My Time at Neil Squire

“On a warm spring day I got an email. Chris Wright a wonderful (now blissfully retired) case manager from the Neil Squire Society had forwarded onto me a job posting. This job was a summer gig teaching people computer literacy in a program called Computer Comfort. I ignored this email and went back to playing videogames. I felt there was no way I could teach people. No way, me, a dude with a disability could hold down a nine to five job.

A week or so later I had another chat with Chris. She encouraged me to take another look into the Computer Comfort position. I relented and sent in my resume. I still felt I couldn’t perform all the required tasks for the job but thought what harm could it do? After a sweaty, nervous interview where I felt completely out of my depth I received a call offering the job. I was thrilled, scared and totally unsure what to do next. I took the job.

I began working in the Computer Comfort Program in mid-May. From my first time through the door I felt welcomed. The people at Neil Squire did everything in their power to accommodate my needs. My co-workers in the computer comfort lab supported me every step of the way as I learned what it took to teach, learn and listen. The following months would be some of the positive eye opening experiences of my life. I learned not only could I survive a nine to five job but I could excel at one.

Neil Squire put me in a situation to succeed and I did my best to do so. I can’t thank everyone enough for helping me seize this opportunity and realize disability or not, people can work hard and make a difference.”

– Alex Carey

Best of luck Alex! We were lucky to have you as part of the Computer Comfort team.