About Us
WCCC Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH is a transition program made possible through community partnerships in Warren County. This opportunity is for students whose main goal is competitive employment (16 hrs. or more/week). The design of the program is to totally immerse the intern in the workplace and facilitate the teaching and learning process through continuous feedback and application of new skills. Our current job site is the Warren County Government Complex on Justice Drive in Lebanon. Our office is located inside the Common Pleas building at 500 Justice Drive. In the Fall of 2023 we plan to re-launch our Otterbein site and have two independent sites to offer the Warren County schools and neighboring districts looking for transition options.
A typical school day includes classroom instruction in employability skills, work on a job site, lunch with co-workers, and feedback from the instructor and job skill trainers. The rotations are designed to complement each student’s interests, skills, and strengths. Students intern in 3 jobs during the school year.
Job Rotation Duties
Transporting residents to a variety of appointments *
Central Supply and stocking in a variety of nursing and housekeeping areas *
Laundry *
Culinary - dish room, bussing tables, food preparation, taking orders, delivering food, serving food
Mailroom courier- includes processing incoming/outgoing mail, processing mail in postage room, delivering to various departments
Housekeeping, Environmental and Infection Control *
Grounds and Landscaping
General Maintenance- moving furniture, painting, replacing bulbs, restocking soap dispensers, cleaning air filters
Recycling *
General office duties - Alphanumerical Sorting/Filing, Copying, Scanning and Data Entry
Salon Assistant/Front Desk Receptionist *
* denotes these rotations are available at the Otterbein location only. All other rotations are available at both locations
Nationally Recognized Model
Project SEARCH is a nationally recognized model of transition from school to work for youth with disabilities. They were awarded the New Freedom Initiative Award from the US Department of Labor. The goal for each program participant is competitive employment. To reach that goal, the program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent-living skills to help young people with significant disabilities make successful transitions to productive adult life. The Project SEARCH model involves an extensive period of skills training and career exploration, innovative adaptations, long-term job coaching, and continuous feedback from teachers, skills trainers, and employers. As a result, at the completion of the training program, students with significant intellectual disabilities are employed in nontraditional, complex and rewarding jobs. In addition, the presence of a Project SEARCH program can bring about long-term changes in business culture that have far-reaching positive effects on attitudes about hiring people with disabilities and the range of jobs in which they can be successful.