Crystal and Steven MacArthur are the typical brother and sister: they enjoy watching football with their mom, attending their church, and spending time with their family, dog, and friends. Despite some sibling eye-rolling, they look out for each other. They also enjoy working. When looking for part-time positions, they wanted an employer where they could stay long-term. Crystal became a dishwasher for a staffing company at a Virginia university. She initially worked in the Annex, a smaller cafeteria off campus. She hand-washed dishes and eventually learned to use the automatic machine. Because Crystal has a visual impairment, Crystal’s co-workers always looked out for her, letting her know when the floor was wet or if there were crates that might get in her way. She became part of the team, discussing sports games and weekend plans while keeping up with the breakfast and lunch rush....
Kristopher Morris has been working in Charlottesville at a well-known pharmacy & convenience store for almost 6 years! Rosemary, a Choice Group vocational counselor, has been working with him since December of 2010 (when he got the job!) and notes a big difference between back then, and now. When they first started working together, Kristopher had misgivings about joining the workforce. Customer interaction gave him anxiety due to a hearing impairment. He didn’t want to answer phones and definitely didn’t want to drive to work. However, he told Rosemary that he was interested in photography so they both decided that a photo lab was a natural place to start. Rosemary found a position open at the national drugstore chain in their photo lab, and it was close to Kristopher’s house so he didn’t have to drive! She helped him apply and interview and he got the job that same month! He began working running the photo lab and troubleshooting photo la...
Brianna has been a counselor with The Choice Group starting in June of this year serving the Southwest region of Virginia. Brianna works with clients to help them make informed decisions about options for ongoing supports and employment through the Work Incentive Specialist Advocacy service. Although Brianna is a new addition to our team, she has fit in great with our other counselors. She enjoyed her time at orientation with her coworkers and looks forward to her growth within the company. Brianna has 6 years of experience working in job coaching and loves that every day brings someone and something new. We are excited to have Brianna on board and look forward to seeing her help clients change their lives!
The Choice Group works collaboratively with DARS, local school districts, and area hospitals to provide students ages 18-22 with a unique post-secondary job-training experience. The end-goal of the program is quite simple… competitive employment in the community. Although the program was virtual at the start of COVID, Ericka Neville, manager of Hampton Roads, was able to re-open this past Spring while observing all COVID-19 guidelines. Over the course of a typical school year, each participant is afforded the opportunity to complete three ten-week internships in a variety of settings across the hospital. By gaining these real-world work experiences and transferable skills, the interns are equipped with the tools necessary to be successful and valuable employees in a competitive job market. The goal for each high school student participant is competitive employment. To reach that goal, the program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and indepe...
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