For 12 years, Chapel Haven Schleifer Center has collaborated with Yale New Hospital to offer the PAVE program, a 10-month internship that imparts real-world job experiences to students.
Through the CareerAbility/Work-Based Learning program, CHSC adults can interview to join PAVE and, if chosen, spend 10 months volunteering in five hospital departments, ranging from the main café to more specialized roles, such as assisting in the specimen lab. The program has a track record of helping CHSC adults prepare for employment.
The benefits clearly seem to flow both ways. Staff and directors at the hospital relish having the students around, and the feeling is mutual.
Myla Tsapar, MSHA, Program Coordinator at the hospital’s Volunteer Services Department, said the partnership has been amazing for the hospital.
“We are proud to continue supporting the growth and development of our Chapel Haven students. This unique group of four dedicated young men (Nathan, John, Cameron, and Isaac) brings so much joy and positive energy to our office on the mornings they come in. I’m happy to be part of their hands-on experience in a hospital setting and witness their growth in confidence and independence. Over this year, I have seen incredible personal and professional growth, as they build meaningful connections, develop workplace readiness, and contribute in impactful ways.”
Isaac, an ASAT student, said he enjoys everything about his work.
“It’s a great experience. Working in the specimen lab is cool,” he said. “It feels like we’re in the real world.”
Plus, Isaac said he enjoys the feeling that he’s helping an important department. “I like volunteering – I like giving back to the community.”
Other PAVE students said they enjoy a feeling of camaraderie and closeness to the hospital staff.
For the PAVE students, the experience is skill-building. They have learned how to get up on time, dress for work, take public transportation to the hospital, and work under the guidance of professional staff at the hospital.
Along with interning, the students also take vocational classes taught by the Work-Based Learning Specialists in CareerAbility.
Dora Ferrara, Senior Administrative Associate for Volunteer Services at the hospital, said the students brighten her day.
“This is an amazing partnership to be able to support the students as they prepare for the ‘real world’ and be able to see them become independent,” she said. “Being a senior administrator in this department for 17 years, this is one of the reasons why I enjoy my position in Volunteer Services. It’s been a pleasure to have these four amazing volunteers. They always brighten my day with their winning smiles. They are respectful and courteous.”
To learn more about CareerAbility and the PAVE Program, contact Sallie Carter, Director of CareerAbility, at scarter@chapelhaven.org
