Easter Seals' Best Buddies program shows positive results

Student interns, mentors and employers all gave rave reviews of their experience with a summer program piloted by Easter Seals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Best Buddies Delaware. It is aimed at helping high school students with intellectual disabilities gain workplace experience to help them prepare for future employment.

“While students without disabilities may have summer jobs or internships which help prepare them for employment, the same opportunities are rarely available for students with disabilities,” said Jane Schuler, director of Supported Employment for Easter Seals. “Easter Seals wanted to bridge the gap and collaborated with Best Buddies Delaware to give high school students with disabilities the same opportunity to prepare for the future like their peers.”

During a six-week period of the summer, six students with intellectual disabilities rotated through two different job positions at the same employer to gain varied experience. Their Best Buddies Delaware mentor interned with them as a natural support in the workplace.

Schuler credited the employers who embraced the internship program - Grotto Pizza, Christiana Care and Dover Downs - and said their feedback was equally positive. They affirmed that the internship helped them realize the value individuals with disabilities bring to the workplace.

Easter Seals has provided Supported Employment services for over 20 years.  Employment service options include Supported Employment and Community Experience programs which offer group employment opportunities. Easter Seals Supported Employment services, provided in partnership with the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, is an individualized service, matching the interests and abilities of a supported employee with a job in the community.

To learn more about how Easter Seals helps children and adults with disabilities, call 1-800-677-3800 or visit www.de.easterseals.com.

Best Buddies programs include Middle School, High School, College, Citizens, Jobs, Ambassadors and eBuddies. For more information on Best Buddies Delaware, contact Anne Chaffin, 302-691-3187 or annechaffin@bestbuddies.org or visit www.bestbuddiesdelaware.org.