Vocational Outreach Service

What is Vocational Outreach Service (VOS)?

Vocational Outreach Service (VOS) is a service that is provided to individuals whose disabilities create barriers to attaining and keeping employment.

As an ECHOS Client, you will be matched with an Employment Specialist whom you will be required to meet with on a weekly basis. Your worker will assist you using various exercises and strategies, helping you to identify the jobs you are interested-in and how to go about obtaining these jobs.

Once you have obtained a job, your worker is available to provide you with one-on-one job coaching, not only to help you learn the job at first, but to support you up to six months later.

Being in the VOS program means being able to seek, secure, and maintain employment on your own.

Qualifications for Service

1. Have a disability (i.e.; developmental, physical, brain injury, psychological).
2. Must have any medical disorder(s) under control (i.e.; Diabetes, Epilepsy, Mental Illness).
3. Must be able to get to and from appointments, classes, etc...
4. Have employment goals you wish to work to accomplish.

Our Responsibilities

Your Employment Specialist will help you with the following;

• Assist you with setting your employment goals.
• Identify your strengths and your needs.
• Provide counselling and biweekly employment classes.
• Provide you with direction and encouragement.
• Assist you with the assessment of your pre-employment skills (i.e., help with your cover letter, resume, etc...)
• Assist you with development of Life Skills (i.e.; Hygiene, Household Duties, etc...)

ECHOS Client Responsibilities in the VOS Program

As an ECHOS client in the VOS program you will be expected to...

1. Schedule and keep appointments with us.
2. Set your own employment goals (I.S.P.). 
3. Change your goals if/as needed.
4. Inform your worker of any employment difficulty as it arises.
5. Attend all employment classes.

Individual Service Plan (I.S.P.)

An I.S.P. is a tool used to help set and evaluate goals. It will identify how you, as an ECHOS client, will achieve them and help you set target dates for achievement. Every four to six months, you and your worker will evaluate your goals. You determine if you need to continue working on them or if you have achieved any of them; you may want to set different ones at that time.

Here are some of the Goal Areas you may want to choose from;

• Exploration (Who you are)
  • Interests and Needs
  • Abilities and Strengths
  • Skills and Guided Exploration
• Job-Search (Pre-Employment)
  • Resume and Cover Letter
  • Interviewing Skills and Interviewing Techniques
  • Work Experience Placements
• Job Match (Pounding the Pavement)
  • Make Job Contacts (VOS and you)
  • Assist you in securing a position
  • If necessary, develop a contract with you and your employer
• Job Coaching
  • One-on-One Training on the job with the support worker
• Job Maintenance
  • Decrease your support and training
  • Consultation and follow-up for employee/employer
  • Monitor for six months
• Termination
  • End Program Contract
  • Complete Exit Interview and termination documentation