People with Disabilities
S.T.A.R.s
The mission of Goodwill S.T.A.R.S is to provide a supportive learning environment to empower participants so that they may overcome the boundaries and limits of intellectual and physical disabilities and achieve their personal goals.
Unique Day Program
Pre-Vocational
Program Schedule
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
Pre-ETS Services includes:
- Job exploration counseling
- Work-based learning experiences-which may include in-school or after school opportunities, or experience outside the traditional school setting (including internships), that is provided in an integrated environment to the maximum extent possible
- Workplace readiness training-to develop social skills and independent living
- Instruction in self-advocacy (including instruction in person-centered planning)- which may include peer mentoring (including peer mentoring from individuals with disabilities working in competitive integrated employment)
Participants will receive hands-on work experience and complete resumes. Topics include:
- Exploring the “YOU” in work
- Entering the world of work
- Soft skills for work success
- Soft skills to pay the bills
*Fee for Service Program
Please put Pre-ETS in the subject line
Camp Independence
Camp Independence is a summer camp for transitional students, age 16-22, seeking educational and career assistance. Goodwill hosts several two-week sessions of Camp Independence, each summer geared toward transitional students – individuals with disabilities transitioning from high school to post-secondary education or the workforce.
The program teaches young adults with disabilities about jobs, social skills, hygiene, phone etiquette, how to save and spend money, how to apply for a job, interviewing and networking skills in addition to post-secondary education opportunities, independent living skills, and self-advocacy instruction. In partnership with local business partners like Omni Fort Worth Hotel and others, campers will experience a real-world work environment with hands-on job shadowing experiences.
Please put Camp Independence in the subject line
Summer Earn and Learn
In partnership with Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and in collaboration with Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County Summer Earn & Learn creates pathways to employment for students with disabilities.
Participants receive workplace readiness training to prepare for successful employment and paid work experience to help build skills and identify future career goals. Eligible students include those with an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 Plan. Students must be 15-22 years of age as of September 1. For more information contact the Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation counselor assigned to your school or Rosla Hocker at 817-436-4127.
Registration is closed for 2024.
Stay tuned for info on the 2025 program.
Rehabilitation Services
Vocational Adjustment Training (VAT)
Work Readiness comprises Vocational Adjustment Training (VAT), which is designed to provide you the skills and knowledge to effectively assist a customer to become work and job ready. As VAT requires a vast amount of knowledge and skill, a variety of activities and assignments are utilized to reinforce learning.
The eight VAT Services offered:
- Exploring the “You” in Work
Explore the “You” in Work curriculum helps customers to learn and understand their own work personalities, interests, values, and transferable skills. - Soft Skills for Work Success
The Soft Skills for Work Success curriculum helps the customer learn and demonstrate the soft skills needed to be successful at work. The training focuses on developing essential skills related to:- Effective communication
- Problem-solving
- Work habits
- A strong work ethic
- Soft Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Success
Skills to Pay the Bills-Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success; the curriculum is designed to teach skills to youth and adults in the following six areas:- Communication
- Enthusiasm and attitude
- Teamwork
- Networking
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Professionalism
- Entering the World of Work
The VAT Entering the World of Work curriculum helps the customer learn and demonstrate knowledge and skills related to workplace expectations, rules, and laws. - Preparing for Job Search TrainingVAT
The VAT Job Search Training curriculum helps the customer learn and demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for a job search to obtain employment in entry-level positions. The VAT Job Search Training is only for Pre-ETS students ages 22 and younger. - Disability Disclosure Training
VAT Disability Disclosure Training provides information to customers to help them make informed, beneficial decisions about disclosing their disability and about their educational, employment, and social lives. - Money Smart – A Financial Education Training
Money Smart—A Financial Education Program curriculum developed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) teaches customers basic behaviors about responsible handling of money and finances, including how to create positive relationships with financial institutions. - Public Transportation Training
VAT Public Transportation Training teaches customers essential skills for traveling by the customer’s preferred mode of public transportation in the customer’s community. Destinations can include school, work sites, and an independent living center.
Please put VAT in the subject line
personal social Adjustment Training
Personal and Social Adjustment Training (PSAT) is a four week training course specifically intended to teach skills related to acceptable work behaviors and to improve interpersonal skills that interfere with the customer’s ability to obtain and maintain competitive integrated employment.
PSAT is a structured service intended to meet the needs of individuals and to address vocational impediments, not a paid training program. It is specifically designed to address work-related behaviors that inhibit the customer’s abilities to successfully maintain employment, and can be used to reinforce behaviors and skills, which the customer failed to master in previous training/jobs.
After completion of all PSAT courses, customers will be eligible for enrollment to train in the WAT (Work Adjustment Training Program) and/or WEP (Work Experience Program).
Personal adjustment, which can include:
- Self-evaluation
- Developing or restoring self-confidence
- Self-advocacy
- Disability management (if applicable)
- Motivation
- Personal health and hygiene
- Personal appearance and grooming
Social adjustment, which can include:
- Establishing basic etiquette
- Social relationships and/or interpersonal skills
- Conflict resolution and problem solving
- Time and schedule management
- Developing socially acceptable behaviors
- Effective communication
- Workplace interaction
- Acceptable work behaviors
Training Hours:
Please put PSAT in the subject line
Work Adjustment Training (WAT)
Work Adjustment Training (WAT) is paid work experience training in a competitive integrated environment. Its purpose is to improve work behaviors and enhance interpersonal skills of the customer. WAT is designed to impart work skills, work habits and job retention skills required to obtain and maintain employment.
WAT Program Includes:
- Janitorial Training
- Warehouse Training
- Retail Training
WAT Training Time:
Prerequisites
- Must be enrolled into services with Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and/or a partnering school districts, and/or a partnering day habilitation center.
- Must be able to transport self or coordinate transportation to and from training facilities.
- Must be 16 years or older
Must be able to provide 2 forms of identification.
WAT Addresses:
- Attendance/punctuality
- Grooming/hygiene and attire
- On-the-job performance skills
- Job-seeking skills
- Work Related skills
- Time management and mobility
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
WAT Goals:
Please put WAT in the subject line