Abilis, the nonprofit organization providing services and support to more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families, is hosting a Project SEARCH Information Night for young adults to learn about employment internship programs that Abilis runs in conjunction with the Greenwich Hospital, Stamford Health, and the Darien YMCA.
The information session will be held at Greenwich Hospital in the Nobel conference room, 5 Perryridge Road in Greenwich, Connecticut, on Thursday, March 28, at 5:00pm. Space is limited and registration is requested at abilis.us/calendar.
Project SEARCH is a national program run mostly at hospitals throughout the United States and is a nine-month internship and job training program for young adults with developmental disabilities ages 18-30. Abilis has been running Project SEARCH in partnership with Greenwich Hospital for the past five years; in 2022, Abilis expanded the program to include the Darien YMCA, the first community Y in the country to offer the program; and in 2023, expanded Project SEARCH to Stamford Hospital in conjunction with Stamford Health.
Project SEARCH supports young adults with developmental disabilities and provides them with crucial training for competitive employment. The Abilis Project SEARCH programs at Greenwich Hospital and Stamford Health offer hospital-related jobs. At the Darien YMCA, interns learn many different jobs in multiple departments in the facility, including childcare, fitness centers and in The Café. The program offers total immersion in the workplace and facilitates the teaching and learning process as well as the acquisition of employability and marketable work skills. Interns participate in three, unpaid internships throughout the nine-month program and explore a variety of careers. In addition, interns increase their independence, self-confidence, and self-esteem, preparing them for future employment.
“Project SEARCH is an amazing program and Abilis is so pleased to be able to offer it to even more young adults now in lower Fairfield County,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and president of Abilis in a release. “With the expansion to our third Project SEARCH location with Stamford Hospital this past fall, we can now accommodate additional interns and are excited about the opportunities this program provides.
Montimurro said the job skills the interns learn are immeasurable and translate into useful on-the-job training experience that help give our participants marketable skills for when they graduate and embark on their own careers with new jobs out in the community.
In addition to the three locations for Project SEARCH with the Greenwich Hospital, Stamford Health, and the Darien YMCA , the program is also a collaboration through Abilis with the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services. To be eligible for Project SEARCH, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and eligible for Development of Disabilities Services or willing to pay privately.
Applications for all three Project SEARCH locations are being accepted now and must be submitted by April 12, 2024. Abilis recommends that if individuals and/or families are interested, they should apply as soon as possible, as enrollment fills up quickly. Applications are in both English and Spanish and available online at abilis.us/project-search.
To learn more about Abilis’ Project SEARCH and register for the March 28 information session, contact Maddy Schulte at [email protected] or visit abilis.us/calendar.
Abilis is a 501c3 non-profit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families from birth throughout their lives. Founded in 1951, Abilis is a leader in providing meaningful supports to the community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in towns including Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport and Wilton.
The organization has a long-standing reputation for individualized, high-quality care. For more information, visit www.abilis.us, or follow on Facebook @Abilis, Inc., Instagram @abilis_us or Twitter @Abilis.
Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Project SEARCH is a business-led, one-year work-preparation program for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most participants are enrolled while transitioning from high school to work. The hallmark of Project SEARCH is total workplace immersion, which facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training.
Project SEARCH’s primary objective is to secure competitive employment for every program participant. For more information, visit www.projectsearch.us.