Empowerment to Employment
Ability Thrift adopts the same philosophy as our parent organization, AccessAbility — A person’s independence lies with their own belief they can be successful. This program promotes self-worth, pride, confidence and empowerment by providing a supportive, competitively-paid training program in a real production environment. Our Job Coaches work alongside students with a hands-on, hands-off approach. We find success together, then independently, fostering self-realization that work is possible and holds value.
High School students are in a critical transition phase where learning the ropes of life is critical to a smooth and successful transition into adulthood. However, work experiences for these students are far and few, meaning students exit high school without ever stepping foot into employment. They often go straight to college, into the workforce or in the case of some students with disabilities, straight to the couch.
Work experience opportunities for students with disabilities can be riddled with systemic roadblocks such as transportation, accommodations, scheduling, lack of industry, broadband and access. Ability Thrift was designed to address these gaps, providing opportunities for change through our mobilized training station, Big Benny.
By collaborating with South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation, this program offers students:
- Resume building
- Job training
- Future career exploration
- Work opportunities
- Career placement
