SHELTERED INDUSTRY SHELTERED WORKSHOP WORK COOP What is

SHELTERED INDUSTRY SHELTERED WORKSHOP WORK COOP

What is a sheltered workshop? • Nonprofit corporations chartered by the state in which they are located • Offer training and employment to persons who are physically, emotionally, or mentally disabled. • Governed by a board of directors and administered by a president according to government standards • Mission: to use real work to provide job training and continuing employment to persons with disabilities

What is a sheltered workshop? • Offers work opportunities to eligible adults. Behaviors and skills such as good attendance, work tolerance, appropriate job attitudes, and production skills are stressed. • The work program involves production jobs, for which the consumers are paid on a piece rate basis or hourly wage that meets standards of the U. S. Department of Labor. • The shop contracts with area industry to perform a variety of industrial tasks including inspection, sorting, packaging, assembly, and deburring operations. • Programs with horticulture often produce a finished product for sale to the public or the green industry.

Sheltered Workshops Values of the Horticultural Environment: • Societal • People-plant interaction • Program Options • Community Integration • Public Relations • Self-earning Power

Sheltered Workshops Advantages and Disadvantages of the Horticultural Business Environment Advantages: • Horticulture works • Trainees / Employees function in the real world of business (deadlines, quotas, wages, paychecks) • Generate part of the income for the program Disadvantages: • Employees with disabilities may be taken advantage of • Training and rehabilitation may lose out to earnings and getting the job done • Realities of the competitive world

Sheltered Workshops: Mission It is essential to establish a mission for the program and periodically re-evaluate the program to see if it is meeting its goals • Employees with Disabilities • Training • Business Venture

Sheltered Workshops: Leadership Key Participants: • Board of Directors • Chief Executive Officer / President • Training Supervisor • Plant Production Manager – Nursery – greenhouse • • • Plant Marketing / Sales Landscape / Grounds Contract Marketing Specialist Instructors Crew Foremen Facility and Equipment Maintenance

Sheltered Workshops: Assessing Community Need Population to be served • Who will be served • How Many people need the Program • From where will the participants come Selection of the Program: • What types of programs are needed • What phase should be developed first • What are projections for sales and contracts • What is feasible tin the community Employment Opportunities • What competitive jobs are available • What is the work-coop potential

Sheltered Workshops: Assessing Community Need Avoidance of community business confrontation • What is the purchasing potential of the center • Is the center's mission to prepare trained employees • Is the community aware that the tax dollar drain to support the clients is reduced • Are the center's leaders aware of competition • Have potential competitors been made aware of on the job man power training assistance

Sheltered Workshops: Funding Sources • Are start-up grants and loans available • Will on-going training fees be charged • Sources of funds could include: Fund-raisers Foundations Government agencies Federal Programs Government Contracts Surplus Property Community Development Block Grants etc.

Sheltered Workshops: Personnel Issues • Seven day coverage of greenhouse, nursery, etc • Seasonal Workload • Extended hours for retail sales • Vacation time must avoid peak periods • Overlapping duties of training staff and business staff

Sheltered Workshops: Personnel Issues - Clients • Admission, Evaluation and training Placement • Referral sources • Screening • Evaluation (include trial employment period)

Sheltered Workshops: Personnel Issues - Wages • Minimum wage • Dept. of Labor regulations – – – Special Certificates Regular Program with special minimum wage Work Activities Center Evaluation Training Individual Rate • Wage rates and time studies • Record keeping