Olatokunboh Oduneye, who goes by Tokie, is a vocational support specialist with Melwood Community Services who says he’s in the role of a lifetime. His work supporting people with disabilities in their jobs allows him to blend his passion for helping people with his skills as a counselor, advocate and, above all, encourager. 

Tokie helps Melwood Enterprises employees navigate the challenges of employment and build the confidence they need to succeed and excel in their careers.  

Sometimes, that means helping someone better understand the expectations of their job. Other times, it means having a conversation with an employee who is struggling and working together to understand what’s getting in the way of success or even becoming active members of their communities. 

Dignity and Strength 

For Tokie, the work is about helping people recognize their own strengths, experience the dignity that comes with meaningful employment, discover their abilities, realize that they can contribute, succeed, be independent and see possibilities for themselves. 

He has watched employees who once lacked confidence step into lead positions, and he has seen others begin to imagine themselves as supervisors. Those moments are among the most rewarding parts of his work. 

“In most cases, people just lack the confidence to believe they can hold a job,” Tokie said. “Seeing someone believe in themselves and reach that next level is so rewarding.” 

Tokie believes everyone deserves the opportunity to work, live a meaningful life, and grow regardless of disability. Supporting people as they develop independence, recognize their strengths and potential and become more confident is, as he puts it, “a thing of the heart.” 

Direct Support Professionals Week

This week, the Melwood Family of Companies is celebrating the people who help make our mission of inclusion possible, including people like Tokie. Through direct support and related work, our team members at Melwood Community Services help people live the lives they choose, pursue their goals and reach their potential. 

“Everyone deserves to have their strengths recognized. I get to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life every day. I get to support people living the lives they choose, not the lives others assume they should have. I get to help people build their confidence and be part of a community,” Tokie said, adding that watching that transformation from uncertainty to ‘I did it’ is what makes the work so meaningful.