Working Together Chicago is a program of Center for Independence through Conductive Education Inc., an Illinois nonprofit under Section 501 C 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The mission of the Center is to help people with disabilities achieve their highest level of potential. Center for Independence and the Working Together Chicago program is an approved community employment provider with the Illinois Department of Rehab Services. (DRS) Learn more about the Center.

Young Adults & Employment

DO YOU HAVE:

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) which is a legal document under United States law that is developed for public-school children who need special education?

Or a 504 plan which is a blueprint of how the school will support a student with a disability and remove barriers to learning. The goal is to give the student equal access to school.

Are you motivated and job-ready?
We want to talk to you about your future!

SEE IF YOU'RE QUALIFIED

Eligibilty

To qualify, participants must:

Be at least 18 years old
Have autism, a learning disability or a developmental disability
Have the ability to be gainfully employed
Open a Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Milestone account
Disclose your disability to employers
Have access to transportation

Does this sound like you or someone you know?

Let’s get started!

Cost of Program

Services are free of charge to participants provided they are connected to a third-party funding source, such as IDHS-DRS.

Private pay options are available.

Questions? Contact Us!

Our Services

WTC opens doors of employment through:

Intake & Assessment

WTC engages participants to identify their own unique employment skills, interests and goals.

Networking

Some of the best jobs come from people you already know! WTC helps participants look to their own network for potential job opportunities.

Job Coaching

WTC provides short-term job coaching and support to ensure job retention.

Job Development/Placement

WTC works with employers in developing a job and matches candidates based on a first-come, first-serve basis according to skill, interest and qualifications of the position. WTC participants must go through the employer interview process.

Mentorship

WTC links participants to volunteer mentors for professional development and long-term job retention.

Social/Professional Events

WTC hosts social events
throughout the year to encourage networking and foster
new friendships.

WTC SUCCESS STORY: Meet Robyn

Robyn, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, has been working at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School on Chicago’s North Side since January 2018. Before that, she had been looking for work without much luck. With the help of Patti Herbst, the director for the Center for Independence and Working Together Chicago, Robyn was matched with St. Ben’s, just six blocks from her house. She was the first person with a disability to work at the school.

Robyn now works four mornings a week helping first-graders with reading, writing, story time, and helping Ms. Geppert with administrative tasks.

Robyn says, “When the kids first met me they had questions like ‘Why are you in a wheelchair?’ and ‘Why can’t you walk?’ I told them my muscles work differently. I was born this way.” That was it. The kids accepted her and look to her for help.

The school easily made small modifications to accommodate Robyn’s wheelchair, such as putting bungee cords on interior door handles so that Robyn can pull the doors shut as she moves around the school.

Robyn wants to be a classroom teacher and has one year of elementary education coursework completed at Wilbur Wright College!

Let's Work Together

The Center for Independence believes that people with disabilities can have great success in the labor market when they have the right supports and are given a chance. Join us today in making this possible.

Contact

Joanne Callahan
312-995-3302 or Email

Center for Independence through Conductive Education Inc., an Illinois nonprofit under Section 501 C 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. The mission of the Center is to help people with disabilities achieve their highest level of potential.

Working Together Chicago promotes workforce diversity and inclusion through superior employment services for people with disabilities.

Learn more about the Center for Independence.

Affirmative Action

In all activities, the Center for Independence and all of its programs, promote and ensure equal opportunity for all persons without regard to disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.