River Bend Career Week (Bradford)

This project will focus on Career Preparation and Leadership Development Activities through a one week summer day camp for 30 students. Preference will be given to students with current IEPs or 504 plans who are considered most at risk of dropping out of school and able to benefit from the program. Students will spend part of each week day working with a qualified River Bend Technical Center instructor on a hands-on activity designed to give the student practical knowledge of the kind of work that goes on in the career field. Another part of the day will be spent on group activities designed to foster leadership development in the students.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Bernice Burroughs, Instructor

Transition Skills Group Project (Franklin Co.)

Transitions Skills Groups will be developed in five regional high schools, co-facilitated by community partners and local employers. Youth will participate in a six-week long group, focusing on life skills to provide developmentally appropriate and meaningful information. The transition coordinator will work with the special education staff, community partners, and local employers to develop job shadow opportunities, and employer/post-secondary visits. State agencies, employers, non-profits and community advocacy organizations will present their services to transition groups. Transition groups will provide youth access to community orientation, exposure to post program supports, benefits planning and supportive services available to them in the community.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Andrea Yandow, Adolescent Team Leader

NEKLS/WIB Career Start Pilot Project (Northeast Kingdom)

Four high schools in this area will place students with one of four local employers for a combined academic/job training experience that leads to high school graduation and immediate employment. Each student and parent will participate in an orientation and develop an individual contract with the school counselor. The contract will identify academic requirements, job site attendance and performance requirements, peer and school counseling, progress review standards and participation requirements. The NEKLS coordinator will schedule a student visit to the worksite, where the student will meet his/her mentor. The student will be placed at the business site and begin training/employment.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Bill Crenshaw, WIB Director

GATEWAY (Lamoille/Orleans Co.)

A transition coordinator will be hired to establish systems that connect students with services and resources essential to transitioning from high school for either work or further education in each of the schools. An employment specialist will provide career assessment at Craftsbury Academy in coordination with Vocational Rehabilitation, DET and guidance counselors. The employment specialist will also provide work readiness classes. Students will be exposed to employers through presentations, job shadowing, business tours, and other activities developed by the transition coordinator, special education team, and businesses in the community. Students will attend workshops in transition skills training needed to access learning and enhance functioning in education and employment settings while in high school and after graduation.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Joanne LeBlanc, Director of Student Services

Community Practice Lab (Washington Central/Montpelier)

The Community Practice Lab is an off-campus apartment in Montpelier that will serve as a home base for a total of 16 youth with significant and diverse challenges, who are involved in a community-based, functional life skills instructional program. Internet access will allow students to perform job searches and explore community resources and events. A life/recreation skills program as well as overnight leadership and independent living skills experiences will be offered. Employment specialists and staff of the Lab will work with the students to develop resume and interview skills, job search skills and work-place skills. Workshops will address and provide training in skills necessary to identify and obtain independent living supports to achieve success in employment, community participation and higher education. In addition, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports will provide recreational activities.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Nancy Thomas, Director of Special Services

Workplace Readiness Assessment and Transitional Planning Enhancement Project (Windham Co.)

This project will identify, pilot test, adapt, and disseminate at least two (levels) of a Workplace Readiness Assessment instrument for providing students and planning teams with direct and specific feedback regarding an individual students skill in communications, problem solving, information technology applications, safety, leadership, teamwork, employability and career development. Students with emotional disturbance at risk of dropping out of school aged 14 – 20 will be targeted. Pilot testing will serve a total of 100 students

The lead organization will partner with a national testing institute, middle school, workforce investment board, a post-secondary institution able to assist in test adaptation, and local students, parents, educators and employers to integrate these instruments into all transition planning efforts in Windham County.

Contact Person for Community Oversight Team: Ed Bouquillon, Windham Regional Career Center, Director