Goodwill of Central Virginia offers a variety of comprehensive programs and services that provide training, case management and job opportunities for people with disabilities and other obstacles to employment.

Programs & Services Offered:

Computer Edge - Training is offered through an individualized self-paced program or through group training, and can focus on computer skills, job seeking skills training, and job placement assistance. Learn more about computer skills training >>>

Pre-Vocational Services - The Waiver Day Support/prevocational service includes training, assistance and specialized supervision to prepare persons with mental retardation for paid or unpaid employment. Waiver services do not include activities that are specifically job or task oriented, but focus on goals such as attention span and motor skills. Persons must meet designated criteria to be eligible for this service.

Direct Job Placement Services - These services are available to assist persons who are unemployed or under-employed in obtaining and maintaining competitive employment. Persons who complete situational assessment, work adjustment training, or a skills training program offered by RGI, and who are recommended for competitive employment receive a higher level of staff intervention in the job search process, and support from the Job Center. This also applies to persons who desire to move from extended employment, and have the skills to work in a community job without staff support. Other individuals can receive job search assistance through the Job Center.

Extended Employment Services (Previously referred to as Sheltered Employment) - This program provides employment with a case management component for persons with disabilities who have demonstrated motivation to work, but who are unable to meet the demands of working in competitive industry. These persons may be unable to consistently produce at competitive levels due to slow work speed, difficulty handling stress, severe physical limitations, difficulty handling multiple tasks, etc. This program is designed to address the following areas:

1. To provide extended employment for persons with severe disabilities.
2. To use work to further determine job skills, work habits, physical and emotional tolerance.
3. To help prepare persons for placement in competitive employment.

Horticultural Training - This collaborative effort between Goodwill of Central Virginia and the City of Richmond Departments of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities and Public Works is helping to improve the lives and opportunities of Virginians through vocational and other programs. The Goodwill Greenery was designed to meet the current job related and training needs of individuals with disabilities and social and economic disadvantages, as well as vocational needs of youth. Plants are grown and maintained by program participants, who receive wide-ranging benefits including meaningful, paid work and employment skills training helping them to achieve personal and economic independence for the future. By participating in greenhouse activities, individuals are able to increase their productivity, develop appropriate work behaviors by building physical and emotional tolerance for work, and gain exposure to the everyday demands of a job.

Information & Referral - This support links people in need to available regional services. We collect and maintain information on other human service organizations, each offering different services that may be able to provide assistance.

Janitorial Training - The purpose of this program is to teach basic janitorial and housekeeping tasks to persons who desire to work on a Goodwill of Central Virginia janitorial contract. Certificates of Completion are awarded to those completing this training program. Learn more about contract services >>>

Partnership for Families-Northside - Led by the Robins Foundation, the Partnership for Families-Northside is an entire system of coordinated services for families, and includes home visits; family literacy and computer literacy training; job skills development; supportive social services; medical assessments for children and referrals to mental health services; a 24/7 parent hotline; and quality supports to child care programs.

School-to-Work Transition Program - This program provides community based educational services to students with special needs between the ages of 16 and 21 who have difficulty participating in traditional school based programs. This program serves as a bridge between the school and the world of work. Students are transported from their home school to Goodwill, and generally spend 2 to 3 hours at Goodwill.

Situational Assessment (SA) - Situational Assessment is a three to twelve day evaluation designed to determine whether a person has the skills and the physical capacity to perform certain types of jobs. The person is placed in a designated work environment at Goodwill or in another business in the community. The person is evaluated based on his/her ability to actually perform the various tasks associated with the job. This program is generally used for persons who may have a considerable work history in a particular area but have not worked for a significant period of time. It is also used for persons who have expressed an interest in training or employment but lack an understanding regarding all components for the job. This program is also beneficial for persons with physical limitations, or those who have the need to explore several vocational options. It is like a job tryout.

Supported Employment Services - This is the term for job placement, training and ongoing follow along services. The Employment Specialist (Job Coach) searches for the appropriate job for a person with a severe disability. Services generally include bus training, completion of a job analysis and a task analysis, securing employment, "hands-on" training by the Employment Specialist in a community business, and ongoing follow along services, generally 5 hours a month to make sure that the person maintains his job. Follow along services involve monitoring the person's home environment and the work environment.

Transitional Employment Services - This is the term for job placement and training. "Hands on" training is provided by an Employment Specialist (Job Coach) in a job at a community business to a person with a severe disability. After the completion of training, the Employment Specialist can monitor the job placement for up to 60 days.

Transition to Independence & Employment (TIE) Program - Goodwill of Central Virginia is dedicated to serving TANF recipients with obstacles to employment. This program began as a result of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, and serves TANF recipients living in the city of Richmond, and the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico. The primary goal of the TIE Program is to move TANF recipients with obstacles toward personal and economic independence. The program strives to do this through an array of integrated services and collaborative efforts with various community agencies. It has been designed to be flexible in an effort to help people become employed, while at the same time offering more intensive and long-term support to those who need it. Originally, this program was funded through a generous grant from the Department of Rehabilitative Services in collaboration with the Department of Social Services. Funding ended, however, in March 2003. Presently, it is operating under a fee for service model. To participate, an individual must be referred from the local Department of Social Services in Richmond City, Henrico or Chesterfield, and a source of funding must be identified.

Work Adjustment Training (WAT) - This is a short-term individualized assessment program designed to increase the potential for individuals with barriers to become employed or to handle the demands of a skill-training program. The purpose of WAT is to encourage productivity, and to develop appropriate work behaviors by building physical and emotional tolerance for work, by exposure to the everyday demands of work, and by providing current labor market information.

Program Participant Rights:

All program participants have the right to:


• Quality services, a safe work environment and to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Have personal information handled in a confidential manner and to have Goodwill staff and others to respect their privacy.
• Options, and to have the necessary information, and support to make informed choices regarding all aspects of their lives.
• Participate in the service planning process by providing input, asking questions, making desires, preferences known, stating goals desired, and providing feedback regarding delivered services.
• Have access to important information in a reasonable time frame to help in decision making.
• To a written individualized service plan.
• Be informed of the agency's grievance procedure, the process for filing a complaint, the availability of advocates or other assistance and the appeal process.
• Be free from abuse, financial exploitation, retaliation, humiliation and neglect.
• Informed consent or refusal or expression of choice regarding service delivery, release of information, concurrent services, make up of the service delivery team, and involvement in research projects.
• Have access or referral to legal entities for appropriate representation.
• Have access to self-help and advocacy support services.
• Have alleged infringement of rights investigated and resolved.

Program/Service Reentry Policy:

It is the policy of Goodwill of Central Virginia to provide opportunities for persons placed in competitive employment or other employment services to return to Goodwill's services if job loss occurs within 60 days, and the following conditions exist:

• At the time of program/service exit the person demonstrated work habits, job skills and interpersonal skills indicative of successful employment.
• Goodwill is committed to working with any individual who desires assistance. The staff recognizes that a number of circumstances can result in job loss. Although we believe it is our role to be available to persons long after program/service exit, the intent of this policy is to address those persons who are impacted by loss of employment or employment services within 60 days of program/service exit.

If the person left a funded service and desires to return to this service, Goodwill staff will initiate contact with the referral and/or funding source to facilitate this process. When a return to funded services is not an option, Goodwill will provide other services designed to meet the needs of the program participant while appropriate employment or other services are developed. Services provided on an interim basis may include but are not limited to the following:

• Skill training
• Job retention sessions (individual or group)
• Job Center Services
• Individual counseling sessions
• Community access activities
• Volunteer experiences

It is the policy of Goodwill of Central Virginia to provide opportunities for persons placed in competitive employment or other employment services to return to Goodwill's services if job loss occurs within 60 days, and the following conditions exist:

Access to Records:

It is the policy of Goodwill of Central Virginia to maintain records in a locked area, to limit access to authorized personnel in accordance with established procedures, and to provide program participants with access to their records in accordance with established procedures. All personnel who handle program participant information are required to follow the principles of confidentiality. It is also the policy of Goodwill of Central Virginia to dispose of all program participant-related information by shredding. Access to a program participant record will be limited to the professional staff assigned to work with the program participant, the program supervisor, the Department Vice President, and the President & CEO.

The File Clerk and all Education and Training Staff have the responsibility for managing the records room, and for insuring that security and confidentiality are maintained. There will be a sign out/sign in system to maintain a current inventory of all records. Filing and the set up of case records are to be handled in a manner that does not sacrifice security or confidentiality. Materials are to be filed promptly, and only personnel assigned to the records room are authorized to move information in the record, or to remove information from the record as directed by the Department Director.

Records must be returned to the records room prior to the close of business on the same day the record was signed out. Under no circumstances are records to be kept overnight.

If a program participant desires to read and review his/her record, the assigned Goodwill of Central Virginia staff person should accompany the program participant to the records room, and both parties should sign out the record. The Goodwill of Central Virginia staff person (counselor, case manager, job coach, employment specialist, etc.) should remain with the program participant during the record review, and make sure that the program participant does not have access to third party information unless written permission from the third party has been obtained.

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