Alliance is a non-profit, community based agency providing comprehensive services to Santa Clara County residents that have a serious mental illness.  ALLIANCE serves about 4000 people per year in a variety of treatment and rehabilitation settings throughout the county.  ALLIANCE provides a range of Employment Services to clients that are interested in returning to work.  Services include addressing barriers to work, employment preparation, job search, placement and job retention services.  ALLIANCE Employment staff work directly with the area business community to address workforce needs, develop custom job matches that meet the mutual needs of employer and client, and educate employers on issues related to mental health and other disabilities. The tour at ALLIANCE will include meetings with staff and clients to discuss program design, tour facility and visit some employment sites.

Maximum # of Participants: 5
Transportation: Approximate 25 minute Taxi ride. Participants can pool to reduce costs.
Contact: Jerry McCann jerry_mccann@alliance4care.org

TransCen, Inc. - WorkLink Program (Website)

TransCen, Inc.’s WorkLink Program is a San Francisco-based employment service for individuals with disabilities and their employers.  We provide career-counseling and job search assistance to a wide variety of job seekers.  These services are provided one-on-one so we can evaluate and address each individual’s vocational needs. We work closely with our jobseekers to find employment situations that match both their skills and interests.  This individualized approach guarantees our job seekers will find satisfying, career-oriented employment.  WorkLink’s “business first” model also assures employers that our candidates will be well-trained, motivated and qualified for many of their entry-level and professional positions.  In addition to staffing current openings, our Workforce Consultants can also assist businesses to “customize” positions to address operational issues or staffing concerns.   During our afternoon tour, we will discuss WorkLink’s approach and the various ways we partner with businesses. We will talk about how employers can use employment services to hire, train and support individuals with disabilities.  We will discuss how to work with the Department of Rehabilitation, your local one-stop career center and other resources available for job seekers and employers. At the end of the day we will talk with one of our employers who created a “customized” position and hired an individual through our program.

Maximum # of Participants: 6
Transportation: Taxis –or BART to meeting site and MUNI/Cable Car to employment site (Maps and a tour guide will be provided).
Contact: Sara Murphy s_murphy@sbcglobal.net (415)979-9520  

 Sensory Access Foundation (SAF) (Website)

Since 1973, SAF has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to find and keep competitive employment throughout California. Industry leaders, including Cisco and Hewlett-Packard, have already recognized and tapped into the talent of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

1:00 – 1:15 PM  Arrive Sensory Access Foundation – Staff Introductions, Refreshments
1:15 – 2:30 PM  SAF Overview - SAF Service Delivery Model * Why for the last 7 years SAF has had a 97% retention rate for all competitive job placements - The Client System” Video “Ready, Willing and Able to Work” * How the model works
2:30 – 3:45 PM  Lab Tour/MEL (Mobile Evaluation Lab)
Technology overview * Almost any job can be made accessible for a person who is blind or visually impaired * Hands-On Demonstrations * How is this equipment used in the workplace * Refreshments
3:45 – 4:30 PM  Wrap-up & Discussion

Maximum # of Participants: 8
Transportation: To be arranged
Contact: Diana Drews,  ddrews@sensoryaccess.com
(408) 245-7330

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM  

San Francisco Vocational Services (Website)

With an award winning computer office skills training program (ARPCT Program of the Year) and an innovative Transitional Employment Program, San Francisco Vocational Services (SFVS) is a community-based organization serving a diverse, multi-cultural group of consumers with disabilities. Tour participants will visit two sites.  First, we will observe trainees with varied disabilities using many types of equipment accommodations at SFVS’ 8,000 square foot training facility, located at 814 Mission Street.  Next, we visit SFVS’ Transitional Employment Program (TEP), located at 1275 Market Street. TEP provides real world, on-the-job internships under contract to State Compensation Insurance Fund, the state’s largest worker’s compensation insurance carrier. The tour will encompass meetings with key SFVS staff, State Fund managers, and consumers.  The tour will be led by SFVS Placement Services team. The team is both client-centered and marketplace driven, developing unique employment opportunities for individual clients while providing employers with talented candidates with every imaginable skill set and employment background. Guided by a thriving Business Advisory Council providing the latest information on marketplace trends, the Placement team actively coaches candidates through a constantly updated Job Seeking Skills curriculum. The JSS curriculum offered to consumers consists of a broad array of topics, from dressing appropriately for the workplace to interviewing techniques to effectively negotiating salaries. The SFVS staff will fill you in on how the Placement Services team works effectively with employers, with close attention to the employers’ individual needs as well as the “bottom line”, how our computer office skills training program prepares program participants and how employer-tailored employment services can work for your business.

Maximum # of Participants: 12
Security Clearance Limitation:  Names of visitors to the TEP program must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance.
Transportation: ETA 30-45 minutes via new BART to SFO connection, MUNI to State Compensation Insurance Fund, TAXIS if needed. Request a tour itinerary; directions and assistance from the SFVS tour coordinator available prior to tour.
Contact: Susan Pender – spender@sfvocationalservices.org.  Telephone: 415-512-9500 X308.

TransAccess provides persons with disabilities access to adaptive technology and career transition services so that they can achieve their desired educational and employment goals and improve their quality of life. We assist individuals 15 years of age or older who have all types of disabilities, physical (ALS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke), sensory (low vision, blindness, limited hearing), learning, and work-related (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendonitis, etc.).  TransAccess focuses on five primary services:

School-To-Career
Offers high school and college students with disabilities activities such as mentoring, job shadowing and business networking to build a successful career.
Internship
Provides students with disabilities the experience necessary to transition from student to employee.
Job Placement
Job Placement and development is designed to offer students or recent graduates with disabilities the opportunity to develop their pre-employment strategies and, in return, enable them to be placed in either part-time or full-time employment at no cost.  The Job Development services supply ongoing assistance for both the employer/student after placement and access to School-To-Career/Internship Program services.
Computer Access Technology (CAT) Lab
Allows individuals with disabilities to evaluate and train on the latest adaptive technology solutions to improve access to the computer and employment opportunities.
Mobile Access Technology (MAT) Lab
Assists individuals with disabilities to evaluate and train on the latest adaptive technology solutions at their place of work, home or school site.

The tour at TransAccess will include a tour of the Computer Access Technology Lab and demonstrations by staff and clients on the latest adaptive technology and ergonomics.  TransAccess School-to-Career and Placement staff will discuss the challenges and successes of helping students achieve their career goals and develop career strategies for life.  We will view a video on transition and success at work for students with learning disabilities, discuss methods of accommodating persons with learning disabilities and meet with students who are participating in the program. 

Maximum number of participants: 10
Transportation: Contact for information.
Contact: Maria Nicolacoudis marianic@transaccess.org (408) 278-2001