Ami Cooper is a Rural Rehabilitation Specialist on the Easter Seals Wisconsin (ESW) FARM Team. She has been a Rehab Specialist for five years traveling the state of Wisconsin, mostly staying in the southern half of the state, to farms working with farmers with disabilities and their families by providing services that help them continue farming and maintain independence. She conducts on-site work assessments, determines work site modifications and adaptive equipment needs, develops a plan to implement recommendations, and coordinates funding and support services if available.
Ami is also the instructor of Exploring Job Options in Rural Wisconsin, a program developed for high school students with disabilities who want to learn more about opportunities available in the agricultural industry. This is a newer program that Ami would like to take state wide. Currently, she is working with students from around the state at ESW Camp Wawbeek Transition weekends working with the camp staff to provide the Exploring Job Options program at camp. She is also excited to have an opportunity to start a course in April with students from the Wisconsin Dells and Sauk Prairie areas.
The Exploring Job Options in Rural Wisconsin program provides job exploration of potential careers in agriculture in the student’s local community by means of class training, speakers, and agribusiness tours. Upon completion of the course it is the long term goal to continue to work with the students and their support team if there is an interest in job shadow or short term work experience opportunities.
If you or someone you know has an interest in the Exploring Job Options in Rural Wisconsin program please reach out to Ami through email, acooper@eastersealswisconsin.com or phone at 608-225-1867.