Opportunities Unlimited of Erie (OU) is an independently run, registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Erie, Pennsylvania.

OU’s overall goal is to assist individuals who participate in services with the state’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). When a client is referred to us for individual services from OVR, we work with their current skills set to determine the best course of action.  Building upon their skills and meeting them where they are allows our staff to support each client before, during, and after being hired on by a company. Each client that participates in our individual services works closely and 1-on-1 with a Workplace Readiness Specialist (Job Coach) to establish clear, specific goals to work towards throughout the program. Our Job Coaches provide weekly & monthly reports to track the progress of these goals throughout their employment period in the program.

Prior to 2020
The organization, owned by a different entity, focused solely on adults with mental health disabilities looking to reintegrate into the workforce. Once our current leadership acquired the organization, the overall mission changed drastically, expanding to include services for students, middle-high school, as well as working with individuals with any type of disability, challenges, or barriers to employment.

Today, OU has continued growing under the decade+ guidance & expertise of our Executive & Associate Directors. Our organization provides individual services for students & adults, as well as group classroom instruction for students prior to graduation.

2023
Recognizing the ever-growing need for our services within Erie County, our Executive Director began the search for additional leadership to join the team. In the Spring of 2023, our Associate Director joined the team, bringing along 15+ years of experience & expertise in the social & human services industry.
In the Summer of 2023, OU of Erie began providing group programs for high school students in addition to the individual services being provided. Throughout the last 4 years of individual services for young adults and up, we found the need to begin working with individuals while they were still high school students in order to better prepare them for life after graduation. We have worked within multiple school districts in Erie County, providing 30-60 hour programs that include, but aren’t limited to, classroom instruction, interview/resume prep, pre-employment requisite paperwork practice, financial literacy, leadership & team/communication building, off-site workplace & trade school tours, general life skills & self-advocacy, and so much more.