Baking for Independence

Xiao Yi (a pseudonym) is 28 years old this year and has been working at the Zhubei workshop for seven years. She is a young woman with mild intellectual disabilities. I remember the first time I greeted Xiao Yi; she did not respond in the same manner but merely glanced at me. Through continuous interaction and getting to know her better, I discovered that Xiao Yi is simply slow to warm up. However, she has a very lively personality and loves to joke around, often becoming the source of joy in the assembly area.

Despite her seemingly nonchalant demeanor, Xiao Yi takes her work very seriously. She strives to do her best in every task assigned to her, and the quality of her work is impeccable. Whether it's packaging large cookies or boxing smaller treats, she handles them all with ease.

The greatest challenge Xiao Yi faces is the highly variable box assembly task. The workshop has many different types of boxes and contents, all of which must be memorized, posing a significant challenge for Xiao Yi. She used to lack confidence in this area and was reluctant to practice it.

However, through continuous positive encouragement and support from the job coaches, Xiao Yi began to take the initiative to practice with them. When she achieved her set goals, she would beam with joy, gaining confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Gradually, she became more willing to discuss work content and training methods with the job coaches, and even share her daily life with them.

Previously, whenever the job coaches asked Xiao Yi about the possibility of external employment, she would always respond with, "I don't know, I'll think about it." But recently, Xiao Yi told the job coaches that she would be willing to explore suitable opportunities if they arose. I believe Xiao Yi has grown significantly and has become much more confident than before. I hope that on her journey toward external employment, Xiao Yi will continue to believe in herself, improve her skills, and courageously face every opportunity and challenge the future holds.