The Guild is starting off the new year strong! It's been a busy few weeks of winter activities, graduations, and a potluck event. The Guild is also excited about opportunities for staff to engage with their peers and learn from other experts through research and a community engagement project. Read on for the latest news from The Guild:

Championing direct support professionals

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are the foundation for human services work. They build relationships with the individuals served by the organization and support them 24/7. In order to better understand how organizations and leadership can support DSPs in return, The Guild for Human Services and Relias produced a survey report that compared trends in how DSPs view their work, as well as key ways organizations and supervisors can better support their staff.

Community engagement in action

Community life engagement refers to a variety of ways individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are engaged and included in their communities, such as volunteer work, continuing education, and recreation.

The Guild is participating in a workgroup of select providers and advisors to share learnings, common experiences, and policies around community life engagement.

Winter activities at The Guild School

At least once a week, The Guild School students get out into the community for a hands-on learning experience. Lately, winter activities like ice skating and curling have been popular!

See some photos here.

January's adult residence potluck

The Guild hosts a monthly potluck at our offices for all the adult residences. Individuals and staff fill the cafeteria with food, conversation, and dancing! It was great to kick off the new year with a celebration of our community.

More photos are available here.

Recent graduates

Congratulations to the most recent graduates of The Guild School! Isabel L., Corey O., Phoenix W., and Tiny N. will all be missed in their classrooms and in the hallways. We wish them the best of luck in their next program!