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  2. Project SEARCH Norwalk

Project SEARCH Norwalk

A Collaborative Approach to Vocational Achievement

What is Project SEARCH?  

Project SearchProject SEARCH™ is an internationally recognized program dedicated to building a workforce that includes people with disabilities. Its business partnerships benefit the individual, the community, and the workplace. The program was established in 1996 at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to address staff turnover in entry-level positions. The successful model has been replicated in more than 500 business locations across the globe.

Project SEARCH is a one-year employment preparation program that takes place entirely in the workplace with a primary goal of securing competitive employment for individuals with disabilities.

About Project SEARCH Norwalk

Our program takes place at Norwalk Community College where total immersion in the workplace facilitates the teaching and learning process, while acquiring employability and marketable work skills. Interns participate in three, 10-week internships to explore a variety of career paths. They work with a team including their families, a special education teacher, employment specialist, skills trainer, and NCC staff, to create employment goals and provide support during this important transition time. 

Eligibility Criteria

18-22 years old

Completion of their High School Academic Program

Diagnosed with a disability

Potential & desire to work in a competitive employment setting upon exiting.

Program Benefits

  • Internship training experiences
  • Competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills
  • Increased independence, confidence, and self-esteem
  • Individualized coaching, direct instruction, and feedback daily
  • Building personal and professional relationships
  • Opportunity to obtain and secure employment

A Typical Day

Project SEARCH prepares students for competitive employment through a combination of classroom instruction and job-skills training within the NCC campus.

8:30am: Classroom

9:30am: Internships

12:00pm: Lunch

(Pack or Purchase at Cafe)

12:30pm: Return to Internships

2:30pm: Debrief/Daily Reflection

3:00pm: Depart

(Interns take their own transportation to/from home)

Project SEARCH Curriculum

Interns receive daily instruction designed around the approved Project SEARCH focus areas: 

• Team Building

• Workplace Safety

• Technology

• Self-Advocacy

• Maintaining Employment

• Financial Literacy

• Health and Wellness

• Preparing for Employment

Questions about Project SEARCH Norwalk or the application process?

Please contact:

 

Veronica Lenzen

Administrator

203-854-4127

lenzenv@norwalkps.org

 

Jessica Ireland

Transition Coordinator

203-667-9224 (Cell)

irelandj@norwalkps.org

 

Erica L. Dellon

Program Instructor

Norwalk Community College

475-258-9975

dellome@norwalkps.org

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