ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT

Addressing Barriers to Employment is a comprehensive workforce-development program for individuals with disabilities. No matter the barrier, no matter your level of experience, the County of Orange and Goodwill of Orange County are here to help you find employment.

In partnership with the Orange County Workforce Development Board (OCWDB), Goodwill and the Orange County One-Stop Center will develop tailored job training, placement planning, and employment services suited to you and your needs and goals.

The program includes:

  • Co-enrollment into Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Services
  • Vocational Preparation and Social Adjustment (VPSA) Training
  • Soft Skills Development Training
  • Paid Work Experience Opportunities

 

  • Job Placement Services
  • Referral to the Orange County One-Stop Center and System
  • One-on-One Guidance and Support from a Goodwill Job Coach and One-Stop Center Staff

Location of Services

Goodwill’s corporate office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of community locations.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.
Participant’s hours vary depending on training needs and work experience worksite.

Eligibility

  • Adults 18 years and older with disabilities.

This program is made possible by AB1111, the Removing Barriers to Employment Act, and delivered in partnership with the Orange County Workforce Development Board to individuals with disabilities living in Orange County. 

This WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity is supported by the County of Orange and the Orange County Workforce Development Board. The program is an equal opportunity employer/program and auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. If you have a question or concern regarding Nondiscrimination or Equal Opportunity regarding this program, please contact Jose Perez at josep@ocgoodwill.org.

 

Fees

There is no cost to the participants, families or care providers.

YOUNG ADULT LIFE LAUNCH

Many of us need second chances for success.

With services offered through the Young Adult Life Launch Program, Goodwill of Orange County can provide local youth that have been involved in the justice system with the opportunity to begin a new chapter in their lives, starting with finding a job.

If you have been involved in the justice system, are a resident of Santa Ana between the ages of 18 and 24 and are looking for a job, contact us for FREE employment and education training and job placement support.

Services Include:

  • Paid Work Experience
  • Paid Incentives
  • Education and Training

 

  • Employment/ Job Placement Assistance
  • Educational Resources/ GED
  • Supportive Services, including Housing, Transportation, Clothing and Legal Assistance

Location of Services

Goodwill's corporate office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of satellite offices and community employers.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.

Eligibility

  • Ages 18 through 24
  • Justice-Involved
  • Resident of Santa Ana

Fees

There is no cost to eligible participants.

EMPLOYMENT FIRST

Goodwill’s Employment First Program was established in 2015 to increase employment opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities to be able to work as independently as possible in vocational placements of their choice. The individual earns minimum wage or above.

The community integration component of the program provides training in the areas of safety skills, purchasing skills and self-advocacy. Services are offered at a Job Coach to Participant ratio of 1:1. A Job Coach is assigned to each individual and provides door-to-door transportation as well as daily support for six (6) hours.

 

Location of Services

Program services are provided in the community. 

 

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.

 

Fees

There is no cost to participants, families or care providers. Regional Center of Orange County is the referring agency for Community-Based Services and fully funds the services provided.

 

Eligibility

Participants must be referred by the Regional Center of Orange County.

STUDENT SERVICES WORK EXPERIENCE

Student Services Work Experience is a service that assists youth with a variety of disabilities (16-21) with work experience training. Students gain work experience in a community integrated setting, earning minimum wage or higher. Work Experience training takes place over a three-month period and consists of 100 hours of work experience in total. Students participating in the Student Services Work Experience program will gain the following skills:

  • Soft skills development
  • Workplace communication skills
  • Customer service skills
  • Time management
  • Experience with the employment application process
  • And skills specific to industries of interest

Location of Services

Goodwill’s corporate office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of satellite offices and community employers.

Fees

There is no cost to Program Participants, families or care providers. The Department of Rehabilitation makes referrals to the Student Services Work Experience program and pays for the services offered by Goodwill of Orange County.

Eligibility

Participants must be referred by the Department of Rehabilitation.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.
Once training in the community, the participant’s hours vary depending on the place of internship. Currently, our services may be able to provide job coaching support seven (7) days a week and up to eight (8) hours per day if eligible.

WORK ADJUSTMENT

Work Adjustment is a service that helps persons with a variety of disabilities. The service focuses on assisting individuals adjust back into the work environment. Work Adjustment offers case management, behavioral management and supports to help persons develop appropriate work skills and behaviors for a work environment.

This service is ideal for people who have been without employment for a long period of time or have specific barriers to employment that have resulted in difficulties maintaining employment in the community, such as:

  • Attendance / Punctuality
  • Communication Skills
  • Hygiene / Grooming
  • Social Adjustment
  • Vocational Barriers
  • Work Behaviors
  • Work Stamina / Tolerance

Some of the work settings may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Janitorial
  • Retail
  • Warehouse
  • Manufacturing/ Packaging

Location of Services

Goodwill’s corporate office is located in Santa Ana although, services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of satellite offices.

Eligibility

There is no cost to program participants, families or care providers. Department of Rehabilitation counselors would make the referral to Work Adjustment and pay for the services offered by Goodwill of Orange County.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding major holidays.

Some accommodations to training schedules are considered, which could be a reduced number of hours per day or a reduced number of days per week.

TICKET TO WORK

Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program with several “safety nets” that can help Social Security “ticketholders” go to work and retain employment.

Many people find that returning to work or working for the first time, changes their lives. They find they can learn new skills, earn more money, gain greater financial independence and meet new people.

Goodwill of Orange County is an authorized service provider, known as an Employment Network (EN). ENs can assist ticketholders with a variety of employment services, job training opportunities and benefits counseling.

Location of Services

Goodwill's corporate office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of satellite offices and community employers.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.

Eligibility

  • Ages 18 through 64
  • Blind or have a disability
  • Receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Fees

There is no cost to eligible participants.

JOB COACHING

​​Job Coaching is a service provided by an Employment Training Specialist (ETS) to assist people with disabilities at their place of employment. Job coaching services help program participants learn how to perform job tasks and learn necessary interpersonal skills to be successful at their place of employment. Services can be short term or long term depending on the needs of the participants and funding source. Mobility Training, a service that teaches program participants how to use public transportation to/from work and other community locations, can also be funded by a referring agency.

Job coaching services are classified into three categories:

  • Group (3:1 ratio) - program participants receive full time job coach support
  • Individual (1:1 ratio) - program participants receive minimal job coaching support
  • Short Term (1:1 ratio) – program participants receive time limited job coaching

Location of Services

Goodwill's Job Coaching office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of community employer locations.

Hours of Operations

Sunday - Saturday: varying hours based on employment placement needs.

Fees

There is no cost to program participants, families or care providers. Regional Center of Orange County and the Department of Rehabilitation make referrals to the Supported Employment Program and pays for the services offered by Goodwill of Orange County.

Eligibility

Participants must be referred by the Regional Center of Orange County or Department of Rehabilitation.

EMPLOYMENT WORKS

Employment WORKS is a supported employment program providing individualized job placement and job retention services to adults living with a mental health diagnosis. Each Program Participant works with an employment specialist and peer mentor to identify promising job opportunities, achieve vocational goals, and succeed in the workforce.

Employment WORKS offers:

  • Personalized program planning and assessment
  • Job placement into competitive employment or volunteer employment
  • Unlimited job coaching and on-the-job support
  • Individualized benefits counseling
  • Work experience opportunities

Location of Services

Employment WORKS - North County
2250 S. Yale St, Suite A
Santa Ana, CA 92704

Employment WORKS - South County
23871 Via Fabricante, Suite 401
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. excluding major holidays.

Eligibility

  • Desire to work
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Receive mental health services from within the Orange County Health Care Agency’s network of care
  • Provide proof of work eligibility and valid right-to-work documents

EXTERNAL SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT (ESA)

The External Situational Assessment (ESA) service is an evaluation that helps determine program participants' work readiness. The assessment allows program participants the opportunity to work in a real work environment, under real work conditions. The ESA provides Goodwill and referring agencies with information that helps determine appropriate service needs for each program participant.

Location of Services

Goodwill's Supported Employment and ESA office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided throughout Orange County at a variety of community employer locations.

Hours of Operations

Assessments are completed in the community, therefore, the hours will vary depending on the availability of the location.

Fees

There is no cost to program participants, families or care providers. The Department of Rehabilitation is the referring and funding agency for the External Situational Assessment service.

Eligibility

Program participants must be referred by the Department of Rehabilitation. Eligibility is determined by a case review team.

DIRECT PLACEMENT

Direct Placement (DP) is an employment service for people with a variety of disabilities including individuals who are Deaf/hard-of-hearing. Program participants receive job preparation and job placement services. The desired outcome is employment. Mobility training and job coaching services can be provided as recommended and funded by referral sources. 

Direct Placement Services include:

  • Employment Application Techniques
  • Interview Skills
  • Job Search Techniques

 

  • Employment Application Techniques
  • Interview Skills
  • Job Search Techniques

Location of Services

Goodwill provides Direct Placement services from offices located in Santa Ana and throughout Orange County at a variety of community employer locations.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays. Appointments are recommended.
Once employed in the community, the participant’s hours vary depending on the place of employment.

Fees

There is no cost to program participants, families or care providers. The Department of Rehabilitation makes referrals to the Direct Placement Program and pays for the services offered by Goodwill of Orange County.

Eligibility

Program participants must be referred by the Department of Rehabilitation. Eligibility is determined by a case review team.