[humanser] introduction

Wed Jan 8 06:00:45 UTC 2014

Ashley,

For my coordinator of volunteers position, I had volunteered at it for about
ten years.  I began going to the office for part of a survey project in
which the agency's clients were answering survey questions, and Easter Seals
paid me for 20 hours of assistance.  I called clients and did the survey via
phone if, after a specific amount of time, the surveys were not returned.
The coordinator then asked if I wanted to help her.  She had some sight,
knew Braille and could see large type.  All the info on volunteers was in
print/Braille on index cards.  She had a book in which she kept client
requests.  So...I got an office key, was doing some of her work if she was
out speaking, on vacation, etc.  We had no tech stuff and I started in the
1980's.

The coordinator accepted a different job, and next sight coordinator
scrapped all Braille and a volunteer made new cards, so the woman told me
nothing I could read, no volunteering unless I did public speaking, which I
did do.  I had applied for the job, and it went to the sighted woman because
the director knew the lady had connections with a large corporation, which
could be a good contact for the agency, and the hired woman had wheels.
Well, eventually the job split between the sighted person and myself.  When
she left I was asked if I wanted more hours.  No, a Master's wasn't needed.

Casework I mean is sometimes taking clients to medical appointments, making
sure their needs get met (groceries and such if live alone).  I believe a
caseworker can also be the one who refers the client to help from other
agencies.  I do know at one time I read that there was a job opening for a
caseworker who would arrange medical appointments for foster kids with more
than usual medical needs. I agree that helping people acquire food (for 
example, how to sign up for SNAP, forerly called food stamps), or helping 
people obtain Medicaid, these jobs don't require Master's and I would say 
that fall under case management.

A;mericaCorps I got in for one semster -- little more than that -- and did 
it while a social work intern.  How I got in was learning another person at 
my internship, going to the same college, was already in the program.  The 
person in charge of placing my colllege's students in internships had 
previously discouraged me from AmeriCorps, and I went to him and proposed 
joing.  After getting forms completed, I was in the program and required to 
attend various meetings and keep Excel timesheets to track what I did, 
hours, etc.  The timesheets were distributed by the local AmeriCorps 
coordinator who is still at the college I attended.  However, you can do 
AmeriCorps without being in school. KOther programs are under the Corps, 
such as VISTA and Senior Corps.  Below I'm posting a link I just found that 
can lead you to a bunch of information.

BTW, I also want to mention a site called indeed.com because one can search 
for work and the site, if you set it up, will email you new job listings in 
the categories you have listed.

AmeriCorps and its programs:  www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps

Best,

Sandy
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2014 11:36 PM
To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [humanser] introduction

> Sandy,
> thanks for the ideas. How do you get into Americorps?
> How long were you  involved?
>
> Your  coordinator job sounds like the kind of thing I want; not all
> coordinator jobs I've seen ask for a masters, but do want experience,
> which I don't have.
> What do you mean by saying I can do  case work? I think I know, but want
> to be sure.
> BTW,  I am fine with going to obtain short certificates, if needed.
>
> I wish more jobs were out there without needing a masters. Of course, I
> know and understand why counselors and social workers need masters, but
> there is a whole range of other jobs like being a case worker for a
> nonprofit and helping clients get food assistance, outreach jobs,
> coordinator type jobs, public education jobs like for red cross, and more.
> These jobs seem to strike me as needing people skills and computer skills
> more than the high level book knowledge.
>
> Anyway, thanks for your ideas.
>
> Ashley
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Sandy
> Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 1:10 AM
> To: Human Services Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [humanser] introduction
>
> Ashley,
>
> For almost ten years I was coordinator of a program that matched, trained,
> placed volunteers in the community with people who were legally blind, or
> at
> the beginning of sight loss.  My volunteers helped with driving tasks,
> shopping,  writing checks/mail reading, and some helped in the office.  I
> worked there with no Master's.  A part of the job was outreach at
> community
> agencies and events to publicize our agency, educated those like visiting
> nurses in dealing with blind people, and I was in some groups with a
> variety
> of others who did similar work for their nonprofits.  I also got to write
> the newsletter, and to plan leisure activities.  Reading this now makes me
> sort of wish I were there now; after all the years I wanted another type
> of
> work.  When I found what I wanted, a more advanced degree was needed.  Now
> it is not enough experience in general, not experience with a specific
> population of people, or not a more advanced degree.  Does all of this
> ever
> end?  Maybe it never does end.
>
> I believe you can for sure be in case work (there is some type of short
> course available that gives a certificate in that field).  Perhaps you can
> try for an Americorps position which gives you training and some income.
> I
> did part of an internship where I also served in Americorps.  You do not
> need to be in college, though many Americorps workers are college
> students.
>
> Hope this is of some help.
>
>
> Sandy
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "JD Townsend" <43210 at Bellsouth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2013 11:26 PM
> To: "Human Services Mailing List" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [humanser] introduction
>
>>
>> Hello and glad to have you on the list.
>>
>> Doing volunteer work will put your foot in the door.  A master's degree
>> helps, but much of the work in human services are done by case managers
>> and community organizers, folks with your qualifications.
>>
>> Your screen reader ought to be able to work in forms mode, a little
>> practice will get you used to  tabbing between fields.
>>
>> JD
>> -----Original Message----- 
>> From: Ashley Bramlett
>> Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2013 7:45 PM
>> To: Human Services Mailing List
>> Subject: [humanser] introduction
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> This list has picked up steam in the last month or so. That is great. I’m
>> mostly a lurker, but with some time on my hands I wanted to introduce
>> myself and ask questions.
>>
>> I  noticed that many human service jobs require drivers licenses so its
>> good that you all are discussing it. I am glad to see some of you have
>> overcome the hurtles and are in your chosen field; we have accessibility
>> to computers issues and also the constant education about what we can do
>> issue.
>>
>> Well, about myself.
>> I am a young visually impaired adult in Virginia. I grew up legally blind
>> as well and received accomodations in public school.  I also use
>> blindness tools where needed such as my white cane and braille and Jaws.
>> I have fairly good central vision.
>>
>> I am a Graduate of Marymount University with a BA in liberal studies;
>> long story, but I could not decide on a major and was too discouraged
>> with my original major of elementary education; so being a liberal
>> studies major meant that I combined two fields of study to complete my
>> degree; those fields were social science which mainly used my psychology
>> classes, and communication.
>>
>> I just earned a certificate in writing from our community college this
>> year, Northern virginia community college, nova, for short.
>> Currently, I’m trying very hard to get volunteer experience in an office
>> and also assist people. I love the idea of assisting people at work.
>>
>> My career goal now is actually to just get an entry level office position
>> as a clerical assistant or program assistant.
>> Its extremely hard though because everyone wants you to have experience
>> already, but you need a job for that experience. I had internships in the
>> government and at national crime prevention council, but this is not
>> enough experience.
>> I’m also exploring careers to decide if I want to pursue something as a
>> professional and therefore go back to get a masters degree.
>>
>> That is why I’m on this list. If  I were to pursue a human service
>> career, I’d likely need a masters.
>> I would go into  either social work, case work, an outreach coordinator,
>> volunteer coordinator, those positions to assist low income people find
>> housing which I’m not sure what its called, or just something in
>> community outreach.
>> Other career interests I have are in communications which will not
>> require a masters; I love writing and putting people’s stories down; so I
>> could also see myself in development, event planning, public affairs,
>> journalism, and marketing.
>>
>> I would like to know who you all are and how you got into the field.
>> Given that I am not crazy about getting a masters as its so much work and
>> research, undergrad was a struggle with access to texts
>> , I want to get into something with a BA.
>>
>> I want to know if you can do something human service driven with a
>> Bachelors.
>> If so, what? I see most of you have masters degrees. A few of you have a
>> BSW though.
>>
>> I realize you may be stuck at a certain level without that lovely
>> masters, but can you get into something with a bachelors? Could I be a
>> coordinator of community programs or do something with case work at a
>> nonprofit?
>> Another benefit to working like this, even as assistant to a manager, is
>> you get a feel for if you like the work, before spending a fortune on
>> grad school.
>> Thanks for ideas. I have some questions about accomodations too which
>> will assist with any field.
>>
>> Ashley
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> JD Townsend LCSW
>> Helping the light dependent to see.
>> Daytona Beach, Earth, Sol System
>>
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>
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