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A collaborative project between
CollegeWorks is a college program for individuals with disabilities that was developed by The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter (The Arc) to improve the outcomes for students moving from high school to employment. CollegeWorks is a collaborative project between The Arc and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) and is a non-credit, non-degreed program offered through MVCC in cooperation with The Arc. CollegeWorks is the only program of its kind in New York State. Graduates of the CollegeWorks program will receive a Certificate of Course Completion, much like that of any other non-matriculated program. The goal of the program is to help students develop areas of ability and skills that will lead to gainful employment. CollegeWorks will teach individuals to develop work readiness and social skills through classroom study and hands-on training at worksties in the community. Students in CollegeWorks will receive a college identification card, which provides access to the college environment, including athletic facilities, computer labs, library, gym and dining hall. This gives the students the opportunity to be a part of campus life and student activities. This program will be located at the Utica campus of Mohawk Valley Community College. Any individual over the age of 18 with a disability is eligible to participate in CollegeWorks. The target population is students aging out of school who demonstrate the need for vocational maturity, career exploration and real work experience opportunities that will lead to unsubsidized employment. The disabilities of the individuals to be served will include learning disabilities, mental retardation, hearing impairments, visual impairments and emotional disabilities. What Geographic Area is Served? There is no state residency requirement. It is open to any individual who chooses to apply. Provides vocational skills instruction along with work based experience for individuals who are unable to participate in a traditional college curriculum but want to attend college in order to be better skilled for employment. It is anticipated that the first class will begin in
September 2005. Much like a full time matriculated college program in a state community college, the tuition for CollegeWorks is reasonable for the student who must pay out of pocket. Is There Financial Assistance? Since this is a non-degreed program, state tuition assistance is not available. Payment options include:
How Many Participants Do You Anticipate? 10-20 the first year. How Are Participants Selected? To be a candidate for admission, the student must submit a complete application, participate in an interview/screening process and provide letters of reference. While addressing skills training as a key component of the program, the students will also learn about the world of employment and preparing to enter its ranks. In addition to the classroom component of job skills training, additional life skills that are essential to success in the workplace will also be a part of the core curriculum. The selected curriculums to be offered were developed after researching the local community and determining the needs in this locale. Amont the occupational areas most frequently cited by the Mohawk Valley Workforce Investment Board as the fastest growth occupations are: cashiers, retail workers, customer service reps, food service, janitors, school teacher, office clerks, hospital workers and child care workers. The curriculum choices for CollegeWorks were determined from this study. The Arc decided to begin the program with four careers that we felt characterized the jobs we place our individuals into most successfully that were in demand in this labor market:
The course curriculum can be modified at any time to meet the changing labor market trends. For more information on CollegeWorks you may contact Patrice Modell-Joslin, Director of CollegeWorks, MVCC, 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica, NY 13501, Phone 315-792-5465, Fax 315-792-5527, email pjoslin@mvcc.edu. For more information about The Arc's Employment Programs you may contact Joanne Donaruma, Director of Employment Services, The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, 245 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13501, Phone 315-792-5264, extension 2500, Fax 315-792-5273, email jadona@thearcold.org. Is Job Placement Assistance Included? Yes, second semester, second year. How Long Would a Successful Participant be Enrolled Before Completing the Program? Two years, first year - exploratory and second year the student concentrates in specific field. Is There a Way to Quantify the Need? Youth with disabilities and their families often expres a desire to attend college to gain skills to get a better job and to get college experience, which has been unavailable in New York State. Also youth with disabilities who transition out of high school usually do not have the part time job opportunities that non-disabled youth have and therefore have no idea what career opportunities are available to them. CollegeWorks is modeled after a similar program in Massachusetts. The program, called Project Forward, has been in existence since 1988 and is nationally recognized by the United States Department of Education. The program is located at Cape Cod Community College. The program has experienced a dramatic increase in the employability of graduates from the standpoint of improving work skills in a particular trade, defining appropriate career paths, improving job readiness skills and finding appropriate jobs. They state that they have demonstrated success in securing higher level employment for their graduates. The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NYSARC (The Arc) has been a leader in service for people with disabilities in Central NY for 50 years. The Arc provides a full spectrum of educational, vocational, residential, family support, Medicaid service coordination, guardianship, respite care, recreational services, day habilitation, senior and children services to people with developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc is one of 57 chapters of the statewide NYSARC, Inc. The agency is staffed by over 750 professionals and serves 1,500 individuals throughout Oneida and Lewis counties. The Employment Services Unit has been a major contributor to the Oneida and Lewis County workforce communities by providing quality job placement services to individuals with multiple barriers to employment. Critical to the success of CollegeWorks is the relationships with employers in this community. The Arc has developed and maintained collaboration with over 150 employers in the Oneida County area, including several hospitals, retail stores, child-care centers, offices and restaurants. Various employers who presnetly employ an individual from our Employment Services Program have expressed an interest in working with us on this unique program. Our expected outcome is that each student enrolled in this program will be given the tools to achieve satisfactory employment and will become all that he/she can be. For more information, visit www.thearcolc.org. MVCC - Mohawk Valley Community College Mohawk Valley Community College is New York State's first community college, opening in October 1946. Today, MVCC is one of the largest and most successful community colleges in the State University of New York system, with approximately 5,000 students on a main campus in Utica, a branch campus in Rome, and around the world via the World Wide Web. MVCC offers nearly 100 Associate degree and certificate programs in business, technology, human services, health care, mathematics and science, hospitality, the arts and other fields. Many programs prepare students for immediate entry into the work force. Others provide the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program, and MVCC students successfully transfer to public and private four-year institutions nationwide. MVCC also offers an extensive array of education and training services for area employers, including custom-designed programs in management, technical skills, importing and exporting and many other areas. Many of MVCC's 30,000+ graduates remain in the Mohawk Valley in virtually every walk of life. The College is also home to a wide range of cultural events, all open to the public at modest cost or free admission. For more information, visit www.mvcc.edu. |
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