The Evergreen State College and the Olympia School District partner with Morningside for a school-to-work program for students with disabilities. Recently, Evergreen Building Services Manager Tammy Van Natta received the award for Outstanding Employer. “We are in it together,” says Tammy about her team of co-workers. It is the first time in the 15 years of participation that the college has received this award.
“The Evergreen State College’s Building Services Department recently employed one of our clients and has hosted over 50 unpaid internships for our clients throughout the years. Tammy and her staff have been consistently patient, caring, and willing to help teach students transferable skills,” notes Morningside.
Project SEARCH Serves Young Adults with Disabilities
Project SEARCH uses personalized support through an intensive academic year of career development and internship experiences. It challenges traditional expectations to empower young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve meaningful employment. Since 2009, The Evergreen State College has collaborated with Morningside to offer internship positions for students with disabilities to learn and experience life and work enhancing skills. With the transferable skills they acquire at Evergreen, students are meant to find employment in the community.
Students work through three internships on the campus in a variety of 25 work areas. These may include work in the daycare center, residential housing, dining, facilities maintenance, grounds, recreation center, bookstore and various offices settings. Skills include customer service, custodial jobs and cashiering. Students receive a combination of classroom instruction, career exploration and on-the-job training. This gives individuals the chance to explore their interests and abilities while improving skills.
The Evergreen State College Provides Internships
Tammy and her team take care of the 11 buildings with over 1.1 million square feet. There are offices, floors, bathrooms and event spaces. “I manage 22 employees, and make sure there are supplies and needed equipment. We handle community events. We also take care of emergencies,” says Tammy.
Steve Monroe is the hands-on supervisor and mentor for interns at Evergreen. It is first year with this program, and he has thoroughly enjoyed seeing Project SEARCH with new eyes. “I was impressed how the interns find their strengths and gifts. We see what they do well and what they need help with,” he says. One successful outcome has been seeing a former intern work in the cafeteria running the cash register. “That’s what he wanted to do,” Steve adds, “It’s wonderful. Students get life skills and can become gainfully employed.”
Kurtis Willacker is one the college’s custodians who works directly with the interns. In addition to learning cleaning skills, he notes they also learn things like time management and scheduling. “This may be their first job. We teach them skills of interviewing and how to clean,” explains Tammy. Students learn about team building, workplace safety, health and wellness, and practical information about the skills needed to keep a job.
Throughout the year, staff and students identify and remove potential barriers to successful employment. The new skills are practiced during the internships while growing confidence and employability.
Morningside Changes Lives in our Community
For more than 60 years, Morningside, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been helping individuals with disabilities gain skills and hone interests for jobs within the community. The successful program is proud of its many successes fueled by a staff of motivated professionals. Morningside works with both employees and local businesses to recruit and retain employees with disabilities.
Morningside operates Project SEARCH, which handles the interviews for the internships. Participating staff at Evergreen provide feedback during the internship and students may receive positive references at the end of the placement. A job coach is available to students to assist with any need that arises such as filling out forms or improving communications.
Students work Monday through Thursday for four-hour shifts. “Project SEARCH has created positive outcomes for participants. Every student who has chosen to look for work has found it, with some help along the way,” according to Morningside.
Thank you, Tammy, for your commitment to training and mentoring over 50 Project SEARCH interns over all these years.
For information visit the The Evergreen State College website or the Olympia School District website.
Morningside has opportunities for the community to be involved. You might give a tour at your place of employment, provide information that may enhance the program, or give students a chance to share about what they have been learning through the internship.
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