Project SEARCH Graduation at the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village

(November 6, 2018) PathPoint and Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village announced the graduation of four interns from its Project SEARCH work-immersion program for young adults with developmental disabilities, the first-of-its-kind training program for the hotel chain.

The four interns successfully completed their one-year program that featured daily work experience at Four Seasons, rotating through various departments including housekeeping, laundry, painting, and stewarding; and gained transferrable job skills and confidence working with co-workers, supervisors, and guests.  PathPoint provided classroom instruction on skills such as interviewing, team building, social skills, and workplace safety, all in preparation for competitive employment. 

“We are honored to be the first property in our company to host a Project SEARCH program,” said Jim Cathcart, director of People & Culture, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. “We were impressed with the willingness of the four interns to learn new tasks.  Their work ethic and can-do attitude were very much appreciated by their colleagues.  When we asked one intern what he achieved during his first rotation, he replied, ‘I made four friends’.  We feel the same about these interns!” 

“The management and staff at Four Seasons are great employment partners,” said Kim Whitaker, PathPoint, vice president, Ventura Division.  “The staff went above and beyond to support the interns, acclimating them to the work culture, training them in specific skills, and welcoming them as co-workers.”

Adults with disabilities often have difficulty securing steady employment, with 84% unemployed due to their disabilities. PathPoint has overseen the Project SEARCH workplace training program in Central and Southern California since 2010, with sites at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, Embassy Suites by Hilton San Luis Obispo, Dignity Health hospitals, Kaiser Permanente hospitals, and UCLA Medical Center.

The new Project SEARCH program is supported by the Tri-Counties Regional Center.  It was started with the collaboration of Pathway of UCLA and Project SEARCH; and funded with a grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation. 

For more on Project Search, please visit: https://www.pathpoint.org/services/project-search/ and http://www.projectsearch.us/

About PathPoint

PathPoint, a non-profit organization based in Santa Barbara, supports people in living the life they choose.  PathPoint partners with people with disabilities, people with mental health diagnoses, and young adults to pursue their hopes and dreams through strengthening workplace abilities, building life skills, and developing meaningful relationships.  Founded in 1964, it offers services in five Central Coast and Southern California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.  For more information, visit www.PathPoint.org.  

About Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village

Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village is a Southern California oasis, set between the bustle of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara's wine country, just north of Malibu's famed beaches. It is here that recreation, rolling hills, sandy beaches and Southern California's best climate meet a wealth of resort, activities, wellness and culinary experiences to relax, reconnect, renew and recharge.  The AAA Five Diamond Award-winning property is a true hidden gem, immersed in natural beauty - yet close to many of California’s most exciting attractions. Set amidst 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of exotic gardens, featuring a dramatic waterfall and a gorgeous adults-only serenity pool, it is an accessible escape, perfect as a home base to experience the Southern California lifestyle.

The Hotel offers 230 spacious guest rooms, sized at 450 square feet (41 square meters) and 39 suites, ranging from 644 - 2,525 square feet (60 – 235 square meters.) Two restaurants, three bars and a wine tasting room offer a vast selection of creative culinary experiences.  An award-winning spa and fitness center covers 41,000 square feet (3,809 square meters), and offers an array of pampering and therapeutic treatments and fitness classes. California Health & Longevity Institute is the wellness component of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. The expert team is proactive about health, embracing scientific innovation and time-tested healing traditions.

(Photo from left to right: Monica Guzman, Four Seasons Human Resources Manager; Project SEARCH graduates Michael, Taylor, Calvin, and Tiana; Jim Cathcart, Four Seasons Director of People & Culture)