“The greatest gift you can give anyone is a gift of empowerment and love” – Jack Canfield
There are very limited vocational training and job opportunities for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in the Shreveport-Bossier community. While the unemployment rate is about 9% nationwide, it is approximately 70% for individuals with disabilities. The job coaching and supported employment opportunities offered through the AngelWorks day program gives these individuals the opportunity to learn work skills that can then be translated into productive and meaningful work opportunities.
Providing quality care and training in an environment that promotes self-esteem and an opportunity for meaningful work is the focus of Holy Angels’ programming. Holy Angels believes that all people have the right to learn, to achieve and, in turn, find dignity and purpose in life. This belief is realized through the AngelWorks Day Program, which provides meaningful work for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Through AngelWorks, Holy Angels provides jobs in five social enterprises: Creative Arts (jewelry, ceramics, sewing, and painting), Culinary Arts (cookies, biscotti, and lasagna), Horticulture, Business Services (collating and shredding), and Holy Rhino Coffee (grinding and packaging).
In 2016/17, Holy Angels began the quest to take the AngelWorks Adult Day Program into the job training and supported employment realm. This program will offer enterprise work readiness, vocational community readiness assessments, and community-integrated job placement and coaching.
Today, the Supported Employment Program is run by Holy Angels’ Vocational Instruction Coordinator. Trained Job Coaches work directly with residents to become work-ready before they officially head out into the community workforce. Click here to view our Supported Employment Partners.
