What We Do
Where We Are
Kern County

Connecting in Kern County

California’s Central Valley is home to a rich array of public and private industry with a diverse and growing population. In 2007, the demand for expanded vocational opportunities for people with disabilities and disadvantages resulted in the creation of PathPoint’s newest regional division. PathPoint opened a program base in Bakersfield focused on young adults with developmental or other disabilities. The increasing partnerships with local businesses and public entities have created new opportunities for people seeking greater independence.

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

• Individual Supported Employment (ISE) prepares and supports individuals to enter the workforce through job development and direct employment with local businesses.

• Job Placement Services (JPS) works with individuals who need just a little help to access the local job market.

• PathPoint Job Club is a free service to participants and offers job seekers the opportunity for a social contact with employers, while also receiving “from the horse’s mouth” tips for successful job searches.

COMMUNITY ACCESS SERVICES

• Integrated Work (IWK) gives individuals an opportunity to explore their vocational interests in small groups by contributing to their community through volunteerism or as trainees in community employment.

• Life Skills Plus (LSP) services are designed to encourage meaningful interactions and community integration for people who have social or behavioral support needs.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS

• People First of California is actively supported by PathPoint in Kern County. People First is designed to serve citizens with developmental challenges throughout California by creating local chapters that give people with developmental disabilities a voice and a mechanism to be heard.

• HIRE Committee: PathPoint is one of fourteen members of the HIRE Committee, a collaborative of employers and service providers in Kern County. The HIRE Committee is an organization that works to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

• Talent Knows No Limits: In Kern County, PathPoint works closely with the HIRE Committee and Talent Know No Limits. Talent Knows No Limits is a statewide public information campaign which spreads awareness of the many services and resources that are available to disabled and disadvantaged job seekers and to prospective employers.

• Arts Council of Kern provides PathPoint participants the opportunity to become members of the Joey Travolta Film Workshop, sponsored by the Arts Council, the Kern Regional Center, and Inclusion Films. The workshop provides training in every aspect of filmmaking, from script writing to audio production to acting.