The Erskine Green Training Institute (EGTI), a program of The Arc of Indiana Foundation, graduated its second group of students on Saturday, June 4.
Located in the Courtyard Muncie at Horizon Convention Center in Muncie, Indiana, EGTI provides vocational training for a variety of jobs in the hotel, food service and healthcare environments. Students can commute or live onsite at the hotel.
In this session, two students in the Dietary Services program practiced their skills and interned at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. One student in the Dishwashing/Server Assistant program had his job training at the Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co.
Although employability is the main focus for the students at EGTI, its whole person approach allows students to embrace all that student life has to offer. Those experiences allow them to expand their social lives and increase their independence. Included in the programming is training in safely accessing the community. Successful completion of different levels within this training meant students could access the Muncie community without the support of staff.
Students had the option to choose a tutor, a fitness mentor, and/or a community mentor to work with on a weekly basis during their time at EGTI. From trips to the driving range to hit a bucket of balls, participating in Ball State’s Late Night activities to hitting the local barber shop, movies on the Canan Commons green or dinner on the porch at a mentor’s home, the students discovered more about themselves; making friends and memories along the way.
All three students are working with Vocational Rehabilitation and their chosen Community Rehabilitation Provider to move forward with job placement. Before the students exited the program, EGTI staff met with each student’s Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or job coach to allow for observation and discussion regarding the student’s performance during their time at EGTI.
Special guest speakers at the graduation ceremony included Kylee Hope, Director of the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services and Muncie’s own Mayor Dennis Tyler.