Employment and Training

Easter Seals has worked to help adults with disabilities gain ground in the workplace through various community and center-based services. Across the country, Easter Seals’ workforce development programs teach individuals necessary skills to successfully enter the workforce, or return to work after an illness or injury.
 
The employment rate for people with disabilities is only 37%, lagging behind the general population by almost 40%. Two out of three people with disabilities want to work, but have not been able to find jobs because of accessibility and attitudinal barriers. Easter Seals workforce development services provide an individualized approach to help people with disabilities and other needs identify goals and make informed choices to find employment.
 
Easter Seals Workforce Development Services
Not only do employees benefit from the satisfaction of having a job, but businesses also gain from their contributions. Easter Seals offers a variety of services designed to help with career exploration, conducting a job search, job placement assistance, or job coaching in an actual job. Services are determined by an individual’s preference and needs.
 
Workforce Development Services available through Easter Seals include:

Employment Planning
Employment planning services help job seekers with career exploration and development, information about employment opportunities within a community and the skills, education and training needed to meet individual employment goals.

Industry-Based Program
Through arrangements with business and industry, Easter Seals provides workers for time-specific projects. Participants have an opportunity to build work readiness and stamina, while establishing a mutually rewarding relationship in a real work environment.

Job Placement Competitive Employment
Easter Seals Job Placement Competitive Employment services help people find and keep jobs consistent with their goals. Vocational counseling, job-seeking skills, adaptive needs assessment, case management services, and job development are just some examples of the menu of services.

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
Easter Seals Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a job training and placement program that matches quality older workers with employers who value what they have to offer.

Supported Employment
Easter Seals Supported Employment services are designed to help individuals secure and be trained in jobs they choose while assisting employers strengthen their workforce diversity. Both the job seeker and the employer receive the assistance of an Easter Seals job coach to provide support during the initial training period. The job coach remains available to both the person with a disability and the employer for assistance if issues or concerns arise. Supported Employment placements might be individual jobs or might be based on group models like mobile crews or small employee work groups (enclave).

Customized Employment
Customized Employment services tailor the employment relationship between a job seeker or an employee and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both. Staff work with job seekers to identify a match between the unique strengths, needs, and interests of the job candidate with a disability, and the identified business needs of the employer.
 
Easter Seals can help you determine what might work for you in reaching your employment goals. Contact Easter Seals to learn more about Easter Seals Workforce Development services in your area.