Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

RAISE, a work and social skills training program for adults with disabilities, is excited to announce its recent partnership with the Rosen Hotels & Resorts and Joann Fabrics. Now, with more partnering locations, RAISE is looking to expand its enrollment capacity this fall.

Currently, there are 12 RAISE employees and since each employee has two job coaches, there are 24 active volunteer job coaches this year. RAISE hopes to be able to accept up to 20 new employees in the fall cohort. To do so means more job coaches will be needed when the employees begin training in September.

Rachel Slavkin, RAISE Inclusion director at Shalom Orlando, told the Heritage that she and Loren London, RAISE Strategy & Development director, are in discussions with the City of Longwood and Chocolate Kingdom to become additional RAISE training sites. There are currently 14 partnering locations in Central Florida where RAISE employees train from September to May.

This past year, RAISE has also expanded into southwest Orlando with employees training at the Rosen JCC and at Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation. Slavkin and London added more job training sites in that end of town, to accommodate those who live in that area. Future expansion will require more job coaches who live in Southwest Orlando and can easily commute to these locations. Without these local volunteers, RAISE cannot expand.

What does it take to be a job coach? Each RAISE job coach volunteers 3 hours a week at a partnering location with a RAISE employee.

There is no prior training or experience needed to become a job coach andSlavkin is available for guidance and support for the coaches at all times. Slavkin will hold introductory orientations for interested volunteers several times over the summer.

Barbara Weinreich has been a job coach since RAISE started.

"I was on the Federation board when Loren proposed the RAISE program," said Weinreich, who thought it would be hypocritical of her not to serve as a volunteer after she voted for the program. But she has not regretted one day of being a job coach.

"It is an opportunity to interact with young adults," she stated. For her, it is an extension of her career in elementary education from which she retired. "It is an ideal opportunity to be a nurturer - helping someone do things they never did. As they gain confidence, they have a sense of accomplishment. It is gratifying to see this. It's doing a mitzvah."

Not having prior teaching experience did not discourage Rose Ellen Fenster in the least to become a job coach. She has been coaching for about six years and loves it.

"It's a way to be involved," said Fenster, who learned about the volunteering opportunity from an article in the Heritage. "It has been an enriching responsibility and helps me look at the world through different lenses and to experience individual growth in people and their families, because RAISE doesn't just train the employees, it helps the families as well. You don't need a background in education. What you need is a love of helping people."

Lois Alpert began coaching six years ago. She wanted to get involved in something and had a mental health background. Helping these young adults was right up her alley. "You get as much out of it as the employee! You see the progress they make," she said. "The support system is always available; you are never alone," she said. "It's a group effort, we all work together."

Part of the support system is the Raise Your Glass team building socials held for the job coaches. These events offer the chance for the coaches to interact and discuss with other job coaches their successes and experiences.

Becoming a job coach is an impactful and meaningful volunteer opportunity that can change a life. The three hours a week volunteer positions require no experience -and RAISE provides the training. You choose the 3 hours you want to volunteer, based on your schedule. Visit RAISE online at http://www.orlandojewishfed.org/raise to learn more about the program or call Slavkin at 407-621-4033.