Less than a month after celebrating the successes of its first year, an internship program for young adults with disabilities is looking for a new source of funding.

Achieving Community Employment In Transition, or ACE-IT, looked back on a year of operations at Fort Worden by inviting the public to interact with four of its interns, a trio of 20-year-old men and an 18-year-old woman, at an open house at the Commons at Fort Worden May 24.

Taylor Webster, director of ACE-IT, explained that the program debuted last summer in a partnership with the Fort Worden Public Development Authority (FWPDA), the Port Townsend School District and the Jefferson County Developmental Disabilities Program for the 2016-17 school year.

“It places interns in support roles that allow them to learn skills while assisting staff in their daily operations,” Webster said. “The opportunity to be a part of a team, and to be empowered with specific roles and responsibilities, helps build each intern’s confidence and independence.”

INDEPENDENT SKILLS

While the verbal capabilities of the interns vary a bit – at the open house, Aaron Jones was talkative to the point of gregariousness, while Tristan Barnes communicated through an iPad and presented his résumé through a professionally polished digital video – all four made clear that they’ve gained not only vocational but independent living skills.

Jones admitted that working in the kitchen and cafe was hard at first, but as soon as he learned the routine of “where everything goes, and where to put things away,” it all fell into place for him.

Although previous peer group settings had been less than friendly, Jones gushed over how his mentors and coworkers at Fort Worden “were nice to me every single day,” which makes even the extended public transit commute from Quilcene worth it in his eyes.

Jones credited ACE-IT with helping him become more organized, and he would eventually like to work at a record store, since he likes music.

Barnes’ video explained that he obtained food handler certification and learned the proper techniques for washing dishes and laundry. By having visual task lists, Barnes can follow directions, from loading and unloading washing machines to sorting dishes and silverware. Among the traits he gives himself credit for is “attention to detail,” which Webster credited him with demonstrating in his favorite job, flower maintenance.

Maria Dowe expressed enthusiasm not only for the on-the-job skills she’s picked up, from stripping beds to doing loads of laundry, but also for the job application courses that are part of her classroom curriculum, from writing a résumé to professional correspondence.

Dowe now rates “customer service” as one of her demonstrated strengths, along with tidying bedrooms to look just right for guests as a housekeeper, and making sure that the salad bar is set up with all the needed toppings as a server.

“It’s an easy routine,” said Bryce Van Leuven, who concentrates on dishwashing. “You just have to stay focused on your tasks.”

Krista Hathaway, human resources manager for FWPDA, touted its partnership with ACE-IT as an example of Fort Worden’s commitment to lifelong learning.

“By training ACE-IT interns, our staff strengthens their own communication and team-building skills, and becomes more efficient at, and aware of, the nuisances of their daily tasks,” Hathaway said.

SUCCESSES CELEBRATED

FWPDA spokesperson Megan Claflin added that the collaboration between Fort Worden and ACE-IT is further intended to counter the misconception that adults with developmental disabilities cannot maintain competitive, integrated employment.

“It is our hope that the challenges and successes celebrated in this first year at Fort Worden will help to pave the way for other community businesses to consider this business model,” Claflin said.

In a subsequent interview with The Leader, Webster conceded this aspiration might be difficult to achieve, given that the Port Townsend School District has chosen not to fund the program for the coming school year.

On May 30, Patrick Kane, director of special services and assessment for the Port Townsend School District, informed ACE-IT that the district would not be renewing its contract with ACE-IT.

“Each partner contributes in a different manner,” said Webster, who noted that Fort Worden has donated more than 1,500 hours of in-kind support and training, in addition to providing classroom and meeting spaces.

Webster likewise credited the county with hiring a consultant for the development and creation of the joint program, as well as providing curriculum; while OlyCAP donated $3,900 for the stipend the students receive for their work, to cover eight students over the next two years.

The Port Townsend School District had agreed, under a memorandum of understanding, to serve as the main financier of the program, as it would serve students in the district, but the budget for the development and execution of the program was not to exceed $26,000.

“We have until Aug. 31 to secure new funding,” Webster said. “If the funding is not secured, the community is in jeopardy of losing this partnership. The students would return to an on-campus Life Skills program, or leave the district.”

The parents of the interns plan to speak out during the public comment portion of the school board’s June 26 meeting.

In the meantime, Webster has set up a GoFundMe site for ACE-IT at gofundme.com. Search for “AceIt Transition Program for Youth.”