GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) has partnered with the YMCA of Three Rivers Guelph as part of Project SEARCH.
This follows January’s announcement of the Project SEARCH partnership launched between the UGDSB, Wellington Catholic District School Board, the University of Guelph and March of Dimes.
Developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1996, Project SEARCH is a unique school-to-work training program for students with disabilities.
Students get over 700 hours of hands-on work experience geared to in-demand roles in the local labour market.
They then learn employability skills and plan their careers with guidance from March of Dimes Canada, the local vocational rehabilitation counsellors.
Currently, there are more than 750 Project SEARCH sites worldwide.
The program reports that approximately 70 per cent of students are employed within a year of graduation. “This reflects the overall success of the program for graduates and their employers,” officials state.
“We are really looking forward to partnering with the Upper Grand School Board to deliver the Project Search program within our Guelph YMCA Community,” said YMCA of Three Rivers CEO Mike Ennis.
“The core values and outcomes of this program are so closely aligned with our own values – in particular around inclusion and belonging and supporting youth in our community.”
“We are thrilled about this expansion of Project SEARCH” said UGDSB superintendent of education Peggy Blair.
“We share the YMCA of Three Rivers’ commitment to finding meaningful, paid work for young people with developmental disabilities.”
Information sessions will be held for families interested in this opportunity.
