Volunteer Work Experiences
Our goal is for ALL students to have participated in a volunteer work experience by the time they reach 12th grade. The experiences will be supervised and well documented in a portfolio. Students will be given a variety of experiences which will assist them in narrowing down their career aspirations that match their personal interests and abilities. In the past, students have had volunteer work at the following community and businesses and organizations:
Hardings Friendly Market
Animal Shelter
Greater Berrien Springs Recreation Department
Berrien Springs High School Garden
Berrien Springs Public Library
Meijer-Stevensville
Martins' Supermarket-Stevensville
Walgreens- Stevensville
Topps Trade Center-Benton Harbor
Zicks Specialty Meats-Berrien Springs
Andrews University Cafeteria-Berrien Springs
Animal Shelter
Greater Berrien Springs Recreation Department
Berrien Springs High School Garden
Berrien Springs Public Library
Meijer-Stevensville
Martins' Supermarket-Stevensville
Walgreens- Stevensville
Topps Trade Center-Benton Harbor
Zicks Specialty Meats-Berrien Springs
Andrews University Cafeteria-Berrien Springs
Paid and Unpaid Employment
Once students have documentation of successful volunteer work experiences, the opportunity for paid or unpaid employment is available through collaboration between Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Berrien RESA (Transition Coordinator). Students will be given the opportunity to go through a series of job development and job coaching sessions. These sessions will hopefully lead to full-time paid independent employment with which the students can sustain after graduation.