“Offering personalized flexible support to families and individuals with disabilities to live, work and develop relationships within our communities”

The path that leads a young man or woman from being a student toward becoming an adult is not an easy transition to make. The Nemasket Group understands this. We recognize that young people with disabilities and their families have dreams and visions for the future. We also understand that there are natural concerns as well as to what will happen when the student graduates from school. It is never too early or too late to start preparing for the future!

It does require thoughtful planning and commitment from all involved to ensure that students have the same opportunities as typical teenagers to start a career, further their education and to be active members of their own communities.

By working in partnership with students, families and schools from the Greater New Bedford area, Building Futures offers a menu of services and flexible supports in four areas: Person Centered Planning, Career Exploration and Job Placement, Community and Life Skills Building and Continuing Education. Services and supports are customized for each student to help them move closer toward reaching their vision for the future.

( 1) Person Centered Planning - It is never too late or too early to plan for the future. Some form of planning is involved in most of our important life decisions: where to work, should I go to College, where do I want to live, how do I want to spend my spare time? Person centered planning is a way to assist people with disabilities to plan for their future and to help the student define answers to some of these questions. With the support of family, teachers, friends and neighbors we help the student identify what they want their “dream” future to look like and what steps need to happen to start working towards these goals.

(2) Career Exploration and Job Placement - The key to finding a good job is careful planning and selection. For some people it may require observing and trying out different jobs in local businesses. With these experiences, students gain greater insight into their own work preferences, interests and strengths. Once suitable employment has been found, on the job training will be done by the employer with the assistance of project staff. We pride ourselves in finding jobs where students have the same access to the same pay and benefits as other workers.

(3) Community and Life Skills Building - This component of the project will focus on teaching students the skills and providing the supports to be participating members of their communities. For some it could be learning how to read a menu in a restaurant, or operating a bank account while for others it may be learning how to use the local bus system or how to take a cab. Students can also receive support in exploring the different clubs, organizations and interest classes that exist in the community.

(4) Continuing Education - It is important that all of us have opportunities to further our education once we leave school. The project can offer individualized tutoring in basic academic subjects in addition to helping the student explore other appropriate opportunities that exist, such as junior college and adult continuing education classes.

The Building Futures Project offers the following services

to students, families and schools:

person centered planning

vocational assessment

career exploration and job placement

employment advocacy

community and life skills building

continuing education

Please contact Ross Hooley, Project Director for more information