Goodwill® Industries of Southern Arizona’s Group Supported Employment (GSE) program provides long-term, on-the-job support services that allow adult participants with developmental disabilities to work in a community employment setting. To meet and exceed the standards set by the Department of Economic Securities’ (DES) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), our Job Coaches work alongside our program participants to provide immediate support at a low service ratio of up to 4:1. GSE program participants learn and develop job skills and work habits at various Goodwill® job sites through job coaching, case management, and individualized service planning to become successful members of our Goodwill® production teams. All participants at Goodwill receive full competitive pay at Arizona’s minimum wage or higher.

Participant Opportunities at Goodwill®

Goodwill offers the GSE program in 6 of Goodwill’s 20 retail locations throughout Southern Arizona as well as our New Goods Department on our Tucson Silverlake campus.

Hours of Service:

Goodwill’s GSE program is provided directly by Goodwill® and authorized by the State of Arizona, DES-DDD. The program operates Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (closed New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day Thanksgiving, the Friday following Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve & Christmas Day).  Each participant’s hours of services and store assignment are determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to the needs and preferences of the participant, their funding agent, and their interdisciplinary team.

Admissions Criteria: 

In order to qualify for participation in Goodwill’s GSE program, you must meet all of the following admissions criteria:

• You have an intellectual or developmental disability documented by a medical or psychological authority diagnosed before the age of 18
• You are fee sponsored with a guarantee of payment for services by DES-DDD
• You are at least 18 years of age
• You are not a present danger to yourself or others
• You do not require one-to-one supervision
• You do not have a behavior treatment plan with goals actively addressing aggressive or assaultive behavior
• You have basic self-care skills
• You have the ability to manage your own medication (Goodwill does not prescribe, dispense, administer or physically control medication)
• You agree to meet requirements established by Goodwill and DES-DDD
• You have the potential to benefit from the services offered by Goodwill

Program Referrals:

Goodwill permits referrals from individuals, as well as from funding sources (DES-DDD)

If the individual referral meets all of the admission criteria listed above, the referral source should contact the GSE Program Manager to confirm eligibility and determine program availability. If there is a program opening or room on Goodwill’s active Waitlist, the GSE Program Manager will work with the referral source to gather information, complete the Eligibility Questionnaire, and schedule a Suitability Interview for the potential participant.

If you would like additional information about Goodwill’s GSE program, or would like request program outcome data on Goodwill’s GSE program, you may contact the GSE Program Manager, Elaine Everson at (520) 623-5174 x7022.

updated 10/2022