Website:
www.vfes.net
Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/vfes1777/,
Why is neurodiversity important to you or your organization?
Valley Forge Educational Services cares about neurodiversity because our mission is centered on preparing individuals with special needs to realize their potential as contributing members of the community. We achieve this through specialized education in The Vanguard School, therapeutic and support services, employment training services, and life skills development.
Our dynamic programs empower neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with autism, learning differences, and developmental disabilities, to achieve independence and success.
What services, resources, or initiatives does your organization provide to support neurodivergent employment? (org only).
VFES offers a range of employment services through our Customized Workforce Solutions program, designed to support adults with disabilities in achieving their employment goals. Key services include:
- Career Assessment and Discovery: Evaluating individual strengths, interests, and work preferences to inform personalized employment plans.
- Skills Development and Training: Providing tailored training to enhance job-related skills, preparing individuals for competitive employment.
- Customized and Supported Employment: Assisting in finding and maintaining employment that matches the individual’s abilities and interests, including job development and placement.
- Job Coaching and Retention Services: Offering ongoing support to ensure successful integration and sustained employment, with the ultimate goal of independence at work.
Additionally, we provide the Vocational Immersion Program (VIP), a four-week summer initiative focused on work readiness, career exploration, and community-based vocational experiences for individuals aged 18–24.
What is the best part of your work in neuroinclusive employment advocacy?
Knowing that for every vocational training opportunity we provide, on-campus or off at a valued partner’s workplace, we’ve opened a window of discovery for our community to uncover unknown skills they possess or a pathway to a new passion.
On campus, The Vanguard School’s growing Pre Employment Training Center (PETC) program allows students an immersive job experience while at school. Vanguard’s top-tier educators are able to address students’ needs and teach work skills at an appropriate pace, tailored for each student to ensure future job success. Thank you to CCRES, Eagles Autism Foundation, The Brutten Family Foundation, and countless partners who have been instrumental in such advocacy to help us establish the PETC program on campus.
What inspired your advocacy work, and what impact do you hope to make?
For many at The Vanguard School and VFES, our inspiration comes from a loved one, a family member, or a friend who has shown us firsthand what’s possible when someone is given opportunity and can thrive because others believed they could.
We hope our impact is shown in giving the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond a broader sense of all that we contribute and the awesome qualities of our community. For our students, exposing them to new tasks and skills that they can accomplish that they can carry with them through life.
What is your call to action for other organizations to advance neuroinclusive employment opportunities? Please select your top 2.
Hiring neurodivergent talent, Offering mentorship or networking opportunities for neurodivergent individuals
What neuroinclusive employment stereotype or myth would you like to “bust”?
One falsehood we would want to bust is that not all neurodiverse individuals need to have constant support through the duration of the workday – every individual’s support needs are unique to them. Neurodiverse employees can accentuate, highlight, and enhance the work of their colleagues and work with their teams to accomplish a lot together.
What else would you like to share?
For 65 years, we’ve championed individuals with special needs and have deeply appreciated seeing how many collaborators, allies, and advocates we have in Greater Philadelphia who deeply care for this mission alongside us.
We are always looking for more business partners who may provide worksites or community based interactions for our students. We look for interested, motivated individuals who could offer their time and talent on our Board of Trustees. Finally, we look for ways we can join in doing good work to make work environments and the broader world more equitable for all.