Competitive Employment:

This program supports approximately thirteen (13) Individuals.  Eight Individuals receive between 25 and 30 hours of support a week participating in various paid and volunteer work opportunities.  The remaining five Individuals either work independently in the community and receive job support as needed or are in between jobs and receive Job Coaching and Job Development as needed.  This past year there were many new opportunities added to the existing options: Union Street Restaurant & Bar, Giroux Bros., Martial Arts and Kimurra Brazilian Jui Jitsu, A.J. Wright and Coho’s stores, Bead Art Resources, WGBH, Red Cross, Springwell and Waltham Library.

Jakarea Islam, the Director of the program, has created other new volunteer opportunities.  Peace At Home has asked for help in pre-packaging and bulk mailing of their handbooks.  The Watertown Public Library has expressed a future need for help in their "Homebound Book Delivery Program".  Also the program provides the valuable job of hosting the Agency's "The Uncommon Store", items received from the Gifts in Kind program, where goods are donated from successful area businesses.  Program participants are trained to record and store items, stock merchandise, manage inventory, put together items for display and package items for transport and customer service.  The items are available for WCI homes and Individuals.

Social Supports:

Our Social Skills Program, based out of Bedford Street in Waltham has grown over the past year to include a full schedule of paid and volunteer opportunities.  This past year has been spent enhancing and developing our Collaborative Art Initiative.  This initiative has been met with great success.  The paintings created have been on display at a variety of locations, Watertown Savings Bank in Waltham, The Common Café and Lizzy’s Ice Cream in Waltham, Sensational Food and Strip T Restaurant in Watertown and a number of the Starbucks Coffee Shops.  The Director of this program, Neil Wyatt was awarded the Direct Support Professional award for American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), a national provider organization supporting organizations that support people with disabilities and the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP).  Neil and the Art Initiative was highlighted on the local cable show this past year and in the Waltham News Tribune.

Clinical Supports are provided to reach appropriate social skills to integrate people into the community.  The program has extended its space allowing for more room to participate in meaningful activities such as the Art Initiative Program. 

Life Skills Day Habilitation Program:

WCI’s Life Skills Day Habilitation Program at 45 Rumford Avenue in Waltham combines the best of community-based programming with on-site medical and therapeutic services needed by the Individual.

The intimate setting and small group size at our site provides a structured environment while also offering the Individual a customized program that addresses specific needs.  An Interdisciplinary team works with each Individual to develop specific therapeutic and behavioral goals and strives to achieve those goals.

We work with Individuals to improve fine and gross motor skills, personal care, leisure and communication skills, as well as socialization and immersion in the community.  Every component of the day is seen as a "teaching" moment.  The Individuals are encouraged and taught to gain independence in every venue to the best of their abilities.

Our minimum of a 1:4 staff ratio (2.75 including supervisory and clinical staff) insures that Individuals receive intensive support and supervision in a caring and comfortable setting.

Clinical services offered include:

• Physical therapy


• Occupational therapy


• Speech pathology


• Consulting Behavioral therapist


• Registered Health Care Supervisor (Nurse 30 hours/week) on-site

Our community-based curriculum includes a wide range of activities designed to enhance independence and well being.  We are able to offer part-time Day Habilitation and part-time Employment allowing for strong connections in the community.  In addition, WCI provides a continuum of programming, allowing an Individual to transition from part-time to full-time work based on progress should that be a participant’s desire.

WCI is committed to community involvement and supports this with an extensive transportation system.  Our fleet of four vans is able to transport Individuals into the community for volunteer activities and social experiences.

Our range of activities include:

• Recycling in the community


• Exercise


• Community experiences


• Volunteer opportunities


• Art


• Music therapy


• Food preparation


• Personal care needs

Please contact Robyn Drainville at 781-899-8220 ext. 122 for more information, admission criteria and to schedule a visit to our program.

WCI – Work, Community Independence, founded in 1974, is a private, non-profit organization providing Residential, Employment and Day services and supports to Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as physical, sensory, mental health and healthcare needs.  We provide services in the communities of Waltham, Watertown, Belmont, Newton, Brighton, Arlington and Malden.

Deaf Supports:

Individuals are linked to services and programs that promote independence and growth.  Deaf Supports has 10 homes providing 24-Hour Supports and five (5) homes in Individual Supports with less than 24 Hour Supports.  Staff assist the Individuals to access their community in many ways.  They support them with banking, menu planning, shopping, healthcare and participating in community events.  WCI will also help Deaf Individuals to understand letters, bills, important documents, provide interpreters for appointments and assist Individuals negotiate other social service delivery systems by applying for food stamps, Social Security and Medical assistance.

The level and intensity of support and supervision WCI provides varies from home to home and is commensurate and based on the ability/specific needs of each Individual.  For example, an Individual may require support to learn or fine tune their personal care skills, such as showering, brushing their teeth, or shaving, while learning the skills they need to be more independent in an area.  Others may require more support, supervision and a teaching plan to increase their independence in any of these activities of daily living skills.  In other cases, a person may explore the use of assistive or adaptive technology to facilitate independence.  Individuals who are Deaf (15% of total WCI community), are supported by staff who have basic ASL skills, at a minimum.  Other areas focused on are: nutrition, exercise, diet and cooking, shopping, community activities and vacations.

New Opportunities:

This year marked the hire of a Full-Time Job Developer, Robert Lynch.  Since his hire in March 2006, Robert has been working with each of the Employment sites to support their needs.  Some highlights include:

• The recently developed recycling route for Community Based Day Supports.  Aluminum can and plastic bottles are being collected at the Waltham Police Station, Regis College in Weston, MA and at Imagitas (a local business specializing in national advertising campaigns).  After collection, the cans are brought back to the Rumford Avenue site for cleaning, crushing and then taken to be redeemed.



• Spring Rain Day Spa in Waltham that displays the products created by Community Based Day Supports, joining the Girl Scouts' Store on Beaver Street as hosts for our Individual's products.



• Shredding documents at the law offices of Schlesinger and Buchbinder in Newton, MA.

Along with developing new contacts with area businesses, Robert has been assisting with the coordination of the landscaping schedule, as well as supporting the work done by Individuals at the Marriott Hotel.  If you know of a potential job in the community please contact Robert Lynch at (781) 899-8220 or via email at rlynch@wearewci.org.