Break the Employment Barrier with JDS Creative Academy

Our nonprofit, JDS Creative Academy, has repeatedly fulfilled its mission of fostering creativity, providing career pathways, and turning passions and dreams into reality for over 10 years. One of our premiere programs is our Title-17 Job Training program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This program provides workforce development training in a professional production studio environment, where participants learn valuable technical and soft skills in visual, performing, and digital arts. This experience prepares them for career opportunities in their desired chosen field.

Despite our success—evidenced by awards and heartfelt testimonials—many of our participants face a daunting hurdle: transitioning from intern to employee. Through the Inland Regional Center (IRC), participants have the opportunity to receive a year of dedicated training in a paid internship program (PIP). They are placed with a partnered business that aligns with their goals and aspirations. After a year in this PIP, these talented individuals often find themselves without a permanent employed position, regardless of their success with the company. We find that the employer does not have budget for an additional employee. The numbers tell a troubling story: only a small fraction of interns with IDD are offered full-time roles compared to their mainstream counterparts, despite statistics supporting that they are often better employees.

We believe it’s time to change this narrative. With your support, we aim to provide businesses with the necessary resources to successfully transition our day program participants from interns to employees. After one full year of an internship, JDSCA will foster this transition to employee by providing the employer with the funds to cover payroll, payroll taxes, and worker’s compensation costs for one year of employment with the company. This will make the participant a legal employee of that company. The goal is to successfully transition the participant from intern to employee, which will allow the employer to be invested in the value of the participant, and ease into the costs of creating a new job position.

Once the participant is an employee, they will have the same employment rights as any other employee. Should the company choose to not keep the employee participant they would have all the same rights, as any other terminated employee. The Breaking Employment Barrier program drives job creation and breaks down the workforce development barriers for an underserved and underrepresented community.

The funds raised by this campaign will also go to the salary for two new positions at JDS Creative Academy: a business development person to act as a liaison between JDSCA and potential employers, and a job coach that will mentor the participants during their internship and employment.

This initiative “Breaking the Employment Barrier” not only strengthens the workforce as a whole, but also fosters a sense of belonging and purpose for these remarkable individuals who we are looking to impact. The participants who transition from intern to employee will feel like valued team members, with the ability to contribute to their community and future growth by adding real resume credits to their experience history.

With your support, we can help break these barriers and create lasting change. By investing in our program, you’re not just helping individuals move their careers forward, you're also championing inclusion, diversity, and empowerment for all. Join us in this mission, and together, let’s create a future where everyone’s talents, skills, and abilities are celebrated and utilized. Thank you for believing in the power of opportunity and possibility!