Josie Maldonado: Building Skills and Confidence at the Makerspace+

Walking into ServiceNet’s Skillbuilders Makerspace+ is like discovering a hidden world.

Set along a nondescript stretch of downtown Chicopee, the long, low building looks like a garden-variety strip mall tucked into a small-city urban landscape.

Pass through the door, however, and a different reality emerges. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, participants gathered in friendly groups, working and chatting in tastefully appointed rooms adorned with colorful art. Keyboards and guitars were available in a recording studio, and a kiln stood ready to fire ceramic objects. A well-loved foosball table was available for play, along with a 3D printer and other tools for crafting. The art the attendees were making was work they’re likely to sell at future events.

Helping orchestrate all this is Josie Maldonado, director of Skillbuilders Makerspace+, a work-readiness program for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Participants choose among workshops in ceramics, 3-D printing and modeling, music, acting, laser engraving, and other creative pursuits. Along the way, they practice skills that translate to the workplace: arriving on time, following a schedule, completing tasks, working with others, and cleaning their workspaces.

“Seeing them become more independent, build confidence, and discover talents they never knew they had is incredibly rewarding,” Maldonado said.

About 60 people are enrolled, with roughly 40 attending on a typical day. Two days a week, participants can also work at a nearby grocery store, stocking shelves and removing expired products. Some eventually move into outside employment. Maldonado recently ran into a former participant who had struggled to stay consistently employed when he first came to Skillbuilders. He now works at Stop & Shop and has his own car.

For Maldonado, that kind of growth resonates personally.

Before joining ServiceNet in 2023, Maldonado worked as a teacher’s aide at a daycare. She heard about ServiceNet from her stepmother and applied to become a job coach at the Rooster Café in Northampton.

When Maldonado later learned that ServiceNet was developing Skillbuilders in Chicopee, she saw an opportunity. She toured the site before it opened in late 2023 — “when it was still a collection of dark office spaces,” she said with a laugh. Eventually, she became site manager, helping unpack supplies, decorate the rooms, and prepare for opening day.

At first, the program served about 10 participants a day and had just two staff members (there are now seven). As Skillbuilders grew, so did Maldonado’s responsibilities, along with her confidence.

“When I first became the site manager, I struggled with anxiety,” she said. “Giving tours, talking to new people, and taking on leadership responsibilities were all outside of my comfort zone.”

When the program director position became available last year, Maldonado wasn’t convinced she was ready. She applied for the job anyway.

“Looking back now, accepting that challenge was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” she said.

Today, Maldonado oversees a program that extends well beyond its walls. Participants sell paintings, bracelets, felted art, 3-D-printed objects, and other creations at conferences and craft fairs.

Maldonado described watching one participant who had struggled with severe anxiety greet visitors at a recent art sale, confidently welcoming them to the Skillbuilders table and offering to answer questions.

For Maldonado, moments like that are what make the work meaningful. Skillbuilders has become something of a second home for her, she said — a place where participants can make friends, discover what they’re capable of, and begin imagining what comes next.

“Knowing that we have made a positive impact in someone’s life,” Maldonado said, “is the greatest reward of all.”

To learn more about the Skillbuilders Makerspace+, visit https://www.servicenet.org/services/vocational-services/skillbuilders-makerspace/ or call 413-727-6155. Transportation is available from most parts of western Massachusetts.