Go MN! takes a unique approach to helping Minnesotans with disabilities explore opportunities in competitive integrated employment using the Progressive Employment Model developed by the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston.
Go MN! is a new program that gives people with little or no experience in competitive integrated employment the opportunity to explore work. Go MN! believes everyone is ready for something and embraces the idea that small successes can lead to further success. People served by Go MN! are treated as individuals with their own unique capabilities and interests.
Go MN! connects people with a team of specialists dedicated to helping them identify their skills and interests as they begin to explore what is possible. The team then works with people and businesses to find the right opportunities for exploration. Go MN! participants can move at their own pace toward employment with activities like job tours, informational interviews, job shadows, internships, and short-term work experiences. Together, we support each person to help them learn, explore, gain experience, and, hopefully, find employment that matches their goals and interests.
To be eligible for Go MN!, you must be a person with a disability who is either working in subminimum wage employment or has previously worked in subminimum wage employment. Students considering working in subminimum wage employment are also eligible to participate. To learn more about the program and how to get connected, please contact Kayla Walton, Go MN! Navigator, by call or text at 218-830-8366, or by email at kayla.walton@state.mn.us.
Go MN! is currently only active in the Duluth/St. Louis County area but will soon be expanding to the Rochester area and other locations in 2025. Please check back to this site for updates as the program continues to grow.
The contents of this webpage were developed under a grant number H421D220014 from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (Authority: 20 U.S. Code 1221e-3 and 3474)
The VR program received 73.42% of federal fiscal year 2023 funding through grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The federal fiscal year 2023 grants totaled $47,671,377. The required state match for these funds is $12,849,251. The state of Minnesota appropriated $14.3 million to meet the match requirement.
