Goodwill Industries of South Florida

Vocational Rehabilitation helps individuals learn about their functional capacities and how to achieve their vocational goals. All individuals served by Goodwill participate in this program beginning with vocational evaluation. The evaluation includes the assessment of physical capability, academic ability, occupational awareness, and prevocational skills; as well as psychological and social assessments, independent living skills, work sampling, on the job evaluation, and behavioral observation. This evaluation determines whether participants are ready for employment, the type of employment, and alternative types of employment for which the individual could be trained in a minimal amount of time. After complete evaluation, participants are placed in one of the following programs: Work Activities/Adult Day Training (therapeutic work training for those with severe functional limitations), School Transition Program (academic and life skills/work experience for exceptional students ages 18-22 enrolled in the public school system), Vocational Training (training in office careers, industrial sewing, janitorial, and custodial), Work Services (transitional employment), or Job Development and Placement (training and guidance for permanent job placement in the community).

Goodwill Industries offers a continuum of support services to our participants with the singular focus of helping them to get and maintain employment. Support services provided to participants includes: Counseling (participants are assigned to a counselor or social worker who handles case management responsibilities including monitoring progress and adjusting the rehabilitation plan as needed), Educational Services (certified teachers provide pre-vocational and survival skills training, and teach basic academic skills up to acquisition of the High School Graduation Equivalence Diploma [GED]), Medical and Psychological Services (comprehensive evaluation process including monitoring of medications and medical or psychological conditions) Employee Health Services (on-site medical department staffed by qualified registered employee health service practitioners), Social Development (through community based instruction and the music program this service enhances daily living skills, social skills, maturity, self-esteem, acceptance, competency and maintenance of fine and gross motor skills, and physical and perceptual motor coordination).

Goodwill's unique model provides for the creation and operation of several business services which serve as opportunities for job training and employment for persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment. These programs provide a realistic work atmosphere in which persons served with an integrated vocational rehabilitation program have the opportunity to develop thier work skills, tolerances, work habits and many other disciplines that will make them competitively employable. The program consists of Donated Goods (Goodwill Stores), Custodial Services, Linens and Laundry Services, Commercial Services, and Apparel/Flag Manufacturing. Revenue from these activities helps to support job training and supportive services.