Ability Beyond is proud to congratulate 40 young adults who graduated recently from our Project SEARCH program at locations throughout Connecticut and New York.

“We’re so happy to be able to celebrate all the hard work and dedication that our graduates have put into their internship during the past year,” said Kate Travis, the Services Director for Connecticut with Ability Beyond.

The 10-month internship program provides an invaluable experience for those who participate, she said, adding that it helps build both hard and soft skills that are needed in the job market and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to self-advocate.

“It’s the collaboration with all our partners that really makes this program possible and so special,” Travis said. “They are setting an example that other businesses could learn from by investing in diverse young adults who are talented and motivated to succeed.”

Project SEARCH Expands

Ability Beyond launched its first Project SEARCH program in 2017 at Montefiore Hospital in New York, followed by CT State College in Norwalk in 2018. Since then, the program has grown to eight locations across Connecticut and New York, with sites in Danbury, Norwalk, Waterbury, White Plains, New York Presbyterian Westchester (2021), and most recently, Albertus Magnus College in New Haven.

“These partnerships have proven the impact of developing skills and working with community employers — seen in our strong job placement rates and the growing number of graduates,” said Shaileen Brighton-Ortiz, the Services Director for New York. “With each new site, we move closer to building a more inclusive workforce where every individual is valued.”

During the 16th Annual Project SEARCH Conference in Wisconsin, our supported internship programs at Norwalk Community College (NCC) and Montefiore Hospital received Excellent Employment Outcome Awards!

Finding Employment

Colby, one of the first graduates of the program at Waterbury Hospital, said he was able to transfer the skills he learned through Project SEARCH into a new job that he starts later this summer at Taft School in Watertown, where he will be working in the maintenance department.

“The internship was a lot of fun, and I got to meet some great people,” said Colby, 24.

He added that while the internship was hard at first, it was his mentors from Ability Beyond who helped him to succeed.

“They really helped me out a lot and supported me,” he said. “I liked everything about it.”

Take Action

It’s because of our partners and the support of community members like you that we’re able to provide career development programs to more than 2,0oo people with disabilities annually. Learn more about what you can do to support Ability Beyond today!