6/7/2022 Topic: Mystery Guest Friday Holly Opatick	Fantastic idea Tom! Thank you for sharing and inviting folks for 22-23!
7/1/2022 Topic: Hiring Staff for Project SEARCH Holly Opatick	Hi again! Typically the skill strainers are hired by the CRP (agency), however we have seen some schools also hire or provide skills trainers. If you are attending the conference Peggy Chapman from NJ is presenting on a funding model that you might find helpful. If not, email me directly and I will put you in contact with her.
7/14/2022 Topic: Intern Agreement/Contract Holly Opatick	Hi Brian The last page of the application in the member toolkit is an intern agreement. I have included it here, but it can also be found in the toolkit by searching application
8/8/2022 Topic: URGENT - IEP change when intern gets a job! Holly Opatick	Hello Attached please find a sample IEP used by Pittsburgh Project SEARCH Teams.
8/8/2022 Topic: IEP Goals - New Interns Holly Opatick	Hello Attached please find a sample IEP used by Pittsburgh Project SEARCH Teams.
8/8/2022 Topic: Business Advisory Committees Holly Opatick	Hi folks Attached to this message you will find a FAQ document regarding the BAC. It can also be found in the member portal toolkit by searching Advisory
8/16/2022 Topic: classroom time Holly Opatick	Hello There is a new Teaching and Training for Success Modules that addresses the curriculum. If you have the opportunity it is being offered on Tuesday August 30th. See the attached document for details
8/18/2022 Topic: Teambuilding Activity Holly Opatick	Julie, inviting the Steering Committee to complete a teamwork activity is brilliant! I like the following and have used them with both young and old. I do not believe either is in the curriculum Bridge BuildYou’ll need: building materials (like legos, toy bricks, straws, marshmallows, etc.), tape, paper, pens, sheets Time: 50 minutes Group size: 8-16 Instructions: Before entering into meetings that require serious brainpower, warm up with this game. Split the group into two teams. Then explain how they each have to build half of a bridge with the materials provided. In the end, the bridges should be similar in design and connection. The trick is they can’t see each other, so they’ll have to rely on verbal communication. Remember to set the room up first and place the sheets to divide them. Also, provide the same number of items to each team. In terms of timing, give them 10 minutes to come up with a design, and 30 minutes for building. The Barter PuzzleYou’ll need: puzzles Time: 60-90 minutes Group size: 12-20 Instructions: Not sure how your co-workers reach an agreement when they’re under pressure? Let them negotiate to find out. Divide them into teams of 4 or 5. Then, give each team a different jigsaw puzzle equal in complexity. Explain to them that the puzzles are scrambled, containing parts from the other ones. The goal is to be the first ones to complete their puzzle while engaging in negotiation activities like bartering, exchanging team members, assigning leader roles, etc. Remember that these actions need to be taken by the whole team, not individually. To make things more interesting, you can hand each team a few trading chips with no value assigned to them. Although time-consuming, this activity brings up the best negotiators in each person and gives you a sneak peek into how they strategize decisions.
9/22/2022 Topic: Getting Started with VocFit! Holly Opatick	Hello Attached is the VOCFIT one pager that you can use as a reference when observing the departments and then transfer the information to the online system. This is also located in the member portal toolkit. Toolkit / Essential Documents/ Employment Planning/paperpencil
9/22/2022 Topic: Project SEARCH shirts for Interns Holly Opatick	Lands End also has the Project SEARCH logo on file, but you can use the logo and the approved colors in the toolkit with any local company
9/22/2022 Topic: 10th Year Celebration Ideas Holly Opatick	UPMC Mercy Project SEARCH celebrated 10 years with a video and celebration that honored all the partners. Project SEARCH - UPMC Mercy on Vimeo I hope the video plays!
9/22/2022 Topic: Attendance Holly Opatick	Hi Linda Although there is not an "official minimum attendance" requirement. Model fidelity supports 2 components of attendance. Interns should complete at least 2 10-12 week internships and interns should be training for at least 4 hours a day. That being said, a site could break that down into a attendance requirement. Additionally, sites are encouraged to follow the school district or host businesses attendance policy.
9/22/2022 Topic: Developing Free-Standing Website Holly Opatick	Hi April. The contact information for presenters is still listed in the CrowdCompass App. If you do not have access to the app, email me and I will connect you to the presenters. holly.opatick@cchmc.org
9/28/2022 Topic: Brainstorming for Intern with Low Vision Holly Opatick	Hello Wondering if either of you have reached out to your states Blind and Vision VR Services, they may have some ideas. Also, Project SEARCH is working with the Kanas State School for the Blind. Tim Scheirbeck is the instructor for the new site. He may have some good insight. Kansas State School for the Blind Office Phone: 913-305-3066 Email: tschierbeck@kssdb.org Role: Instructor
10/13/2022 Topic: skills trainers Holly Opatick	Hi folks! The following are the skills trainers' main activities. · Develops internships (this includes task lists and VocFit Assessment) · Works with team to match interns to internships · Teaches tasks to interns and ensures they gain competitive skills (using job aids as needed) · Partners with the managers / mentors to support interns’ progress and solve any challenges Skills trainers fade overtime, but also identify new skills to layer on. So a skills trainer may begin to fade, but then return for more skill training on a new task. As for assigning skills trainers to departments or interns that is usually an onsite team decision. However, an intern should have a variety on individuals for support. Remember, Project SEARCH is intended to mimic the real world, and often employees have more than one co-worker or supervisor that they have to worth for or with. Hope this information helps!
10/13/2022 Topic: Setting Boundaries Holly Opatick	HI Jourdan Situations like these can be tough, however remember that Project SEARCH is to be immersed in the business culture and prepare interns for employment. Therefore, you would want to mimic what would happen if an employee acted the same. I suggest reaching out to your host business HR Department and ask for a copy of a Performance Improvement Plan. Then I would ask the safety and security department manager for suggestions on how they would implement such a plan with an employee. I may also ask HR or the department manager to sit down with you and the intern to review the plan.
10/14/2022 Topic: skills trainers Holly Opatick	Typical Skills Trainer Day (5-6 weeks into internship) Not sure there is ever a typical day in Project SEARCH, but I would say that after 5-6 weeks in an internship the skills trainers would be: 1. Having a morning huddle with the instructor 2. If the interns have mastered all the skills they began the internships with, time to layer on a new skill or two. 3. Meeting with Instructor to discuss potential internships and skill needs for the interns 4. Meeting with departments to identify internships for 2nd Internship 5. Begin discussion with departments about 2nd Internship Interviews 6. Schedule 2nd internship interviews 1-2 weeks before end of 1st internship 7. VocFit and Project SEARCH Member Portal Data entry (as needed) Rounding on the interns
11/22/2022 Topic: Project Search Classroom Holly Opatick	Hi All Take a look at the New Diversity and Inclusion Curriculum. It along with the Building Healthy Relationships may address the topics that the intern is seeing on the news.
11/22/2022 Topic: Online application Holly Opatick	LOVE this! Thank you for sharing
12/7/2022 Topic: Press release Holly Opatick	Hello Attached please find a press release template from Project SEARCH National. Hope this helps

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