We are VR: Meet Colin Boyle

Transcript of video:

Transcript – “We Are VR: Meet Colin”

(COLIN BOYLE) Hello. My name is Colin Boyle, and I’m from Salem, New Hampshire. I am 20 years old. I am currently going to the University of New Hampshire online program. I will begin going to an in-person program.

(MARGORIE BOYLE) My name is Margorie Boyle, and I’m Colin Boyle’s mother. Colin was diagnosed around two years old. My husband and I started realizing, well, he wasn’t verbal. He really liked spinning objects. We didn’t know much about autism. So when we got the diagnosis, we were kind of floored. He went into this kindergarten and there were all these geography pictures up on the wall, and different words. And obviously in kindergarten, you learn your letters. And Colin went in, and he had a limited vocabulary, but he started pointing out the different words. And then we all looked at him and realized, “Oh, he can read.” And they tested him, and they realized he was reading at a 5th grade level in kindergarten. We realized socially, though, and emotionally, that he is below his peers. So, in school, even though he’s gifted academically, he was lagging behind in a lot of those really crucial skills. Before we found VR, we were really lost with my son. We were having trouble finding a college for Colin. We didn’t know about jobs that he might be appropriate for. And then I found Vocational Rehab. For probably about two years now, we’ve been working with Rebecca Sargent, who is really a life saver.

(REBECCA SARGENT) Hi. My name is Rebecca Sargent. I’m a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor with VR New Hampshire. VR New Hampshire works with individuals with any type of disability. We can work with anyone from age 14 to 114. We can help them with their employment goal. And if they don’t know what their goal is, we can help them figure out what that goal is through career exploration. So, Colin came to us when he was in 11th grade in high school. He applied to VR, and we teamed him up with a job coach and got him a job, and he’s excelling, building his work tolerance and his work skills. Then the next steps will be to get him experiences in other jobs that he may like for a career. 

(MARGORIE BOYLE) He has a lot of interests that he’s passionate and excels at. He became passionate about horse racing. 

(COLIN BOYLE) So, I’m very good at handicapping. I’m very good at handicapping Thoroughbred races, for example, Flightline, the best horse in the entire world.  

(MARGORIE BOYLE) Vocational Rehab has helped my son with social skills. They helped us find a social group for him to join. He loves it, and it’s really helping him interact with his peers and work on his social skills for all facets of his life. They helped us find a college for him. We didn’t even know it was going to be possible. And we got in touch with Rebecca, and she found the Bridges program for us. She found UNH-4U. She supported us the whole time through that program. Colin is so excited to say that he goes to UNH. He can’t wait to live on campus. It’s really a dream for him.

(COLIN BOYLE) Right into high school, she helped me find college. She was very helpful in orchestrating getting me work. She also helped me find a job coach.

(MARJORIE BOYLE) Colin works at a local restaurant. He works in the kitchen, and he has a job coach. He’s been with this employer for over a year now. They really make him feel welcome. And we’re hoping to possibly expand his role, because we realize now with the skills he’s learned through VR and his social group, that he has so much more to offer. That he actually likes talking to people now, and he likes to engage. Our goal is for Colin to go to college and find a job where he enjoys it and he can support himself. With Vocational Rehab we’re going to reach those goals, because eventually we’d like him to be a member of a community where he is sustainable—he’s an individual living on his own.

(COLIN BOYLE) It’s important to have a job because I want money, and I also want a life. Like, I’d like to get some sort of career. I hope to have something in the marketing industry…somewhere like an arena for a sports team or a horseracing track.

(REBECCA SARGENT) Colin has so many skills and so many abilities to play off of. I know he’s going to do great things.
 
(MARJORIE BOYLE) If we didn’t have Vocational Rehab in our life, Colin would not be in college right now. We can count on them. They are really like family to us. They’re just a huge asset to have and you don’t need to do it alone. You don’t need to be isolated in your family thinking that your son or daughter after they graduate high school doesn’t have a bright future. There are people out there and they can make a difference. I don’t really know where we’d be without VR.

(COLIN BOYLE) I feel I can do anything.

(REBECCA BOYLE) We are VR.

(MARJORIE BOYLE) We are VR.

(COLIN BOYLE) We are VR.

(NARRATOR) At VR New Hampshire, we transform the lives of people with disabilities by helping them prepare for, obtain, and succeed in meaningful careers. To learn how we can help you meet your employment or workforce goals, call 603-271-3471 or visit education.nh.gov/vr.