[humanser] Challenges with VR services

Tue Oct 6 23:51:47 UTC 2015

Hi,
Lisa, that was my reaction as I read all Erika's education background.
A BA in social work allows you to do many jobs in the nonprofit area. You 
could work in some case management jobs, information and referral, or maybe 
some coordinator positions.
Ericka, I think you would be a good fit for an after school program with at 
risk children or teens.

If you have courses in learning disabilities, you can combine the human 
service interest and interest with kids  by working with kids generally or 
disabled kids.
Inventories are a good idea to figure out what you want to do. But I'd also 
add informational interviews which is where you question people in the field 
of interest. You might find job shadowing helpful too. I suspect you cannot 
shadow specific clients and their social workers due to confidentiality, but 
you could perhaps shadow other parts of the social work job.

The site indeed.com is pretty easily laid out. But I don't recommend 
monster.com.

Its sad to learn of people with  much education, so much interest, and so 
much potential still not finding work.
I know how it feels though having not found employment with my BA. Like 
Ericka, I have several interests including working with teens and children 
whether they be regular kids, at-risk kids, or those with some learning 
challenges or blind themselves.

Even in the DC area, I've found most opportunities working with learning 
disabled or blind kids to be volunteer based. For instance the columbia 
lighthouse recruits volunteers for its camp; same with camp abilities in MD. 
Nothing wrong with volunteering, but there comes a time when you want to be 
paid for your work.
Good luck finding employment and navigating vr.

Ashley
-----Original Message----- 
From: Lisa Irving via humanser
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 4:53 PM
To: 'Human Services Division Mailing List'
Cc: Lisa Irving
Subject: Re: [humanser] Challenges with VR services

Ericka,

Wow! You are very well-rounded. I would think that should make you highly 
employable. You might consider playing around with monster.com, indeed.com 
(I think's right), and other job posting sites just to get a feel for 
careers. Consider writing your ideal job position. Consider taking job 
interest inventories. If you are involved in a religious organization you 
may wish to consider taking a gifts of the spirit inventory or class. Ask 
your closest friends about your strengths and growth areas.

Lisa

-----Original Message-----
From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ericka via 
humanser
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 1:22 PM
To: Human Services Division Mailing List
Cc: Ericka
Subject: Re: [humanser] Challenges with VR services

Let me think on this. Can you come up with some other paths for me as well? 
I have early childhood/learning disabilities education but never really was 
able to teach in that capacity. I have a gerontology certificate and a BA in 
social work. Unlike you, most of my things I have done where volunteer 
unless they were part time or work-study/shadowing type. I'm certain that my 
seizures are not helping me in the hiring process any either. I've never 
disclosed until after the fact because most of the time my seizures are so 
under control it's not an issue.

Ericka Short
"Friends are like flowers in the garden of life"

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 6, 2015, at 3:06 PM, Lisa Irving via humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> 
> wrote:
>
> Ericka,
>
> In the state of California Activity Directors are only required to 
> complete 32 hours of training. My first two jobs were as an Activity 
> Director; my degree was in recreation with a concentration in Therapeutic 
> Recreation. At the time I was nationally certified.
>
> I see what you're saying about an undergraduate social work position. What 
> career suggestions can you share with me?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Lisa Irving
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ericka 
> via humanser
> Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 12:51 PM
> To: Human Services Division Mailing List
> Cc: Ericka
> Subject: Re: [humanser] Challenges with VR services
>
> Unless someone else can come up with something, I don't think there is an 
> entry-level social work job in the field you were looking at. The only 
> social work related job entry-level that I have been able to obtain with a 
> bachelors in social work was an activity assistant part time at a nearby 
> nursing home. I have a non-certification teaching degree in special ad as 
> well. You'd think I would be employable to somebody. Here are a big 
> portion of the problem is transportation and the second is a saturated 
> environment
>
> Ericka Short
> "Friends are like flowers in the garden of life"
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Oct 1, 2015, at 7:54 PM, Marisol Carmona via humanser 
>> <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I tried applying for VR services in order to have some tuition assistance 
>> during my master’s program, which I will start fall of 2016. However, 
>> they denied me because by pursuing a social work degree, it is expected 
>> that I would not be advancing in my career, particularly in terms of 
>> salary. I am currently employed, but plan on quitting my job to focus 
>> entirely on school work. I shared with them this fact and they said that 
>> I would be eligible for VR services if I am unemployed, but I possibly 
>> could be asked to show proof that I cannot get a job with my 
>> undergraduate degree in psychology. I explained that there are no jobs 
>> that I’m aware of where I could work as a social worker without a master’s 
>> level degree, to which they responded that I could probably be hired as 
>> an entry level employee.
>> Has anyone had a similar challenge? Your input is greatly appreciated!
>>
>> Marisol
>>
>>
>>
>>
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