1. Green Works:
An Innovative Green Industry
Integrated Vocational Program
Patti Nagai Meryl Strichartz
Horticulture Educator Master Gardener Volunteer
Racine County UW-Extension Kenosha and Racine Counties
UW-Extension
Terri Friedrich
Vocational Consultant
Custom Employment Solutions

2. Community Need
• Grass Roots Approach
– Master Gardener
Volunteers attended
budget meetings
– Waiting List for Services
– Proposed vocational
program

3. Green Works Partnerships
& Program Model
UW-Extension Horticulture Educator:
Therapeutic horticulture
Community resources: Human Resource organizations:
- Master Gardener Volunteers -Racine County HSD
-- Commercial nurseries -Custom Employment Solutions
Life experiences and industry knowledge Progressive Employment philosophies

4. Time Line
• 2004 Need based opportunity to work with adults with
developmental disabilities presented by Master
Gardener Volunteers.
• 2005 Developed community partnerships, defined
program philosophies and designed program.
• 2006 USDA grant funds pilot.
• 2007Acquired greenhouse.
• 2008 Added soft job skills to curriculum. Expanded
greenhouse.
• 2009 Added micro-enterprise self-employment and life-
well being to classroom curriculum.

5. Green Works
An application of therapeutic horticulture
specifically for vocational purposes.

6. Therapeutic Horticulture
• The active or passive process by which individuals may
develop well-being using plants and horticulture.
Benefits:
– Intellectual – Emotional
• Memory stimulation • Self worth
• Vocational skills • Nurturing
– Physical – Social
• Daily life skills • Sharing
• Fine and gross motor • Accepting
skills – Spiritual
• Nutritional

7. Three Stages of Program
I. Recruit and train Master Gardener Volunteers
(MGV) to be job coaches in integrated work
environment. Select program participants through
hands-on-interview process.
II. MGVs and program participants work together in
horticultural skills training, discovery process,
soft job skill exercises, and micro-enterprise
classroom/workshop self-employment activities.
III. Job development, placement and job coaching in
wage and volunteer employment positions.

8. Stage I: Training MGVs to be Job Coaches
• Emphasis on self-determination
• Systematic instruction of tasks
• Developing natural supports
• Understanding work culture
• The importance of “fading”

9. MGV Training
•Read Job Coach Quickstart and attend orientation
•Meet monthly during greenhouse training
•Consult with vocational specialist as needed
•Approximately 24 hours of volunteer training

10. Hands-On Interview
Announce event through human service communication
channels
invite applicants upon review of written application (can be filled
out by parent/guardian),
conduct interview with tactile activities, e.g. putting soil in pot
select applicants as a group

11. Stage II: Horticultural Skills Training
MGVs and program participants work
together in greenhouse skills training

12. Green Works Training
•12 week course meets weekly
• self-employment activities
• soft job skill training
•Participants receive a Certificate of
Achievement after completing the coursework.

13. Greenhouse Training:
•Seeding
•Watering
•Materials assembly
•Transplanting and labeling
•Plant identification and care

14. Master Gardener Volunteer
Formal/Informal Mentoring:
• Discovery process
• Workplace culture discussions
• Workplace etiquette
• Workplace ethics discussions
• Workplace conflict resolution

15. Soft Job Skills Training:
• Self-Advocacy
• Sexual harassment review
• Safety Rules/OSHA
• Resume preparation
• Application instruction
• Mock interviewing

16. Self-Employment Training:
• Micro-business idea generation
• Production experience
• Basic micro-business planning
• Business Powerpoint™ pitch
• DVR/SSI opportunities

17. Stephy’s Snacks
Nutritious and Delicious
Gourmet Vegetable Platters,
Salad Mixes and Dressings

18. Stephy’s Snacks
Vegetable platters are a staple at
every festive event, but often the most
overlooked menu item.
Party planners need a source of organic
delicious and decoratively prepared
vegetable platters for special occasions!

19. Stephy’s Snacks
Stephy’s Snacks offers
healthy, organic, gourmet
and decorative vegetable platters
to satisfy the needs of party planners.

20. Stephy’s Snacks
Stephy’s Snacks will direct market to local
party planners, event planners,
businesses and individuals who announce
their engagement publicly.
Stephy’s Snacks will also sell
trays, salad mixes and dressings
at the local farmer’s market.

21. Stephy’s Snacks
The secrets to Stephy’s Snacks success:
• Edible flowers
• Organic
• Artistic
• Nutritious & Delicious
Questions

22. Stage III: Job
Development, Placement &
Coaching
Partnering with an employment specialist,
Green Works develops jobs and coaches

23. Job Coaching
Master Gardener Volunteers spend
an average of 20 hours actual job coaching per participant

24. Value of a Volunteer
• The national average hourly wage value of
a volunteer is $17.04.
• We estimate the Master Gardener
Volunteers trained as Job Coaches are
worth approximately $45.00/hour because
they are so highly skilled.

25. Keys to Success
Developing Partnerships
• Southern Wisconsin Center - Facilities
• Racine Co. Human Service – Consumer needs
• Custom Employment Solutions
• Local Businesses – Employment trends & material donations
• Small Business Development Center – Educational
materials
• Local politicians – Community program support & promotion
• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation – Consumer services
• Gardening groups – Community program support and
promotion
• Civic groups - Community program support and promotion

26. Program Design Considerations
• Can be used with DVR services
– Participants can request Green Works training
– Supported employment
– Future microenterprise ventures
• Can be used with County HSD services
– Referring participants
– Potential funding (non-Family Care Counties)

27. Program Design Considerations
• Important to understand trends in
volunteerism
• The potential of volunteers to contribute to
your organization and/or program in
powerful ways.