By Ray Birch
ALLEN, Texas—One credit union has hired special needs teens to be greeters in its lobbies, and the program has turned out not only to be life-changing for the young people but also an answer to a problem the CU previously could not solve.
The $1.5-billion Credit Union of Texas’ new greeters program is providing much-needed life skills for special needs teens, who previously did not have an easy avenue to work with the public, explained Courtney Coss, chief retail officer.
The credit union works with the local school district to place senior special needs students in the role of greeters at all of its branches. The students hold the door open for members as they enter the lobby, direct members to where they need to go, and if members have to wait, get them coffee or water and sit and talk.
“We’re trying to help these kids get ready for real-life experiences,” said Coss. “We are getting them away from their typically highly structured day. This allows the students to gain customer service job skills that they probably wouldn't have been able to get in other jobs they might have taken. Other companies will typically hire these kids, but they won’t place them in public-facing roles. We believe these jobs will help these students become better prepared for real life.”
The students are recommended by the local school district but have to formally apply for the role, explained Coss, which gives them the experience, too, they will need when they apply for another job at another business.
Standard Job Interview
The young people go through a standard job interview and have to prepare a resume, Coss added.
“We tell them about their responsibilities and they are so ecstatic to get the job,” Coss said. “They are some of our best employees. They come to work early, they’re willing to do more, and they work very hard. It is great to watch their confidence build.”
Coss said the students have disabilities such as Down’s syndrome and autism.
Credit Union of Texas currently has six greeters in place and plans to have them in all of its 16 locations by year’s end.
“We started this program in October (2020) and the feedback from members has been very positive,” said Coss. “When you walk into a financial institution you don't expect the door to be held open for you; you see this nice, friendly face from a young person who welcomes you to the credit union. Members say they love the warm welcome.”
Solving a Need
The program, too, solves a big need Credit Union of Texas has had, said Coss.
“It really has been a match made in heaven,” said Coss. “We wanted to have greeters for years, but we could not get anyone to really stay around. It was hard to fill these positions. We first targeted retired people, but it was still hard to fill these spots.”
In 2020 the credit union’s CEO, Eric Pointer, mentioned to Coss that a grocery store chain, Market Street, hires special needs young adults to carry groceries to shoppers’ cars.
“Our board of directors agreed the program would be a good fit for us and a way to further support our schools and our community, and we then reached out to the local school district," Coss said.
The greeters, all over the age of 18, are paid employees of the credit union.
Assistance from Job Coach
“They have a job coach from the school district. The coach actually comes on board with the student and helps with training,” said Coss, who added the greeters also go through formal CU onboarding and training. “This is very helpful, because the job coach really knows what these kids’ needs are and can help communicate at the beginning. The coach stays on the job with the students until they are fully prepared to be on their own.”
The greeters’ pay starts off at $11 an hour. Coss said the credit union will consider hiring them for other positions.
“It just depends on their skill sets,” she said. “But we hope to hire some full-time people from this program. You know, we tried this program before with other types of hires, and it just didn’t work. This program, again, is a perfect match for the credit union and the kids. It’s really working out well.”