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Project Search internship at AdventHealth Sebring gives Highlands County young adults workplace experience
Summary
A transcript presentation describes Project Search, a nine-month internship program begun in 1996, that places 18–21-year-old participants with disabilities in on-site internships at AdventHealth Sebring, supported by local partners and family coaching.
Speaker 1, an unidentified speaker in the transcript, said Project Search "was founded at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 1996" and has since grown into an internationally recognized nine-month internship model aimed at competitive employment.
The program, Speaker 1 said, places interns in a health-care workplace at AdventHealth Sebring where classroom lessons on employability are combined with three on-site internships. "Interns begin each day with classroom lessons on employability and workplace skills before reporting to their designated internship placements," the speaker said, and the internship work occurs entirely on-site.
Partners listed in the transcript include the School Board of Highlands County, AdventHealth Sebring, Project 10, Vocational Rehabilitation and Ridge Area Arc. The transcript does not specify the roles or organizational types of Project 10 or Ridge Area Arc. Speaker 1 said the partnership provides a support network that helps define interns' employment goals.
Family speakers described visible changes in participants. "The change from the beginning to the end of that first cohort, their confidence and their ability to work with others, adapt to situation, and take on new skills was apparent from day one," said Speaker 3. Other family speakers gave personal accounts of increased leadership and confidence; Speaker 5 called their child "my superhero." Speaker 6 told the room that trusting the process led to learning for both the participant and the family.
Eligibility requirements recited in the transcript include being 18 to 21 years old (not turning 22 during the program year), completion of high school requirements with deferred diploma receipt, possession of an individualized education plan (IEP) targeting competitive employment, eligibility for vocational rehabilitation supported employment, and demonstration of appropriate workplace and community social skills.
The transcript contains several characterizations of program value: Speaker 4 described Project Search as a place "where it's safe to fail, it's safe to grow, and it's safe to ask questions," and Speaker 2 summarized the framing as, "Instead of disabilities, it's about possibilities."
The transcript did not specify the date of the presentation, any formal motions or decisions, funding sources, or follow-up steps. It records partner names and participant testimonials but does not identify speakers by full name or official title; speakers are identified only by the transcript labels ("Speaker 1," "Speaker 2," etc.).
