SkiP HappEns Podcast
Skip Clark is a dynamic and captivating podcast host and radio personality who has left an indelible mark on the world of broadcasting. With a voice that can command attention and a personality that oozes charm, Skip has become a beloved figure in the world of entertainment. His passion for storytelling and his ability to connect with his audience shine through in every episode of his podcast and every moment on the airwaves.
Skip’s journey in radio began decades ago, and he has since evolved into a seasoned professional who effortlessly navigates the waves of the media industry. His deep knowledge of music, pop culture, and current events keeps his listeners engaged and coming back for more. Skip Clark's enthusiasm and authenticity make him a trusted voice in the world of podcasting and radio. His dedication to his craft and his commitment to providing quality content continue to make him a standout in the world of broadcasting.
SkiP HappEns Podcast
Creating Community and Inclusion at L'Arche Syracuse: An Inspiring Journey
Join us for an enlightening conversation with John Kinectly, the dedicated executive director and community leader of L'Arche Syracuse. Discover how L'Arche creates a harmonious environment for individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to live together as family across four homes in Syracuse. We promise you’ll be inspired by the story of Ted Fox, a core member whose journey from anger to becoming a community spokesperson showcases the transformative power of belonging and support. John takes us through the organization’s history, founded by Wolf Wolfensberger, and how it rose from the deinstitutionalization movement to become a beacon of hope and inclusion.
We also take a closer look at the everyday rhythm of life at L'Arche, where structured routines and shared meals build a nurturing sense of community and emotional well-being. Listen as we highlight the story of a former law professor who found his calling at L'Arche over three decades ago, illustrating the profound impact of these relationships. Challenges like state policy restrictions and labor shortages are met with resilience and advocacy, calling for better state support. John and our community members share personal anecdotes that underscore the vital role of inclusive communities in celebrating the unique gifts of everyone, emphasizing that true community means everyone is valued and cherished.
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I know it's all right, it's all right, all right. Oh, that's good. Yeah, okay, we are running, and Good movie, yeah, and here we go. Larch, larch, larch, right, yes, all right, coming to you in three, two, one. Hello everybody, it is Skip Clark. We are live from the Inner Harbor Studios and with me right now, today, we're going to find out a lot about not only him, but about the organization that he is leading. I have John Kinectly, who is the executive director and community leader of L'Arche here in Syracuse. Hello, john, welcome. Good morning, skip. Good to be here with you, it's good to see you. My friend, tell us a little bit. First of all, what is L'Arche?
Speaker 2:L'Arche is a community of people with and without intellectual disabilities that shares life together in four homes here in Syracuse, but we're part of an international organization which is in 37 countries around the world.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that. So you have four homes here, yes, and you say with and without disabilities, right, so you get somebody that comes on board and actually lives in the house with the individuals, correct?
Speaker 2:Correct, we have what are called live-in assistants. Okay, we have 10 live-in assistants right now in our four homes, so it's 24-7.
Speaker 1:Yes, 24-7. What inspired the founding of L'Arche? What got it all?
Speaker 2:started? Well, it was started here in Syracuse by a professor from Syracuse University named Wolf Wolfensberger, who was on the faculty in special education there.
Speaker 1:Okay, I love that name by the way, the faculty on special education there.
Speaker 2:I love that name, by the way. Yes, me too and he wanted to provide a community alternative because we were going through deinstitutionalization of people with disabilities in the 1960s and he heard about L'Arche. And then he got a group together in the early 70s and they decided to form a L'Arche community here in.
Speaker 1:Syracuse Was that you talk about? Like the middle 60s, they used to have the homes where individuals would go. For example, I have a somatodont syndrome Back in the day they would end up going to one of these homes.
Speaker 2:Correct, because they were very large institutions at first, right, and that's why that was what they call the deinstitutionalization process. I hate that name institution, though.
Speaker 1:I hate that. I hate that as you know, we all, and I'm sure you see it every day, being who you are and what you do the fact that these individuals, a lot of them, are very high functioning and they can go out, they can get a job, they can take a bus, they can do whatever they need to do to live their life.
Speaker 2:Yes, maybe a little guidance along the way, way yeah, we have the span of disabilities from very high functioning to very low functioning.
Speaker 1:So I made a list of questions here, so just you know it's pretty cool. How does L'Arche foster relationships between people with and without intellectual disabilities?
Speaker 2:Well, the first is what we just mentioned. We have live-in assistants, we have people without intellectual disabilities living in the homes, and the purpose of that is so that they become part of the house itself, and that's part of what makes us different from institutions. As institutions, you come in, you provide services. They call them clients. We call them core members because they're the core of our community. They call them DSPs. We call them assistants because we're there to assist with living. We're trying to create a family environment where relationships are key between everyone living there.
Speaker 1:Can you maybe share some success stories, maybe something that comes to mind and you know, talking about L'Arche and what you do, sure.
Speaker 2:One of the Corps members that came to us early on 45 years ago is a gentleman named Ted Fox, and he came to us from an orphanage. He was abandoned at birth. He's never known whether he has had any family or who they were, and he came to us as an adult we only take adults at L'Arche and at first very angry. We used to have to set up intervals Every 20 minutes. Someone had to be with him to interact with him so that he didn't sort of go off the rails. So he came to us at a very angry and understandably angry moment in his life and then over the years has become sort of the senior spokesperson of our community, with incredible maturity, welcoming everybody into the community, whether it's other core members or assistants in the community, and even assistants that come to us often when they leave say that Ted has had the biggest impact on their lives.
Speaker 1:Wow, yes, that's. That's amazing, and it's all because of L'Arche. You got to love that. What's a typical day look like in a in the L'Arche community? What's a typical day for Sure.
Speaker 2:So they wake up between 6.30 and 7, and we have what are called morning routines getting dressed, getting some maybe take a shower in the morning, having breakfast, packing their lunch and then going to their day routine.
Speaker 2:If they're high functioning, they can hold down a job.
Speaker 2:They'll go to a job. If they're lower functioning, we have day programs that they will go to. We have a few people, because we've been around so long, that are elderly and can't go out into those programs, so we have a few that are in the home for the day and then, towards around four o'clock in the afternoon, they start returning back to the community, to the house, and then they will have dinner between five and six and then have some time before they go through their what we call their evening routines, which is getting ready for bed, brushing their teeth, um, whatever is entailed for them, getting ready, taking their medications, things along those lines, right, um. The other thing I should mention after dinner we usually have a time of prayer, um, and it's an opportunity to draw the community together, because in the time of prayer we ask people what are they excited about for the day, what are they sorry about, what would they like to, what would be their petition, their request, and that gets us down to a little deeper level than just the nuance, the description of the day.
Speaker 2:But how are you doing inside? What's going on inside of you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly these individuals that you say. They go out and they do what they have to do during the day. They're doing this alone.
Speaker 2:It depends. If they're able to work their own job, then yes, they may be at the job site working. Others will need assistance, so they will be in programs where there are assistants with them.
Speaker 1:I have to ask what motivates you to do what you're doing.
Speaker 2:It's the core members and it's the mission of L'Arche. We have an expression that the mission is what draws us to L'Arche and it's the core members that keep us here because of the relationships we develop with them. Awesome, so I've been involved with L'Arche for over 35 years.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask how long yeah 35 years, but as a volunteer.
Speaker 2:And then, just four years ago, I was a law professor for 23 years.
Speaker 1:Wow, you go from such a great profession to even a greater profession. Yes, I mean, that's pretty awesome in itself, and L'Arche being here. You said you have four homes. What about if somebody wants to go to work for L'Arche, or somebody that's going to watch this or is watching this and listening to us right now says you know, I want to do that. How does one get involved?
Speaker 2:There are a number of ways. I mean, if you haven't been in touch with us at all, you can go to our website and we have places where you sign up as a volunteer or, if you're interested in applying for a job, where you can apply for a job a job at L'Arche. But we can use people in a variety of ways. For volunteers, you can come. This fall we're having yard cleanups, where the house comes out and we clean up the yard together, um, you can come and have meals and maybe help prepare a meal or bring a meal, um, and we have lots of celebrations. That's a big part of who we are. So we celebrate birthdays, we celebrate anniversaries which are anniversaries of their when they first came to l'arche, um, and then we have other events, like we just finished celebrating our 50th anniversary celebration.
Speaker 2:So that was a big party over at Le Moyne College. That's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:That's pretty cool. Where are the four homes? Can I ask when?
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, they're all in the city of Syracuse One up on Cleveland Road, one on Highland Avenue one in Galster Avenue, one on Croydon Avenue, so they're all spread around the city.
Speaker 2:What would you say is one of the biggest challenges that you have? At large, the biggest challenge has emerged since COVID and that is the labor shortage. And that was already coming because the boomer, baby boomer generation was retiring and the generations behind it are not as large. But COVID aggravated that, and so the labor shortage has been the biggest challenge for us in the last four years.
Speaker 1:I think it's not only there, I think it's just about everywhere right now I mean, even here in the media. It's tough to get individuals to come and work. Yes, it's just very tough. Now. When you go to work for L'Arche, you live right there, you live in that home. You stay there 24 seven. Or how go to work for L'Arche? You live right there, you live in that home, you stay there 24-7?. Or how does that work Well.
Speaker 2:I mentioned we have 10 live-in assistants. Right now we have about 30 assistants total, so most assistants live out in their own apartment or house or home or wherever. So most do not live in, so there's a blend of both.
Speaker 1:I got you, so you, you go and work a shift.
Speaker 1:Like I come into work here at inner Harbor media. I work so many hours a day and then I go home. Right, it's the same thing. And earlier you were talking, just minutes ago, you were talking about the routine. Now, as we mentioned, I have a son with down syndrome, uh, but you're right, those routines, you know we hit dinner and everything is a routine, and I would imagine it's pretty much that's exactly what you were saying about, you know the schedule throughout the day at L'Arche.
Speaker 2:Yes, routine and ritual are important for actually for everybody and but particularly, we found, for core members, because they want to know what to expect and it gives them security to know. This is what I do at this period of time of the day.
Speaker 1:Gotcha, what are some of the future goals of L'Arche? I mean, you're, you know, only 50 years. I mean it's a long time, but not really a long time. So what are some of the future goals?
Speaker 2:Well, we are primarily funded by the state OPWDD of the state, and the state has decided they several years ago that they were not going to expand their operations, and so we're licensed by them. So we're not able to add more homes, which is too bad, because the demand for our services is enormous. It's true for all providers, but particularly because of our unique mission. We have people calling us almost every other week saying we have a family member that wants to come home. Expanding homes is probably not the way it'll. It'll grow, we'll have to. The areas that we could expand would be in our day programs expand those and then um alternative living arrangements like semi-independent living yeah, you, you talk about day programs.
Speaker 1:Is that separate from the live-in programs? Yes, so if I here again I'll use my son as an example down syndrome and I want to take them to a program, how would I do that with large?
Speaker 2:okay. Um, typically what happens is someone like your son would have a care manager um, by, he does, okay. And then the care man, and then in conversation with your son, would. Your son would say, I'd like to go to a day program. And they say, well, let's look at what's out there. And then the care manager then would identify possible programs. They have to identify the program, say, do you have openings in your program? So on and so forth. And would this be a good match? Is this a type program that you would like to go to?
Speaker 1:Because there are a variety of what you're doing at L'Arche.
Speaker 2:Yes, actually, just four years ago we entered into a relationship with one of the large providers here in central New York Access CNY Absolutely. New York, access CNY Absolutely. And the reason for that I mean one of the reasons for that was there's been over the last 10 years, there's been great pressure by OPWD to consolidate in the industry. They didn't want small providers because it's just the economies of scale weren't there, which also has me concerned because-.
Speaker 1:Yeah, rightfully so.
Speaker 2:They're pushing us back in the direction of where we came from in the 1960s.
Speaker 2:And you don't want to do that and you don't want to do that. I know it's cost effective to warehouse people, but you don't want to do that. But that's not what's in the best interest of Corps members and so that's really not the direction we should be going in and they don't acknowledge it. But it's money that's driving that because it's cheaper, driving that because it's cheaper and that's what the state legislature primarily focuses on. So we developed this relationship with AccessCNY and actually one of the things we have an event coming up this Friday. We're having a masquerade ball and we're doing jointly with AccessCNY.
Speaker 1:Oh, very cool.
Speaker 2:Very cool that core members are really excited about, because there aren't many social opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to socialize. Usually on Friday, saturday nights, the only thing is to stay at home, and so I was ironically, I was thinking about this I went after a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to give us some money to start a dance and Access on their own, had already decided that this was something that they needed because they saw the gap out there, and then we came together and said, let's, let's do this together I love that and what is that?
Speaker 1:so that's coming up on friday. What is the date? So, if you want you know this is going to be uploaded like right away, but okay, friday.
Speaker 2:So this friday, october 25th okay, the thing is you have to notify us ahead of time because we have to um, but it's going to be at arrowhead Lodge in in Brewerton, New York. Yeah, From five 30,. From five 30 to eight o'clock there'll be food, music, dancing and they love the masquerades.
Speaker 1:They do. I've seen it. I you know, being from somewhat the community, is what you're referring to that you know my son loves to dance. I mean it's just like, all right, we got to stop. Now, zach, we need to go.
Speaker 2:No, he's going to dance. Yeah, if you're ever going to Special Olympics, they usually have a dance like on Saturday night.
Speaker 1:Yes, they do.
Speaker 2:And everybody shows up. I mean, no one wants to miss the dance, right?
Speaker 1:No, exactly right.
Speaker 2:So this is one big event and we had that over at Le Moyne College and we have an event that we're going to be restarting again. Covid kind of shut us down, which is a break. We call break bread events a silent auction, which we'll be doing next year Very cool.
Speaker 1:So that helps fund the activities that Lars is doing and you also get funding from the state you mentioned. Correct, yeah, so together. Now, if somebody wanted to go online, can they make a monetary donation or give to the organization?
Speaker 2:They can. There's a place on the website we say donate. Click on there and you can donate with credit card or whatever, and that's all tax deductible.
Speaker 1:Yes, just thought I'd throw it out there that people are looking for. Absolutely so. That's pretty cool. What message would you like to share with our viewers about the importance of inclusion?
Speaker 2:I think all of us seek a place of belonging in our world, not just people with intellectual disabilities. We all want to have a place, a home, a place where we're recognized for who we are and what our gifts are. And we, people with intellectual disabilities is a group that historically has been discriminated against. They just weren't even thought about. I mean we designed buildings where people in wheelchairs couldn't even get into. I mean we wouldn't do that for the rest of the population. Design a building where no one can get into. So it shows that in our minds we just weren't thinking in terms of including people with intellectual and physical disabilities and physical disabilities and it's such an important part of every group and you see it's. I mean I also taught international human rights for 23 years.
Speaker 2:And that's the story of groups that have been historically discriminated against and they just want to be included. They want to say look, we want to be included like everybody else and be treated the same as everybody else. And that's the story of one group after another, whether it's a racial group, whether it's the elderly, whether it's people who are handicapped, and so that's why it's so important that we recognize that this group has gifts, and that's what we like to announce. Many people don't realize that people with intellectual disabilities have wonderful gifts, in fact, fact, gifts that are badly needed in our society today, particularly much, particularly with how divisive our society is. Well, come, come, experience life in our community and you'll see, uh, an environment, and where everyone's included. It's not a divisive, it's not where you're talking down to people or nasty to people, or you actually are building each other up and encouraging each other. It's a completely different environment. It'd be so nice if our of our larger society could learn from that?
Speaker 1:yeah, john, I also uh. How can individuals make a difference in the lives of those with intellectual disabilities in their own communities?
Speaker 2:um, even beyond, because large is just. We often sayche is just a sign. Because we're so small, there's no way we can possibly meet the need that's so great out there. I think the principles that L'Arche is founded upon, in which we seek to live each day, can be applied anywhere. It can be applied in the home, and I'm sure it is applied in your home, where you want your son, who has down syndrome, to know that he is valued, that he has gifts, that he is loved um, that he belongs. My best buddy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, exactly. And then every day I leave for work not to get off what you're saying, though, I always say goodbye and tell my love them, and he'll look at me and go best, buddy dad love you and I say absolutely honey honey.
Speaker 1:You know, that just sets me up for a great day, absolutely. If I don't do that, in the morning it's like oh my God, I left without saying. You know, I'm just, I'm wondering what he's thinking. But still, best, buddy, absolutely. That's how we go, that's what we talk about. But L'Arche, the name L'Arche, what is that?
Speaker 2:It harsh. What is that? It's a french word that means the ark, as in noah's ark okay, and our logo is a boat with three people in it. I saw that, and the concept is we're all in this boat together, so we need to figure out how to get along with each other. We need to, how to make a better world together.
Speaker 1:All of us, yeah that are that are here you know we uh, before we went out with the lights and the camera and all that good stuff. You know you asked about my son and you asked about the future, because obviously we don't live forever, right, but hopefully my son will go on for a while, right? Um, so lars can play a role in that, they. How does all that work? Again, through the uh, the um, the, the case manager.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's part of the role, but that's often how core members come to us, because they stay with their family as long as they can, and one of the most recent examples it was a professor from Cornell who passed away and his wife had to. Actually, her health was poor, she had to go into a nursing home and so there was no one to care for their son. And so he came, tomy, came to live with us, and what a what a wonderful gift he has been been to us. Um, there's a process with the care manager. You go. You have to get qualified with opwdd for these residential services, so they fund it, and then they fund most of it.
Speaker 2:Okay, yes, okay, yes and the rest comes from, and the rest comes from private donations that we have to have to raise.
Speaker 2:But then there's this, there's this match, because the, the the people on that list- are you know thousands and thousands here just in the state of new york, um, and then when we have an opening, we don't have openings very often because most core members that come to us come to us for the rest of their lives. They don't leave us after they come. So we have to have an opening and they're on the list and we have to see whether it's a good match, because we have very clear distinctive features about our community. We want to make sure that it's a good match for us and for the individual.
Speaker 1:Have you thought about expanding, though? You say you have the four homes, or is it a problem with, like we mentioned earlier, getting people to work it? I mean, it's great to get a home, but you gotta have the people to actually the biggest hindrance is actually the state.
Speaker 2:They will not license new homes.
Speaker 1:Really yes. Can I ask why Is that something we should mention?
Speaker 2:I think we should all lobby the state of New York that they should be licensing new homes.
Speaker 1:And I did not know that and, being the parent of a child with disabilities, right, it's good to know.
Speaker 2:And it's a certain type of them. They're called IRAs. Okay, individual, retire, retire, residential alternative and the state will not. We even tried just to expand an existing home that too, because we have two extra bedrooms in there, sure, and the we were told they're probably not even going to expand the license for anything an existing home. So it would have cost almost nothing to do that. But um, but cost is the main reason because when you, when you license another home, then that obligates the state to also give money for it, and the whole focus right now is reducing the funding for people with intellectual disabilities, not expanding it.
Speaker 1:That's the wrong focus. It is Definitely 100% wrong. It is, in my opinion, just saying but we've been chatting with John Koneckley, the executive director and community leader of L'Arche right here in Syracuse. But it's not just Syracuse, it's worldwide. Yes, you have a lot of different locations, I think over 150 throughout the world, right, and it's just. You know, just being the parent of a child with disabilities and to hear you say what you just said, it kind of ruffled my feathers a little bit, so to speak. It's like seriously so, and if you're watching this, you can help us out too, because these people need help, they need guidance. But they live a great life and they live practically a normal life. I mean, my son is working for the Syracuse Mets. He works out every day at the Y, he does it all and he does a lot of that on his own.
Speaker 2:And one of their gifts of people with intellectual disabilities is you have both the being side of life and the doing side of life and our culture. Both are very important, but our culture tends to overemphasize the doing side, the productivity side. I mean, even our identity is wrapped up. The first thing you need to purchase is what do you do? And so there's often a deficit on the bean side, which is are you loved, are you accepted, do you have close friends? Do you have a place where you feel like you belong, um, where you are known, where your gifts are affirmed? That's the bean side and that's where the um, our core members, shine. Just they can walk. When you walk into one of our homes, the, the welcome they give you is, um, it moves you, um, it's like oh my gosh. And and they don't even have to know you that well, they just have that gift of welcome saying we're just so glad you're here with us today.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, that's so awesome. That is, that is so awesome. But, um, l'arche Syracuse, you have a website. Somebody want to check it out? Can they apply for a job? Now? The reason I'm asking is I know we're running some commercials on our radio stations, and one of the commercials that I heard just recently was the fact that you are looking for help. Yes, they are going to apply, so this is a great opportunity for you to do something. You're blessed, I mean, you know, it's just something awesome to do, and I think it would definitely put a smile on your face and, and I think you would look forward to going to work every day, which a lot of us cannot say that I mean, I'm fine, don't get me wrong, but you know what I'm saying. It's like this is an opportunity for somebody maybe start a new career. You did Right and you're smiling.
Speaker 2:You're loving it, I love it I love it and I understand why.
Speaker 1:So, hopefully you can go on the website and get that information. Yes, correct, yes, so anybody. You can work so many hours at one of the homes and you're looking for helpers.
Speaker 2:We are full-time and part-time. I love it.
Speaker 1:I love it. John Kinectly Got to make sure I say that right. See spelled it connectly uh. Executive director and community leader, large of syracuse. Thank you for all the great information today. Um, hopefully you get something out of this as well. Uh, help us out, go online. Do you know the website off the top of your head? Yes, large syracuseorg.
Speaker 2:L a r c no apostrophe, right, no apostrophe. E then syracuseorg love it.
Speaker 1:There you go. Yeah, make a donation, get some information, check them out online, help out our central new york individuals with disabilities and help them just smile every day and lead just almost a normal life. It's pretty cool, john. Thank you so much for being here today. Thank you, hopefully I did all right. Let me shut that off. I'll let you know. Yeah, we went almost 30 minutes, really 25. Wow, that went fast Very.
