Tia Barta changes trash bags at Hy-Vee, 4000 W. Sixth St., on Saturday. Barta got the job through Independence Inc.'s Youth Employment Program, which offers work trials to young people in Douglas County with disabilities.

Tia Barta recently participated in a program that gets teens with disabilities trial employment at local businesses. Her temporary employer, Hy-Vee, liked her so much it ended up hiring her.

“I’m learning to handle all types of people and situations that happen,” said Barta, who works as a courtesy clerk, bagging groceries and helping customers to their vehicles, at store’s location on Sixth Street in Lawrence. “I have a nice job, and I have made some very nice friends from it.”

Barta is another success story from a program that has had a lot of them in recent years. Since it started in 2008, Lawrence-based Independence Inc.’s youth employment program has gotten 92 young people community-based work trials. About a third of them have gone on to be hired by the businesses.

“Some kids say, ‘I can’t work because of a disability I have,’ or their parents say, ‘I don’t think my son or daughter could ever do that type of job,'” said program coordinator Ranita Wilks. “You don’t know until you try and see what the possibilities are.”

She said the program provides youth with job-searching skills, work experience and a boost in self esteem; helps the economy by getting people who might otherwise rely solely on government benefits into the workforce; and encourages employers to give opportunities to people with disabilities.

“It helps break down stereotypes,” Wilks said. “Sometimes the barriers are more mental than anything else, or they’re attitudinal barriers. This gets employers looking at a potential pool of people as valuable employees.”

She noted how an employer once refused to allow a boy with cerebral palsy do his work trial at his business, questioning the boy’s intelligence and his ability to not make customers uncomfortable. That teen went on to get a scholarship to attend college in Missouri. “It goes to show you can’t look at someone and judge. Just because they have a disability doesn’t mean they can’t be a good employee,” she said. “This person missed on a good opportunity to hire a terrific kid.”

Independence Inc. used to have only an annual career development and mentoring day for young people with disabilities, but in 2008 the nonprofit decided to expand that idea to year-round, and the youth employment program was born. Three years later, the program lost its state funding. In late 2012, though, the United Way of Douglas County agreed to fund and resume the program, expanding it to include all of Douglas County.

The program is available to 15- to 21-year-old Douglas County residents with disabilities who are consumers at Independence Inc. If they are accepted, Wilks helps them fill out resumes and prepare for job interviews. During their 80-hour work trial, Independence Inc. pays the youth the federal minimum wage. Businesses are under no obligation to take part in the program or hire a participant once the trial period is over.

Tena Bush, human resources manager at Hy-Vee, said the youth employment program introduces her to quality job applicants who might not otherwise apply. So why did Hy-Vee decide to bring Barta, the second person from the program hired at that location, on board as a permanent employee?

“Her personality,” Bush said. “She is just open and has a great smile and is good with customers. She learned quickly what the position was all about.”