Follow Troy’s journey from VCU ACE-IT student to RRTC employee

Troy Carter is hard-pressed to choose a favorite: Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda? Rock or hip-hop? Marvel or DC? Photography or videography?

Luckily, on the last count, he doesn’t have to choose. His new job at VCU’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center allows him to apply his talents to both. “I just finished a video transcript that I was very proud of,” says Troy. He’s also been busy taking photos at events, like the recent Communities of Leaders in Autism conference. “Ever since I was little, I loved art,” he adds.

How did Troy find such a great fit? With the help of SOAR365’s Supported Employment program. SOAR365’s supported employment specialists (or “job coaches”) explore each participant’s interests, talents and skills. They help adults with disabilities find and secure the right job for them, and they provide on-the-job supports until no longer needed. 

Coming Full Circle

Troy is passionate about the creative work he’s doing, especially because he’s supporting students with intellectual disabilities, like himself. The RRTC oversees VCU’s ACE-IT in College program, which Troy graduated from in 2018.

The program allows students with intellectual disabilities to audit VCU classes and earn a certificate. Along the way, education coaches help support ACE-IT students with tutoring, accommodations and more.

“I loved ACE-IT,” says Troy.

“Troy started college at VCU ready to learn, work and grow,” says Seb Prohn, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Research & Evaluation at the Partnership for People with Disabilities at VCU. “He developed close relationships with academic supports, communicating with them what he wanted and needed to be successful.”

For Troy, working at the RRTC offers an opportunity to “return the favor.” “I wanted to give back to the program that helped me go to college,” Troy explains. He loves that he has the chance to “help students put their story out there.” When talking to students with intellectual disabilities, he says he “can definitely relate to where they are coming from.”

“At national conferences, Troy advocated for the inclusion of students with IDD in higher education,” says Seb. “He provided professionals with explicit strategies to improve accommodations in classrooms, writing centers and the workplace.”

“It’s exciting to see that he’s returned to RRTC where he made such a big impact as a VCU ACE-IT in College student,” Seb says.

Making the Job Accessible

Troy was referred to SOAR365’s Supported Employment program by his counselor at the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). There, Chris Martin, Director of Employment Services, paired Troy with Leeanne, a SOAR365 job coach.

They became fast friends. Troy and Leeanne both share a passion for marketing and communications (which Leeanne studied) and RVA Sunrise smoothies from The Pit and the Peel, near Troy’s office.

Leeanne helped Troy access the accommodations he needed to be successful in his new role. Troy “utilizes the natural reader app on his phone to read printed documents out loud to him. He uses a microphone so that he can do talk-to-text. And he uses the read aloud feature on browsers and programs,” says Leeanne.

“These tools make the job accessible to Troy,” she explains. “They make it so he can do those things without barriers.” This not only benefits Troy, but it allows the RRTC to capitalize on Troy’s considerable talents and expertise.

How Troy Found the Right Fit

Troy’s journey to his dream job was not without obstacles, much like the plots of his favorite sci-fi and fantasy movies. His resume is impressive – both during and after the ACE-IT program, he worked in a variety of creative communications positions for VCU, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and the City of Richmond Department of Tourism.

But when COVID hit, tourism came to a standstill, and Troy was left without a job.

He ended up taking a warehouse distribution position. “I had to do it, because it was the only job available at the time,” Troy explains. While it offered a steady paycheck, the work was worlds away from his previous artistic endeavors. Yet even this job offered an important life lesson.

“What I take away from the warehouse job is to be more confident. It got me to speak up for myself and say, ‘Hey, I want a change,’” says Troy.

“It was a tough decision to make. I had to dig really deep in myself. I had to say ok, if I really want this change to happen, I have to take the initiative and take the leap of faith.”

“Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and just do what’s in your heart. That’s what I’m doing. I’m following my heart, and I’m doing something I love.”

Troy Carter

Troy is proud of himself for leaving a job that was a poor fit, even though the gap in employment was uncomfortable.

“If you asked me, would I do it again? I would say yes, because I wouldn’t have found this place, I wouldn’t have found RRTC, and I wouldn’t have found Leeanne.”

The Impact of Supported Employment

“I wouldn’t trade job coaches for the world, she’s the best,” says Troy. “She helped me figure out what I wanted to do as a career – not just a job, but a career. She taught me to put myself out there. And she taught me to be a better version of myself.”

Meanwhile, Leeanne has been inspired by Troy’s patience and determination to do the work he loves. “I think the biggest thing is that he’s resilient,” says Leeanne, noting that they completed many applications before Troy found his current job. “Those nos led to another opportunity. And here he is, living his best life.”

To those considering Supported Employment, Troy says, “There’s always a plan B, C, D, E, F and G. And you’ve got to go through them all. But you’ll find your destination, guaranteed. It may take some time, but you’re going to find it.”

Today, Leeanne only needs to spend three to four hours per week supporting Troy on-site at his job. In between, she frequently checks in on Troy to see how things are going and offer encouragement.

Troy’s doing so well that he has his sights set on even bigger goals – he’d love to live independently someday, closer to his job. “VCU has a very awesome community. They are very big on diversity, and I love it,” says Troy. He notes the importance of work/life balance and wants to explore new shops and restaurants downtown and make new friends.

Lessons for Employers

As for employers, Troy has the following advice: “really be patient with people with intellectual disabilities. Everything is a learning curve. Nobody gets it right the first time. Everything takes time,” says Troy.

“I always say this to myself: there’s nothing wrong with me. I just learn different from other people,” Troy notes. “If you don’t give a person a chance to blossom, how are you going to know? You have to give people a chance because they may surprise you.”

Leeanne agrees. “The biggest thing is just offering chances and not reading a book by its cover. Taking the time to get to know the person – the skills that they bring, the interests that they have. And figuring out how it can be a benefit for their business or organization.”

“Hiring people with IDD or any type of differences, that’s empowerment,” says Troy. “And I really believe that needs to happen. Because you’re building diversity, you’re building people that want to put themselves out there, you’re building new friendships. That’s a positive change right there.”

You can be part of the change, too! To help more participants like Troy, give today at soar365.org/donate.

Want to learn more about how Supported Employment helps find jobs for people with disabilities? Visit soar365.org/supported-employment or contact Chris Martin at (804) 381-5405 or [email protected].