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Josh Fields is co-founder and CEO of The Next Step Programs. His nonprofit paves the way for young people with disabilities to find their next major step in life after school and helps them prepare to enter the workforce.
Believe it or not, Fields found his personal next step during a conversation over trays of mystery meat in the high school cafeteria. As a then-Junior with an early case of “senioritis,” he quizzed his friends about their futures. While some eagerly discussed college tours and career dreams, his friend Meghan Kensil, who has Down Syndrome, was quiet. Fields pressed her for details about her plans, but she was not quick to answer. She was not sure what the future held.
In the summer of 2014, Fields was 16 and volunteering at a camp for young adults with Down Syndrome. He met Ricky Price, who has a brother with neurofibromatosis. The new friends brainstormed about the lack of post-graduation opportunities for people with disabilities. Their solution was The Next Step Programs (TNS).
“As a person who always dreams about the future, I was devastated to realize that some of my best friends didn’t have opportunities after graduation,” he explains. “We co-founded The Next Step Programs to give people with disabilities a sense of belonging in their communities and access to exciting futures.”
Creating opportunities for adults with disabilities
The young CEO has led the Next Step Programs through four years of astounding growth. When TNS opened its first in-person programs doors in 2020, it served 11 young people with disabilities. Today, the organization reaches 100 families across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and has massive plans for expansion. At the end of 2021, Fields came on as full-time CEO, and in 2022, he brought on a Program Manager, Marketing Coordinator, and Community & Family Specialist.
In May, TNS opened its first office space. “We’re thrilled to move from a rented church hall to a larger home,” says Fields. “Moving into our first permanent location allows us to completely expand our model and offer more options for programs, supports, and services.”
TNS expanded its weekly programs to cover self-advocacy, career exploration, independent living skills, and fitness. Two exciting new courses offered this fall delved into Fitness and Healthy Living.
“We explore how to lead healthy lifestyles both physically, emotionally and socially,” says Fields. “Julianne Hirst, a recreation therapist, and TNS’s Board Executive VP has designed her own curriculums to help young adults gain skills to lead healthy lifestyles. These programs have been a huge hit for our entire community.”
Another Next Step offering is called Explore Bucks County. The primary goal of this program is to build connections and interactions between young adults with disabilities and the community. Scavenger hunts, workplace explorations, and recreational excursions give participants a chance to show the community what they’re capable of on the job.
“Everyone enjoys the workplace explorations,” says Fields. “They love the challenge and are out there making an impression on our community. Research shows that people with disabilities have equal or higher performance ratings, better retention rates, and less absenteeism than non-disabled workers. We present the facts, but seeing the enthusiasm and abilities of our participants is worth so much more than statistics. Our local businesses get to witness their motivation and skills firsthand.”
Fields guided TNS to another major milestone this year as the nonprofit expanded beyond the borders of Greater Philadelphia. “As a co-founder, you spend years dreaming about the impact your organization could have,” Fields reflects. “Now, we are impacting communities all over Pennsylvania. That growth proves our model can be effective everywhere.”
Fields is thrilled about the upcoming changes for TNS in 2023. Plans are in the works to expand the new Career & Community Center with kitchen facilities for cooking and healthy eating courses, a fitness center for healthy living programs, and additional sensory-friendly facilities to make TNS programs more accessible. TNS is also building a mock apartment to offer overnight experiences and enhance independent living skills.
“The new year means new TNS locations with new programs set to launch in West Chester and Pittsburgh,” Fields remarks. “Our impact, team, and services will continue to expand, and we can’t wait to see what will happen next!”
Building partnerships with businesses to strengthen the community
By building strong relationships, Fields and his team educate Pennsylvania one local business at a time. He doesn’t believe employers set out to discriminate. In his experience, many simply lack the knowledge they need to create accessible opportunities.
“From the start, my goal has been to show everyone that people with disabilities are no different than you and I,” Fields explains. “Most only need basic accommodations like transportation or plain-spoken directions. When we block them from being a part of the community, we’re not just harming them; we’re harming our community.”
Fields didn’t forget that friend who inspired TNS during that impromptu conversation back in the high school cafeteria. Meghan Kensil, who was uncertain about her future then, found her next step as the office manager at TNS.
“Meg is a huge resource for us,” says Fields. “She keeps me on track, keeps our office organized, and represents everything that TNS stands for. Everyone deserves the chance to belong to their community.”
Fields has good reason to be proud of the work TNS is doing across Pennsylvania. He foresees exciting changes in store for young adults with disabilities. “As a young CEO and founder, I find myself hopeful for the future,” he concludes. “It can start in your workplace. Be a part of the change!”
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Inset Photo provided by the author.