The InVisionary

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide necessary supports to people who experience disabilities. Within our Residential Program at InVision Human Services, DSPs work in the homes of the people we serve – ensuring their individual needs are met, and that they have the opportunity to pursue a life that is meaningful to them. It is no secret that the work of our DSPs – and DSPs across the human services industry – is essential to the success of our programs and the livelihood of the people we support.
 
At InVision, we all know the vitality of our DSPs, and the complexity of the work they do for our organization. And while these supports, extensive job duties, and advocacy efforts come to mind when we discuss DSPs, it is important to remember that there is so much more to our support staff outside of the work they do at InVision. Keeping in mind that DSPs spend a lot of time away from their loved ones, and the direct support workforce can be a taxing job, we should all challenge ourselves to stop and think: what more can we learn about our support staff?
 

Yawatta and InVision

Yawatta Sayles – also known as “Miss Tee” among her colleagues and the people she supports – began her work as a DSP with InVision back in November 2011. For the duration of her 13-year tenure, Yawatta has worked with Anne, a non-verbal person supported by InVision.
 
Throughout her years working with Anne, Yawatta has acted as a strong advocate for Anne’s needs and is passionate about making sure Anne is treated with the highest quality of care. Working closely with Anne’s team of support staff and behavioral specialists, Yawatta ensures that Anne feels comfortable in her own home, prioritizes her safety, and has the opportunity to live her best life.
 
Yawatta’s dedication to her work with Anne does not stop at providing support, picking up overtime hours, and ensuring her workload is complete before she clocks out for her shifts. She also helped advocate for the purchase of Anne’s home with InVision, approaching the landlord prior to the sale and encouraging him to sell the house and give Anne a forever home. In addition, Yawatta is diligent in her advocacy at doctors’ appointments, ensuring Anne’s needs are met and she is treated with respect and kindness.
 
“InVision, and organizations like InVision, are doing great work,” Yawatta said. “We are trusted to help people live their lives. We have to do our best for the people.”
 
While Anne’s home is her primary placement, Yawatta has also picked up hours in other homes over the years – having the opportunity to provide supports to a total of 34 people of varying demographics across InVision. To connect with each new person she supports, Yawatta asks them about their birthdays; inquiring about what they did for their birthday that just passed, or what plans they have for their birthday coming up. These questions are her way of “opening the door,” and getting to know the person, as birthdays are a shared experience – most finding joy and excitement in a day that celebrates them.
 
Having worked with people supported for over a decade, Yawatta’s favorite part of her work as a DSP is seeing success and growth among the people we support.
 
“It is so rewarding,” Yawatta shared. “Seeing where a person was when they first started services with InVision, to where they are now.”
 

Yawatta Gives Back

Beyond InVision, Yawatta owns and runs a party-planning business called “Tee Makes It Happen.” Through this business, she helps promote events, assists in fundraisers and scholarship programs among local churches, and provides group trip planning to parties up to ten people.
 
In addition, Yawatta personally participates in annual fundraisers and programs for a handful of organizations among the greater Pittsburgh area. The organizations she is involved in range from youth organizations and homeless shelters, to mentorship programs.
 

Jasmine’s Camp

Jasmine’s Camp is an organization dedicated to “providing an ongoing effort to develop the next generation of leaders through leadership and moral development.” Honoring the legacy of Jasmine Claggett, a young woman who lost her battle with cancer in 2015, the organization continues her work by offering athletic programs and scholarships to at-risk children. The camp also offers employment to college students; often hiring those who aged out of the program as camp counselors.
 
Yawatta dedicates time each year to support the organization’s fundraisers and scholarships.
 

Second Avenue Commons Inc.

Second Avenue Commons offers a safe place for people experiencing homelessness – collaborating with Pittsburgh Mercy Hospital, UMPC, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, and Community Kitchen Pittsburgh to provide shelter and resources to adults in need.
 
Yawatta has worked with Second Avenue since they opened, helping to provide meals and support to the people accessing these resources.
 

Team PSBG LLC

Similarly to her work with Second Avenue, Yawatta also helps provide support and meals to Team PSBG – an organization that provides person-first support to people experiencing displacement.
 

Crawford Village

The Crawford Village community holds a special place in Yawatta’s heart, as this is the community where her grandmother raised her. In support of the youth living in Crawford Village, Yawatta organizes an annual backpack drive for its students. Filling the backpacks with items such as socks, blankets, and school supplies, Yawatta’s success among these efforts is evident in its growth. Originally starting with the distribution of 40 backpacks, over the years, the fundraiser now distributes upwards of 75 backpack care packages to children in the community as they prep for a new school year.
 

Amachi Pittsburgh

For the past 20 years, Yawatta has acted as a mentor for a young woman through Amachi Pittsburgh – an Allegheny County organization dedicated to providing mentorship services and raising awareness in support of at-risk children’s growth and development. Promoting policy changes, Amachi works to empower youth and teaches them to navigate their vulnerability to the criminal justice system.
 
Recently, Yawatta was honored for her two-decades long mentorship with the young woman who she began mentoring at the age of five, who is a 25-year-old adult.  
 

Yawatta Off the Clock

Outside of her work at InVision, Tee Makes It Happen, and her philanthropic efforts, Yawatta is a mom and grandma, who cherishes her family and is passionate about her faith. She loves scrapbooking, travels often, and prides herself on being a kind person.
 
“Sometimes, people don’t realize there is more to DSPs,” Yawatta said. “There is more to us than just the work we do at InVision, and I feel it is important for people to know these things, too. When people are juggling, giving their time, and able to do a lot outside of being a DSP, it’s worth acknowledging!”
 
Thank you, Yawatta, for all you do as a team member of InVision, and for all the wonderful things you do outside of our organization. We so greatly appreciate the opportunity to share your story!