Podcasts about project search

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Ruby Memorial Hospital is recruiting high school seniors and recent grads for its Project SEARCH internship…Chestnut Hill Candle Company fills the room with West Virginia-made aromas…and get free seeds through the 2025 Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WV NEWS – Project SEARCH at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is recruiting interns for its 2025-2026 class. The program is an internship experience for high school seniors or recently graduated students with mild and moderate special needs. The program was first established at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 1996, and WVU Hospitals is the first Project SEARCH site in West Virginia. Once accepted into the program, student interns report to Ruby Memorial Hospital instead of their home school district classroom for the entire school year. Applications are due April 1 and can be requested through high school guidance counselors and local county Departments of Rehabilitation Service. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/wvumedicine/project-search-accepting-applications/article_50f00420-d281-11ef-ac8e-9b91e088f8c0.html   #2 – From WV LIVING – With just the strike of a match, you can fill a room with festive aromas crafted in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle. Missy and Dave Severs launched Chestnut Hill Candle Company, featuring a clean-burning, natural soy blend formula. There are more than 115 Chestnut Hill candle fragrances. Other products include wax potpourri, outdoor-only citronella candles, and air fresheners. Chestnut Hill candles light up homes around the world—the Severses ship products from the Chester warehouse to points across the globe. Despite its worldwide reach, the company's primary focus is local, and its bread and butter is fundraising projects. Read more: https://wvliving.com/lighting-the-way/   #3 – From WV NEWS – West Virginia residents can now sign up for free seeds as part of the 2025 Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge.  An initiative of the WVU Extension Service, the program is designed to help gardeners of all experience levels, from beginners to experts. Throughout the growing season, participants receive educational resources, including gardening tips, tasks, and updates through the Grow This newsletter. The program provides free seeds, including chives, mesclun lettuce, and pickling cucumbers, to participants while supplies last.  Signing up early is recommended, as the seeds are expected to go quickly. Residents can also join the Grow This Throwdown, where counties compete for grant funding to support local agricultural projects. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/grow-this-free-seeds-and-gardening-challenge-for-west-virginia-residents-in-2025/article_73079e1e-d1fb-11ef-9943-ff44c8f8649b.html   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer  

We welcome Dawn McCole in for Bellin Sports Medicine. She's in for Mark Husen and is here to talk about Project SEARCH. ​The program participants are immersed in a business environment five days a week, where they learn a variety of job skills during three 10-week internship rotations, as well as employability skills through classroom training. Then Landon Jones from his company RSPKT joins the guys to talk about the commercial he created for Doritos to air during the Super Bowl! Born and raised in Green Bay, he's a semi-finalist with 24 other creators, and if his commercial is chosen, it WILL air during the game, and he will receive a million-dollar prize! If you haven't seen the commercial, you can see it HERE. We're behind this guy all the way! Maino and the Mayor is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 6-9 am on WGBW in Green Bay and on WISS in Appleton/Oshkosh. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast lineup. Follow the show on Facebook and X to keep up with Maino and the Mayor! Guests: Dawn McCole, Landon Jones

It's been a few weeks since I've uploaded a new episode, as we had an unexpected run of live episodes in the mix! So I am slowly editing them from the archives and uploading them, starting with this interview with Greg Rhyno! Greg is a local (Guelph) author/musician and old friend Greg Rhyno. Greg and I have known each other for almost 25 years! Spanning his early supply teaching years through to teaching creative writing at the university, and now author of two fiction novels. We connect for this interview in anticipation of the Guelph Book Bash that happened Sunday Nov 3rd from 1-4pm at the Guelph Farmer's Market, courtesy of Vocamus Press. Greg had only a small window of time during his break from teaching (I literally reached him at his school). To learn more about Greg (and his books) you can visit https://gregrhyno.com/For the second half of the episode I let Zander McConnell hop back in the studio to give us an update from his time with Project Search. These interviews were originally recorded on Nov 1st, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

For this episode I interview Zander McConnell, our current intern from “Project Search”. Zander has been coming to CFRU every day to work with us, in the hopes of learning transferable job skills, working on recording and editing, public speaking, file management, project management and getting immersed in some cool music and tech in the process. I thought it would be neat to interview him to learn more about him as a person, and to give him an opportunity to speak on mic. We talk about video games, his experience navigating his disability, he interviews me about being a mom, and we reflect on our respective experiences with anxiety. We cover a wide range of topics and we had a great time! We hope you enjoy it!“Project SEARCH is a unique school-to-work training program for students with disabilities. Students are immersed at a host business and get more than 700 hours of hands-on work experience geared to in-demand roles in the local labour market. They learn employability skills and plan their careers with guidance from a teacher and skills trainers.”This interview was originally recorded on Oct 2nd, 2024 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bridgingthesocialdistance.substack.com

Young adults with disabilities now have access to a new job training site, thanks to the opening of Project SEARCH on the Santa Rosa Medical Center campus. The program is a collaboration between Santa Rosa Medical Center, Santa Rosa County District Schools, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Global Connections to Employment (GCE).  Allison Hill has the details.

Innisfree Hotels' Project SEARCH programs in Florida have graduated over 50 student interns and hired nearly a dozen for full-time employment. Rianonon Reynolds shares the details. For more information on Innisfree Hotels, including workplace culture and career opportunities, visit innisfreehotels.com.  

On this episode, we're going to re-visit some of the great stories we have brought you so far in 2024…but we'll start with a new story, as Vincennes University's women's basketball coach Harry Meeks is retiring after three decades at the helm.We'll take another look at Project Search and how the program aims to integrate special needs young adults into full time employment.Vincennes University's Conservation Law program put students through a grueling 24 hour challenge.And we'll take another journey on some of Indiana's bike trails.Join us for these stories and more on the next First City Focus — Saturday night at 7:30pm on Vincennes PBS!You can also watch episodes of First City Focus on demand HERE.First City Focus is supported by: First Vincennes Savings Bank, Good Samaritan Hospital and Duke Energy.

On this episode of First City Focus:The grandson of a freed slave, Alonzo Fields grew up in Gibson County. In a twist of life, he became a butler in the White House in 1931 and went on to become the Chief Butler under four Presidents. We'll learn how the Lyles Station School House & Museum and the Princeton Theatre are coming together to present an upcoming historical play, Looking Over the President's Shoulder, to share his amazing story to local audiences.In a special feature we'll introduce you to Project Search. It's a program designed to educate and train high school students with disabilities as interns. The ultimate goal of the program is to help pave a path towards full time employment. We'll find out how this program is helping these interns find their confidence as they transition into adulthood.And we'll take a look at a current effort underway in Knox County to make a large indoor sports complex a reality. It's called the Knox Sports Complex and organizers are working on fundraising to purchase the proposed site.Join us for First City Focus — Saturday night at 7:30pm on Vincennes PBS!You can also watch episodes of First City Focus on demand HERE.

Dive into the expansive world of Goodwill Industries beyond thrift stores. Join CEO Laura Ritterbush as she unveils the diverse services empowering individuals through comprehensive job training, innovative employment programs, and inclusive adult education initiatives. Discover how Goodwill pioneers opportunities for those facing disabilities or barriers, fostering dignity, purpose, and vibrant community engagement. Tune in to embark on a transformative journey of empowerment and meaningful employment. Key Points: - Goodwill Industries provides much more than just thrift stores, including job training, employment programs, and adult education classes. - Their contracts department employs people with disabilities or other barriers through manufacturing contracts. - They help people with disabilities qualify for Medicaid waiver programs to allow them to work without losing benefits. - Project SEARCH provides internships to help adults with disabilities gain independence and job skills. - Their adult education programs help over 900 students per year earn a high school diploma or learn English. - All of their programs aim to give people a sense of dignity, purpose, and community through meaningful employment opportunities. Follow Goodwill and Laura Ritterbush: Facebook - Goodwill Twitter - Goodwill Instagram - Goodwill YouTube - Goodwill Goodwill Industries Facebook - Laura    

The SPEDTalk crew speaks with Garland ISD about its partnership with Project Search. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spedtalk/message

Jonny Reinhardt talks with Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock and Ken Fetke about Project SEARCH!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laura welcomes Senior Vice President of TD Bank, Chantal Capodicasa, to talk about how she found the courage to speak up in defense of her team and challenge a directive in a time of crisis. In this episode you will learn: How Chantal challenges the misconceptions about ‘lenders' at banks, and illustrates how they are more ‘relationship managers' for bank clients. How Chantal's family's battle with cancer showed her how being vulnerable can leave space for her team to show up for her in ways she didn't realize she needed How speaking up in a meeting, even when it's just to ask a question or gain clarity, can benefit you and your team How storytelling in an interview can show you have the ‘It' factor employers are looking for 24 Hour Challenge: In your next meeting, if you're usually one of the quiet participants, speak up! Ask a question, share a best practice, or encourage participation from other teammates. About Chantal Capodicasa: Chantal Capodicasa is a Senior Vice President for TD Bank, and is the Regional Vice President for Commercial Banking in Southern New Jersey.  Chantal began her career in banking with the former Wachovia Bank (now Wells Fargo) in 2004. Today she leads a team of dedicated commercial and small business relationship managers as well as customer sales associates who provide legendary experiences and trusted advice around all aspects of commercial financial needs to TD Bank customers throughout Burlington, Camden, and Mercer counties. Chantal is very active within the TD Bank internal team member networks, participating as a mentor for  the Take the L.E.A.D program which is aimed at developing and advancing women in TD's commercial bank, as a mentor for the Impact program, a mentor for the RVP development program, and a mentor for the Relationship Manager Associate program. She also serves on the internal Business Action Committee for the TD Bank and Project Search partnership which focuses on preparing young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment and is also an advocate for the Military Spouse Employment Partnership and Veterans recruitment.   Chantal earned her BS in Finance from the University of Connecticut. She currently serves on the boards for the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA of the Pines, the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce (Treasurer) and the Medford Business Association (President). Most recently, Chantal is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Women's Business Executive honor from the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce Voice of Business awards and was the 2022 Southern New Jersey Golf Classic Honoree for the Alzheimer's Association. Chantal is also active within the NJ State Veterans Chamber of Commerce, is a foster for the Burlington County Animal Alliance and has been an assistant coach for the Medford Youth Athletic Association track team. Chantal's husband, Col Michael Capodicasa, is a veteran pilot and still serving with the USAFR today. Chantal and Michael live in Medford, NJ with their two sons.   You can connect with Chantal in the following ways: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantal-capodicasa-aab996a/   You can connect with Dr. Laura Sicola in the following ways: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola LinkedIn Business Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vocal-impact-productions/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VocalImpactProductions Facebook: Vocal Impact Productions Twitter: @LauraSicola Instagram: @VocalImpactProductions Website: https://vocalimpactproductions.com/ Laura's Online Course: virtualinfluence.today See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Faye Culpepper(Division Director - MDRS), Shay Jackson(Project SEARCH Instructor), & Steven Pruitt(Milwaukee Tool - Manager Quality Reliability) give an update on Project SEARCH, and Tanya T(Our In-House Movie Critic) on movies this weekend.

In this podcast episode, Naveh Eldar, host of The Landscape Podcast chats about his experience with Disability First Employment and the Project Search program. He highlights the importance of disability inclusion in the workplace and the progress that has been made in raising awareness and promoting employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Naveh encourages advocates to approach others with love and understanding, recognizing that everyone has something to learn. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month #NDEAM Timeline:  3:25 Introduction and Background Experience of Naveh Eldar 9:46 Association for People Supporting Employment First (APSE). 12:35 Project Search and how Naveh was part of the team that implemented a Project Search at their company. Please check out Season 1, Episode 1 and Season 2, Episode 17 on The Landscape Podcast to learn more about. 18:33 Bias and the importance of workplace disability training. Challenges of finding employers and programs for persons with disabilities in rural areas. 26:15 Changing the narrative 30:35 Closing Remarks --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/marsh-naidoo/message

Mission: Employable continues its series on National Disability Employment Awareness Month by talking with Tami Jewell, Administrative Specialist with Iowa State University Surplus. Jewell partners with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation and Project:Search to hire Iowans with disabilities who are looking for a path to employment.  Find out how this unique partnership is helping Iowans find rewarding work, and how one Iowan in particular is making a difference at ISU Surplus.   

This week Stephanie K and Jay welcome Joshua Caswell from the Genesee County Intermediate School District.  Joshua talks about a new program called Project Search.  Project Search from the Genesee ISD provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent-living skills to help young people with significant disabilities make successful transitions to productive adult life.  For more information visit https://www.geneseeisd.org/educational_programs/special_education/transition_center and Project Search at https://www.projectsearch.us/ 

Justin Valenti is an artist and author who currently lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He graduated from the Project SEARCH internship program and now works as an Office Clerk at the National Institutes of Health. Justin graduated from Partners in Policymaking in 2019 and he is a strong advocate. Justin also does a lot of fluid painting and digital artwork. He is also involved in self advocacy groups like The ARC Maryland and People on the Go of Maryland. Over the past few years, Justin has self published three amazing books: “Blast from the Past”, “Meeting the Girl”, and “The Zania Virus”. Justin lives at home with his family and his dog, Koda, in Maryland.Justin's art can viewed and purchased here:Justin Valenti ArtEtsyFollow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. InstagramFacebook YouTube

In this conversation Erin Riehle talks about Project Search as an intensive transitional program from high school to competitive integrated workplaces as part of a 9-month program Timeline 03:00 What lead to the formation of Project Search? 08:30 How does the program work? 21:30 How does it work as far as employer buy-in? 26:30 Project Search Conference in Milwaukee week of July 10, 2023 30:00 Conclusion Transcript can be found www.raisingkellan.org This is episode is brought to you by Shari Tidwell FNP at Family Practice Clinic in Dyersburg TN --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/marsh-naidoo/message

Community News and Interviews for the Catskills & Northeast Pennsylvania

The post Reflections from Tom Wood on vocational rehabilitation and Project SEARCH appeared first on VR Workforce Studio.

Adults and young adults with developmental challenges will find a champion in Erin Riehle. Director of Project SEARCH she leads a team that works with local businesses, industries, companies - and even hospitals - to establish and nurture long term relationships that result training, mentorship and ultimately work for a segment of of population that are often not seen in the workplace. Thought Erin is based in Cincinnati she finds new partners in the wider world. She seems to have a particular fondness for Canada! Here is what their website says: "Project SEARCH is a unique school-to-work training program for students with disabilities. Students are immersed at a host business and get more than 700 hours of hands-on work experience geared to in-demand roles in the local labour market. They learn employability skills and plan their careers with guidance from a teacher and skills trainers." Join me as I talk with Erin about the current efforts, what motivates the program, and the successes to date.

Alex Smyth reflects on ODEN's Rethinking Disability Conference and speaks with Erin Riehle, the founder of Project SEARCH, a school-to-work training program. From the November 15, 2022 episode.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. Stephanie Beary, skills instructor for St. Luke's Project SEARCH program, joins Dr. Arnold to talk about Project SEARCH and how it prepares individuals with disabilities to acquire the necessary skills to be employed.Learn more about Project SEARCH >> https://www.unitypoint.org/cedarrapids/diversity-at-st-lukes.aspxDo you have a question about a trending medical topic? Ask Dr. Arnold! Submit your question and it may be answered by Dr. Arnold on the podcast! Submit your questions at: https://www.unitypoint.org/cedarrapids/submit-a-question-for-the-mailbag.aspx If you have a topic you'd like Dr. Arnold to discuss with a guest on the podcast, shoot us an email at stlukescr@unitypoint.org.

In this episode of On the Clock, Todd Dallas Lamb sat down with a superintendent and a parent who discuss career readiness for students with disabilities. Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent, Virginia Beach City Public Schools: A passionate and visionary leader in public education for nearly three decades, Dr. Aaron Spence is committed to ensuring that all students have access to the rigorous coursework, innovative learning opportunities and resources they need to prepare them for success in college, the military or the workforce. During his time in Virginia Beach, Dr. Spence has led division efforts to systematically address equity and poverty issues and their resulting impact on academic achievement, student engagement and discipline. Dr. Spence was also the 2018 Virginia Superintendent of the Year. Sara Cummings, Virginia Beach City Public Schools Parent: Sara Cummings has a daughter who benefited from the Project Search program, which prepares young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment. Learn more about Project Search here!

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Recently, Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach hosted a graduation ceremony for eight interns who were part of Project SEARCH. It's the first year for this innovative program, which connects high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to internships and on-the-job training. To learn more, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Jan Varney, who is an Instructional Specialist for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools' Office of Programs for Exceptional Children and coordinator for Project SEARCH.

Project SEARCH's mission is to prepare young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment. Listen in to learn how this program changes the lives of the students who participate through internships right here at Centra. Project SEARCH: Home - Project SEARCH

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In this week's episode of Mom Autism Money, Dena Gassner teaches us the ins and outs of Vocational Rehabilitation. Your state's office of vocational rehabilitation can provide funding for job training, college, and even entrepreneurship. Dena has used her VR office to secure nearly $20k in startup funding for her own business, and used it to facilitate her son's college education. This programming can be immensely helpful, but you're going to want to come in with a concrete plan. Otherwise, you or your child could end up being funneled to a job that pays less than minimum wage. We also talk about: -Federal student loan discharge based on disability. -Why you should not shy away from expensive college options even if you're not loaded. -Why you probably shouldn't take out Parent PLUS loans as the parent of a disabled child. -How Dena and her son approached the college selection process.  Dena's Center for Understanding FB page: https://www.facebook.com/CenterforUnderstanding/ Find your state's vocational rehabilitation office: https://rsa.ed.gov/about/states Find your state's office of protection & advocacy if you're having trouble with your VR office: https://www.ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies/ Learn more about federal student loan disability discharge: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/disability-discharge  Learn more about the special minimum wage certificate: https://autisticadvocacy.org/actioncenter/issues/employment/ Project Search: https://projectsearch.us/ Think College: https://thinkcollege.net/ Find your local chapter of The ARC: https://thearc.org/find-a-chapter/ Find your local chapter of The Autism Society: https://autismsociety.org/contact-us/ Contact Dr. Connie Anderson to check audit availability for Dena's class at Towson: https://www.towson.edu/chp/departments/health-sciences/faculty-staff/canderson.html Full transcript: https://momautismmoney.com/vocational-rehabilitation

Point Remove Brewery plans comedy and craft night; Windstream to invest in rural broadband; Entergy offering rebates on certain electric purchases; enrollment continues for Project SEARCH; small craft advisory now in place on river; we talk with Courtney Martin from Main Street Morrilton about Munchin' on Main.

I (Dylan Slemp) am joined by Kezia Cox and Danny Matthews as we discuss Kezia's experiences in the workplace, Project SEARCH and why it is important for people with disabilities to have a presence in the workforce. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/autism-breakthrough/support

Joe and Julie are joined by Dabra Broome, MCPSS Project Search Teacher, to discuss how the program is making an impact for students with special needs. Learn about her educational background, the program's support networks, job opportunities for students, and more!

Communications Director Ashlee Jones sat down with Shannon Romano and Michele Williams of Project SEARCH of Calhoun County to go over their mission and services provided to the local business community. If you would like to purchase a $5 lanyard handmade by the interns of Project SEARCH, please contact Michele at: michele@opportunity-center.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonya Frankum and Yolanda Spencer ADRS Project SEARCH - Alabama Care is partially supported by ACDD.org. The views expressed are not necessarily the views of this organization.

Workforce Wednesdays is a program from the Education Department of MPB. Dr. Tara Wren, Director of Education and Jasmine Harvey, Student Engagement Specialist are with us today to explain the initiative and let us know how anyone in Mississippi can participate. https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/ https://education.mpbonline.org/Participants in Workforce Wednesday get information about workforce development including mentoring programs, apprenticeships, work-based learning and soft skills. With the pandemic these networking get togethers are virtual so anyone can participate.Workforce Wednesday occurs every third Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. It's a service of the Education Department of Mississippi Public Broadcasting.Project SEARCH Mississippi: An MDRS Workforce InitiativeSeptember 15, 202111:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Project SEARCH connects high school seniors with disabilities to employers waiting to hire them after they graduate. Learn more about this program and how your school or employer can get involved.Videos:Confessions of a Word Nerd - February 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji1YBYS_kuA&ab_channel=MPBEducationHow to Improve Your Personal Brand on Zoom - March 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIjElyuzsGk&t=14s&ab_channel=MPBEducationPlease Wear Pants to Work – April 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctLxbZ0dsc4&t=1664s&ab_channel=MPBEducationCustomer Service Still Matters – May 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut-NhDPV--I&ab_channel=MPBEducationGetting Back to Work in Mississippi – June 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PXQbos m8k&ab_channel=MPBEducationAmerican Graduate Path to the Future – July 2021 https://youtu.be/F_qdZeMrsNkCustomer Service Employment Academy – August 2021 https://youtu.be/-FQNTx1XtXkPast Workforce Wednesdays with blog summaries:Lunch and Learn with CN Railroad https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/lunch-and-learn-workforce-wednesday-with-cn-railroad/MS Coding Academy featured at Workforce Wednesday https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/workforce-wednesday-with-ms-coding-academy/Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann speaks at MPB's Workforce Wednesday Luncheon https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/secretary-of-state-delbert-hosemann-speaks-at-mpbs-workforce-wednesday-luncheon/Counselor's Workforce https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/counselors-workforce-luncheon/Military OneSource Offers Myriad Services to Service Members and https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/military-onesource-offers-myriad-services-to-service-members-and-civilians/Why Hiring a Veteran is a Plus for Employers https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/why-hiring-a-veteran-is-a-plus-for-employers/Murphy Shares Lessons on Mentoring at Workforce Wednesday Event https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/murphy-shares-lessons-on-mentoring-at-workforce-wednesday-event/Commissioner Cecil Brown shares state's problems, solutions during Workforce Wednesday Luncheon https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/commissioner-cecil-brown-shares-states-problems-solutions-during-workforce-wednesday-luncheon/Apprenticeship is a workforce development solution benefiting individuals and employers https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/apprenticeship-is-a-workforce-development-solution-benefiting-individuals-and-employers/Waller talks opportunity, career coaches and strengthening Mississippi's workforce https://gettingtowork.mpbonline.org/blogs/community-events/waller-talks-opportunity-career-coaches-and-strengthening-mississippis-workforce/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a great honor to close the Project SEARCH international Conference by interviewing these two thriving and charming graduates of the program.  The interview was recorded at West Tennessee Healthcare, which is a hospital in Jackson, TN. As you'll hear in the interview, David currently works at Starbucks at the hospital, and David is a surgical sterilization technician. There were a handful of people watching us record live and almost 600 others virtually from different countries, although over 1000 attended some part of the conference. We recorded via Zoom and therefore I will also be posting the video recording on all social media outlets, as well as on YouTube; and my favorite part of the recording is we have American Sign Language translators throughout. Of course I will add a link to the video below.Susie Rutkowski is the co-founder of Project SEARCH and gave an outstanding interview early in season one of my podcast, which covers the history of the program, her motivation, and some stories into her early life, which molded her into the force she's become. It is my 2nd most downloaded episode and I'll add the link to that below as well. Links:Zoom Recording of This InterviewInterview with Project SEARCH Co-Founder Susie RutkowskiProject SEARCH HomepageLinks for The Landscape PagesThe Landscape FB Page The Landscape Instagram Page News Letter The Landscape LinkedIn

The return to Glen Allen of Henrico's Fourth of July celebration; several with Henrico ties named 'Hometown Heroes; Bon Secours celebrates Project SEARCH graduates; EnRichmond hires first cemeteries community ambassador; a Glen Allen collegiate baseball player earns his fourth All-American selection.(Today's Henrico News Minute is brought to you by the Lakeside Farmers' Market.)Support the show (http://www.henricocitizen.com/contribute)

Today we talk to Mary Burchett from Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital about a program called Project SEARCH. Project SEARCH is an educational and work transition program for those with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. In this program, the team works to customize to the needs of each participant to help them gain and sustain employment and greater independence. Mary Burchett completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has over 15 years of professional experience which includes working as a case manager for a community mental health provider and group therapist at a partial hospitalization program. She also has 10 years of experience as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She is currently the program coordinator for Project SEARCH at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. To learn more about Project SEARCH, visit: https://www.mainlinehealth.org/specialties/rehab-project-search

How much does Henrico County Public Schools spend per pupil on education? We've got the answer; Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor is adding a new position to handle complaints about police; the Board of Supervisors seeks input on a possible police review board; details about the third part of our video series examining COVID-19's impact on Eastern Henrico; Bon Secours honors its Project SEARCH graduates; another new Starbucks is coming to Henrico; and more. Today's Henrico News Minute is brought to you by the Steve Dowdy Insurance Agency with State Farm. Support the show (http://www.henricocitizen.com/contribute)

 Special Thanks to my Patrons for supporting A Fostered Life! Episode 20 Anyone who is involved with the world of adoption knows that adoption has lifelong implications for everyone involved: birth parents, adoptive parents, and, of course, the people who are adopted from one family into another. Until very recently, adoption was almost always shrouded in secrecy. The link between the birth parent and the adopted person was held in file boxes on the shelves of adoption agencies, paperwork that connected the adopted child to the parent or parents they came from. In order to access that information, adoptees and birth parents had to pay money. Had to know where to start. And had to rely on the cooperation of whomever received their request for information.  Nowadays, we recognize the importance of transparency in adoption and the benefits of a child knowing about their birth family and even having relationships with them. Most adoptions today are open, with contact between birth and adoptive families, but that leaves thousands of adopted adults with gaping holes in their life stories. In response to this, in 2018, Amara, a foster care and adoption agency in Seattle,  launched Project Search and Reunion, a ground-breaking initiative that aims to audit 3,100 of their own adoption files between the years of 1950 and 2000 to ensure that adoptees and birth families receive the information and support they requested, especially in regard to searching.   In March, just before the world shut down and we all went into quarantine, I had a chance to hear a presentation about this important work, and in today's episode of the podcast, I'm speaking with Rena Konomis, a Washington state court appointed Confidential Intermediary and Project Director of Project and Search and Reunion. In this episode, Rena explains the goal of the project and why it matters for everyone involved with the world of adoption. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!  Be sure to subscribe to A Fostered Life podcast so you don't miss a single episode. For more information and resources for foster parents, please visit afosteredlife.com, where you'll find blog posts, recommended reading, youtube videos, and social media links all designed to help foster parents feel more equipped for their foster care journey. It's my prayer that no foster parent ever feels like they're going at it alone.  If you're a foster parent who is feeling like you're out there on your own, consider joining The Flourishig Foster Parent, a community designed to encourage, equip and connect foster parents. If you're enjoying this podcast, please take a moment to rate A Fostered Life on iTunes. It would help me out so much. Thanks for listening and thanks for caring about foster care. *Let's Socialize* PATREON: http://www.patreon.com/afosteredlife FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/afosteredlife INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/afosteredlife WEBSITE: http://www.afosteredlife.com YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/afosteredlife 

Friends, today we have an amazing guest, Matthew Schwab.Matthew shares with us today about his life, dreams and how he is accessing a high-quality life.Matthew's Bio:Matthew is 22 years old and a North Carolina native from Holly Springs. He graduated from Holly Springs High School in June 2017 with an occupational course of study diploma. After high school he completed Project Search, an internship based educational program, through Wake Tech. Matthew works at AMC Theaters, Fuquay Revolution Volleyball, 321 Coffee, Chick-Fil-A and his own public speaking business, Matthew Schwab Speaks. He volunteers with WCPSS and serves on the AdvisoryCouncil at 321 Coffee and with GiGi’s Playhouse, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center, as an ambassador and on their Youth Advisory Board. He has attended workshops on advocacy, spoken to Governors McCrory and Cooper and was a paid intern in the NC State legislature. Matthew is now serving as co-deputy campaign manager for John Bradford’s reelection to the NC State Legislature and most recently he gave a TEDx talk in Cary NC. Matthew has a long-term girlfriend. He loves to advocate for people with IDD, travel and spend time with his family and friends. Matthew wants to live on his own, be self-supporting, get married and have a career as a public speaker.

Join host Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara as she discusses employment diversity and Project Search with Richard Zhao and Dawn Kirchner. Take a trip to the gym to discuss New Year's resolutions and meet a new generation of Star Wars fans. Beth Sherden stops by to discuss SPARK's new location and the future of the children's museum. (MPTA, Legacy, KSMQ, 1-10-20)

In this episode of Mayo Clinic Employee Experiences, you’ll hear from Georjina and Francie as they share the challenges and triumphs they’ve experienced as people who are neurodiverse. Georjina, a previous intern of Project Search who has a mild cognitive delay, now works in Comparative Medicine with colleague, Francie, who has autism. They discuss their journey … Continue reading Being neurodiverse and finding your potential →

People with neurological differences, like autism or dyslexia, often face barriers getting a job. But some employers are taking steps to recruit and hire neurodiverse workers.Jamelle Mitchell, of Ernst and Young, describes simple adaptations, like noise-cancelling headphones, to make an office more inclusive. Stacey Herman, of Kennedy Krieger Institute, breaks down misconceptions about the work that people with disabilities can do. Plus, Nygil Sims, who works at Kennedy Keiger’s spinal cord injury center and has a developmental disability, tells about challenges he’s faced.Learn more about Project SEARCH here. Details about this week's Neurodiversity in the Workplace conference here.

During our 11th JoCo on the Go podcast episode, we’re discussing employment services for Johnson County residents who have disabilities. The discussion includes Johnson County Employment Team Leader Amy Fair, with Johnson County Developmental Supports. She introduces us to Tyler Smith, who is an employment supports success story. He describes an innovative program known as Project SEARCH, that’s helping residents with disabilities obtain and keep rewarding jobs. You’ll also hear from 5th district Commissioner Michael Ashcraft, who describes the Board of County Commissioners’ support for public-private partnerships that benefit job seekers served by JCDS and employers.

Learn Ahmad’s story and how Easterseals & Aurora team up to provide the skills for Ahmad to work and improve his life. (https://www.localfirstpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/HIRED_Aurora-imagers.jpg) Project Search Meet N’ Greet Event Are you looking for positive, reliable candidates who are eager to work? You are invited to attend our 3rd annual Project SEARCH Meet n’ Greet Job Event. Meet over 50 candidates trained to meet your labor needs as well as attend a free leadership development seminar on work place diversity Friday, April 12, 2019 Aurora Conference Center-3rd Floor 2920 W Dakota St, Milwaukee [8:30]-9:30am Seminar [9:30]-11:30am Meet n’ Greet candidates My favorite takeaways from this week’s episode: Ahmad’s Project SEARCH experience: skills learned Ahmad and Aurora hiring experience, the internship that led to hire Aurora’s experience with hiring through Project SEARCH and having Ahmad on the team Connect Easterseals Southeast Wisconsin (http://www.easterseals.com/wi-se/) Project Search (http://www.easterseals.com/wi-se/shared-components/document-library/workforce/project-search/2019-project-search.pdf) Laura Ehr Project SEARCH – Career Specialist 9200 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226 Pavilion Room B038 414.805.9030 Office Sponsors Love the podcast? Sign up for listener support (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=meRj5eLgZJUhKpnrjgEssosEnFZmyuGnN5GDB6pvkWcXZG_tee5SDOCK2BYCnuj6tPavTW&country.x=US&locale.x=US) , you’re basically buying me a coffee each month. (https://trinergyhealth.com) Mental Wellness Re-imagined EXACTA Corporation (https://myexactamundo.com/WP1/) Think Possibilities Think EXACTA     Be the first to be notified of new interviews     Support this podcast

Like many people with developmental disabilities, Brandon is faced with stereotypes and misconceptions on a constant basis. In this episode, Brandon shares with us what some of those misconceptions are and how he deals with them. He also provides some useful tips for “neurotypical” people in how to interact with someone who has a developmental disability. The main point is that if you have a question, just ask!Brandon and Kari both share how Project SEARCH helps interns build useful job skills such as professionalism, accountability, perseverance, and many others through the nine-month, three-rotation internship. It's an unfortunate fact that more than 80% of people with developmental disabilities are unemployed. However, for interns who go through the Project SEARCH program, that figure is nearly reversed with 83% of interns finding job placement.Project SEARCH is also a part of Pacific Grand Realtor's Network of Generosity, which means anyone who supports Project SEARCH is eligible to receive significant discounts on real estate services. In addition, Pacific Grand agent Daniel Roberts (that's me!) and industry partners will donate to Project SEARCH after every eligible transaction. For more more information, email daniel.roberts@pacificgrand.com.Support the show (https://www.thejoyfulrobertsgroup.com/get-started)

This is a celebration episode, celebrating reaching 50 episodes, celebrating all the amazing guests who have been on the podcast and are out there changing the lives of young people and helping ensure that they will have the kind of independent lives they want. In this episode, rather than talk to a guest as I usually do, I share my own key takeaways in each of the 3 areas Journey Skills focuses on Purpose, Relationship, and Daily Living. This is an abridged transcript of the podcast with links to all the different episodes mentioned. Key Takeaways – Purpose It is all about a job and that should be a paid job. When I started, I firmly believed purpose was enough, but I no longer think that this true. Yes, it’s great to have somewhere to go but, if you’re a volunteer, you are helping but you’re not being rewarded in the same way as if it’s a job. Young people need to be paid; it reinforces their feelings of self-worth and they are making such a contribution to the organization that it warrants them getting paid. I’m not knocking volunteering, of course I’m not. My own daughter has got very valuable work experience from volunteering. But volunteering should be a step, a means to an end if you were. Now, obviously, not everyone is not going to agree with me because we all view things differently but if you listen to the podcast, you will hear so many inspirational stories about the impact paid work had on young people and how it changed their self-belief and also changed how their own parents saw them. So I know some of the objections like “my son or daughter couldn’t do that job”. This is where I think we need to change our perspective. I know it may sound a cliché but maybe we should think outside the box or inside the box, actually, because I believe technology is changing the world of work in a very positive way for young people with additional needs. New jobs using technology are emerging that enable them to access more employment options. There are also some traditional roles, which may not have been previously accessed, but can now be open to them using technology to help them perform the job. Just one example of this was when Alison Berkley from Invictus Enterprises talked about how they use a digital cookbook to help their young bakers. And for those who still want to test the water of work, there are programs like Shared Lives and Ark Bakery in the UK. Karen from Shared Lives explained the program itself and Hester from the Ark Bakery talked about how it helped young people develop work and independence skills. For some, this smaller, more local program will be the best first step. You could also start at home with practicing for job interviews and if you are at the stage of helping your young person prepare for a job interview then Sam, an experienced HR director, gave some excellent tips on preparing for interviews. Another thing with work is that we need to think about how jobs can fit into the skills our young people might have and this needs to be done in a way that not only benefits them but also helps the employer. Marjorie Madfis from Yes She Can talked about how small businesses could utilize the skills of young people in the roles that they wouldn’t necessarily see yet as being a defined role. In fact, Neil Willows from Pure Innovations gave this idea a name Job Carving. I think this could be the answer for young people who have a very specific skill where they could be matched with an employer who maybe is yet to define a role in their company but it is one which fits with that young person’s skills. This idea also works for young people who are only able to work in part-time roles as some of these jobs may be limited in the time required. The one model that I believe works best is commonly called a Supported Internship Model.  It can be used in a large organization like the Marriot Hotel or in smaller organizations like Bemix. The whole idea of a supported internship is for the young person to learn the basics of holding down a job, turning up on time, and working with other people as well as completing tasks when they are asked. They have a job coach and a job developer; the coach being on hand for day to day support and the job developer being the one to help each find paid employment at the end of the supported internship. In some cases, as with Team Domenica, an additional year of support is provided once a job has been found for the young person. But this support isn’t so much for the young person but for the employer to help them make those reasonable adjustments necessary. This whole idea of reasonable adjustment and how easy it can actually be was explained by David Hunter from Acceptable Enterprises. When it comes to working, I’ve learnt another thing. I may well be one of my daughter’s barriers to work. Quite a few of the podcast guests, who are helping young people in finding work, have mentioned they have often had to deal with parents being too overprotective. Is there such a thing? I wonder. Of course, we are overprotective because we know the vulnerabilities of our own children. I know my daughter is incredibly literal and needs time to process information. This makes her much more susceptible to suggestions. I’ve been protecting her for 17 years now and it’s a hard habit to break. So yes, I plead guilty to that one, but I also need to listen to all those people I’ve spoken to who say that, sometimes it is the parents putting the brakes on. But it can be harder for parents to let go because the process isn’t gradual, as it is with other children. For me, my older daughter got a part-time job and went out with friends. Of course, I was worried, but I hid it well. With my youngest, she has never had a part-time job and although she goes to movies with friends, I am inevitably the bouncer on the door – keeping her in or at least making sure she is exactly where I think she should be. So, questions like ‘How they will cope?’, ‘How will they get there?’, ‘Will they get anxious or stressed?’ and ‘Who will help them if they do?’ are very legitimate. Cutting the cord is never easy. Soli Lazarus explained this much better than me where she talked about how much more we need to do to give our young people a sense of control over their own lives. This leads to my other key takeaway which is: think small, not big. Small solutions are better than dreaming of the big Solve-Everyone’s-Problem approach. Again, when I started this, I thought let’s solve all these problems so everyone can use the same approach. I now realize that it’s all about small tailored solutions that suit the young person and the community they are part of. Nowhere is this easier to see how this can be effective than Project Search at the Marriot Hotel at Heathrow. Project Search is a programme which started in Cincinnati and is now operated around the world. But each of the projects is local-focused, helping a small group of young people learn transferable work skills. The key to this is that each project has a process to start with, ready to be applied. In lots of ways, it takes away those how-to-get-started issues. So actually, the Project Search process is the same wherever you are, but focuses more on helping a small group of people in a specific workplace or community. If you think about it, if helping 20 people get work skills in London is replicated 100 times, that had changed an awful lot of young people’s lives. One of the core purposes of Journey Skills is sharing ideas, so anyone inspired to start something themselves may it be a business or a social group, there is somewhere to look, someplace to hear what other people who had done it might have to say. They’ve faced the challenges and found solutions so you can refer to their templates. This is going to make things easier for all of us. And I think that many of us will go down this DIY option. There are plenty of examples of parents getting together to create amazing solutions. When I was back home in Australia last year, I visited Red Inc where parents had created an organization that helps, not only their young people find employment but also, benefiting the whole community. One of my favorite finds, and not for the reasons you might think as an Australian, is Ignition Brewery in London, where Nick essentially started from nothing but an idea and has since then created a sustainable business. These are the projects that should inspire us all to remember that there is a solution to every problem. What many of these organizations also do is break down barriers. I’m talking here about  L’Arche and The Shed who both share the same guiding purpose to change their local communities’ perception of young people with additional needs. In the case of The Shed, they decided to locate themselves right in the middle of the community so that people were almost forced to interact and to learn about each other and to come to accept each other as valuable members of the local community. Another idea I think also needs copying is from Acceptable Enterprises where David Hunter talked about their model of 1/3 – 1/3 – 1/3, which means they employ in their businesses 1/3 people who have additional needs, 1/3 who may have experienced other challenges in their lives like homelessness, and 1/3 people from the local community. As David explained, this creates a real sense of the integrated community where people look out for each other and that integration moves outside the workplace into the local community as well. It needs to be sustainable for the young person and the employer. This brings me back to the supported internships idea, particularly the fact that, for me, there seems to be an understanding, among the people using this model or one like it, that employers need support too. I don’t think sustainable employment comes from the charity I want my daughter to be employed because she is a useful member of the workforce and what she does adds value. Key Takeaways – Relationships By now, you might think that I’m a little bit one dimensional eyed, focusing only on employment. But that’s certainly not the case. Like many of you, I worry about my daughter when it comes to relationships. We all know how important friendships are in our own lives, and for our young people finding and maintaining friendships can be a difficult task. But I also think about my own relationship with her. It has to change as she gets older and it’s in relation to this that my first key takeaway when it comes to relationships is letting go. I’ve talked earlier about letting go when it comes to work, but here, I’m talking more about helping build resilience. One day, I will no longer be around and she will need to have developed the skills that enable her to deal with the world. I’m doing her no favors by not pushing her to do while I’m still around to catch her if she needs catching. One of the most listened to episodes of the podcast is Building Social Skills with Emily Hughes who talked about building resilience early, letting our children make their own mistakes and learn from them. Laura from the Surrey Wildlife Trust talked about similar ideas and the ethos of forest schools to provide a safe but challenging space. Fiona in Letting Go talked about a similar idea of letting our young people find their own solutions. It’s probably the hardest thing to do as we’ve kept them close for so long and been through an awful lot. Maybe like us, you’ve experienced bullying which makes you extra wary of sending them out into the scary world all by themselves. The thing is, though with my daughter is pushing me away quite hard at the moment, but that’s okay! At 17, she should be less interested in what I think and more interested in her friend’s opinions which are infinitely wider than mine. That’s the normal family lifecycle in action right there. I’ve talked to other parents who have helped me make my family relationships work better. Julie talked about siblings and I took some of her ideas to encourage my daughters to spend time with each other which has strengthened their relationship. Vicki Blair talked about how to manage the stresses of holidays, quite apt at this time of year. Maybe I’ll listen to that one again. I learned from Sarah that social media can be used in a positive way to build online friendships. Of course, the whole discussion around friendships is a very complicated one. I see them as key to my daughter’s independence. You will find plenty of examples of where social skills and friendships are being developed through organized activities. Jamie Wheeler has created a social group so that her daughter continues to have social interaction after leaving full-time education. She showed it can be done and I think she will have inspired more parents to do something similar. Lisa at Love Serving Autism is using tennis as a therapy to build social skills. Maire and Carmelina give the parents perspectives on how important sport can be in providing a lasting passion and links to the local community. Another key takeaway and I suppose a reminder too, one that I think we all need every now and then, is that we are all doing okay as parents. Okay that some days we get it wrong, but more often than not, we get it right. Claire talked about being the light and how our main job is to make sure they believe in themselves. Scarlett talked about rising to the challenge- I think we all do that. Taking time for ourselves was also a common theme when I chatted to other parents. Veronica talked about finding a common language – by that, she means support because it’s hard to do this alone. Antonia Chitty talked about the pressures on all our relationships that comes with having a child with additional needs. Again, she tells us to get support to find people to talk to that understand what you are going through. I strongly believe that what this podcast all about is our strapline sharing stories, sharing solutions. I know because of the focus of the podcast, you are probably near the same stage as me, but if you know parents at the beginning, get them to listen. They could start by listening to Carol, who at the beginning of the journey, is and has all the same questions most parents have at the earlier stages. For anyone with younger children, I can recommend a listen to Diane King who talked about how to use storytelling to build self-worth. Worth a listen just for Diane’s amazingly soothing reading voice. And also, probably very relevant for those who have younger children, the practical ideas to help with sleep from Vicki Dawson of The Children’s Sleep Charity. None of us has all the answers and I have a very long list of the things I’ve learned from other parents. Practical ideas like how to divide tasks into chunks to make them more achievable from Jackie. After listening to Ian, an ex-police officer, I made sure to help my daughter understand how to approach an authority figure and not be scared. I’ve heard what it’s like to be a stepdad from Rob. Okay, so I didn’t need to know that, but I know there someone out there that will benefit from Rob’s experiences. I’ve been educated, as well by other parents, like Caroline who does an amazing job of clearly explaining both auditory processing disorder and sensory processing disorder. Christine who helped me better understand Dyspraxia. Linda shared about what it is like for her son with Asperger’s, particularly as he becomes a young man. All these stories remind us that we are not alone, that others are out there having the same highs and lows as you. We need each other. Key Takeaways – Daily Living Without the ability to cook, shop and manage her own house, my daughter is going to struggle with being independent. So, my key takeaway in relation to daily living skills is to start planning early and to be developing these skills every single day because repetition is key. In lots of ways, it links back to the letting go. In fact, In The Stepping Back episode, Lisa, a Speech and Language Therapist, and Milla, an Occupational Therapist talked about the importance of letting young people know that it’s okay to make mistakes. They also provide some very practical ways that we can develop our young person’s skills in shopping, cooking, handling money and traveling independently. If you’re looking for help when it comes to wardrobe choices, then Elika and Katie Ellis have some great ideas. Andy and Robyn both offered some great tips on how to help our young people learn to travel independently. This whole idea of planning early though should be for everything as Laura said in Planning Ahead, “never concentrate on the present, it’s the future you’ve got to always be thinking about.” Laura got me to be thinking about how I need to think 5 years ahead particularly as I watch my daughter race towards her structured full-time education One area which I think continues to be a challenge, at least for me, is what daily living means in terms of housing. I know it’s possible she can live in a house of her own. My preference would be for her to do this with friends because I believe isolation is a massive issue for our young people. But I know it can be done because Julia provides an example in-house to rent, no experience required. I certainly don’t want my daughter in an annex at the end of the garden or in the house next door to me. And I know she doesn’t want this either. In my paid day job, I work in property. And if you are wondering, yes Journey Skills doesn’t pay; we fund this it out of our own pockets. But I also know that what I have learned in the last 50 episodes and what I will learn in the next 50 is priceless. Our long-term plan has always been to develop a model to help young people with additional needs to live in homes of their own. Similar to Project Search, we hope to create a model that can be used by others and adapted to their local community and situation. These will obviously vary in terms of support required, but we believe technology will be key and provide an extra layer of safety meaning greater independence. To be honest, my ideal model for own daughter would be her sharing a house with other people, some of whom don’t have any additional needs. This is the kind of integration I dream of for her. Final Words It all starts with a job. Paid work is key to my daughter’s future. I plan to do everything I can to find a way for her to get a paid sustainable job. A paid job will not only give her financial independence but also, self-belief and self-esteem. From work, will come her social network, which will sustain her long after I am gone. She will make friends who will wonder why she hasn’t turned up for work today. They will grow to understand her and view her as a work colleague not a person with additional needs. She will have an income her own that she can spend any way she likes. If I were, to sum up a meta key takeaway from episodes 1-49, it would be this overriding sense of optimism. When I recorded the introduction episode, I had no idea that I would find so many opportunities ready and waiting for our young people. It’s all out there! We just need to go find the right solution for our young person so that they have the independent future they want and deserve. This has been an amazing journey so far and I can’t thank everyone I have spoken to enough for giving me their time and their wisdom. And to you thank you for your support.

Work is central to most of our lives. It not only provides a purpose to our day but also makes us feel an integral part of the society we live in. In this week’s podcast we hear about the Project Search program, being run at the Marriott Hotel in Heathrow UK, which provides an innovative approach to help young people with additional needs find paid employment. The people responsible for running the program are Maxine Simpson, course tutor, Sue Stock, job coach and Saimmah Ali, job developer. Maxine explains briefly the history of Project Search, which originated in the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 1996. She talks about how the program works and how the interns take part in lessons at the beginning of the workday on building teamwork and personal skills. This is then followed by their placement within a department at the hotel. At the end of the day, there is a debrief where interns have the chance to talk about their day and review any problems or issues they experienced. Sue talks about how, along with Maxine and Sam, she is involved in the ongoing assessment of the intern’s performance. As the job coach, she provides feedback to help them to think about what their next steps should be and what type of job roles they might want to pursue. Sue explains how the interns work on rotation in different departments, which enables them to learn new skills, build a CV and identify what type of roles they like most. Sam is a job developer, a role that involves networking with potential employers, based on what the interns have identified as industries they would like to potentially work in. Sam explains some of the challenges with this role in changing employer perceptions. She explains it takes time to break down the “fear factor” that a lot of employers have. One way to overcome this is with an unpaid trial to show an employer the abilities of a young person, instead of always having a formal interview process, which some young people struggle with. Maxine, Sue and Sam discuss the types of challenges that young people face at the beginning of the program, transitioning from education to employment. It’s usually not the work skills that the young people struggle with, but rather their personal skills and learning how to behave maturely in the workplace. Maxine talks about the positive impact Project Search has had within the Marriott, where all staff have benefitted so much that Project Search programs are set to be rolled out across other Marriot hotels. The success of Project Search is really down to a work based integrated supportive approach, which helps ensure that by the time a young person completes the program, they not only have a better idea about what they want to do, but they also have links with prospective employers. Project Search is providing a template for how to help young people with additional needs find paid employment that is right for them. Visit www.journeyskills.com for more information and resources to help lead your child with additional needs toward greater independence.   

A monologue about a young man who is turned away from his first job interview starts a conversation about how we treat individuals on the autism spectrum and how we prepare them for work and independence. Featuring conversations with Dylan Henry , a sophomore at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, whose younger brother inspired the monologue; and three individuals from Project SEARCH , a program that offers vocational training and internships to young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. “I daydreamed that one day I would be a cashier or even a manager. The name tag securely pinned on my right side would say manager, Adam. I would ride my bike everyday from my big red house, bright and early, so the cans would be stacked just right.” — from "Adam" by Dylan Henry  * * * Connections PROJECT SEARCH : Project SEARCH at Drexel University offers vocational training and internships to young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and/or an intellectual disability with the goal of competitive integrated employment. Young adults in their last year of high school are eligible to participate in a vocational training program that takes place entirely at Drexel University. Drexel is the first university setting in the country to offer a licensed version of the new autism-specific variation of Project SEARCH. The program is a partnership with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), Community Integrated Services, Pennsylvania Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, Philadelphia School District, and the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Life Course Outcomes Program – Transition Pathways.   Further Reading & Resources WATCH this feature of Project SEARCH from NBC10. WATCH this video from CBS News: "Hiring Autistic Workers" LEARN about another Philadelphia program, Neurodiversity in the Workplace Initiative from The Arc of Philadelphia, which supports job seekers with Autism and connects them to potential employment. About the Performer JERRICK MEDRANO Jerrick is a Philadelphia-based actor, a 2015 graduate from Esperanza Academy Charter High School where he majored in Theater, and currently a Theater major at the Community College of Philadelphia. He is a writer - his play For a Good Investment won first place and was produced as at Temple University. He has been a featured actor in the Mouthful Monologue Festival in 2017 and 2018, and also worked on Marty Pottenger's #Phillysavesearth at Painted Bride.   "Adam" was directed by Steve Gravelle for the 2018 Mouthful Monologue Festival. Accompaniment by Daniel De Jesus. Additional music for this episode is by Lee Rosevere, used under the Creative Commons license.

This week, we are joined by the HILLARIOUS Lisa Enright, an instructor from Project Search. Project Search is a great organization that prepares high school students with learning disabilities for the working world. Music Used: Modern Jazz Samba Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Project Search helps students with developmental disabilities get on-the-job training. The Exploration Station offers hands-on family fun. The NC Botanical Garden is a showcase of our state's native plants. And the Cherohala Skyway is a beautiful driving destination.

Raleigh-based CaptiveAire's custom ventilation systems outfit commercial kitchens across the country. Project SEARCH provides work experience to students with developmental disabilities. Dr. Azra Shaikh has tips for all of us as we sniffle our way through allergy season.

Indianapolis high school graduates with developmental disabilities are getting innovative job and life skill training through Project Search. This American Graduate segment follows them for part of their journey.

Erin Riehle, Founder and Senior Director of Project Search, discusses this Cincinnati, Ohio based non-profit organization, which was among the 2004 winners of the New Freedom Initiative Award. This award is given annually by the U.S. Department of Labor to businesses and people that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities.