Transitional Internship Program (TIP)

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Timothy Hines
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1 Transitional Internship Program (TIP) Introduction & Program Description: For many years, MRC s Transition to Adulthood Programs (TAP) have helped youth with disabilities prepare for the transition from special education to adulthood. Six of the Commonwealth s eleven Independent Living Centers provide this service, offering peer role modeling and skills training to help youth learn how to take on the responsibilities of living independently. These programs have helped many youth achieve greater skills for independence, but have not directly prepared youth for employment. For most people, early exposure to work opportunities through summer jobs or internships are key to developing employment skills and marketable experience. Many youth with disabilities have not had access to these same opportunities, placing them at a disadvantage as they enter the workforce. In 2011 MRC established a program for transition-age youth with disabilities to address this gap. The Transitional Internship Program (TIP) provides short-term pre-employment skills training, ongoing support during the program, and paid summer employment or internship placements to youth ages who are still in high school or who have recently completed their studies. Proven record of success: Since 2014 will mark the fourth year of the TIP program, there is a proven track record for success. Over 300 youth have participated, and more than 60 youth have been offered continued employment by their internship hosts. Participants have had a wide range of functional impairments, including significant cognitive, mental health and behavioral issues. Some of the unique elements of the program that contribute to its success include: Intensive soft skills training such as appropriate dress and work behavior, interviewing skills, disclosure, time management and organizational skills and conflict resolution Paid internships of at least 12 hours per week. Regular meetings with peer leaders Job coaching (if necessary). Many job coaches are themselves young people with disabilities. Family orientation to educate families about the program and the responsibilities of the participants Some examples of job experience opportunities include clerical, childcare, auto body repairs, janitorial, landscaping, research, animal care and food service.

2 Employment sites have included: fitness centers, hair salons, human service nonprofits, museums, nursing homes, pet grooming businesses, restaurants, state agencies, and small and large private businesses. Who should apply? The program is designed to serve youth ages who are still attending high school, or who have left school but have little or no work experience. Youth must be able to work a minimum of 12 hours per week for a minimum of 7 weeks during the summer. Youth must be active VR clients in order to participate, and must be referred by their VR counselor. TIP staff will work closely with each youth s VR counselor to help ensure the participant s success. The six ILCs (Independent Living Centers) currently involved are: Boston Center for Independent Living Center for Living & Working Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled Northeast Independent Living Program Southeast Center for Independent Living Stavros Center for Independent Living Please see the attached contact information and catchment area information for the programs. Successes a student who was an extremely talented artist but was very anxious around people. Her internship allowed her to put her artistic talents to work in graphic arts and planning advertising for the business. Although very anxious when she started, she became a competent worker who truly felt valuable and appreciated by the company. She was able to take what she viewed as a hobby and begin to see her talents as a career choice. In one particular case, we had an intern who was very reluctant to accept an internship assignment due to a significant lack of confidence and self-esteem. With consistent support and encouragement from the TIP Monitors and special attention from the worksite supervisor, this individual was able to make dramatic growth with respect to interpersonal skills and not only perform his worksite duties exceptionally well, but he was offered a part-time position. One intern, in particular, had an incredible barrier with the social side of competitive employment. This intern had great difficulty with eye contact, speaking to new people, picking up on social cues and understanding inappropriate behavior and language in the workplace. However, she was smart enough to remember and do any job that she might be given. Her social challenges had compromised almost every opportunity to volunteer and work. She was placed at the Worcester Housing Authority where her attention to detail, focus on being on time and going above and beyond was highly recognized. She was able to gain social skills and like many of the other interns, is still working with the TAP Program to continue to make progress in these areas. MRC Contact: MaryEllen MacRae (617) maryellen.macrae@state.ma.us

3 TIP CONTACT INFORMATION Boston Center for Independent Living Jamie Mello - (617) jmello@bostoncil.org Acton Canton Medford Walpole Arlington Carlisle Milton Waltham Bedford Chelsea Newton Watertown Belmont Concord Norwood Westwood Boston ** Dedham Quincy Weymouth Braintree Everett Randolph Wilmington Brookline Lexington Revere Winchester Burlington Lincoln Sharon Winthrop Cambridge Malden Somerville Woburn Center for Living and Working Krista Rancourt - (800) krancourt@centerlw.org Ashburnham Fitchburg New Braintree Sterling Ashby Gardner North Brookfield Sturbridge Athol Grafton Northborough Sutton Auburn Hardwick Northbridge Templeton Ayer Harvard Oakham Townsend Barre Holden Oxford Upton Berlin Hopedale Paxton Uxbridge Blackstone Hubbardston Petersham Warren Bolton Lancaster Phillipston Webster Boylston Leicester Princeton West Boylston Brookfield Leominster Royalston West Brookfield Charlton Lunenburg Rutland Westborough Clinton Mendon Shirley Westminster Douglas Milford Shrewsbury Winchendon Dudley Millbury Southbridge Worcester East Brookfield Millville Spencer Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled Katie Lockwood - (508) Katherine@cilcapecod.org Aquinnah Dennis Mashpee Tisbury Barnstable Eastham Nantucket Truro Bourne Edgartown Oak Bluffs Wellfleet Brewster Falmouth Orleans West Tisbury Chatham Gosnold Provincetown Yarmouth

4 Chilmark Harwich Sandwich Northeast Independent Living Program Alicia Thyne - (978) athyne@nilp.org Amesbury Dunstable Lowell Salisbury Andover Georgetown Merrimac Tewksbury Billerica Groton Methuen Tyngsboro Boxboro Groveland Newbury Westford Boxford Haverhill Newburyport West Newbury Chelmsford Lawrence North Andover Dracut Littleton Pepperell Southeast Center for Independent Living Joe Martins - (508) jmartins@secil.org Acushnet Fairhaven Mattapoisett Seekonk Attleboro Fall River New Bedford Somerset Berkeley Freetown North Attleboro Swansea Dartmouth Lakeville Rehoboth Wareham Dighton Marion Rochester Westport Stavros Center for Independent Living Danielle Mimitz - (413) dsmall@stavros.org Agawam Erving Middlefield Southwick Amherst Gill Monroe Springfield Ashfield Goshen Monson Sunderland Belchertown Granby Montague Tolland Bernardston Granville Montgomery Wales Blandford Greenfield New Salem Ware Brimfield Hadley Northampton Warwick Buckland Hampden Northfield Wendell Charlemont Hatfield Orange West Springfield Chester Hawley Palmer Westfield Chesterfield Heath Pelham Westhampton Chicopee Holland Plainfield Whately Colrain Holyoke Rowe Wilbraham Conway Huntington Russell Williamsburg Cummington Leverett Shelburne Worthington Deerfield Leyden Shutesbury East Hampton Longmeadow South Hadley East Longmeadow Ludlow Southampton

Property Tax Information. In Massachusetts, neither the county nor the Registry of Deeds has any property tax information.

Property Tax Information. In Massachusetts, neither the county nor the Registry of Deeds has any property tax information. Commonwealth of Massachusetts Registry of Deeds 360 Gorham Street Lowell, MA 01852 www.lowelldeeds.com Richard P. Howe Jr. Tel. (978) 322-9000 Register of Deeds Fax. (978) 322-9001 Property Tax Information