Supported Employment
Supported Employment offers individuals with disabilities who have demonstrated employable work skills the opportunity to earn fair wages and to hold down a real job. As part of SEMP, and at no cost to employers, employment specialists work to match program participants with the right job, mentoring and supervision. Employment specialists offer ongoing support to the employee and employer, and play a crucial role in making sure the match is a success by accompanying individuals to their jobs to evaluate and train them in new skills. In addition to supporting specific job related skills, employment specialists assist individuals in learning other new tasks such as organization, time management, professionalism and interpersonal relations. For the individual placed in a supported employment job, UCP of NYC maintains an ongoing presence in the individual's professional life, offering:
Placements are successful when individuals can perform job related tasks with minimal assistance and are embraced, accepted and valued by the company that employs them. UCP of NYC participants in the SEMP program have successfully performed a variety of jobs including, food preparation, dish washing, maintenance, data entry, customer service, reception, school aides, computer assistance and more. Our program participants also use their training and skills to give back to their community, through volunteering for such organizations as: The Salvation Army, The ASPCA, The NY Cares Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and Richmond County Medical Center. UCP of NYC also offers individuals 18-month paid internships through the Employment Training Program (ETP) which, in conjunction with New York State Office of Peoples with Developmental Disabilities, allows individuals to work at various job sites. The goal of ETP is to provide participants with the tools they need to become competitively employed. The internship is an opportunity to achieve new competencies and demonstrate one's ability to become a valued employee. For further information about Supported Employment, contact ProjectCONNECT. Project CONNECT |
For over twenty years, UCP of NYC's Supported Employment and Work Readiness Program (SEMP) has provided businesses with employees who are reliable, hard working, enthusiastic and proud of their jobs. When businesses partner with UCP/NYC to fill a vacancy, they are not only meeting their need for a quality employee who cares about their job, they are also offering SEMP participants the opportunity to be more involved in their community, use their skills and passion, and lead more independent lives.