COMMUNITY OPTIONS, INC. David Awrachow Director of Transitional Services (609) 951-9100 Ext. 163 [email protected] Carley Pogorzelski Project Developer.

COMMUNITY OPTIONS, INC.

David AwrachowDirector of Transitional Services(609) 951-9100Ext. [email protected]

Carley PogorzelskiProject Developer

(609) 951-9100Ext. 157

[email protected]

www.transitionschooltowork.org

WHO ARE WE?

Community Options, Inc. -Non-profit organization

that serves individuals with disabilities

-Created inn 1989 by founder and C.E.O./President Mr. Robert Stack

-Headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey we currently have

programs running in 9 states:

New Jersey, Connecticut, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY OPTIONS, WHAT DOES COMMUNITY OPTIONS,

INC. DO?INC. DO?

4 Main Services That We Provide:

1. Housing for individuals with disabilities

2. Supported Employment for

these individuals

3. Transitional Services

4. Advocacy

WHERE ARE WE TODAY?

Currently: We employ 1,500 individuals with disabilities

Own 3 businesses that employ individuals with disabilitiesVasefulDaily Plan ItPresents of MindJust Add Water (Opening in 2009)

Have approximately 160 homes that house individuals with disabilities

Most Recently: *Opened 10 new houses in Ocean

County, and 1 new house in Hopewell, NJ

Community Options of Kentucky

VASEFUL:VASEFUL: “Vaseful” is a unique floral business, which provides

employment for people with disabilities in an integrated setting. We are committed to the

Community Options mission and to serving our customers with the finest floral arrangements and gifts, backed by our 24-hour guarantee. Our shop

is open from 9:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on

Saturdays and serves the following areas:

-New Brunswick -Milltown

-North Brunswick -Piscataway

-Highland Park -Cendall Park

-East Brunswick -Princeton

-Somerset

THE DAILY PLAN IT:THE DAILY PLAN IT:

“The Daily Plan It” is a business facility that provides full-time or virtual tenancy for a variety of local

businesses and services. “The Daily Plan It” offers a professional receptionist services, high-speed

copying services and on-site concierge services to their tenants (i.e. laundry service, and lunch

service). “The Daily Plan It” caters to entrepreneurial businesses that employ people with disabilities in an integrated setting. Our business is

open on normal business days, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PRESENTS OF MIND:PRESENTS OF MIND:

“Presents of Mind” is a high quality gift shop, which employs individuals with disabilities in an

integrated work environment. “Presents of Mind” has a trendy assortment of souvenirs for almost every occasion, with gifts ranging from candles,

glassware, stationary and much more. Our store is focused on meeting the demands that our

customers deserve. “Presents of Mind” is open Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and

Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with availability of placing orders through the internet.

JUST ADD WATER:JUST ADD WATER:

“Just Add Water” is our newest addition to Community Options, this shop will feature used books for sale and freshly brewed coffee. “Just

Add Water” will also have an inviting atmosphere for people to come in, sit down, relax and have a cup of our great tasting coffee. “Just Add Water” will solely employ individuals with disabilities and

adhere to the Community Options philosophy. “Just Add Water” plans to open in the year 2009.

COMMUNITY OPTIONS, COMMUNITY OPTIONS, INC.INC.

Our Philosophy“Community Options, Inc. believes in the

dignity of every person, and the freedom of all people to experience the highest degree

of self-determination”

Why are YOU YOU here? The Statistics:

“It is estimated that 70% of all students with a disability exiting high school are unable to locate employment because they have not had the opportunity to participate in supported employment or job sampling activities prior to graduation,” (The National Convention in Nashville, Tenn. September 7th-10th).

“Over 90% of individuals with disabilities are either underemployed, or not employed at all,” (The National Convention in Nashville, Tenn. September 7th-10th).

S.T.E.P. is here to CHANGE these statistics!

WHAT TO DO NOW??? Our Program!!!!

S.T.E.P. (Student to Employment Program):-Partnering up with your child’s school

to develop a program that will help your child find meaningful

employment upon the day of graduation.

How Are We Doing This? -We will be working alongside your

child, their teachers, child study teams and yourselves to create a plan to battle these statistics so your child will NOT become one!

OUR PLAN OF ACTION:OUR PLAN OF ACTION:

S.T.E.P. is aiming to enroll 45 students per year from the Mercer, Middlesex, and Morris counties in this program within the next year

The age range that we are focusing on are students/adults between the ages of 18 to 24

**Reminder: These services will be available to graduate students (up to the age of 24) however, schools will not provide transportation, rather funding will fall solely on the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for these individuals

THE LOGISTICS: AN OVERVIEW S.T.E.P. (Student to Employment Program)

a. Is a two year program that will begin at the end of your child’s junior year and continue throughout their senior year, until they graduate

b. Those involved in this process are the student’s child study team, you, your child, as well as their Employment Specialists

c. Student’s will complete various trainings, workshops and internships as they progress through the program

d. Student’s will assessed, evaluated and reviewed on a constant basis, to ensure that their program is meeting their needs and desires

e. Our goal is to provide MEANINGFUL Employment to these students upon the day of graduation!

HOW DO I GET HOW DO I GET “THE BALL “THE BALL ROLLING?”ROLLING?”

1. Upon your child’s acceptance into the program, they will be referred to us through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

2. Once this is complete, your son/daughter, as well as yourself and their teachers, and child study teams will complete several assessments to focus on the student’s employment goals, their strengths’ and abilities, as well as their job preference

3. The student’s Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.) will facilitate the not just the employment goals, but daily/hourly schedule in which they will be attending the internships, as well as how the internship is run

JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR:JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR: Junior Year:

-At the end of the student’s junior year they will be enrolled in several workshops and trainings (along with you and their job coaches) that will help them develop the basic skills they need in order to hold a job

**The majority of the programs will take place over the summer at our facilities***

Senior Year:-Once the student’s along with you (the parents) spend the summer completing the trainings and workshops and getting to know your Employment Specialist. The student’s senior year will begin with two choices of participating in a ½ day job sample or a full day job sample.

-After the student’s program is chosen, they will then begin job sampling alongside their employment specialist

INTERNSHIPS…

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY AND

HOW?

*The following are the 5 main businesses that are participating in the program:

1. Robert Wood Johnson Hospital2. Vaseful3. Daily Plan It4. Presents of Mind 5. Just Add Water

One Hamilton Health PlaceHamilton, NJ 08690

(609) 586-7900www.rwjhamilton.org

Listed Below Are 3 Sample Job Descriptions Out Of

The 12 Jobs Available:

 Patient ManagementJob Duties:The intern will input data regarding any patient transfers to alternative rehabilitation centers into the hospital computer system. They will also be in charge of filing and faxing certain paperwork while answering phones if need be.  

Food and NutritionJob Duties:In the café, interns will be responsible for wrapping silverware, cleaning and distributing trays, and performing light housekeeping to maintain a sanitary environment.

RadiologyJob Duties:The intern will be responsible for filling out basic paperwork. Then the student will pick up and drop off paperwork to different departments and file it in alphabetical order. They will also transport x-rays to and from the Radiology Department.

Sample Job Descriptions:

Students will assist in the designing of floral arrangements for customers and help deliver the floral arrangements with staff to their proper destination

Students will even learn how to operate the telephone (i.e. to write down floral orders), access store email and utilize the store’s cash register for sale and pricing services.

Students responsible for the maintenance and the up-keep of the store (i.e. sweeping, mopping, taking the trash out).

Sample Job Descriptions:Sample Job Descriptions:

•Interns will aid in the completion of copy projects and/or binding projects by operating the company’s computers (i.e. type letters, labels, and/or inventory), binding and copying machines

•Students will learn how to answer telephone for reception purposes (i.e. writing down and relay messages to their recipients, sorting mail, etc.)

•Students will assist in the maintenance and/or up-keep of the main office, as well as the tenant’s facilities throughout the day (i.e. empty trash, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, etc.)

Sample Job Descriptions:

•Students will learn how to operate the telephone (i.e. write down orders or provide customer service), access the store email and utilize the store’s cash register for sale and pricing purposes

•The interns will also learn how to place stock orders (i.e. over the telephone, or through email) and then take inventory of items in the store

• Interns will even be expected to interact directly with customers (i.e. answer questions), if they have any questions or concerns

AFTER PLACEMENT:AFTER PLACEMENT:

Once students are placed in their job sample, they will receive on-site job training by staff alongside of their job coaches

Every few weeks, students will rotate to different job sites in order to learn many transferable skills that are needed in the working world

Job coaching will fade out as the student learns their position and needs less help, HOWEVER job coaches will follow up with evaluations and be in constant contact with employers/supervisors for the duration that your son/daughter are at the job site

Students will constantly be evaluated, assessed and reviewed by their job coaches and on site supervisors in order to chart their progress throughout the program, as well as to see if the students are meeting their employment goals and if their needs are being met

S.T.

E.P.

Together!

IT’S TIME TO CHANGE!

NOW, LET’S TAKE THE FIRST…

REFERENCES: A special thanks to those who created the Annual Report and

Newsletter

The National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee September 7th-10th

members.telering.at/pat/einstein.htm

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