Event Details

Rhonda Dark, MS

Executive Director, The ARC

How to recruit, engage and emplower employees with different abilities in the workforce!

Bio:

Rhonda is from North Carolina, she has worked in the field of Disabilities for over 10 years.  She was previously Quality Supports Manager with The Arc of North Carolina, where her experience has included overseeing employment, day support, and residential programs, coordinating national accreditation processes, and ensuring high-quality standards across programs.  While she has supported people in a wide range of programs and services, her passion and focus has always been advocating and promoting community inclusion.

She is currently the Executive Director of The Arc of Southside, an agency that has transitioned from traditional services to inclusive supports.  These supports are built around the person and focus on a person’s ability rather than disability. 

Who we are:

The Arc of Southside is a nonprofit organization was formed as a local chapter of The Arc of Virginia and The Arc of the United States in 1954.  The Arc advocates for the rights and equal inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Initiatives:

One of The Arc of Southside’s main initiatives is A Life Like Yours.  Thousands of Virginians with developmental disabilities are on waiting lists for community-based services or are living in large, segregated state institutions. As the country continues to face unprecedented fiscal crisis, existing community-based services for people with developmental disabilities are currently vulnerable to budget cuts and/or elimination.  The Arc of Southside believes in and advocates for the full inclusion of children and adults with developmental disabilities. 

Over the past several years, The Arc of Southside has transformed their programs to support people with developmental disabilities to be fully included in their community and have A Life Like Yours. We began our Supported Employment program 6 years ago and have had over 70 job placements.  We closed our group home and have successfully transitioned 17 people into their own homes or apartments.  We closed our sheltered workshop on April 2018 and are working to transition those people into competitive employment or community programs. 

These transitions all support our mission to promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetime.  We are and will continue to be a leader in advocating and promoting inclusion for people with developmental disabilities to have A Life Like Yours!