Chapter IX - J

Training Programs - Summer Work Program

The Summer Work program for students/customers is an important aspect of VR's placement program. Often, the lack of exposure to the realities of the world of work can be a real handicap to any individual. The Summer Work program can be instrumental in helping the student/customer make the sometimes difficult transition from school to employment. Counselors should make every effort to place customers in regular summer jobs before considering the summer work program.

Education services (ES) and VR staff may both be involved in this program, and by early spring of each year, they will get together to talk about candidates for the program, as well as sources for potential employment.

1. Status
   Summer work must be provided in an active status, and the counselor may use Status 10 if the purpose of providing summer work is for vocational exploration. When providing summer work in Status 10, the counselor must write a service plan and indicate "vocational exploration" as an objective.
2. Procedures
   The Summer Work Program must use the Unpaid Work Experience/Summer Work Agreement Form (DBVI-04-130) (Word). It must be signed by all parties prior to the beginning of this program.
   An application must be completed and signed and sent directly to the prospective employer. Within DBVI, the application is sent directly to the program that has the opening.
   Time sheets must be submitted at the end of each pay period and be signed by both employer and trainee.
   The Attachment A (DBVI-04-129) must also be completed in the following sections:
   1. Check the appropriate line in Section A.
   2. Complete all the questions in Section B.
   3. Complete the training outline and list the topics/activities from I to IX. Then list the number of hours assigned for each activity in the right column.
   4. Complete Section F.
   5. Complete signature lines in Section H.

   Students/customers must be legally blind and 16 years old by June. Fifteen-year-olds can be considered if he/she obtains a work permit.

3. Maintenance
   The customer may maintenance allowance. This allowance is based on actual cost of additional expenses such as transportation that support the student’s participation in the summer work experience.
4. Time Limit
   The Summer Work program is limited to eight weeks.
5. Comparable Services and Benefits
   The counselor must make every effort to obtain comparable services and benefits available to the customer from all other programs. This includes the public and private sector to meet in whole or part the customer's program. Check with the local Job Training/Partnership Act program to determine if slots are available for a DBVI student/customer in their summer work program.