Vocational Day Services

The Vocational Day Services (VDS) Program at St. Anne Institute is an afterschool work readiness program for 14- to 19-year-old boys and girls from Albany County who have a history of mental health and/or behavioral challenges.

The program is held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all year round, in 6-month sessions starting in October and April. During each session, youth participants are paid to work towards their vocational goals and follow a comprehensive curriculum including the services listed below.

Our primary goal is to create and maintain a positive and supportive environment in which youth can learn useful vocational skills as well as learn to overcome their mental health challenges in the 21st century workplace.

Services offered:

Vocational Training: Youth participants gain knowledge and skills in the areas of communication, teamwork, and professionalism. They also get the chance to explore careers based on their interests and learn fundamental customer service skills.
Culinary Activities: Creating meals is an essential skill for independent living and at VDS, youth participants learn to follow recipes and make simple meals and desserts.
Employment Preparation: The employment process can be tough to navigate through, but VDS program staff help youth participants every step of the way. Youth complete sample job applications, create resumes, and participate in mock interviews.
Door to Door Transportation: Youth participants are transported to program and brought back home.

Eligibility Requirements

Youth must:

be between the ages of 14-19 years old
have a history of mental health and/or behavioral challenges
reside in Albany County
be available to participate in VDS on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between the hours of approximately 3:00pm-5:00pm

Eligible youth are referred by a variety of sources such as their therapist, case manager, guidance counselor, or social worker.

For more information on the referral process or program services, contact Program Administrator, Melissa Moretti at
mmoretti@s-a-i.org or (518) 437-6543