By Amanda Rodriguez

It was the end of 2021, and I was looking for a new job. I had worked in adult behavioral health for years but wanted a little bit of change. That’s when I saw an ad posted on Indeed.com indeed.com for Sidekicks Support Services. I read through the postings for an ABA Therapist and for a Behavior Technician. I checked out the Sidekicks website.

“Every Superhero Needs A Sidekick”. That slogan stuck.

I continued reading and quickly felt like this could be a place whose values truly aligned with mine. I wrote a cover letter and submitted my resume. The rest, as they say, is history!

I started working part-time with Sidekicks as a Behavior Technician in the Individual Support Services (ISS) program. This means I worked with children ages 3-21 who were diagnosed with intellectual or developmental disabilities. I worked in their homes and in the community and taught life skills. First, I had virtual training, and then hands-on training during the first few sessions with each child I worked with. I even got to shadow a Sidekick while they worked with a Superhero! Fantastic families, friendly and welcoming staff, paid training… I was thrilled with my new position and proud to work for a company that was so passionate about what they do.

Teaching play skills through ABA therapy.

With hard work and dedication, I was promoted to ISS Supervisor within my first year. Becoming a supervisor came with more training and responsibility. As a supervisor, I am responsible for assessing client needs, writing treatment plans, communicating with the kids’ Care Managers, training new staff, supporting staff and families, and overseeing services. It was hard work, but very rewarding.

After getting experience through ISS, I was interested in expanding my knowledge in the field and working more hours. Sidekicks was more than happy to support my growth; I was given additional training to start working some hours as an ABA therapist. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. As an ABA therapist, I work with children ages 2 and over who have an autism diagnosis. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) supervises and guides me. The BCBA writes a plan, then teaches and trains me on how to implement the plan by running various programs and collecting data.

What is Behavior Analysis – ABA

At this point, after just over a year with the company, I had learned and grown so much. I loved the job, the company, my peers… so it was a no-brainer to apply when a position as an Administrative Manager opened up. I was offered the position and happily accepted. That brings me to where I am today! Working full time for a company I love and believe in. I still do both ISS Supervision and ABA Therapy and also support the company through admin and HR work. I have grown so much as a person and an employee – and have everyone at Sidekicks Support Services to thank for that. My coworkers always support me, check-in, answer questions, and don’t hesitate to help me anytime I need it.

Sidekicks is an amazing place to work. If you’re interested in working with kids with disabilities, or adults (yes – we even provide support to disabled adults through our Direct Support Professionals!), please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We will do our best to find a position for you, whether you have a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, no degree, or varying levels of experience. Our purpose is growing, and we are always looking for more Sidekicks to join the family and help those Superheroes. Click here for our employment page!

Stay tuned for more blogs about my day to day in all the positions I have worked!