VOCATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICES
Supported Employment Groups
Location: North Santa Barbara and Southern San Luis Obispo Counties
Description:
- Group employment in integrated community settings
- Ongoing support at 100% level through job coaching.
- For those who are not ready for individual placement, a group placement may be an option to gain experience or work skills.
A small group of workers are supervised and instructed by a Supervisor.
Some groups are at fixed locations in community based industrial environments. Other groups are mobile work crews traveling from site to site while providing a service to the community.
Employers or Partners: Department of Rehabilitation, Tri-Counties Regional Center, and hundreds of local businesses.
Vandenberg Commissary Project:
Work crews perform shelf stocking, custodial and warehousing duties in a large commissary at Vandenberg Air Force Base. AbilityOne, previously called NISH, contract procured through the Javits, Wager, O’Day federal set-aside program, workers earn excellent wages and benefits while learning and performing work that must pass strict quality control specifications.
Vandenberg Grounds Project:
Work crews perform labor required to maintain over 1800 acres per month at Vandenberg Air Force Base. AbilityOne, previously called NISH, contract procured through the Javits, Wager, O’Day federal set-aside program, workers earn excellent wages and benefits while learning to operate industrial grounds maintenance tools and equipment used to perform work that must pass strict quality control specifications.
The A Street Café:
Teaches adults skills to obtain and maintain competitive employment in the food industry.
A commercial kitchen is used with high quality standards, workers are paid wages for work performed, while learning job skills.
VTC Thrift Store:
Provides work for three crews and one of our work services programs. Two crews work at the store, one crew picks up donations and ewaste when it is not practical to send out a truck. Our folks merchandise clothing, accessories, household items, electronics, linens, jewelry, furniture, antiques, baby items, toys, books, and musical instruments.
Honda Crew:
The Honda Car Wash Crew was originally established as the Saturn of Santa Maria Crew in 1999. When the business converted to Honda, our services were so valuable to the business, Honda decided to keep our crew. Our folks wash and dry approximately 120 cars per day. The crews power spray, wash and rinse each vehicle to keep them in sales condition.
Mobile Grounds Crew:
Our mobile grounds crews service several businesses and private homes in the Santa Maria Valley. General mowing, blowing, weeding, planting and debris removal keep the crew busy.
CVS Stocking Crew:
One of our CVS stocking crews was established in the year 2000 as a Longs Drug Store. CVS counts on our crews to provide a consistent workforce in the provision of shelf stocking and restocking “go backs.” These crew covers stores in both the Santa Maria, Orcutt and Lompoc stores.
Power Wash Mobile Crew:
For the past 13 years, VTC has been servicing the SMAT bus stops. Our mobile janitorial crew use to do the work; however, there were so many contracts, this new power wash crew was carved out. Established in 2006, the power wash crew travels throughout Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Tanglewood cleaning up and restoring bus stops. This crew also power washes other buildings as requested.
Did you know:
- Contracting with a VTC work crew is less expensive than hiring full time staff.
- Contracting with VTC is an option for businesses to survive the economic crisis and continue to meet the business needs.
- VTC Offers supported employment groups through out 7 of our programs.
INNOVATIVE PRINTING SOLUTIONS
Innovative Printing Solutions
formerly called The Packaging and Duplicating Department or “The Copy Shop”
Location: Santa Maria, A Street
Description:
- Employment Skills
- Paid work while learning job skills
- Industrial sub-contracting
- 1:15 staff to individual ratio
For those who do not feel ready for community based work, need to gain some basic experience, or have identified barriers for employment to address.
Curriculum:
Develop positive work habits, Increase concentration, Increase stamina, Basic work skills, Increased productivity, Dependability, Quality workmanship, Thrift Shop donation sorting, Packaging, Shrink wrapping, Collating, Button making, Pneumatic tool usage, Assembly line tasks, Use of duplicating equipment, and other business/office supports.
Employers or Partners:
Tri Counties Regional Center, Department of Rehabilitation
Did you know:
VTC is the only Work Services Vendor in the area.
The A Street Café
Location: Santa Maria A Street
Description:
- Teaches adults skills to obtain and maintain competitive employment in the food industry.
- Skills are taught in commercial kitchen environment, workers are paid wages for work performed, while learning job skills.
For those who do not feel ready for community based work, need to gain some basic experience, or have identified barriers for employment to address.
Curriculum:
Instruction is provided in all aspects of food service and restaurant operations. Some of the training areas included are: Using a full service commercial kitchen and dining room, industrial dishwashing, hot and cold food preparation, line serving, cleaning, and bussing tables.
Employers or Partners:
Tri Counties Regional Center, Department of Rehabilitation
Did you know:
Provides meals to juvenile hall 7 days per week, 365 days per year?
INTEGRATED WORK SERVICES
Location: Santa Maria, Nipomo, and the Lompoc areas
Description:
In the Community 100% provides a variety of training opportunities designed to assist each person attain their highest potential in the community in which they live.
Curriculum:
Training is provided in the following areas:
Social Skills:
Includes behavior management, Self-help skills, Socialization, and developing natural supports.
Transportation/Mobility:
Teaches use of public transit, fixed route, door to door, and Contingency plans for riding errors.
Community Integration/Safety:
Includes activities designed to teach community access, How to deal safely with approaches by strangers, Pedestrian skills, and Self-identification.
Self-Advocacy:
Teaches decision-making skills, Provides support in anger management or communication needs, Offers the opportunity to share common problems and solutions in the new challenges of the community.
Vocational Development:
Provides jobs in local businesses or training geared toward job development Those employed work in a small group model with 3-4 individuals per instructor.
Employers or Partners:
We have individuals placed in several local businesses such as CVS Pharmacy, Del Taco, Red Lobster, and the Santa Barbara County Education office to name a few. Our concession stand, Joe’s Place, at the Hagerman Field softball complex has well exceeded our original sales estimates. It just goes to prove that people with disabilities can be involved in a successful and profitable business enterprise.
Did you know:
- The Integrated Work Services Programs have more than 40 job sites throughout the Santa Maria and Lompoc Communities.
- The Integrated Work Services Program employs over 76 individuals in the Santa Maria and Lompoc areas.
QUALITY LIFE SERVICES
Location: Santa Maria and Lompoc
Description:
Teaches adults basic skills, life skills, self advocacy, physical fitness and vocational
Training in both onsite and at community sites in Santa Maria and Lompoc.
Staffed at an overall ratio of 1 instructor to 3 persons served.
Curriculum:
The programs are designed to help each person attain his/her highest level of independence in the following areas:
Life Skills includes:
Behavior Management, Self-help, Independent Living (self care, cooking, shopping, housekeeping), Social Skills, Functional Academics, iPad Classes, Sensory Integration Program, Self Advocacy (choice making), Technology & Computer Center
Recreation, Physical Fitness and Health includes:
Sensori Stimulation, Motor Skills, Mobilization, Nutrition, Health Practices, Disease Prevention, and General Safety.
Vocational Development:
A continuum of work tasks and lab experiences develop practical vocational skills and work behaviors. These are largely offered in “classroom” environments. Paid work classes, special projects, positive work skills, and vocational safety are addressed.
Employers, Volunteer Sites, or Partners:
Tri-Counties Regional Center, The Food Bank, The City of Santa Maria, Marian Hospital, The Red Cross,
Did you know VTC?
- Uses all positive teaching techniques
- Provides rich programming
- Uses visual cueing systems similar to the Teacch Program
- Uses Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) Social Skills Development Program
- Each individual participates in 51% community training per week unless contraindicated