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Programs

Goodwill of Orange County helps people facing barriers find and keep jobs, which provides purpose, pride, and dignity. Our team of training specialists and job coaches will match you with the right program and the right job opportunities based on your own goals and challenges. Take a look at our complete list of programs below and use the contact forms to get started.

Disabilities Services

Goodwill’s Positive Behavioral Alternatives (PBA) Program was established in 2006 to provide support to individuals with developmental disabilities whose behaviors create barriers to integrating into their communities and securing paid employment.

PBA focuses on implementing positive behavioral supports to assist the individuals with achieving a higher level of independence and access to their communities.

The community integration component of the program provides training in the areas of safety skills, social skills, purchasing skills and self-advocacy. Services are offered at a Job Coach to Participant ratio of 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3. A Job Coach is assigned to each individual or group 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 PBA and fully funds the services provided.

 

Eligibility

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

Goodwill of Orange County's Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC) enables individuals to increase their independence at school, home, or in the workplace by providing the best technological solution for their individual needs.

Our devices and pieces of equipment, both high tech and low tech, are intended to maintain or improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities.

This comprehensive assistive technology program provides a variety of services, including assessment and training; consultation; technical support; and equipment installation, delivery, and repair.

ATEC is also a Device Lending and Demonstration Center through Ability Tools that provides free, short-term AT device loans and reuse that help people live independently. Items available for loan include low and high tech communication devices, magnifiers, mobility devices, computer access equipment and more. To see what devices and equipment are available, contact ATEC or visit the National AT Directory (NATADS) website at https://myatprogram.org/home/6/100088.

Location of Services

1221 East Dyer Road, Ste. 105
Santa Ana, CA 92705

ATEC provides services at your place of work, home, school or at the ATEC facility. At least one appointment should take place at our ATEC office to allow you to see our many assistive technology aids. If we go off-site from ATEC, there may be an additional fee for travel time and mileage.

Eligibility

Anyone may refer you to ATEC for services. Typically, services are funded through third party agencies, such as school districts/ SELPAs, Regional Centers, Department of Rehabilitation, employers or private pay.

​​Independent Living Skills (ILS) is a classroom-based service designed to assist Deaf and Hard of Hearing participants with the skills needed to become more independent. The services provided are pre-vocational including assessment and training, and are meant to address specific barriers participants may face regarding their homes, schools, communities, and employment. Our programs are designed for individuals who are 16 years and older.

Some examples include: assistance with completing the DMV written test, banking skills, community resources/services, employability and employment preparation, appropriate work interactions, communication strategies such as use of video phone, and basic reading and math.

ILS Offers:

  • Services tailored to help people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
  • Job placement services
  • Work services with work adjustment
  • Independent living support

Skills (ILS) Classes include:

  • Learning sign language
  • Video phone training and more
  • Community resources
  • Computer skills
  • Math, reading and writing

Location of Services

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

Hours of Operations

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

Eligibility

Participants must be referred by the Department of Rehabilitation.

Fees

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

Supported Employment (SE) is an employment service for people with developmental disabilities. Program participants receive job preparation and job placement services. Mobility training and job coaching services can be provided as recommended and funded by referral sources.

Location of Services

Goodwill’s corporate office is located in Santa Ana, although services are provided 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.
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. 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

Program participants must be funded by the Regional Center. Eligibility is determined by a case review team.

Deaf Resources provides awareness, accessibility, and accommodation education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals for organizations and businesses in the community. Deaf Resources connects communication service providers to persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and matches sign language service providers for meetings and events, such as:

  • Classes/Education
  • Concerts
  • Conventions
  • Employment Interviews, Orientations and Trainings
  • Medical Appointments
  • Private Events
  • Public Events
  • Religious Services
  • Staff Meetings

Location of Services

Interpreting services are provided at the site where the services are requested.

Hours of Operations

Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for processing and coordinating requests.
After hour requests will be addressed the following business day.
Prearranged sign language services are available 24/7.
Services are provided at night and on major holidays at an increased rate.

Fees

The services delivered by Deaf Resources are in general reimbursed by the requesting party.

Goodwill’s Community-Based Services (CBS) Program was established in 1991 to increase choices and opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities. CBS focuses on vocational placement in areas such as retail, food service, assembly and light industrial.

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 1:4. A Job Coach is assigned to each group 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.

Eligibility

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

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.

Workforce Development

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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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

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 (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.

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