Meet Danielle Sheppard of C2C or College to Career in Culver City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Sheppard.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The College to Career program began following a pilot project involving 5 C2C programs in vastly different areas and demographics of the State on the college campuses of Sacramento City, NOCE, San Diego community college, Alameda and Santa Rosa Jr. College.

All of the C2C programs are located on one of the 115 CA Community College Campuses and in partnership with the State Chancellor’s Office and the State Department of Rehabilitation. I initially assisted with the creation and formation (around 2014/15) of the C2C program here at West LA College but was a larger part of the growth and development of C2C in the summer of 2017 when I was hired as the Program Director/Coordinator.

In this role, I facilitate the answering of questions by prospective students, families, and the larger local community about the program, services offered and successes or milestones students in C2C achieve. I develop and expand the program as the demands and needs have also grown and clarified. With the natural expansion of the program has included workshops, presentations and speaker events all over the Los Angeles area. With this C2C program being the only one of its kind in the Greater L.A. area, the interest is wide, the demand is high and the funding needs are in need of keeping up with its growth.

Has it been a smooth road?
The C2C programs have each gone through their own struggles along the way. For me and during my time here at C2C in Los Angeles, it has been a smooth road in terms of the C2C team, the model, the needs and the students. It has been a smooth road in terms of the mission, the vision, and the goals. However, it has not been without struggles and the struggles have multiple layers to them, mostly having to do with understanding of the program value and funds to run and grow this phenomenal program that C2C is and has become. When the community at large is in support of the value and need, that is half the battle. The struggle of equity and inclusion still exists on college campuses at large, and particularly as pertaining to students with intellectual disabilities.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the C2C or College to Career story. Tell us more about the business.
The focus of the C2C program is to provide students with the education, training, and tools necessary to obtain jobs related to each student’s unique set of abilities, skills, and interests. The College to Career program is an approximately three-year program (tailored to each student) with end goals leading to competitive integrated employment (CIE) for each student. West Los Angeles College’s C2C program aims to prepare students for competitive employment that is:
– Paid at a rate of minimum wage or higher.
– Paid at a rate comparable to non-disabled workers performing the same tasks.
– Not short-term or of limited work hours that are less than what the C2C graduate would like to be working.
– Not a sheltered workshop- employees with disabilities are integrated with non-disabled staff in the workplace.
– Fitting to their stated interests.

What sets us apart from other programs in the L.A. area is that we are located on and integrated within a community college campus. We also provide a level of customer service, support, and individualized attention to our students and direct and personalize the supports to their individual needs and growth. This is done both in regards to their education and employment goals.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see our C2C program growing so that we are able to fully support the needs and services of a growing community of individuals with intellectual disabilities who have similar desires, hopes, and dreams as the rest of our diverse community, including access to higher education.

Contact Info:

• Address: 9000 Overland Avenue
  Culver City, CA 90320
• Website: www.wlac.edu/c2c
• Phone: 310-287-4284
• Email: c2cinfo-West@laccd.edu

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