Academy at Glengary Inc

The Academy at Glengary aims to help our members rebuild their lives. We seek to
• Improve quality of life
• Improve self-confidence/self-esteem
• Improve health and wellness
• Increase social support networks
• Reduce involvement with law enforcement
• Provide a pathway to gainful employment
• Reduce dependence on government benefits

As a 3-year accredited program of Clubhouse International, the Academy at Glengary implements a Working Community philosophy that offers its members a pathway to reach social, educational, housing, career and financial goals.

Job Readiness. Vocational training takes place during an 8-hour work-ordered day, 5 days a week. Members engage in hands-on rehabilitation and skills development in a wide range of vocational areas: telephone reception, data entry, culinary arts, landscaping, in-house banking, retail merchandising (cafe and thrift shop), maintenance, transportation, graphic arts, and video production.

This stage has become more flexible, as we have adapted to remote participation by members who, for health or other concerns, are not joining us in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For those members who lack financial resources, the Academy loans fully equipped tablets and supplies internet access. We have a robust virtual program centered on the Zoom and Slack platforms.

Transitional Employment. Members are encouraged to enter the world of paid employment—often for the first time in their lives. We partner with local businesses to offer members 6-9 months of vocational training, providing work experience, a job history, and a paycheck.

Career Placement and Independent Employment. Following Transitional Employment, members receive support as they pursue permanent jobs with area businesses. This includes interview prep, resume building, and on-site job supports.

Social Programming. Maintaining a sense of community is central to all stages of our Working Community. The Academy works hard to combat isolation through evening and weekend events, and all holidays are observed on the actual day--no member is ever without an opportunity to join others for a celebration.

The Academy at Glengary completed its first year of independent operation in 2019. Within five months of receiving 501(3)c status, the Academy received a distinguished three-year accreditation from Clubhouse International due to meeting a high level of standards compliance.

Facilities
Built from the ground up through a unique private/public partnership, the Academy was
• Created with the goal of eventually having an annual membership of 200, with the majority actively participating in the on-site job readiness stage
• Designed with a state-of-the-art instructional kitchen and spacious dining room
• Provided with industry-standard hardware and software for training in the areas of media & design, retail & hospitality, and business & finance
• Situated on property that can eventually accommodate a full garden and greenhouse program to augment training options and create social enterprise opportunities

Staff
• Has a cumulative 45 years experience in the field of mental health/social services
• Is trained to assist members fulfill educational needs outside the Academy as part of reaching career goals. This may include completing a GED, taking courses at local colleges, and enrolling in degree programs.
• Receives training in all Transitional Employment positions to offer support to member
• Supports employers, responds to and resolves any issues that come up
• Academy Director William McKeever has extensive experience in the Clubhouse Model

Key partnerships
• Five local businesses provide Transitional Employment opportunities to members: Sarasota Memorial Health Care, Doctors Hospital, the Public Defenders Office, The Pines of Sarasota, and Sunset Cadillac
• University of Florida
• NAMI-Sarasota (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• Public Defender's Office
• Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Human Services agencies
• Supported Housing providers
• Mainstream (clinical) mental health providers

The Academy is developing a full-service career center that will help members find full-time, independent employment. This stage focuses on resume creation, the application process, interviewing practice, acquiring appropriate attire for interviews and employment, and transportation planning.

Financial Sustainability
Since its inception, the Academy at Glengary was designed to be a financially sustainable organization. One-third of our funding comes from our public partner, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network (CFBHN). The remaining two-thirds come from a diversified fund base that includes fundraising campaigns, charitable foundations and grants, contributions from members and their families, individual donors, corporate sponsors, and the Florida Department of Education.

The Academy at Glengary completed its first full calendar year of operation in 2019. We created a foundation for expanding our vocational training and employment opportunities while fostering a supportive community. We achieved this through:

• Building membership to 95 over the course of the year
• Placing 24 members in paid employment
• Implementing graphic arts, videography, and photography training opportunities for members
• Expanding our ongoing Transitional Employment partnerships to 5 area businesses: Sarasota Memorial Health Care, Doctors Hospital, the Public Defenders Office, The Pines of Sarasota, and Sunset Cadillac
• Participating in crisis intervention training (CIT) with area law enforcement
• Implementing a social and holiday program for evenings, weekends, and major holidays

Our upcoming plans include:
• Increasing membership for both on-site and virtual participation
• Continuing to grow our Young Adults Outreach program, made possible by a grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, to connect with more at-risk youth and break down the stigma of mental health diagnoses
• Developing a peer leadership program for women, who are currently underrepresented in our membership
• Creating new Transitional Employment opportunities, including options for remote work during this time of pandemic-imposed limitations