[nabs-l] LWSB Little Rock Employment Training Programs

Tue Jul 17 04:33:34 UTC 2012

Amber,
Well, my goodness. I'd have to say first that I commend your efforts in 
sticking to the facts or trying to. I think you did a good job for someone 
who did not have a good experience.  I've also heard bad rumors about it. 
Second, with all this publicity, I'm real surprised that
LWSB continues to stay open and attracting the clients it does.
Which program were you in? Independent living? or a job program?

About rules, personally signing in and out doesn't bother me. You are in a 
training setting and with this litigious society, they need to account for 
everyone. What if there was an emergency? They need to know where everyone 
is. People go missing everyday and are never found. Youwouldn't want your 
parents or friends or family calling and them saying, oh, we do not know
where your son is;  he may be on campus or not.
The other thing about the no microwave or fridge would bother me. As a 
college student, I enjoyed having my own fridge in my room.
It gave me some freedom to have a cold drink or cold snack when I wanted to. 
Since the cafeteria closed early at 7:30, this was definitely nice.
That seems early to me given the fact that I eat late at home; between 7 and 
8pm.

Anyway, Amber you are making a good personal decision to leave. So I wish 
you luck in your next decision to find decent training or whatever you need.
I don't remember your intro to us, so I'm not sure if you are a current 
college student or recent grad.
If you haven't finished school, I hope you can as it opens up more doors to 
you.

Ashley
-----Original Message----- 
From: Herrin, Amber R.
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 10:36 PM
To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] LWSB Little Rock Employment Training Programs

Ian,

I am currently at WSB, but am planning to leave on Friday.  Here is what I 
have experienced.  I will do my best to give only facts and not color those 
facts with my opinion, though before I begin, I will clearly state that if 
you are asking for an opinion as to whether or not one should attend this 
program in order to obtain a job, I would have to say no.  But I am not you 
or anyone else for that matter, and what I have experienced here has colored 
my opinion, and may not be very reliable.

The facts:

*Several students (including myself) have had valuables go missing.
*The food does not seem to meet health and safety codes. (just one 
example-there are many-one evening we had chicken wings, and though the 
outside was hot, the inside was not.  I would not mention this, except this 
is not an isolated incident.)
*The showers have light bulbs  (not protected by any kind of panels) inside 
the actual stall where water could be accidentally splashed.  I brought this 
up as a concern, so they put a cover over mine, but mine is not the only one 
that this is the case with (as confirmed by other clients.)
*Despite several complaints from many clients, the building is full of bugs. 
They say that someone comes regularly to spray, but bugs were found even in 
my room, and I am a very clean person. (read as, do not leave food in 
uncealed containers or dishes with food still on them etc.)
*Clients are unable to have microwaves or refrigerators in their rooms, and 
so are reduced to coolers full of ice or nothing at all except cafeteria 
food.  There are microwaves that physically exist, but they do not work very 
well.

Now I can say that there are other things I could talk about, but they 
probably come down to personal preference and really are just normal 
inconveniences that one would encounter on any college dorm, except they are 
exaggerated because of the fact that everything is scaled down hugely.  So 
while, for example, on most college campuses, you could go to a dining hall 
at almost any time of day, if you do not come to meals at the times 
specified, you don't eat meals.  I am sure that anyone can argue that when 
in school, you have to work with a particular schedule, and while this is 
true to some extent, I do take issue with the fact that we can't even have 
microwaves or refrigerators in our rooms so that we may maintain the 
schedules that are most comfortable for us.

The last thing I mention is a large thing and may not affect anyone, but I 
feel I must mention it, because if I did not, I would be doing a great 
disservice to anyone considering attending this center.

Two weeks ago this Friday, I was groped by an authority figure.  He was 
picking me up from the airport, and I was approaching the baggage claim with 
a female passenger from my flight.  This authority figure approached me 
without announcing himself, put his arm around my waist, hugged me to 
himself in a tight, possessive manner, and told the female passenger who had 
offered to walk with me that he "had it under control from there, but 
thanks."  After which, he looked down at me and said, "How was your trip, 
Punkin?  We've missed you!  We're so glad you're home!"

This man did not announce himself to me in the beginning, should have been 
treating me professionally, is old enough to be my father, and possibly even 
my grandfather, has only interacted with me minimally since my arrival at 
the center, I'm 24, etc etc etc.  Basically, it was wayyy wayyyy beyond what 
one would call professional or even acceptable regardless of setting.

I cannot tell you whether to attend this center; only you can decide that 
for yourself.  What I can tell you is that the man who did this to me was 
reported by me, and, I have discovered, has been reported multiple times by 
other females that he has violated in one way or another, and still holds a 
job here.  I believe there is something big going on here that I am unaware 
of, and am only glad to be leaving.

I have met some truly wonderful people here, but regardless of that, I could 
never suggest that someone attend here.

I hope this helps you make your decision.  If it does not, please know that 
I wish you all the best.

Amber R. Herrin
Mobile: (513) 593-5855
E-mail: herrinar at muohio.edu
"It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason
For someone not to try

Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright

Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing"

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
Of Anmol Bhatia
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 4:49 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] LWSB Little Rock Employment Training Programs

Ian,
I have never attended LWSB as a trainny, but I used to go there on to stay 
during weekends in the 1990s. The only thing I can say is that LWSB has made 
alot of changes last couple of years and I would think about visiting there 
before deciding one way or the other. They do have an option to live off 
campus and as far as I am aware that there is not a sign in and sign out 
policy  after class time. Now they may have sign in and sign out policy 
during class time to keep count of attendance, however, this is know 
different signing in and signing out of work which everyone blind and 
sighted has to do.
The IRS program is one of the best programs there and frankly since you have 
to be excepted for a job at one of the IRS offices, it is a guarantied 
employment after completing the program and they start at 45,000 or more. 
The food was not the greatest, however, as I said above LWSB now known as 
World Services for the Blind has made alot of changes under the new director 
and frankly I can not tell you how the food is now. As I said earlier, I 
would make a visit there before making any kind of decision.

Anmol
I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps 
there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze 
among flowers.
Hellen Keller

--- On Mon, 7/16/12, Ian Perrault <iperrault at hotmail.com> wrote:

> From: Ian Perrault <iperrault at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [nabs-l] LWSB Little Rock Employment Training Programs
> To: "National Association of Blind Students" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Monday, July 16, 2012, 4:14 PM
> Hi
> I’m wondering if any of you have attended LWSB for one of their
> employment training programs, or LWSB in general?
> I’m looking into one of the IRS programs, and was reading the manual,
> and it seems like a very strict and structured environment, even
> though most of the participants are adults. For instance, you have to
> sign out if you want to go somewhere and things like that. Have any of
> you attended LWSB? I’d love to hear what your experiences were. Since
> I’ve been to college, it sounds like it’s not as independent of an
> environment.
> Ian
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