IIE L.A.: Improving Life for the Developmentally Disabled

August 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Members from Ventura, Claremont, Long Beach converge on AbilityFirst Los Angeles Work Center

IIE members met recently at the Los Angeles Work Center for AbilityFirst to begin a project to improve the efficiency of the Business Services Division.  This Division is where adults with physical and developmental disabilities are gainfully employed to solve corporate needs.  The income supplied by this Division helps support other programs and services, for adults and children, with physical and developmental disabilities, the core purpose of AbilityFirst.  This income is important as government support steadily dwindles.

Ms. Isis McDonald, the Director of the Business Services Division, stated that her Division is “in the black”.  She stressed the importance that with shrinking government funding for programs and services, internal funding sources be developed. Strategically, as a profit center, it is critical that growth be done in an “intelligent” manner.  The Secure Shredding Service has been identified as a growth service.  Because of “chain of custody” issues, growth must be closely tied to process control. A seeming perfect fit for the skills of industrial engineers.

The project calls on IIE as a partner to have members apply their professional skills to improve operational effectiveness within the Business Services Division.  Our first task is to help define “capacity” for their nascent Secure Shredding Service.  After an orientation by Ms. McDonald and a tour by Work Center Director, Fennie Washington, the 12 engineers went to the Gemba to fully understand the task at hand.  In 2-3 weeks, a VSM will be developed and available for the team to analyze.  Members of the team are assigned to take
video of the loading and unloading of the shredder.  Also, video of the unloading of the bins from the truck will also be completed for later analysis.  Finally, a strategy for pick up will be developed from members who have experience in developing these algorithms.

Using DMAIC methodology, we hope to demonstrate the value in using this problem-solving format.  We feel we have “D” identified (capacity), “M” will include the development of the VSM.  With an accurate picture of the operation, a current state capacity model may be built and presented.  From this, an “A” analysis of possible improvements can be forecast and recommendations for “I” improvement can be derived.

To view a recent report of Ability First’s activities, follow this link.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Filed under About IE, Community Service, Volunteer Tagged with ,

Ability First Orientation Meeting

July 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment

MEETING NOTICE – An orientation meeting for all those interested in participating in our project with AbilityFirst will be held:

Saturday, July 23 at 9:00AM. It will be held at an AbilityFirst location in Los Angeles, near USC.

AbilityFirst
3812 South Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90037

It should take no longer than 2 hours.
Agenda:
1. Orientation
2. Tour
3. Q&A
Please respond here as to whether you can attend. We will use the replies here as an RSVP.

Filed under Announcements, Community Service, Events Tagged with ,

Join IE Volunteer Program with AbilityFirst

July 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

IE volunteers wanted to consult on long term service project to improve work center operations at Ability First. (Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, Pasadena)

IIE Los Angeles is looking for volunteers to contribute to an ambitious service project consulting with AbilityFirst to improve their operations (assembly, fulfillment, etc.)

IIE Los Angeles wishes to run this service project as a large consulting firm. Each of the three Work Centers will have an IIE assigned manager to coordinate engineering activities and be primary point person with the Center Director. Managers will direct the work of volunteer engineers who will gather raw data and initial analysis on the work site (DMAIC process using A3 reporting tools). Managers will also use “staff” volunteers from IIE who will act as Subject Matter Experts (SME) (logistics, warehousing, distribution, work standards, etc.)

The first problem that must be attacked is one of capacity. What is capacity and how should it be defined? Each work center specializes in something different. Part of the full analysis is the rationalization of activities, space, assets and talent at each of these locations. Then integrating the results into one report for the enterprise.

Interested? Please respond to this posting so everyone can see who is “in”. It may bring others. There are “positions” for all level of skill levels. It is a way for those with skills to see how those skills can be applied to a different industry. Also a way to actively participate in using tools which you may know but never practiced. And if you have no experience, it is a way to gain experience.
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Profile of Ability First
AbilityFirst provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential. AbilityFirst’s programs for adults respect each person’s right of self-determination. They work to support the choices of men and women with disabilities to pursue activities and work that they find interesting, meaningful and enriching. AbilityFirst provides opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities to learn job skills, and find employment, either at one of the three AbilityFirst Work Center, or directly with a company such as Ralphs Supermarkets or McDonalds.

Work Centers
The first work center opened in 1946, and today AbilityFirst operates three Work Centers in Los Angeles County – Los Angeles, Pasadena and Woodland Hills. These Centers offer paid work to adults with developmental and physical disabilities, providing jobs tailored to the skills and abilities of each individual. Job opportunities at the Work Centers include assembly, secure document shredding, packaging, sorting, collating, mailing and more.

A wide range of corporate clients have retained AbilityFirst for business services provided at the work centers including Union Bank, Charter Communications and DirecTV.

AbilityFirst Business Services meets many key corporate needs such as secure document shredding, sorting, packaging, assembly, fulfillment and mailing – while providing employment to individuals with disabilities. The workers are dependable, highly motivated and committed to quality work.

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