Allies and RWJBarnabas Health are excited to introduce a new program aiming to provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to experience a variety of support service jobs within a major healthcare organization.
The program is a 12-week unpaid internship working with RWJBarnabas Health. It will support three individuals with disabilities who are eligible to receive benefits through the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The program gives people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the rare opportunity to gain real-world experience working in a major healthcare system. Throughout the course of the internship, participants will have access to a one-on-one job coach. In addition, regular evaluations and on-site training gives participants the largest possible opportunity to succeed.
Following completion of the 12-week program, every participant will be able to interview for a position within RWJBarnabas Health. The interview does not guarantee a position at the hospital but is a great opportunity to open the door for long-term career growth.
“Allies Inc. has a long-standing reputation for developing progressive, creative, and forward-thinking programs that enhance the lives of individuals with special needs,” Luke Washack, VP of Vocational Services at Allies, Inc., said. “This partnership is a natural extension of that mission.”
The internship came to life as a collaborative effort between RWJBarnabas Health and Allies Inc. in late 2024.
“We saw an opportunity to promote overall well-being by creating purposeful vocational experiences that foster intrinsic motivation,” Washack said. “We all understand how impactful meaningful work can be in our own lives, and we were driven to extend that same opportunity to the IDD community.”
After the program is implemented successfully at RWJBarnabas Health, Allies leadership hopes that the program can be expanded not only to other locations within the RWJBarnabas system, but also to other industries.
“While this initiative was launched within a major healthcare system, its structure and impact are highly adaptable,” Washack said. “There are many organizations eager to support individuals with I/DD, but they are unsure where to begin. By combining our expertise in vocational support with their capacity to host and create opportunities, we can form powerful collaborations that lead to meaningful, scalable, and sustainable outcomes.”
“I truly can’t praise RWJBarnabas Health and their leadership enough,” Washack said. “From day one, they’ve been a pleasure to work with. They have been thoughtful, collaborative, and deeply aligned with our values. It’s clear that we are like-minded in our mission to serve and uplift others.”