Project YES! Official Kick-off in Corry, Pennsylvania

          Goodwill of NE Ohio and NW Pennsylvania has expanded its workforce development services to Erie County with Project YES, a Pre-Employment Transition Services (PETS) program offered in partnership with Pennsylvania’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). This program is designed to promote independent living, self-advocacy, and workplace readiness skills to youth with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Project YES teaches these skills through classroom instruction, job shadowing, and work-based learning.

          Project YES is implemented under the leadership of Director of Mission Services Matthew McCray, and Workforce Development Program Manager, Hanni Nazario. Matthew brings to Project YES several years of experience in vocational assessment and job coaching, having spearheaded similar programming through Goodwill in Pittsburgh, PA. Hanni brings to the program her expertise in curriculum development and classroom instruction, having worked for many years in Erie area schools.

          Goodwill staff, including CEO Eric Schwarz and Workforce Development Director Sandi Allison, joined Matthew and Hanni in launching Project YES’s partnership with the Corry Area School District on November 3rd. This night marked the official kick off of services in Corry, with an open house for students and parents who will participate in the program. This is the first service of its kind being offered in the Corry Area School District, and has attracted the attention of the entire Corry community. The event was covered by local news outlets, including a front page story in the Corry newspaper and the lead story on that night’s Erie TV news. Many Corry parents expressed excitement and hope for the success of their students, who will now be able to enter the workforce armed with the skills needed for success.

          Goodwill plans to expand Project YES to several other schools in Erie County over the coming year. Both Matthew and Hanni look forward to this unprecedented opportunity to empower students to better their own communities though the power of work.