NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham is helping pave the way for individuals with developmental disabilities or other disabilities get job skills and find employment.
The senior housing facility is pioneering a job-training program for 18-30 year olds with disabilities called the Transition to Work. Operated by Jewish Vocational Services in partnership with Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Ruderman Family Foundation, the program has six interns working various jobs at the NewBridge facility.
Gov. Deval Patrick toured the Great Meadow Road site and spoke with interns on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Michael Glickman, who has a developmental disability, an intern with the program, led the Governor’s tour.
“My name is Michael and I am 25 years old,” Glickman said. “When I was accepted into the Transition to Work program I was both excited and nervous.”
Glickman spoke clearly and confidently, and the governor paid him a compliment.
“Wow,” Patrick said.
The tour progressed from intern to intern. Shalom Lowell, 29, worked an internship involving data entry, filing and making deliveries. Ben Winnick, 29, worked in the main kitchen and the skills he learned there led to him being hired. Gabe Flam, 24, was also hired by NewBridge following his internship at the facility’s café stand.
At a luncheon following the tour, Patrick congratulated many associated with the internship program, and asked that the parents of the interns stand to be recognized.
He stated a statistic that there were 240,000 people of all abilities looking for work in Massachusetts, and that there were 120,000 open positions.
“How is there so much opportunity with so many people still looking for a chance?” Patrick said. He continued that many employers found it difficult to find people with the skill sets they are looking for.
That is where the Transition to Work program comes in, he said.
“There is too much to do to risk leaving anyone behind,” Patrick said. “Everyone deserves an opportunity to be a part of the workforce. Everybody counts, and that’s what this program is about.”
Len Fishman, chief executive officer for Hebrew SeniorLife, said he was proud that the organization was among the first trying the program. He thanked the Ruderman Foundation and other foundations that have supported the program financially.
Working alongside individuals with developmental disabilities allowed other staff members to become mentors, some of them for the first time, Fishman said.
“They take pleasure in sharing their knowledge,” Fishman said. He added, “The interns’ determination to succeed has wowed everyone.”
Patrick ended his remarks encouraging the creation of programs that provide people job skills.
“Everyone deserves an opportunity to live, to learn, to play, to work to the fullest extent possible for all of their days,” Patrick said. “As long as there are people without jobs and jobs without people, our work is not done.”
Staff writer Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at 781-433-8336 or deisenstadter@wickedlocal.com. Like The Dedham Transcript on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DedhamTranscrip.
NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham is helping pave the way for individuals with developmental disabilities or other disabilities get job skills and find employment.
The senior housing facility is pioneering a job-training program for 18-30 year olds with disabilities called the Transition to Work. Operated by Jewish Vocational Services in partnership with Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Ruderman Family Foundation, the program has six interns working various jobs at the NewBridge facility.
Gov. Deval Patrick toured the Great Meadow Road site and spoke with interns on Thursday, Feb. 16.
Michael Glickman, who has a developmental disability, an intern with the program, led the Governor’s tour.
“My name is Michael and I am 25 years old,” Glickman said. “When I was accepted into the Transition to Work program I was both excited and nervous.”
Glickman spoke clearly and confidently, and the governor paid him a compliment.
“Wow,” Patrick said.
The tour progressed from intern to intern. Shalom Lowell, 29, worked an internship involving data entry, filing and making deliveries. Ben Winnick, 29, worked in the main kitchen and the skills he learned there led to him being hired. Gabe Flam, 24, was also hired by NewBridge following his internship at the facility’s café stand.
At a luncheon following the tour, Patrick congratulated many associated with the internship program, and asked that the parents of the interns stand to be recognized.
He stated a statistic that there were 240,000 people of all abilities looking for work in Massachusetts, and that there were 120,000 open positions.
“How is there so much opportunity with so many people still looking for a chance?” Patrick said. He continued that many employers found it difficult to find people with the skill sets they are looking for.
That is where the Transition to Work program comes in, he said.
“There is too much to do to risk leaving anyone behind,” Patrick said. “Everyone deserves an opportunity to be a part of the workforce. Everybody counts, and that’s what this program is about.”
Len Fishman, chief executive officer for Hebrew SeniorLife, said he was proud that the organization was among the first trying the program. He thanked the Ruderman Foundation and other foundations that have supported the program financially.
Working alongside individuals with developmental disabilities allowed other staff members to become mentors, some of them for the first time, Fishman said.
“They take pleasure in sharing their knowledge,” Fishman said. He added, “The interns’ determination to succeed has wowed everyone.”
Patrick ended his remarks encouraging the creation of programs that provide people job skills.
“Everyone deserves an opportunity to live, to learn, to play, to work to the fullest extent possible for all of their days,” Patrick said. “As long as there are people without jobs and jobs without people, our work is not done.”
Staff writer Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at 781-433-8336 or deisenstadter@wickedlocal.com. Like The Dedham Transcript on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @DedhamTranscrip.
