St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center work program helps adult students meet career goals

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St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center successfully competed for and was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation through their Education and Workforce Development initiative.
“These funds will help underwrite the cost of St. Madeleine’s Work Activity Program that supports the employment goals of approximately 50 adult students with developmental disabilities,” said Jennifer Jenkins, PR account manager, BAM Communications.

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center successfully competed for and was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation through their Education and Workforce Development initiative.
“These funds will help underwrite the cost of St. Madeleine’s Work Activity Program that supports the employment goals of approximately 50 adult students with developmental disabilities,” said Jennifer Jenkins, PR account manager, BAM Communications.

While St. Madeleine’s offers a wide range of work-related programs, its Work Activity Program focuses specifically on small group and individual employment that helps individuals meet their career goals while providing a steady paycheck.

As a result, each person increases their independence and self-reliance. The students enter the program by joining paid group work sites where they learn and hone skills. After working in a group setting, those students who are interested in securing an individual job placement are provided with job coaching over a year and a half (or more if needed) that helps them transition to an in-community job. During this time, their St. Madeleine’s job coach helps them learn what is expected of them by their employer, and works directly with the employer in helping to teach the student new tasks.

“The program teaches us different job skills that you can use in the community. I currently work in two places — one is a bakery and the other is Petco,” said Louellia Wright, 28, who has been participating in the program for more than a year.
“We partner with the employers. I analyze when the students are work-ready according to our job criteria. I then speak with the employer and arrange for our job coach to accompany the student to the job site. We never stop helping them,” explained Cyndee Hanna, job development coordinator for St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.

“The biggest thing the Work Activity Program has taught me is not to be shy. I can always count on my job coach when I need her,” added Wright.
“It’s given her a big boost in self-confidence. Our goal is to have the students learn to be as independent as possible,” Hanna responded when asked how the program has helped Wright.
Wright is already working towards independence in her life. “I live with my boyfriend Tim, and he works at Albertson’s,” she said proudly.

St. Madeleine’s partners with a wide variety of regional employers who hire their students for group and individual work contracts that take place in the community and on their campus. Participating employers include: Ayres Lodge-Alpine, KFC; Albertson’s; City of El Cajon; City of La Mesa; Aunty Lynn’s Day Care; Children’s Choice Day Care; National Cat Protection Society; Bob Stall Chevrolet-La Mesa; McGrath Family YMCA; The East County Californian; Paradise Point Resort & Spa; Impulse Industries Entertainment; Dell Star Construction; and Bob Kelly Real Estate.

St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, located in El Cajon, is a non-denominational, licensed vocational day program serving over 400 adults, ages 22 to 70 plus, with developmental disabilities. Its Life-Long Program helps adult students to discover, experience and realize their full potential as members of the greater community.