Welcome, newest Counselors!

By -
We'd like to welcome our two newest Choice Group team members!

Claire Adams - Hampton Roads Area

Evan Jang - Richmond Area
Location: Richmond, VA, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts!

Building Confidence, Skills, and Independence: Dexter’s Journey

By -
Image
By: Billy Kraus, Employment Counselor Service Area: Virtual PEERS courses throughout Virginia When I first began working with Dexter in December 2024, he was a bright, kind, and creative young man with a goal that so many of our students share. He wanted meaningful work, real independence, and a chance to contribute in a workplace where he could thrive. What he needed most was support building his confidence and strengthening his communication skills so he could feel prepared stepping into competitive employment. Through several months of Pre-Employment Transition Services and Situational Assessments, we were able to better understand Dexter’s strengths, interests, and needs. From there, he participated in our PEERS Social Skills course. This turned out to be a truly pivotal experience for him. During the program, Dexter practiced social awareness, communication strategies, and real world interaction skills. Over time, I watched him gain confidence, find his voice, and begin to truly b...
Read more

Experience and determination got Keaton the job he wanted!

By Anonymous -
Image
Keaton and his grandmother, Faye | Source  New River CC During the Fall of 2014, Keaton Hanks was a volunteer with a new and emerging consulting group in the Pulaski area of southwestern Virginia. Around that time, Keaton began working with his job coach at The Choice Group through Community Support Services. His objective was to gain employment as the consulting group's part-time administrative assistant by working on his customer service and administrative assistance skills with his coach, Caitlin Igor. Together they worked on phone etiquette, data entry, and in-person customer interaction skills while he was volunteering at the consulting agency. After several months of progress, Keaton was hired as the part-time administrative assistant at the consulting agency where he was volunteering! He and his job coach continued to work on reading and interpreting detailed instructions to complete data entry projects as well as advancing his already improved customer service skills. ...
Read more

Chris' Soaring Success

By Anonymous -
Image
Meet Christopher! Full-time employee at Southern Stainless in Waynesboro, pilot (yes, PILOT!), and accomplished performing musician.  In addition to flying, Chris has also designed his own airplanes.  For a couple of years now Chris has been at Southern Stainless, a very successful fabrication and manufacturing company.  They did not hesitate to hire Chris and have been incredibly supportive the entire time he has been there.  Chris' vocational counselor, Davide, spoke to several associates there on a regular basis when Chris first started to check in and offer additional support.  They always took the time to update Davide and express how pleased they were with having Chris there.  They were professional, genuine, and always had remarkable phone etiquette.   Chris’ main duty there is to clean the manufactured metal parts and finished pieces.  This is essentially the last step before they are shipped off to their custo...
Read more

A Brother and Sister Team Find Independence with Supported Employment

By -
Image
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....
Read more