Vocational Programs https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/proposals-2019/vocational-programs https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/@@site-logo/sitelogo-75x75.png

Vocational Programs

Additional Information
Used for	We hope to purchase much needed supplies and materials needed for our vocational training areas: Gardening as a Career, Getting Your Career in Focus, and an Exceptional Cisco Networking Academy. The funding will be used to purchase gardening tools and supplies such as seeds and wood needed to create raised beds as well as the creation of a greenhouse. We are also looking for funding to help launch the Cisco Networking Academy, which will provide students with a CCNA - Security, which will enable them to obtain a job in the IT field upon completion.
Benefits	This funding will help us reach more young individuals with intellectual disabilities and allow them to explore new areas of vocational opportunity and social interaction. We are hoping to provide the skills and tools necessary to train for workplace employment and how to maintain an independent lifestyle. We work to help lessen the burden on the students' caregivers and give the students a newfound sense of freedom, stability, and value.
Proposal Description	Our mission is to provide a private facility with education programs and activities for individuals with Autism, to help them develop social skills that translate into vocational skills as a springboard toward independent living, and to become a part of vibrant communities. We work with individuals ages 14- young adult by providing educational and vocational opportunities through areas such as gardening, landscaping, IT security, car detailing, and more. We provide job coaching and training, financial literacy, computer and technology training, and interview/job prep and placement. Since our inception in 2017, we have served over 300 clients just throughout the Montgomery, PA community. We are hoping to use the funding to establish the Cisco Networking program, expand our Gardening as a Career Program, and continue to build relationships with local businesses and establishments that can provide employment opportunities for our clients and students. This grant would enable us to purchase any number of items: Cisco Networking Academy course/curriculum fees/materials, gardening supplies, tools, new software and technology, and new desks, workstations, chairs, and printers.