School to Work School to Work Youth Transitional Program Youth Transitional Program

In May of 2006, Northern Collegiate In May of 2006, Northern Collegiate Vocational Institute in Sarnia, Ontario Vocational Institute in Sarnia, Ontario became the first school in Canada to became the first school in Canada to operate a Goodwill retail store.operate a Goodwill retail store.

The beginning…The beginning…

This project was originally initiated by Mike Gilfoyle, This project was originally initiated by Mike Gilfoyle, Principal, Rosanne Starkman, special needs teacher at Principal, Rosanne Starkman, special needs teacher at Northern High School, and Kevin Smith, CEO of Northern High School, and Kevin Smith, CEO of Goodwill Industries- Essex Kent Lambton. Together, Goodwill Industries- Essex Kent Lambton. Together, they believed that they could make a difference in the they believed that they could make a difference in the lives of community youth. They envisioned opening a lives of community youth. They envisioned opening a Goodwill/Northern Retail Store. With this, Goodwill Goodwill/Northern Retail Store. With this, Goodwill would further its mission of improving the quality of life would further its mission of improving the quality of life and employment opportunities for people in the and employment opportunities for people in the Sarnia-Lambton Community and Northern High School Sarnia-Lambton Community and Northern High School would be leaders in preparing special needs students would be leaders in preparing special needs students for a productive, self sufficient work life after high for a productive, self sufficient work life after high school education. school education.

“ “The Vintage Viking store”The Vintage Viking store”

Student Involvement…Student Involvement…

Built and painted their Donation shedBuilt and painted their Donation shed Organized and ran donation drivesOrganized and ran donation drives Collection and sorting of donationsCollection and sorting of donations Initial store set up and grand openingInitial store set up and grand openingThey work in the following areas of the store:They work in the following areas of the store: Retail sales clerkRetail sales clerk MerchandisingMerchandising Customer service representativesCustomer service representatives

Training…Training…

Students participate in job specificStudents participate in job specific training including:training including: Workplace Preparation trainingWorkplace Preparation training Cash Register TrainingCash Register Training Customer ServiceCustomer Service SortingSorting PricingPricing TaggingTagging Goodwill Guiding PrinciplesGoodwill Guiding Principles

Workplace Workplace Preparation…Preparation… Instruction in workplace skills to enhance job Instruction in workplace skills to enhance job

performance. performance.

Modules include: Modules include: Job RetentionJob Retention MotivationMotivation Self-determinationSelf-determination Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills Self-presentationSelf-presentation Show You’re Dependable Show You’re Dependable

Cash Register Skills Cash Register Skills TrainingTraining

Each student receives instruction to understand Each student receives instruction to understand andand

apply the principles of cash register operation, apply the principles of cash register operation,

differentiate between debit and credit differentiate between debit and credit transactions,transactions,

follow simple rules for handling cash as well as follow simple rules for handling cash as well as followfollow

procedures for opening/closing the cash procedures for opening/closing the cash register.register.

Customer Service Skills Customer Service Skills TrainingTraining

Each student learns to apply the principles ofEach student learns to apply the principles of

good customer service, follow simple rules good customer service, follow simple rules forfor

handling angry customers, learn to manage handling angry customers, learn to manage theirtheir

emotions with stress reducing techniques emotions with stress reducing techniques andand

express why good presentation skills are express why good presentation skills are importantimportant

Retail skills…Retail skills…

The students will learn all aspects of The students will learn all aspects of workingworking

within a retail environment including thewithin a retail environment including thefollowing tasks:following tasks:

SortingSorting PricingPricing TaggingTagging MerchandisingMerchandising Store pullsStore pulls Following the Guiding PrinciplesFollowing the Guiding Principles

Goodwill’s Guiding Goodwill’s Guiding Principles…Principles…

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding PrinciplesThe guiding principles for the Donated Goods Business revolve around The guiding principles for the Donated Goods Business revolve around

Customer Customer Service, Image, Donor Value, Service, Image, Donor Value, and and ProfitProfit. They are as follows:. They are as follows:

We are committed to providing world-class customer service to all of We are committed to providing world-class customer service to all of our customers.our customers.

We are committed to a clean, neat, organized, and safe facility. The We are committed to a clean, neat, organized, and safe facility. The image of the facility reflects Goodwill, the manager/TLC, and the image of the facility reflects Goodwill, the manager/TLC, and the team.team.

We are committed to a store with full and fresh inventory.We are committed to a store with full and fresh inventory. Donors and shoppers should be greeted in 10 seconds.Donors and shoppers should be greeted in 10 seconds. Every time we touch a donation, something good should happen to it.Every time we touch a donation, something good should happen to it. All donations should be processed within 24 hours.All donations should be processed within 24 hours. If you have a pile, you have a problem.If you have a pile, you have a problem. Hard goods should be priority processed.Hard goods should be priority processed. Material handling equipment is for moving donations, not storage.Material handling equipment is for moving donations, not storage. Don’t fall in love with your donations… rotation is critical to success.Don’t fall in love with your donations… rotation is critical to success. Donor Value should increase.Donor Value should increase. Profits should increase.Profits should increase.

Another store opens…Another store opens…

In May 2007 Alexander MackenzieIn May 2007 Alexander Mackenzieand Goodwill Industries had a ribbon and Goodwill Industries had a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the cutting ceremony to celebrate the

grandgrandopening of “Mustang Alley”.opening of “Mustang Alley”.

Mustang AlleyMustang Alley

The students were The students were instrumental in the design and instrumental in the design and refinishing of their donation refinishing of their donation shed.shed.

The word is out…The word is out…

North Lambton Secondary North Lambton Secondary School in Forest, Ontario is School in Forest, Ontario is our newest school to open aour newest school to open astore in Lambton County. store in Lambton County.

They have named it… They have named it… “ “The Eagles Nest”. The Eagles Nest”.

The school celebrated their The school celebrated their grand opening grand opening

in in February 2008 February 2008

Ursuline College in Chatham, Ontario will Ursuline College in Chatham, Ontario will be partnering with us in the fall of 2008 to be partnering with us in the fall of 2008 to introduce the School to Work Youth introduce the School to Work Youth Transitional program in Chatham-Kent by Transitional program in Chatham-Kent by having their students build a donation having their students build a donation shed for their school and participate in co-shed for their school and participate in co-op positions in our new Chatham retail op positions in our new Chatham retail store.store.

Stepping Stone…Stepping Stone…

This is a program that can grow with each student atThis is a program that can grow with each student attheir pace and assist them in transitioning out oftheir pace and assist them in transitioning out ofschool and into the workforce. Each student has theschool and into the workforce. Each student has theopportunity to participate in training, work and learnopportunity to participate in training, work and learnin their own store and then when ready complete ain their own store and then when ready complete aco-op term within our Goodwill store. Goodwill isco-op term within our Goodwill store. Goodwill iscommitted to working with these students to assistcommitted to working with these students to assistthem in their transition into competitive employmentthem in their transition into competitive employmentin the community.in the community.

Success…Success…

"The Goodwill store has been"The Goodwill store has been one of the best teaching one of the best teaching

toolstools I've had in my 20 years as aI've had in my 20 years as a special education teacher,“special education teacher,“ said Rosanne Starkman whosaid Rosanne Starkman who teaches the special needsteaches the special needs class and oversees theclass and oversees the operation of the store.operation of the store."It's not teaching skills in"It's not teaching skills in isolation. It's teaching skills isolation. It's teaching skills

inin a real life situation."a real life situation."

Rosanne Starkman is now teaching the special needs class at North Lambton Secondary School and would welcome any questions regarding the program.