disability Diversity on Productivity in a Work Integration Social Enterprise
Journal: Manufacturing and Service Operations Management
Link to Article: (PDF) Inclusive Manufacturing: The Impact of Disability Diversity on Productivity in a Work Integration Social Enterprise (researchgate.net)
Authors: Sriram Narayanan and Ed Terris
Year published: 2020
Summary: The study examines the operational impact of disability diversity in a workgroup. They find that in environments where workers with disabilities are a substantial portion of the workforce, the best levels of productivity are achieved when there is diversity of disability types in the workgroup.
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Maximizing Disability Diversity, Language Diversity, and Productivity: A Study in Apparel Manufacturing
Journal: Production and Operations Journal
Authors: Ying Zhang, Sriram Narayanan, Tharo Soun, et al.
Year published: 2023
Summary: Using archival time study data from Peckham apparel manufacturing lines, the researchers examine the impact of employing individuals with disabilities and language diversity in apparel manufacturing cells on overall team productivity using simulation models. Their findings suggest that productivity is not generally sensitive to increases in disability diversity. However, productivity is sensitive at extreme levels of disability diversity and language diversity combined.
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Promoting Disability Employment with avail® – A Pilot Study for Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy
Journal: Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
Link to Article: Promoting disability employment with avail® – a pilot study for feasibility and preliminary efficacy (incompassmi.org)
Authors: Hung Jen Kuo, Sarah George, Janonne Reynolds
Year published: 2023
Summary: The pilot study explores the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of avail, a digital coaching application designed to maximize independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants from Peckham and New Horizons Rehabilitation participated in the study. The findings suggest that avail is a feasible and potentially promising application for assisting workers with disabilities in their job performance.
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Does leader disability status influence the operational performance of teams with individuals with disabilities? An empirical study in the apparel industry
Journal: Journal of Operations Management
Authors: Sriram Narayanan, Dustin Cole, Shawnee Vickery
Year published: 2024
Summary: This research examines the impact of leader disability status on the operational performance of teams that include individuals with disabilities using longitudinal micro‐data from Peckham. To aid in developing the research hypotheses and interpreting the empirical findings, the quantitative analysis is complemented with qualitative data collected through interviews involving managers and workers with and without disabilities at Peckham and two other large companies that employ individuals with disabilities.
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Abilities, Opportunities, and Future of Work Conference White Paper: Microsoft Word – Complete White Paper Version 1 (aofow.org)
Description: Investigators at Michigan State University, Center of Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership at the Eli Broad College of Business and STRIDE Center at the College of Education, partnered with Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Peckham to host the Abilities, Opportunities and Future of Work Conference in summer 2024. The National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored conference invited a multi-disciplinary group of employers, academics, practitioners, nonprofit organizations, policy makers, and individual stakeholders to discuss best practices and actionable solutions for enhancing opportunities for disability employment.
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