Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced five grant awards totaling $854K for the Employment Program for Young Adults with Disabilities. These grants will support initiatives to train young adults with disabilities for the workplace, place them into jobs, and provide post-placement support to help them stay employed. Awardees include Community Work Services (CWS) in Boston, Employment Options in Marlborough, Horace Mann Education Associates (HMEA) in Franklin, Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) in Boston, and the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc., in Petersham. Employment Program for Young Adults with Disabilities is funded through the state budget and administered by Commonwealth Corporation on behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. “Training young people with disabilities, with the goal of placing them into opportunities that offer meaningful employment, is such important work as we look to create a more equitable workforce,” 劳工和劳动力发展部长罗莎琳·阿科斯塔说。 “We are not able to be successful in these efforts without our community-focused partners and employers.” Each grant awardee will receive funding towards their high-quality training programs. “The growth of the Commonwealth’s investment in these programs is incredibly inspiring and will have real impact,” Commonwealth Corporation 部门战略主管 Anthony Britt 说。 “I am thrilled about the additional funding supporting these mission-driven organizations this year as they seek to build upon their work within the disability community. These programs are all about connecting people with employers who are committed to increasing job quality and inclusion in the workplace.” Applicants were required to be led by a community-based organization with demonstrated success and expertise in preparing young adults with disabilities for employment, placing them in unsubsidized positions, and providing post-placement support that leads to employment retention. Organizations also needed to show evidence of effective partnerships with employers that engage them in program design and delivery, resulting in placements and retained employment of young adults with disabilities in targeted occupations at the employers’ workplaces. The following is a complete list of the organizations awarded Young Adults with Disabilities Prepare for Employment grants: 波士顿社区工作服务 (CWS) – 资助金额 $151,000 CWS 培训并安排参与者从事食品艺术、商业生产以及建筑和场地维护工作。计划合作伙伴包括 Star Market、Block by Block 和 Finesse Hospitality。学员还将接受长达 12 个月的职业生涯指导，以支持他们的职业目标。 就业选择，马尔堡 - 资助金额 $145,000 就业选择培训并安排参与者从事食品服务工作。计划合作伙伴包括 Nothing Bundt Cakes、Niche Hospitality、Quinsigamond 社区学院和 Work Without Limits/UMASS 医学院。就业选择致力于不断满足其雇主合作伙伴的需求，同时培养一种承认残疾青年的能力和价值的包容文化。 霍勒斯曼教育协会 (HMEA)，富兰克林 – 资助金额 $150,000 HMEA 培训并安排参与者担任信息技术职位。计划合作伙伴包括 Dell、Iterators LLC、Neurodiversity in the Workplace 和 MassHire Central Region Workforce Board。该计划旨在通过解决特定的就业障碍，帮助信息技术雇主为自闭症患者做好准备。 波士顿犹太职业服务 (JVS) – 资助金额：$210,000 JVS 培训并安排参与者担任零售和餐饮服务职位。项目合作伙伴包括 CVS Health、Sodexo 和 Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital。服务旨在通过缩小当前服务体系中的差距，特别是缺乏竞争性就业机会以及与未充分利用的商业社区的联系薄弱，来满足残疾青年及其家人的需求。 Polus 社会与经济发展中心，彼得舍姆 – 资助金额：$198,000 Polus Center trains and places participants in retail and customer service jobs. Program partners include Whole Foods Market, Price Chopper Market, MassHire North Central Workforce Board, and Thryv Consulting. Participants will complete four weeks of virtual “Retail Skills for Success” training followed by four weeks of on-the-job-training at one of the supermarkets. ###