[nabs-l] Training centers and state agencies

[bookwormahb at earthlink.net]

Humberto,
Oh, I thought you were from Spain or latin America from your name.
Anyway yes your immigration status is probably why you are not eligible for 
services.
It costs 3,500 a month approximately to go to a nfb center. So if your 
agency cannot sponsor you, you probably can't go.  Yes seek out other 
resources. I'm just saying that other people may be able to help you if you 
have trouble getting the formal training you want.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: humberto
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 10:16 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

Hey, thanks for the little training lesson you have just posted
here, but I am sure I will seek other alternatives. And no, I am
not a US citizen. I came from Mexico just 5 years ago. That's why
my State agency just cannot provide with services.


> ----- Original Message -----
>From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 22:09:13 -0500
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>Humberto,
>Curious which country? Also, why  can't your state agency help?
I think you
>have to be a US citizen; maybe that is why you can't get
services.
>Many states have a lighthouse for the blind.  Its not nfb
philosophy or
>expectations.  But services from them would teach you some skills
like
>laundry.
>Another idea is if you have blind friends from NFB or other
affiliations,
>maybe they can teach you some; get together and learn some
things.  Your
>parents may not expect anything.  Do you have siblings? Maybe
they would
>have more faith and belief in you.  Get them to show you things.
>Cleaning is done a lot like the sighted people do it. In fact
that would be
>a great discussion here.
>Have someone take your hand and show you the cleaning motion.
Take a
>cleaning tool such as a sponge and go in a systematic pattern
such as top to
>bottom; over lap the strokes as you clean.  To clean you use the
same tools
>and matterials as everyone else would.
>For laundry, if you read braille, have someone help you label the
buttons in
>braille. Use initials such as M for medium and for temperatures:
C for Cold,
>H for hot. Then measure out detergent; you can feel the amount in
the cup.
>Then after clothes are in, just wash.
>Do not use bleach except for white clothes.  Generally to keep
clothes from
>fading, wash in cold water.
>Another tip is before drying your clothes, clean out the lent
filter!
>Clothes generally dry for an hour. If not dried after that, put
them in for
>another 15 minutes and then check them.
>Also if you have socks of different colors, you have to feel them
to match
>them in pairs.  If you cannot feel them to match say a blue with
its
>coresponding blue sock, then you need another way.  Safety pins
will keep
>your socks hooked together in pairs.
>Also before washing pants, check the pockets to ensure you don't
have
>tissues or other objects in them such as coins.
>Its easy to take off clothes and forget to remove little items
such as
>these.

>Of the skills you mentioned, laundry is probably the easiest to
learn.
>I learned some about cleaning at our state center and we reviewed
laundry
>but I already knew most of that.
>While a center may be the best solution, if you cannot get the
financial
>funding it may not be possible. So meanwhile seek out other
sources.
>Good luck.

>Ashley
>-----Original Message-----
>From: humberto
>Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 9:30 PM
>To: jsorozco at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students
mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>Hello all:

>First of all, I think I, personally, would be benefitted from
>going to a training center. I think the reasons why are:
>1.  Although my parents are proud for the hard work I've put into
>by going to school and getting great grades, and they support me
>quite into the same matter, their blindness philosophy is not
>mine, and it's not what I want out of my life. My Mom, as I grew
>up, did not teach me any skills of independence, like washing my
>own clothes, not being afraid of the stove, cleaning, and even
>she thought, that using a knife to cut apples was not possible
>for me. Then again, this is when I was little, and you know, the
>belief system really sets in when you are a kid. (If you know
>what I mean, anyways). Not until I came into this wonderful
>country that stands for freedom for all, I discovered the NFB.
>And, due to my parents' quite low expectations, I am now 20 years
>old, and still don't know how to do those things I have mentioned
>above.
>2.  I really want to go to college. So, college experience
>require a lot of independent experiences, So, I want to attend a
>training center. And with the fact, that I cannot get help from
>my state agency for the blind, it is quite a challenge to qualify
>for a training center. But anyways, just my 40 cents.

>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com
>>To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 14:31:02 -0500
>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>>Bridgit,

>>This is one of the best cases I've seen laid out for pursuing
>training at a
>>Center.  You're not preaching to the choir, because there are
>some of us
>>with a slightly dissenting view.

>>I initially rejected the NFB training for two reasons.  First, I
>was more
>>interested in continuing college, and second, I was not at all
>interested in
>>being forced into what other people felt was the right path to
>independence.
>>Now that I'm a little older, I can appreciate the stupidity of my
>first
>>reason.  If you want something bad enough, you make it a
>priority, but the
>>second reason, to me, still holds a little water.

>>I was not interested in condescending people looking down on me
>for choosing
>>not to take 6 to 9 months out of my life to fit someone else's
>model of
>>training.  There is a very distinct culture among Center alumni
>that makes
>>people not part of it feel a little left out.  Now, I am always
>first in
>>line to preach the line about doing what you need to do and never
>mind what
>>anyone else says, but from a marketing perspective, it makes very
>little
>>sense to make it appear as though NFB training is a cornerstone
>to NFB
>>philosophy.  Yes, the NFB centers feature phenomenal
>expectations, but no,
>>these centers will never be able to reach everyone who needs or
>wants
>>training.  A flexible plan ought to be exercised to catch
>professionals who
>>would like NFB-style training without the unreasonable
>expectation of
>>stopping employment for an extended period of time, especially in
>uncertain
>>economies.

>>After all that babble, my point is this:  I did not pursue
>training and am
>>positive I would benefit from a training program.  I think people
>like me
>>who chose not to enroll in a program should be prepared to
>achieve the same
>>levels of proficiency with the disadvantage of doing it on your
>own across a
>>longer period of time.  You have to commit to pushing yourself
>across
>>multiple fronts to maintain confidence.  I feel I've done that,
>though I
>>have not found someone to teach me a thing or three about
>woodwork.  Maybe
>>later when I have the sufficient income to pitch the idea, I'll
>convince a
>>Center to let me train for a summer at one of their facilities.
>Success is
>>possible whether you go to a Center or not.  If you go to a
>Center, you'll
>>have to work hard.  If you go at it on your own, you'll have to
>work even
>>harder, but, make the decision that is truly most beneficial for
>you and
>>commit to it 100% after you've chosen.  I personally think I
>would have been
>>a little more swayed in favor of the training center route had I
>read
>>something like the post below when I graduated from high school.

>>Best,

>>Joe

>>"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their
>sleeves,
>>some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam
>Ewing

>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
>>Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 1:41 PM
>>To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers and their structure

>>Dear List,

>>I know I will be preaching to the choir here so forgive me, but I
>feel
>>it is important to stress the importance of choosing a good
>training
>>center to attend.

>>As a blind person-- whether blind from birth, later in life or in
>the
>>process of losing vision-- one of the most important things you
>can do
>>is attend the best training center you can find.  The reason NFB
>centers
>>and other progressive centers follow similar methods is because,
>for
>>years now, they have proven to be the best methods for instilling
>>independence along with a strong functionality with the skills.

>>We all learn at different paces and with different styles, but
>these
>>centers are structured to meet individual needs.  This is why
>people
>>train anywhere from 6 months to a year.  If you think you can
>learn the
>>skills in less than 6 months and use them effectively, you are
>mistaken.
>>Time and time again, I have seen people choose to not complete a
>>training course and they lack the confidence and ability that
>most gain
>>after at least a six month stint.

>>As for sleep shades, I have always failed to understand why
>people are
>>against this.  I initially learned with sleep shades and it made
>sense
>>to me.  How better to gain that confidence than to know you can
>do
>>things in non-visual ways?  Now that I can no longer use my
>vision at
>>all, it makes me feel like I must be less capable when people say
>sleep
>>shade training is wrong or not necessary.  The way this comes
>across is
>>that vision is still vital to be truly independent, and that when
>you
>>have no useable vision, you can not effectively accomplish
>things.

>>Do not sell yourself short.  We all have the ability to gain that
>>freedom and independence we hear so much about.  If you have
>never tried
>>something, how do you know you can't do it?  I don't say all this
>>because I have been brain washed, and I am one of those hard core
>blind
>>people; I say all this because I have experienced it and know the
>>benefits.

>>We will struggle, we will need to learn, we will not always do
>>everything perfectly, but if we have been handed the tools and
>methods
>>to give us independence and confidence, we will find a way to
>prove
>>ourselves to the world.

>>I agree that placing an untrained student into an apartment
>scenerio may
>>not work for everyone.  I understand the reasoning behind this,
>but I
>>also know that before you learn skills and the confidence to use
>those
>>skills, living on your own may not be the best situation right
>away.
>>Not all training centers, good ones that is, follow this style of
>>training.  You can find centers, like the Iowa Department for the
>Blind,
>>where there structure is similar to the NFB centers, but housing
>is on
>>campus, not apartments.  Regardless, challenge yourself and find
>out
>>what you really are able to do.

>>Many of us can a test to the positive influence of a good
>training
>>center that teaches Structured Discovery.  Sleep shades and
>completing
>>six to nine months is essential to these programs.  Do we choose
>>universities that truncate their programs because we don't want
>to spend
>>time completing a degree?  No, we know we have to work for four
>years,
>>or longer, so we can receive the best education possible.  Why do
>we
>>view training centers for the blind differently?

>>I urge us all to take a good look inside and figure out who we
>are and
>>what we are capable of.  We will all encounter situations in life
>that
>>make us nervous or scared, but does that mean we limit our lives?
>Do we
>>not reach our full potential because of nerves?  No, of course
>not.  We
>>should not follow an opposite line of thinking, then, when it
>comes to
>>choosing a training center.

>>Centers that do not offer this kind of training only send a
>message that
>>blindness is limiting, and one is better off with some vision.
>Yes, I
>>have visited centers like this and it is sad to see blind people
>not
>>reaching their full potential or not understanding how
>independent they
>>can be.  The reason NFB centers were created was because most
>other
>>agencies were not teaching and instilling this sense of
>independence,
>>and they were not willing to open their minds to a new way.  Like
>many
>>other situations, we were not going to accept this so we opened
>our own
>>training centers.  Not everyone graduating from these centers
>leaves
>>ready to make their mark on the world, bbut this is life.  Many,
>though,
>>leave these centers knowing they can do anything, and they are
>ready to
>>face the world.

>>I am one of these people.  I never understood the fear of
>training or
>>the insistance that it was not important.  When I started losing
>my
>>vision, I couldn't wait to train.  I knew I could still do
>things, I
>>just had to figure out how to do them.  I did not accept what
>people
>>told me, that I was limited and would not be able to do a lot of
>things.
>>I felt this way long before I trained, long before I knew of the
>NFB or
>>any other group.  I was nervous, and at 23, leaving for training,
>in a
>>whole other state, was the first time I truly lived away from
>home.  I
>>have not been back since.

>>I live on my own (wel, with my husband, who, by the way, is blind
>too).
>>I take the bus, I go to school, I work.  I do everything, and
>more, and
>>I owe this to a positive training center.

>>I will stop.  I apologize, but I feel so strongly about this
>topic.  As
>>blind people-- as people-- I know we can do anything we put our
>minds
>>too.  I simply don't want to see anyone stifle their own
>potential.

>>Bridgit


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