Joining WAIV
Why Join?
"Why join WAIV?" you might ask. "I am going to school now!"
Ahh, that's all very well, and we do want you to stay in school and do well at that. But it really never is too early to start thinking of what you are going to do when you graduate from Cal.
We help you with that — figure out what makes sense, and help you map out how you are going to get there. We help you navigate the sticky and confusing bureaucracies that usually accompany having a disability. We help connect you with others so that you have support when you need it most. In sum, we help with most everything that you are going to need to do now to help you find and keep a job upon graduation:
- Career counseling
- Job search skill development: how to research and apply for a job / internship
- Resumé and cover letter development
- Profile creation for employers
- Peer support group |calendar|
- Access to Peer Advisors
- Job Clubs |calendar|
- Information and hook-ups with community-based organizations (regarding disability benefits, planning, DOR, and Social Security navigation)
- Mentoring connections
- Use of our accessible workstation
- And...
- Direct employer referrals and introductions
- Assistance in applying to specialized recruitment programs
Sounds good… How do I join?
It's pretty simple: in order to join, you need to be either a UC Berkeley student or recent graduate. You need to have a permanent disability (like something beyond a sprained ankle) that will qualify you — or has qualified you — to become a client of the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR).
In this case, it's better to err on the side of assuming you are qualified rather than not. We will let you know if you are not qualified to join, so you should come in and meet with us to better determine your qualifications for joining, and the referral process for DOR.