The Employment Dreams Perfected (EDP) project is a partnership of experienced

professional agencies including Sea of Dreams joined to promote innovative employment

opportunities for people with disabilities, TANF recipients, low-income individuals and other

disadvantaged groups. EDP forms a comprehensive support system consisting of service centers

and a mobile technology center (Digital Ride), capable of identifying individual needs and

available resources, developing individualized training plans, and implementing services in a

supportive, culturally sensitive, person-centered approach. Employment opportunity activities

develop a person-centered employment and career-planning strategy utilizing formats to build

groups with high career trajectories in business and technology. Project participants take part in

individualized planning using their goals and aspirations as the foundation. As the individual

identifies his/her career goals, mentors, skilled technicians, and educators including community

resources/personnel will be available to support participants in achieving their goals via a host of

delivery modes including digital distance delivery. The project will promote unsubsidized

employment through the innovative use of technology, career coordinators, and participant

development to construct a model program that will disseminate consulting, training and personal

growth for people in low-income and economically-distressed urban and rural communities. This

project will position people in traditional employment, self-employment, micro-enterprise, and nontraditional

employment. EPD efforts will self-perpetuate and provide both training and

employment opportunities for sequential participants. Emphasis will be placed on high quality

outcomes for participants as well as intensive tracking and documentation outcomes and process

measures. Experts from various fields will be made available through video teleconference

sessions, participant/expert chat rooms, desktop training videos (to include skills testing) etc., and

all participants will be connected via mobile technology. Technical skills training will be

individualized based in cooperation with the established delivery systems, and are coordinated

with local and state agencies. Various support teams will be situated in areas, where they can

organize technological entities with participants in the program. Teams will share/co-develop web

pages, data bases, course ware, etc. Events, retreats, and community gatherings will bring

individuals, participants and support members, together to increase the likelihood of success as

well as develop the social networks necessary to support careers. Through counselor mediated

programs the job market will be explored. Job shadowing, on the job training and technological

jobs will be explored via conventional and distance learning digital processes. Each individual’s

budgeted time requirements will drive the process. Participants will be exposed to, and work in, a

variety of existing and developing micro-enterprises, and provided the tools and support to create

their own. GED and post-secondary education will be encouraged and supported, utilizing

traditional along with alternative formats such as distance learning. A variety of self-employment

training and support services are available from basic business skills to market research and

writing business plans. Among others, science and technology enterprises and opportunities will

be encouraged. A culture of mentoring wherein participants are continually being mentored, and

encouraged and supported to mentor others will be fostered. The community will benefit from

increased local employment and services, as the participants grow in their individual enterprises.

The breadth of the project includes: (a) mobile computer interactions; (b) modifying,

developing, and acquiring accessible curriculum; (c) identification and coordination of community

assets; (d) implementation and coordination of career training and education, including

cooperation with existing service agencies; (e) evaluation of career outcomes; and (f) application

disabilities (PWD) and other disadvantaged youth and adults with the resources (high quality,

individualized training and employment coordination) needed to create real choice and

(considered to be one of the "best practices" in assessment and planning) are utilized to

performance, problem solving, productivity enhancement, difficulties resolution, retraining,

• Technology Training. Project personnel provide ongoing technical support to

participants and coordinators.

• Tutoring, Drop out Prevention

• Small Business and Self-Employment Development: A key aspect of the EDP project is the

development of client-operated, community-based micro-enterprises as an integral aspect of

service delivery and vocational programming.

• Client Supports and Follow-up: Each client receives continuing supports and follow-up

assessment of educational and career placement success.

• Leadership Development

• Role Modeling/Mentoring

• Teambuilding.