Vocational Training Program   

Remove Barriers to Employment

The Vocational Training Program addresses barriers impacting brain injured students as they work towards increased independence and gainful employment. Programming focuses on development of a positive self-concept and successful workplace integration. Each student is responsible for designing a contract of individual goals to address the particular personal and cognitive issues most affecting his/her functional abilities.

Personal, social, and vocational adjustment services are a minimum of 2 months, but may be longer term. The class meets 5 days per week, Monday through Friday, for 5 hours each day. This design offers intense individualized training, providing the maximum amount of learning opportunities for brain injured clients in the shortest period. The following list includes a brief description of PVSA ongoing curriculum.

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Basic Components

Self Awareness - Promotes understanding of self and the changes present after brain injury.

• Understanding Brain Injury
• Identifying and Controlling Emotions
• Stress and Anger Management
• Identifying individual roles
• Developing a realistic picture of strengths and weaknesses
• Reviewing who you are through personality inventories

Communication - Promotes development of appropriate communication skills for community and work setting.

• Communicating effectively one-on-one and in group settings
• Learning effective listening skills
• Differentiating between assertiveness and aggressiveness communication styles
• Reading body language and using body language cues when communicating
• Dealing with Conflict
• Review positive and negative methods of communicating

Realistic Goal Setting - Promotes a sense of control in attainment of individual goals.

• Realistic Goal Development Methodology
• Developing and Implementing Action Plans based upon identified barriers/goals
• Developing Problem Solving skills
• Organization and Time Management

Workplace Integration - Promotes successful integration into a community setting workplace.

• Disability in the workplace - reasonable accommodation(s)
• Making a good work first impression, looking at dress and self presentation
• Organization and Time Management review to incorporate upcoming searches and interviews into schedule
• Examining the worker role
• Projection - How the group sees you; how you think the groups sees you
• Communication Skills to use on the job with peers and supervisors

In addition to the above, ongoing areas covered include:

• Strategies for Memory Enhancement
• Daily Check In
• Note taking
• Adaptive Technology
• Daily Planner/Journal Utilization
• Other activities and strategies as appropriate