One job that is not often considered is working with adults with mental and physical disabilities. On the job hunt after high school, Natalee Fried started working at Southwest Opportunities Center (SOC) in Lancaster, WI in July of 2024 and stayed until April of 2025.
SOC is a private, non-profit organization that has been providing services to adults with mental and physical disabilities since 1988. Their goal is “to empower, educate, and support each individual.” Natalee wanted to work there because, “I wanted something more upbeat, and something that was going to be different every day. At first, I was a little nervous because it was out of the ‘norm’ for me, but after the first day, I knew it was something that I was going to enjoy.”
SOC has three main programs: the adult daycare; the day service program that focuses on activities to increase self-confidence, independence, social skills, and what it means to be a part of a community; and the prevocational service. This service is to provide work experience, educational, social, and job-readiness skills. The members are picked up and dropped off every day by the transportation staff. SOC provides a variety of different opportunities such as swimming, arts and crafts, cooking, reading skills, and daily living skills.
When asked what a day looks like at SOC, Natalee explained: “Obviously, every day is very different, but there is definitely structure. We would start the day by having the members come in at 9 and allow them to get settled. Shortly after that, we would watch current events, which was whatever news channel they wanted to watch, but they all loved CNN10.
“After that, they would have their free time to do whatever they wanted; many colored and played board games. At 10:30 they would have their snack until about 10:45. After snack we would do whatever programming was provided to us.
“Lunch was at 12 until 12:30, and we did more programming throughout the afternoon until about 3, when the members loaded the bus to go home. Each day the programming was different, but it always entailed something that was informational and fun for the members to participate in. On some days, we would be gone all day on outings which the members really enjoyed.”
Natalee really enjoyed knowing that she was making a difference in the members' lives, and that they would always come in with smiles on their faces, ready to see everyone. “Working at SOC was one of the best experiences. I was unsure at first, because it was something completely new to me, but I got to work with the most happy, kind, caring, and nicest individuals.” Natalee now works in Dubuque, IA.