Community Employment Services
While many consumers start their time at Workshops in the Employee Development Program, others are referred directly into the Community Employment Services Program.
Each consumer in th Community Employment Services program will work with his Program Manager to determine the consumer's vocational dreams, as well as each person's abilities and limitations. In the Community Employment Services Program, each consumer also works with an Employment Specialist, a staff person who assists the consumer in understanding and mastering the steps required to obtain and perform the particular job they want. Most consumers are in this program for approximately two months.
Once each consumer has developed his resume, practiced filling out applications, and attending job readiness classes, Employment Specialists will assist consumers in identifying and applying for specific jobs. If agreeable to the consumer and to the potential employer, Employment Specialist will accompany consumers as they fill our applications and even sit for interviews.
Occasionally a consumer may require additional assistance after she is employed. In this case, an Employment Specialist may be called upon to provide Job Coaching. As a Job Coach, the Employment Specialist will meet the consumer at her place of employment and assist her with understanding and mastering the new job.
As mentioned above, some consumers will be referred to Workshops only for access to Community Employment Services. However, some who start with Community Employment Services may be advised to enroll in Employee Development if they are not yet ready to hold a job within the community.
Community Employment services are provided at no cost to the consumer.
The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is more than 50% greater than for people without disabilities
People with disabilities constitute the nation's largest minority group, and the only group any of us can become a member of at any time
Of 70 million families in the United States, more than 20 million have at least one family member with a disability
The unemployment rate of people with disabilities is ten times greater than the national unemployment rate
People with disabilities are nearly twice as likely as people without disabilities to have an annual household income of $15,000 or less
According to the U.S. Department of Education, workers with disabilities are rated consistently as average or above average in performance, quality and quantity of work, flexibility, and attendance.
Alabama has the second highest rate of disability in the U.S.
