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MILTON, Ga., Feb. 24, 2015 - The City of Milton, in partnership with the Better Together citizen volunteer committee, has joined forces with Georgia-based Special Needs Certified
to educate employees on understanding, engaging and serving residents with special needs.
This honor makes Milton the first 'Special Needs Certified' city in the country.
As Milton is the home of Canine Assistants and Camp Joyful Souls, a recreation partner to BlazeSports and a leader in community engagement for individuals of all ability levels, the training is a natural progression for the city, said Chris Lagerbloom, city manager.
"We are excited to bring this important and relevant training to our city staff," he said. "Thanks to Mayor Joe Lockwood, the Milton City Council, Better Together and the Milton Disability Awareness Committee for being leaders in working toward a more inclusive community."
Special Needs Certified offers quick and easy training for organizations looking to make a lasting difference in how they serve our community. The series of videos, accessed online, cost less than a dollar a day for a business or organization. The short videos are divided into three parts: "Understanding Those with Special Needs", "Engaging Those with Special Needs" and "Serving Those with Special Needs."
"City employees and volunteers are the ideal team for training with this flagship certification," said Wayne Boston, community builder. "Special Needs Certified helps us continue to be a city known for extraordinary service to all who live, work and play in Milton."
Milton High School graduate Lindsey Turner, founder of Special Needs Certified, said he is thrilled to have the City of Milton on board.
"The next step for the city is to encourage local businesses to pursue certifying their workplace," he said.
Companies interested can go to specialneedscertified.com to learn more.
Special Needs Certified partners with businesses to provide unique and cost-effective training to create an environment where individuals with special needs feel more comfortable going out to shop, eat and enjoy activities in their communities. Special Needs Certified's online training can help virtually any business become special needs-friendly. Concise, easy-to-understand video lessons teach employees to anticipate and respond to customers' needs, communicate effectively with them, and, most importantly, treat them with kindness and respect. Certified businesses and organizations are listed on the Special Needs Certified website and social media pages, where individuals and families with special needs can search and find special needs-friendly businesses. For more information, visit the Special Needs Certified website at www.specialneedscertified.com.
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