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The Delaware Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation
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Career Pathways
Newsletter
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Greetings from the Director
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Andrea Guest, DVR Director
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Greetings,
Once again, DVR is honored to be part
of the Project SEARCH Team and receive the second Delaware State Chamber’s Superstars in Education Award for the program in Delaware. Project SEARCH
is an effective business model that places young adults with disabilities and barriers to employment in Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) who might otherwise have only obtained subminimum wage jobs.
On a similar note, as part of our Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements, we are providing career guidance and employment opportunities to students with disabilities who may want to enter sheltered employment as well as those who are already employed in these situations. All students and qualified workers will have the opportunity to be referred to DVR and seek community- based employment. It is an exciting time to help others navigate change and it is also the beginning of a transformation of employment services for people with disabilities away from subminimum wage jobs.
For the past thirty years, the DVR program along with our community partners have been providing opportunities for employment at or above minimum wage. Our goal is to continue on this path, open a greater number of opportunities as well as better opportunities. Part of our plan also is to develop additional Project SEARCH sites and opportunities that can lead everyone on Career Pathways to Competitive Integrated Employment choices.
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Project SEARCH Bayhealth wins State Chamber’s Superstars in Education Award
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On March 3, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce announced Project SEARCH at Bayhealth
was selected as one of the seven 2017 Superstars in Education Award Winners. Awardees are selected in recognition of outstanding educational programs and individual achievements in the education arena. State Chamber recognizes that these programs, partnerships, and individuals are the key to developing success in the workforce of tomorrow.
Project SEARCH at Bayhealth is a partnership between Autism Delaware/POW&R, Bayhealth Kent General Medical Center, Capital School District, Kent County Community School, Community Integrated Services, the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Delaware Department of Education. The award was presented at a ceremony on May 8 at Wilmington University. Receiving this award this year is especially touching because the Project SEARCH at Christiana Care/Red Clay Consolidated School District won this award last year.
Project SEARCH is a nine month school-to-work program for students 18 to 21 years old with significant disability-related barriers to employment operated entirely within a host business site. The program provides real-life work experience with training in employability and independent living skills to help young adults with disabilities make a successful transition from school to a productive adult life.
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Photos shown below are from
the 2016 Pre-ETS Programs
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Opportunities include
work-based experiences,
internships, and
career exploration.
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Programs explore a variety of industries including the culinary, hospitality and communications fields.
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Sign up NOW
for Pre-ETS
Summer Programs
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DVR's Summer Programs offer students
with disabilities the opportunity to
spend time during summer to think
about and explore future career
and employment choices.
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Enrollment is now open for DVR’s
2017-18 Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Summer Programs. These very popular statewide programs offer students with disabilities, ages 14-21, the opportunity to spend time during the summer months to think about and explore future career and employment choices.
A wide variety of program opportunities are offered, each meeting a focus on career exploration, work-based learning, community-based workplace readiness training, or college preparation. Some programs extend throughout the school year.
To request a list of the programs,
click here
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“Inclusion” Breakout Session at Pathways Conference Focuses on Preparation
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On March 29, Jocelyn Langrehr, Deputy Director, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, moderated two “Inclusion” Breakout sessions at the Delaware Pathways Conference, held
at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.
More than 75 people attended the engaging sessions which consisted of six DVR stakeholders discussing how State coordinated efforts can best prepare students with disabilities for future career success.
Taking a holistic view, the panel consisted of a service provider, a student with a disability, an employer, and representatives from the Department of Education, Division for the Visually Impaired, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Each panel member presented their perspective and answer to moderator questions including “What is your role in supporting students to be ready for life after high school?” Each session ended with an audience Q&A period.
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DVR Receives Grant from Brain Injury Association of Delaware
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The Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation was one of several
organizations to be awarded a 2017 “BrainStrong” grant from the Brain
Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD). Grant funds support programs regarding awareness, education, and/or prevention of concussions and brain injuries in youth.
DVR will use the funds to help our clients with disabilities purchase new bike helmets; providing a safer means of travel for this population will help promote safety and a healthy lifestyle along with helping to prevent injury. For more information about BIAD, visit their website at
www.biaofde.org
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DVR Helps
Client’s Dream Job
Come True
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Imagine if your job was travelling the country with a bunch of exotic animals so you could teach and inspire others about the animals. Well, that’s exactly what Carrie Johnston does and she loves it…
it’s her dream job come true!
Carrie is a mobile animal educator with Barn Hill Preserve, an exotic animal care organization with locations in Delaware and Louisiana. Carrie and her coworkers travel with a selection of animals to schools, field trips, birthday parties, and other free events around the country to educate people about animals, animal behavior, and care.
“I love animals! Getting to teach kids about animals and seeing their reactions is my favorite part of the job,” said Carrie. “Many of the students I teach have never traveled to a zoo. It really is a great experience for them to see these animals up close and interact with them.”
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Carrie and Maya the Coatimundi
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Above: Carrie and Sid the Sloth.
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Above: Carrie and Charmander the Bearded Dragon and Jack the Kangaroo.
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Above: Carrie and Izzy the Iguana.
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“Don’t ever give up on your dream,
no matter how many people tell you otherwise, or you think it's too hard. Just keep going, stay positive, focus
on people who believe in you, and
most importantly believe in yourself.”
Carrie Johnston
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Above: Andrew Duncan, APEX Program Manager, at the March 27th Expungement Clinic.
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Community Expungement Clinic Helps Adults Clear
Juvenile Records
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On March 27, a team effort of State and nonprofit agencies held a Community Expungement Clinic including DVR’s Advancement through Pardons and EXpungements (APEX).
The purpose of the clinic was to help adults clear their juvenile records. As a result, more than 50 adults had the expungement process started to get their records cleared and another 50 adults are now in other stages pursuing pardons and expungements.
The Expungement Clinic was held at the Department of Labor’s Dover Office in the Blue Hen Mall and was organized by the Office of Defense Services, in conjunction with the Delaware State Housing Authority, Independent Living Services, and APEX, with support from the Delaware Center for Justice.
APEX Program Specialists Andrew Duncan and Dominique Truitt represented our Division.
Click here to read WHYY’s Newsworks online article about the event.
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Statewide Rehabilitation Council of Delaware
Welcomes New Members
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The Statewide Rehabilitation Council (SRC) welcomes Janie Libby, Vice President of Human Resources, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino and Mila Wells Hathaway, Parent Consultant, from the Parent Information Center of Delaware to the Committee.
The SRC is looking for new members, especially those who can represent business.
For more information, please contact
SRC MEMBERSHIP
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The SRC's purpose is to provide
individuals with disabilities and representatives from the community
a partnership role in the state's
vocational rehabilitation program.
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In Case You
Missed Us Online...
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Our Facebook and Twitter feeds
feature a variety of disability and
disability employment news including DVR information, trends in disability employment, workplace inclusion, jobs, events, and more!
Our 4/19/17 Tweet (picture at left)
regarding the
May 20th
"Into the Future with Self-Advocacy"
Conference was very popular and
garnered more than 725 impressions including a several likes
and retweets.
What to be included?
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Our Mission
We provide individualized services to employers
and people with disabilities, developing career pathways
that link qualified employees to jobs, resulting in greater
independence and a more inclusive workplace.
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Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Delaware Department of Labor
4425 N. Market Street, P.O. Box 9969
Wilmington, DE 19809-0969
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