Goodwill Industries, through the power of work, will enhance the quality and dignity of life for individuals, families, and communitites. We will strive to overcome barriers to opportunity for people in need and facilitate empowerment, self-help, and service. Goodwill Industries empowers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work.

We at Goodwill Industries will be satisfied only when every person in the communitites we serve has the pooprtunity to achieve full potential as an individual and to participate and contribute in all aspects of a productive life. 

Programs available through Goodwill's Vocational Rehabilitation Department:

• Vocational Assessment
• Work Readiness Classes in conjunction with Assessments
• Supported Employment
• Prevocational Services for people with Intellectual/Developmental illness
• Extended Employment Services
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

Please contact Goodwill's Rehabilitation Department if you are interested in:

• Learning more about Goodwill's programs
• Touring our facilitiy
• Scheduling an intake interview
• Arranging a presenation about our agency and programs at your facilitiy
• Getting directions to our Harrison facility

Goodwill's VOcational Assessment program is funded by the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) and Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI). The program serves adults with various disabilitites such as mental illness, developmental, and learning disabilities, physical, and visual disabilities.

Vocational assessment provides a 10-day vocational evaluation of the individual's academic achievements, abilities, interests, and work skills. The program usually consists of 5 days of vocational testing via a series of work-related and academic tests, followed by 5 days of situational assessments and Work Readiness/Soft Skill Classes.

The purpose of vocational assessment is to recommend a job placement, training, and/or a program that is based on his or her strengths, aptitudes, abilities, interests, and vocational needs. 

After completing the evaluarion, a participant may be referred to vocational rehabilitation programs, such as direct placement or to Godwill's Supported Employment (which offers community-based competitive jobs) or other appropriate programs and place individuals in real jobs and assist them with learning work-related skills, appropriate work behaviors, and with bulding self-confidence. Vocational goals may include:

• Improving attendance and punctuality
• Improving personal hygiene and grooming
• Improving relationships with co-workers
• Learning about communicating effectively with others
• Developing problem-solving and coping skills
• Making work-related decisions independently
• Learning new job skills
• Improving quality and quantity of work
• Improving job retention

Program participants may train as:

• Porter/janitor
• Warehouse
• Sorter
• Assembly Worker
• Office Clerk/Reception
• Retail

Goodwill's counselors are culturally sensitive and speak several foreign languages, including Spanish.

Program hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-2:30pm.

Documentation Required

• Medical exam within 1 year
• Documentation of disability within 3 years
  • Psychiatric, psychosocial, psychological, and/or IEP report if applicable
  • Two forms of emplpyable ID (picture ID preferred), SS Card, Birth Certificate, etc.

Participants who are not able to travel to Goodwill independently may speak with their funding agency to see if they qualify to use Goodwill va, which pick up and drop off profram participants at Patterson ad PATH Train in Harrison.

Age Groups	Adolescents Adults
Community Services	Employment / Training Job Training
Health Services	Intellectual and Developmental Needs Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Learning Disabilities Special Needs Medical Physical Disability

Last Updated: 03/03/17