By Laura Farmer
Tyler Shallue loves his job.
“I’m currently doing an internship with Anne Arundel County government’s Risk Management Division of Central Services,” he explains. “Safety and emergency preparedness has actually become quite a passion for me. I really like the idea of keeping people safe.”
This internship is just the latest in Shallue’s growing resume of employment and advanced education—successes that he asserts are due in part to the guidance and support he receives from Kennedy Krieger Institute’s CORE Foundations program.
CORE Foundations
CORE Foundations—“CORE” stands for Community, Opportunity, Respect and Employment—provides person-centered services that foster individual growth, promote meaningful relationships and empower people with disabilities to achieve independence in their home, workplace and community. Best of all, each participant gets a customized plan for education, enrichment and employment that best serves their needs.
CORE Foundations is offered by Kennedy Krieger’s Neurodiversity at Work department, which offers training and education, conducts research, and provides direct services to support neurodiversity in the workplace. The department also produces the Institute’s annual Neurodiversity in the Workplace National Conference, which most recently took place October 27–29, 2024, with record participation: 258 people from 27 states attended more than two dozen sessions.
“CORE Foundations provides young adults with two types of support: community development and employment,” explains Hannah Wayne, director of Neurodiversity at Work. “Regarding our community development, each day, young adults from across six counties in Maryland meet staff members at a location convenient to their home to participate in leisure activities, fitness classes, volunteer experiences and other enrichment opportunities. Each participant’s schedule is customized in collaboration with a CORE Foundations staff member to suit their unique abilities, interests and schedules.”
Additionally, the employment support that CORE Foundations offers helps connect program participants—called community members—with jobs that suit their skills, strengths and interests.
I like that my job gives me purpose.” – CORE Foundations community member Andy Moscoso
Community member Andy Moscoso has appreciated this support. “I work at the Howard County Public Safety Training Center,” he says. “I work the front desk during busy weekday hours. I like that my job gives me purpose. I am allowed to work independently and take ownership of my workspace. My co-workers are understanding and kind. I feel valued at work.”
Shallue also values the employment support, and recently even leaned on program staff members to help him navigate a common career stressor: developing a healthy work-life balance.
“I was working an internship and also juggling two or three college classes,” he says. “I felt like the CORE Foundations team helped me find a reasonable compromise and negotiate with my managers about how to balance how many hours I work for me and what hours I work for them.
“I would recommend CORE Foundations to anyone who needs employment supports,” Moscoso adds. “They will help you with resume tips, job searching, applying for jobs, preparing for interviews, being there for you during interviews if needed, working with you on follow-up, and supporting you through hiring and training, and they will check in on you to see how work is going, so you can keep your job. CORE Foundations staff are patient and helpful, and they work with you to reach your employment goals.”