Assisting Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: CSUEB Nonprofit Management Certificate Program Uplifts A Busy Mother of Three Into Becoming A Strong Community Leader
BY ELIAS BARBOZA
Every workday morning, Jechane Reyes walks into her Antioch office and is greeted by friendly faces as soon as she opens the door. Some of those greeters are standing, some are sitting and some use a wheelchair. They welcome her with open arms as she asks them what’s new and what they’re up to. Several of them joyfully show her the paintings they’re working on and others share a funny story. All of them are just as delighted to see her as she is to see them.
But these aren’t Reyes’ coworkers or strangers. They’re her friends. For the past 18 years, Reyes has dedicated herself to helping adults like these, who have intellectual disabilities, live lives filled with purpose and happiness, and she credits Cal State East Bay’s Nonprofit Management Certificate Program in further improving her efforts.
“I love my job, and everything I’ve learned from the Nonprofit Program I’ve incorporated into my own role, and I feel it’s taken us to the next level with our leadership and how we can do things together and break down barriers,” said Reyes, a recent graduate of the program and current managing director of Community Integrated Support Services (CISS Inc.), a nonprofit agency committed to assisting adults with intellectual disabilities reach their highest potential for independence, productivity and fulfillment.
CISS Inc. is a day program that assists 100 intellectually disabled adults (referred to as “participants”) with a wide range of activities and life assistance. Participants are invited to join Monday through Friday and choose which recreation they would like to take part in, such as ceramics, painting, watercoloring, crafting and more. CISS Inc. also offers exercise classes and outings. Nine of the 100 participants currently live independently after CISS Inc. assisted them in obtaining their own housing. Those participants learn valuable skills in independence, such as cooking, how to do laundry and how to clean their room.
“I just love people, and being with them and finding out what makes them happy,” said Reyes about her CISS Inc. role, adding that the certificate program gave her new perspectives into her role and the nonprofit world.
The Nonprofit Management Certificate Program is a fully online program that teaches students the essential tools and frameworks of nonprofit management, including board development, financial management, fundraising, marketing, program evaluation and nonprofit law. It’s taught by instructors with substantial experience in all aspects of the nonprofit field and can be completed in six to nine months.
According to the United Stated Bureau of Labor Statistics nonprofit organizations tend to have more jobs per establishment, on average, compared with for-profit companies, and nonprofit employment has risen steadily in the United States since 2007, without being affected by recessions. Along with learning how to become a stronger leader, Reyes said CSUEB’s program has made her nonprofit job feel more rewarding than ever before.
“I enjoyed everything we did in class and it never felt like work”, said Reyes. “I love the personal growth the classes gave me and how everything was very person-centered. That helped me become better at my job and understand why I love doing what I do.”
Working full time while also being a mother of three, in addition to volunteering as a coach for a traveling youth basketball team, the program’s flexibility allowed Reyes to attend classes around her busy schedule.
“You can go at your pace, and the classes were all in the evening so that we could still go to work during the day,” said Reyes. “I wasn’t forced to take certain classes, and I still completed the program. I was able to just be in classes that I wanted to be in and that’s something that I really, really enjoyed.”
Additionally, Reyes commended the instructors for their mentorship, saying they gave her the impression they were never above the students. She also was able to regularly network with classmates during class discussions.
“The professors are very dedicated to raising up the next generation of new leaders, and made themselves available, before and after class, and we could email them any time and they were always willing to help us out,” said Reyes. “You really have to have the heart to be in a nonprofit, and I feel the same way about the professors, that they all have the heart to teach and are always creating great atmospheres, great communication and great conversations, and they gave us a lot of things to think about.”
Moving forward, Reyes plans to continue taking more of the program’s classes even after graduating.
“I loved the program so much I still want to continue my education because the classes were so good and helped me tremendously,” said Reyes. “[The program] will better prepare you for the next step, with strategic planning and how a board of directors works, and how to do proper charting, and you get to meet new people. It will change your life.”
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Nonprofit Management Certificate Program
Meet the increasingly challenging demands of nonprofit administration and learn how to improve your organization’s effectiveness with a comprehensive, flexible online program designed for working adults. Learn more here.
