The IDC is pleased to announce its partnership with The Institute For Community Inclusion (ICI), Island Connections (a Vision Fellow Project), and community member and Goepen Fellowship recipient Caitlin Houghton. The partnership mission is to develop programs to further support inclusive hiring goals and practices on Martha’s Vineyard.

The program offerings will include:

• Inclusive employment practice consulting from the ICI
• Community of Practice Zoom sessions led by the ICI covering key inclusive disability employment topics
• Informational interviews conducted by the partnership team to obtain information regarding current inclusive hiring practices and experiences, as well as employer needs.

The ICI is uniquely suited to help our Island organizations with inclusive hiring through a wide variety of initiatives, all with a singular focus: full inclusion of people with disabilities into the mainstream workforce. The mission and belief of the ICI includes:

• Everyone can work.
• Everyone has the right to earn a living wage in a job of their choosing, based on their unique talents, gifts, skills, and interests.
• Employment is a way for people to
  achieve their personal dreams of success, respect, control, and choice.
• Having a job can be an important part of one’s self-identity and value in society today.
• Everyone should be paid at least minimum wage.