ABOVE: Travis Akins shakes the hand of a recruit for the county’s new Growth Through Opportunity Academy during an event Dec. 4.
Chesterfield County’s public safety and general services departments recently kicked off the inaugural 16-week Growth Through Opportunity cadet academy, the first such academy in the Richmond region.
The program will provide five adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to learn job skills from county employees. The goal is to enhance safety and understanding among the cadets and first
The academy provides adults who have autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other unique challenges an opportunity to gain valuable job skills and social experience.
The five Chesterfield residents participating in the academy will train alongside members of the county’s sheriff’s office, police, fire
Sheriff Karl Leonard said he is “very excited” about the joint endeavor.
“The cadets will get a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with public safety that, in turn, will empower them long after they graduate, and hopefully prepare them for gainful employment when they leave,” Leonard said.
GTO was founded in November 2014 by Travis Akins, who worked in the criminal justice system in a variety of capacities for 23 years. He and his team work with each cadet to cater the volunteer experience specifically to his or her interests and goals.
Akins launched the program in Roanoke while a full-time law enforcement officer. The purpose was to improve police relations with citizens with various intellectual and developmental disabilities and to also use first responders as mentors to train people with disabilities how to win in life and overcome obstacles.
The program is endorsed by the National Sheriffs’ Association, the National Down Syndrome Society and the ARC of the United States. It was recently highlighted by the U.S. Department of Justice.
GTO was the recipient of a 2017 Harvard Kennedy School Innovations in American Government award and was recognized as the organization of the year in 2017 by the National Down Syndrome Society.
GTO currently partners with 30 public safety agencies across Virginia and Minnesota with a goal of expanding nationwide over the next few years.
