[nabs-l] volunteer experiences

Mon May 10 03:06:25 UTC 2010

Try Valenterring at a hospice, or nursing home. I think you should try to 
find something at your local church, in reguard to office work as well. for 
example, helping to write the church bulliton. RJ Sandefur
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] volunteer experiences


> Jewel,
> Those are great opportunities you were in.  I volunteered at the talking 
> book library but not regular library.  Great idea to label CD books in 
> braille.
> There may be opportunities at the library; I'll see about it; reading to 
> children or leading a discussion or something like that.
>
> Thanks for sharing!
> Ashley
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jewel S." <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 10:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] volunteer experiences
>
>
>>I have done mostly volunteer work at animal shelters. I only volunteer
>> at no-kills, for one thing, and I particularly like the cat-only
>> shelters. Most of the stuff I do at the shelter is what I do for my
>> kitty at home...give them food and water, clean out litter boxes,
>> socialize and play...I can also clean out cages, sort laundry, and
>> talk to potential adopters. I really enjoy it.
>>
>> I have also volunteered at a public library. I really enjoy telling
>> people about good books, and am pretty good at the online catalog, so
>> I can find a book in the catalog and give the the call number, though
>> I can't find it on the shelf since there's no Braille or such. But
>> anyone can help them find the book once I locate in the catalog on the
>> computer.
>>
>> I am in the middle of getting started with another volunteer
>> opportunity at the local public library. I'm working on starting the
>> fundraiser for it. I want to get the books on CD labelled in Braille
>> like the books at the library for teh blind. I twould cost 11 cents
>> per book, so that's not bad...but there are lots of books! Imagine the
>> worlds that would be opened if we could check out these books
>> ourselves, in addition to t he library for the blind's, RFBD,
>> Bookshrare, audible.com, and all the rest! I brought it up at the last
>> NFB meeting, and they are going to support my endeavours with a
>> contribution and help with the fundraising. It is the sort of
>> fundraising I really like, raising money toward a specific goal that
>> will advocate the blind and Braille and educate others, while giving
>> us more independence!
>>
>> Volunteer work doesn't have to be structured. Look around your
>> neighbourhood and see what needs doing. If you plan on working with
>> kids, perhaps volunteer to start a fundraiser to update the local
>> playground to be more accessible or safer. If your preference is
>> working with people in need, maybe join the Big Brothers, Big Sisters
>> program? Show that child how great a role model you are, teach them
>> the bus routes and how to walk around the area safely, take them to
>> museums and zoos and the park and places like that...you can do some
>> real good as a mentor to a child.
>> The best advice I can give though is to find what needs doing, and do
>> it! Yes, working at a soup kitchen will work on your resume, but if
>> you start a new program that brings a smile and a meal to needy people
>> who live on the streets or in the woods, that would be better (yes,
>> people still live in the woods...I met one the other day, real nice
>> guy, just down on his luck). Volunteering as a tutor will work, but
>> starting a new after-school program for teens would look better.
>> Reading to kids at the library would work, but it'll look better if
>> you raised funds for a new playground or a collection of TwinVision
>> books for the library, or some such.
>> Just some ideas,
>> Jewel
>>
>> On 5/8/10, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Can you share what volunteering you've done.  I think volunteering has 
>>> many
>>> beneficial purposes including building skills, experience, networking, 
>>> and a
>>> way to help the community.  Often organizations serve blind and disabled
>>> people, so if we volunteer we can serve being on the other end.  I am
>>> putting out volunteer applications to nonprofits while I look for a job; 
>>> I
>>> don't want a big gap on my resume.
>>>
>>> I volunteered at my talking book library checking/rewinding tapes.  I 
>>> also
>>> volunteered at  a shelter with my church.  I tutored children as well 
>>> with
>>> Campus ministry in college.
>>> But have not done too much in depth.
>>>
>>> Anyone volunteered at a food bank at a warehouse where you sort food? 
>>> Soup
>>> kitchen?  I've thought about that but not sure if its visual; I mean 
>>> would
>>> you need to read labels to sort food items.  For serving at a soup 
>>> kitchen,
>>> I imagine its big with lots of people; I wonder if you need to see the
>>> dishes and people so you know they are there to serve.  I know once I 
>>> have
>>> the dish, serving can be done by just placing the food on the plate and 
>>> I
>>> can judge the amount and where the food is by feeling with the utensil. 
>>> I
>>> have tunnel vision so I'd use that too.
>>>
>>> I'm also looking into volunteering at hospitals and nonprofit offices. I
>>> don't foresee much access issues in the office as long as jaws is 
>>> compatable
>>> with the programs on their computers.
>>>
>>>
>>> Any advice or ideas would be helpful.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Ashley
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>>
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