[humanser] Challenges with VR services

Wed Oct 7 00:15:29 UTC 2015

Hello Ashley and Erica,

A while ago I worked a seasonal job with the local Salvation Army's summer day camp program. I worked full time as their Inclusion Coordinator. I felt as though I had little support. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough or, perhaps I was not very assertive. At the time I was a V. R. client. As a whole our local Blind Rehabilitation Counselors are, in my jaded opinion, mediocre and at least one of them isn't the role model I'd seek out. Needless to say, I had NO SUPPORT from the Department of Rehabilitation. 

Erica, many after school programs need Inclusion Coordinators. Your experiences and your positive philosophy make you an excellent candidate for this type of position. Additionally, you may want to check with school districts and inquire about their programs and services for blind and visually impaired youth. I have a visually impaired friend who is a teacher's aide for the program that supports elementary children with vision loss. 

If you have lived experience with mental health challenges or have a family member with mental health challenges you will qualify for a number of positions in the public mental health field. This is the avenue I have embarked upon... 

From,
Lisa Irving

-----Original Message-----
From: humanser [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley Bramlett via humanser
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 4:52 PM
To: Human Services Division Mailing List
Cc: Ashley Bramlett
Subject: Re: [humanser] Challenges with VR services

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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