The Next Step Programs

This past Monday, The Next Step Programs' Employment Manager, Katie Lemly, attended the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs 2026 Regional Employment Symposium.

During the Symposium, the Bucks County Employment Coalition was recognized for their achievement in business recruitment and engagement by ODP Deputy Secretary Kristin Aherns.

TNS is honored to be an active member of the Bucks County Employment Coalition and their continued efforts in growing Competitive Integrated Employment across the Bucks County Region. We are looking forward to all of the amazing things the Bucks County Employment Coalition will achieve over the next year! 👏

Thanks for having us on the links, DCC CARES! It surely was a groovy time. 🎵 ⛳

The Next Step Programs was honored to participate in first annual DCC Cares Fairways & Funk event that welcomed community members and partners to the Doylestown Country Club.

It was a day full of golf and 10/10 music by the Philadelphia Funk Authority!

Nikki, Noah, and Julianne gave it their all and had a phenomenal time supporting DCC Cares and their initiative to fundraise for local organizations like TNS. Josh, Abby, and Meghan then had the opportunity to join the crew for a tasty dinner! 💜

Congrats on a successful event, and we can't wait to be on the green for year two!

Rainy game day or not, Ben was ready for his first day on the job! ⚽️

After working hard with our Employment Supports team through job development and focusing on a sports-based positions, Ben officially started his new job with the Philadelphia Union! 🙌

For his first shift, Ben was greeting fans at the team store, getting to know his new workplace, and taking in all the excitement at Subaru Park. He even got to meet Phang! 👋

From job development to his first day on the job, Ben has put in the work, and we couldn’t be prouder of him. Congrats, Ben!

DOOP! 💙⚽️

P.S. Sons of Ben… we think Ben would make a pretty great collab partner! 👀

As we kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we want to share an important fact:

4 out of 5 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities do NOT have access to competitive integrated employment. National Core Indicators data found that 80% of people are either looking for the opportunity to work or aren’t experiencing full inclusion at work.

But at TNS, we’re working to change that. 🤝

Over the past year, TNS has helped eight people find jobs, supported 13 people in maintaining employment, and is currently supporting four more people as they work toward employment.

That’s 25 people moving forward on their employment journeys this year. Because at TNS, employment is more than a job or a paycheck. It’s about having the opportunity to work with purpose and pride in their community.

Throughout October, TNS will highlight the people, employers, and support systems helping create more opportunities for inclusive employment. 💜

Happy !

SOCIAL GROUPS ARE BACK! 🎉

The smiles say it all… We’re SO happy to have everyone back at TNS! 💜

Have a wonderful fall season, and we can't wait to hear everyone's favorite moments throughout these next few months. 🍂

Penn State 🤝 The Next Step Programs

TNS had the opportunity to send CEO & Founder, Josh Fields, along with two members of the marketing department, Larkin and Peter, back to their alma mater for the Penn State College of Health and Human Development Career Fair.

We had the privilege of talking with many students about the work we do at TNS, as well as connecting with faculty and former professors. It was a great opportunity to share more about what it’s like to be part of the TNS team and the career opportunities available within our organization.

All three members of our team are proud Penn State alumni, and we’re excited to continue building a connection between Penn State and The Next Step Programs. 💜💙🤍

Getting a job is one thing. Growing in that job with the right support is another. 💼

Gabe is a wonderful example of that! He works at Five Below, and our Employment Supports team has been there with him, providing on-the-job coaching, training, and encouragement along the way.

For Gabe, that support has helped him go from greeting customers, sweeping, and taking out the trash to unpacking shipments, restocking merchandise, and asking his managers what else he can learn. 🙌

Gabe's job coach, Tim, has this to say: "Since joining TNS, we’ve seen so much growth and confidence from Gabe in his position at Five Below! You can feel his excitement and joy when he’s at work, and week by week, his confidence continues to grow, along with his responsibilities. With his supportive coworkers around him and the added support of his job coaches, Gabe has taken ownership of restocking and continues to challenge himself to put away more and more each shift. It’s been awesome to watch Gabe grow in his role and see how proud he is of the work he’s doing!"

Job development helps get the journey started. Job supports help turn that opportunity into lasting growth, and that's what TNS is here for. 💜

One week ago… We were in Tuscany. 🍋🍷

We’re still thinking about the good food, great company, all the laughs, and A LOT of fun! 💃🕺

Here's to Adam's Way and the future of inclusive housing. 🥂

A huge thank you to our presenting sponsor, The Powell & Nicgorski Family, along with all of our other sponsors for helping make this night so special. 💜

To donate to Adam's Way, head over to adamswaypa.org

📸 Huge thank you to Dara N King Photography for the amazing photos!