Richard has been employed for over 15 years at ShopRite in Monticello, NY, where he bags groceries and interacts with customers.
New Hope Community’s Supported Employment program provides people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) opportunities to obtain and maintain competitive employment. Employees hired through this program are fully integrated into their place of employment, fostering professional relationships and increased independence.
This program is a creative approach to employment for people with disabilities and a valuable resource for local businesses. Employees with disabilities receive individual training and long-term support to ensure their performance meets employer standards and expectations, while encouraging job retention.
Our highly trained Employment Specialists assist employees in identifying their career direction, providing job trainings and job coaching support. After a careful assessment of an individual’s skills and vocational interests, the Employment Specialist will conduct a job search in the community, assisting prospective employers in the identification of appropriate jobs and tasks to meet the needs of their specific businesses. A comprehensive job analysis is conducted to ensure skill sets, talents, interests, and abilities are matched for both the employer and employee. A standard job interview follows, after which the final hiring decision is the employers.
Verna has worked in childcare for over 20 years.
Our Employment Specialists provide new employees with a comprehensive job orientation, followed by on-going, individualized training and assistance to promote satisfactory work performance. They may also provide job modification assistance to employers, disability awareness training for co-workers, or job retention services to the employee.
To better provide employment opportunities to the people we support, New Hope Community Supported Employment staff attend trainings that enable them to best identify vocational direction for our individuals.
OPWDD Eleversity Trainings
This statewide training program offered by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) educates job coaches and employment specialists as they support people with (I/DD) to fully participate in their communities through employment.
Ubaldo works at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, NY as a steward/waiter washing dishes and keeping the kitchen clean.
The NYS Consortium for Advancing and Supporting Employment (CASE)
This program, offered under contract with the New York State Education Department’s Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), provides training and technical assistance to employment service providers to ensure quality services for people we support to reach their goals and enhance knowledge of employment practices.
A job opportunity that is offered to an individual with a disability increases their sense of purpose, confidence and social acceptance, enriches the community and contributes to diversity in the workplace.
For information, please contact Carl Santos, Director of Program Services, at 845-241-2810 or via email at email at csantos@newhopecommunity.org