SidebySide WORKS

Employment
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"The key to a successful life in the community is closely linked to the ability of the individual to be a productive, contributing member of that community. As the Secretary of Labor, I believe that a job is the shortest route to that success."

Elaine Chao, July 26, 2002
Secretary of Labor

Career Counseling/Job Development
SBS believes that our clients have a greater potential for success if they are afforded the ability to choose job opportunities that ensure effective utilization of their skills and talents. Through the use of our comprehensive vocational assessment we are able to match a person's interests and skills with potential job opportunities. SBS can also train clients in the areas of resume writing, effective interviewing techniques, and navigating the job search.

In order to better insure that our clients have success with employers that are supportive, our job developers work to establish positive working relationships with potential employers as well as utilize established connections in the Greater Boston business community. This type of networking allows SBS to create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Job Coaching
Once in a position of employment, SBS clients can benefit from the support of a job coach who acts as an on-the-job presence, walking the client through their responsibilities, advocating and mediating between the client and the employer, and assisting the client in learning how to manage obstacles in the workplace independently.

Education
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At Side By Side By Side Supported Living, Inc., we also believe in supporting the academic potential of our clients and aim to turn their college experience into a launching for future successful endeavors. We have productively worked with area colleges to increase the quality of life for students with psychiatric and developmental disabilities. For example, SBS has worked with student disability offices to facilitate study plans, organize dorm rooms to be conducive to studying, assist with finances, and develop schedules for completing class work.

Academic Counseling
Choosing an educational environment can be an overwhelming process. With so many schools of higher learning in the Greater Boston area, it can be tough to find a good fit. SBS staff is there to support our clients through the search process for continuing education, working with families and schools to develop a working relationship that will be conducive to academic success.

Organizational Skills
Even the brightest of students can have difficulty organizing themselves to meet the demands of advanced studies. College level work requires careful time management, planning, and systematized ways of accessing information. SBS staff works with individuals, honoring their personal organizational style, in helping them to hone their skills towards the development of more efficient and effective learning practices.

Interpersonal Skills
Everyone wants companionship and to relate comfortably to professors, employers, family members, and friends. Many times, however, young adults with disabilities can feel overwhelmed and alone due to the isolating experience of having a disability that their peers may not understand. SBS is sensitive to the stigmatizing effects of a disability and works with clients to identify social problem areas and develop strategies to increase socialization.

Academic Skills
Through intensive one to one attention, SBS assists students to learn how to analyze different tasks, break them down into manageable parts, and solve them in a step-by-step manner. SBS collaborates with a number of learning disability specialists whose expertise lies in specific subject areas in order to provide intensive attention to students who may have a particular area of learning need.

Advocacy
SBS plays a primary role in assessing a student's areas of need and assisting that student to obtain necessary services. Students in need of general medical care, counseling and psychiatric care, specific health related services, social outlets, and vocational options can utilize SBS to develop the resources or personal contacts they need. Our goal with each student is to create a cohesive set of services that will maximize the potential for academic success and personal achievement.