[nabs-l] volunteer experiences

Mon May 10 15:58:58 UTC 2010

Hi all,
 Jewl you bring up some great ideas.  the  biggest thing is finding
something that you will enjoy and invest your time in it.  I think
it's very important to    present ourselves as individuals that can,
will and do give back to their communities.  Think about it, with any
person a community gives so much to us; blind or not, and to give
something back that someone gave to us  can be a verypositive and
uplifting expirience.  some say, that  giving back is good for the
soul.
 I've worked with blind seniors and youth in recreational programs and
 worked in community gardens as well. I've done mass mailings and
recruitment visits for non-profits and am looking to expand and do
more work with  the sierra club and AmeriCorps Alums programs.
 I did  a bunch of  different things on project rounds with
AmeriCorps as well.
 Darian

On 5/9/10, RJ Sandefur <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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-- 
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are
spiritual beings having a human experience.” - Teilhard de Chardin