Supported Employment

Supportive Employment Services offer a range of ongoing support services tailored to the unique strengths, abilities, interests, and informed choices of the individual, with the goal of helping them achieve success. 

Facts About Supportive Employment

• Program participants work for pay at the same rate as other employees.
• Promotes social integration, productivity, and maximum use of a person’s skills and abilities.
• Takes place in an integrated work setting.
• Assists individuals with developmental disabilities and other significant disabilities.
• Includes job coaching provided by an Easterseals Vocational Specialist after placement on the job.
• Maintains support services to the worker for both current and future employment needs.
• Builds extended, ongoing supports with agencies and partners outside of Easterseals and VR to assist a person in maintaining employment.

Program Participants Will:

• Receive inclusion in the community
• Placed in competitive employment
• Receive individualized plan development
• Receive support from family members, friends, or coworkers
• Identify skills and tasks that they are interested in
• Identify similarities between skills and tasks
• Identify a potential career
• Understand and be able to speak about the concept of skills and jobs
• Understand the concepts of the first week of work
• Identify the information needed for a resume
• Understand the concepts of finding and holding a job
• Understand the concepts of interviewing
• Understand the concepts of self-concept and work
• Understand the concepts of getting a job
• Understand the concepts of completing an employment application

Supported Employment provides ongoing support to help individuals maintain long-term employment who have previously struggled to succeed in traditional employment settings.

Supports to Perform Job Duties May Include:

• Arranging transportation, placement, training, or retraining of the supported worker.
• Developing natural supports and assistive technology, if needed.