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If you look-up work in the dictionary you see printed several uses and definitions of the word. Eventually the secondary "works" appears; defined for a theology related use as moral or righteous acts or deeds.

That a person who originally planned to enter the priesthood and embraces theology, should hold work as an important life theme seems natural then, and work not just as part of his life, but in the lives of others.

Creative Work Options Inc. owner Jerome Djam emphasizes work as a way to re-awaken creativity and to lead people to feel useful and included. Djam, of Chisago City, has specialized in counseling and coaching developmentally delayed clients and finding employment for them for over 20 years. He recently branched out and founded two new companies Creative Work Options and Creative Home Options.

Djam explains that unemployment for almost 14,000 Minnesotans in day training and habilitation programs, is over 40 percent.

Reducing this jobless rate is a crusade of sorts for him and he feels it's very achievable.

He points out approximately 300,000 "business entities" are registered in Minnesota, including limited corporations, sole proprietorships, non-profits, etc. Only about 6,000 workplaces currently offer positions open for people dealing with mental retardation, traumatic brain injury and comparable hurdles. Djam says this employer participation number can be vastly improved.

Creative Work Options is all about matching consumers with employers and giving an employee the skills and adequate support to be an asset.

Djam said when he places a client into a job, there must be no taking for granted that the job will always be theirs. "The employer must be satisfied," he said. "The needs of the employer will be met." He added that businesspeople circulate in similar civic and social settings and if a service provider, such as Creative Work Options, is messing up, word will get around. The only way to be successful and bring success into the lives of his clients is to not disappoint in the workplaces.

Djam gets client referrals, those who are developmentally delayed, from other agencies or county Social Services case workers may contact him, or he might receive consumers through day training programs at the state level (Division of Rehabilitative Services.) You do not have to have a case worker assigned, or be enrolled in a program to contact him directly about his work services.

His business provides help with job interviewing, problem solving, positive work habits, basic use of computers and independence and self-advocacy.

At other positions he's held within other organizations he put up strong growth numbers both as a job coach and marketer for agency employment services. He said he came to the point in his life when he wanted to take full responsibility for the range of clients and services needing to be provided. He no longer felt fulfilled reporting to someone else. It was a little scary starting his own business, he added, but he is doing what he knows.

Creative Work Options accepts consumers 16 years of age and older.

Contact Djam at 651-558-1454 or e mail to [email protected]

Also, a couple months ago Djam brought his first resident consumer into his adult foster care home, which operates as Creative Home Options, Inc. A second resident was scheduled to move in last week. This is a four bedroom house in Chisago City where Djam's clients learn about "life skills" and things like meal preparation and getting around the community and leisure and recreational opportunities. (Djam also ran the We R Able softball program in Stacy this summer and has coached soccer.)

This program is not a corporate residence for developmentally delayed, it is structured differently. There is a moratorium on corporate home start-ups in Minnesota at this time.

Djam says he remembers his mother as someone who never hesitated extending the family meal to strangers, always offering a shady place to sit and a cool drink to those passing by his family home. He guesses this is where and when his instinct to aid people first took hold.

He also did graduate and research work in entomology and nematology with the USDA, in the southern U.S. for a time. He earned a Master of Science in Public Health.

Djam said this educational background has been useful in providing social services. He explains that he often bases his approach on his science training and will even devise experiment-type situations, working on certain triggers and offering rewards for clients when trying to resolve a situation.

He looks forward to complementing and enlarging what's been offered by other service providers in this region. The goal is to improve the future for all persons with developmental disabilities. He said, "We need to work together, this is not a competition."

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