[Community-service] volunteers at cleveland sight center

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi all,

I had some questions about Cleveland sight center, csc, and thought I’d ask here in case any other have experience.
I think its cool to volunteer with other blind people to help them out. I’m considering volunteering to provide 
Jaws training to blind students here.
BTW, I’m not living in Ohio, but have investigated out of state centers as my state one did not meet my needs.
I think CSC sounds neat with a wide variety of recreational activities for their clients. 
I think its great they have employment training there such as that call center training to bridge the gap amongst the unemployed blind population.

On another note, what do you do at the domestic violence agency, Cheryl?

Cheryl posted some good info about volunteering at CSC and I’ll repost it in case anyone missed it on the other thread and wish to read.
Messages get lost among conversations with same subject lines.

Cheryl, feel free to provide your email address you want to corespond off list, if you want.


My questions are:
What is the CSC consumer counsel?

Does CSC regularly use Americorps volunteers?
Is it typical for volunteers to be blind, or is Stanley an exception?
Do they accept volunteers for that summer camp? What activities are at it?
Curious, are the volunteer craft teachers blind or sighted?

Cheryl said:

My friend, Stanley, provides training for csc consumers on adaptive
technology. These consumers are in our supportive employment programs
or literacy programs. He and his supervisor recently are providing
introductory instruction on mobile devices. When he was with Americore
one of his jobs was to support braille instructors during classes
provided at csc.
Cleveland Sight Center may be an agency to consider inviting to the
convention. It is unique, there are more than 15 blind/lowvision
employees on staff, entire staff is approx. 100. The agency houses a
call center where there are some additional blind employees, these
people are not csc employees. The agency has several contracts to
provide call center services and they are employees of those various
companies. Some work from home, training is at the agency or can be
accessed on line. I can provide contact information if you want to
connect.
Several employees presented /participated, not sure, at the national
convention employment seminar last year in Orlando. Like many not for
profits, csc could not function without the many volunteers, a large
number of them are consumers. Some things that agency
volunteers/consumers do, I facilitate a book discussion, someone else
instructs line dancing, others provide braille instruction to those
not in employment or literacy programs, instruction in crochet and
other crafts. We have a camp located in Chardon Ohio and it employs
blind and sighted persons 18 years and up, this is a perfect summer
job for college students and has the potential for full time permanent
employment after graduation. We employ 2 rehab teachers that are
blind, there are guide dogs and canes all around the building, smiles.
Another program administer by a blind staff person is Share the
Vision, this provides Peer support for those that have recently lost
their vision. It is a wonderful program that everyone can participate
in, the only qualifications are you must be blind and have a
telephone!  I'll stop here because this could go on for a long time,
as you can tell I am quite proud of the rehabilitation, recreation,
staff and volunteers at csc!

Until Next Time!

Cheryl 


Also wrote:
Stanley is a employee, he was a consumer and Americore
volunteer/student prior to employment. There are others on staff with
the same status, not Americore, .
I am a csc consumer and board member, chair csc consumer council, vice
nfb/Cleveland, community gardening and volunteer with local domestic
violence agency. I am happy to chat anytime.
I encourage all of you to visit csc if you are in the Cleveland area,
it is not a perfect place but it is a great place!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/community-service_nfbnet.org/attachments/20140222/97b0a601/attachment.html>