Davina Garceau: Building Confidence and Community at Skillbuilders Makerspace+

Over the past three years, Davina Garceau has covered her office wall with memories: birthday and holiday cards, art by participants in weekday afternoon classes, and photos of outings across the state. Each is a reminder of the relationships she has built as a site manager at Skillbuilders Makerspace+, ServiceNet’s Chicopee work-readiness program for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

“You’ve shown me that I am capable of doing so much more than I tell myself I can do,” a letter on her wall reads. “You’ve made me feel very loved, cared about, seen, heard and have created an environment for me where I feel safe and part of a family with some of the best people I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

At the makerspace, participants develop job skills such as teamwork, timeliness, organization, and tidiness through activities such as ceramics, music, 3D printing, acting, laser engraving, and painting. They also attend outings and field days, visiting places like Mount Tom, Ashley Reservoir, and Prospect Meadow Farm, the therapeutic vocational farming program ServiceNet runs in Hatfield, Pittsfield, and Northfield.

As a site manager, Garceau has introduced several events and programs. Her latest, “Wrap It Up Fridays,” has been a big success. Participants sit together in the main lounge, and each person says something positive about themselves or someone else. For participants, it’s a way to end the week on a positive note — where they can talk about anything they’d like, in a safe place.

Garceau has also helped implement the peer-mentor program, which offers participants a paid position with responsibilities similar to those of job coaches. Participants apply for these positions just as they would for other jobs. So far, three have been hired. Each, Garceau said, has grown more independent and confident as they’ve taken on more responsibilities.

“Davina embodies what we strive to create across all of our vocational programs,” Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said. “An environment where people feel valued, recognize their own potential, and have meaningful opportunities to grow. She has an extraordinary ability to build genuine connections while challenging people to see themselves as capable of more.”

Garceau, too, has had the opportunity to grow. She moved to Massachusetts from her hometown of Syracuse, New York, four years ago and started at Skillbuilders during a challenging time in her life. At first, she was skeptical about whether she would stay. Before long, she realized she had found a professional home.

“I feel like this is my calling,” Garceau said. “I was ready to leave Massachusetts until I got this job.”

After about a year as a job coach, she was promoted to site manager and began helping to expand the program alongside the rest of the team.

In 2026, Garceau received the Spirit of Service Award at the Employee Recognition Dinner and the One Team Award during the management retreat. The awards cited her dedication to strengthening vocational services by bringing people together.

That dedication is evident in Garceau’s efforts to help people find the resources they need: new housing, employment, or sometimes just a listening ear. She has also become a Shared Living Provider, welcoming one participant into her home and providing daily support. Other participants, who have since moved away or gone to other programs, still reach out to her to keep in touch.

“What makes Davina special is that she doesn’t just create a sense of belonging,” Robinson said. “She turns that belonging into confidence, independence, and opportunity. Her impact on Skillbuilders and the people we serve is tremendous.”

Many participants face multiple challenges each day. As a member of the Skillbuilders Makerspace+ team, Garceau tries to make meeting those challenges easier with a characteristic blend of practicality and compassion.

“When they’re here, I make sure I give them the love that I don’t know they’ll get when they’re not here,” Garceau said. “This is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Skillbuilders Makerspace+ is an innovative, community-based day program for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. For more information, call 413-727-6155. Transportation is available from most parts of western Massachusetts.