Work Readiness and Employment Engagement

A key component to living an independent life for someone with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability (I/DD) is the ability to earn a wage and make a living. At JESPY, we pride ourselves on having a dedicated team to connecting and maintaining relationships with employers in Essex, Morris, Hudson, Somerset and Union counties to help our clients find a job that works for them.

Client Support

In the Work Readiness and Employment Engagement (WREE) program clients receive:

  • Individual performance plans on how to achieve attainable goals reflective of each client’s level of ability and interests.
  • Employment support and training to help ease the transition into the workforce.

As part of JESPY’s Pre-Vocational Services, clients who are not currently employed but are seeking to find employment opportunities may receive:

  • Additional support toward work readiness by engaging in JESPY’s Community Activity Sites.
  • Receive on-site training in multiple areas.
Community Activity Sites: Healthcare, Non-Profit Organizations, Retail, Food Service

Community Activity Sites helps clients broaden their knowledge of different work venues and jobs that may be of interest to them. JESPY’s WREE team monitors the progress of each client as they develop pre-vocational skills. When ready, clients can move on to other WREE services to seek employment.

Employment Services

Clients are individually paired with a WREE Coordinator to provide one-on-one attention for job development and job coaching. WREE Coordinators work with clients in three stages:

Stage 1:
Job Placement
Stage 2:
Job Coaching
Stage 3:
Long Term Follow Along
These are just some fields JESPY clients are employed in:
  • Insurance
  • Healthcare
  • Legal
  • Office/Data Entry
  • Education
  • Warehouse/Textiles
  • Government
  • Food Service
  • Retail
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RISE

JESPY House offers in-house employment for up to one (1) year through our RISE (Readiness, Independence, Supported Employment) program. In this program, clients are trained to succeed by learning the demands and expectations of the job market. Clients have the opportunity to earn a competitive wage while experiencing the work of various JESPY departments.

EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT: Are you looking to hire qualified candidates? JESPY collaborates with businesses for employment in the community and other vocational development. Here’s how:

  • Be a mentor to a JESPY client
  • Explore careers by presenting your job responsibilities to clients
  • Provide a tour of your company, describing what you do, what you look for in an employee and what types of jobs/occupations there are at your company
  • Participate in a mock interview with a client to build confidence and skills
  • Have a client shadow you or one of your employees at work
  • Recommend one of your business partners to JESPY
  • And yes! Hire a JESPY client if it is a good fit, for them and for your company!?

Have Questions? Need More Info?

For inquiries, contact JESPY’s Work Readiness & Employment Engagement Manager Lisa Fiore.

JESPY Employer Partners