[nabs-l] Blind people doing community service

[Ashley Bramlett]

Darian,
Yes, yes. I think most community service is done with groups of regular 
sighted people. If we limit ourselves to doing it with blind friends or a 
blindness group like NFB, that is really limiting. Community service is to 
serve the community wich usually means the broader community. That said, 
I've faced some barriers in getting work so far and I hope its easier for 
others looking. A barrier is that there is just so many volunteers now with 
people getting laid off or looking for work; like me, they figure volunteer 
experience is a means to network and benefit the community while getting 
professional experience.
Another barrier I've found is that the coordinators of nonprofits don't call 
back as they must be real busy or they don't follow up with you probably 
because they know it will say take longer to train you with their database 
or something. I was going to volunteer at the library foundation, a 
nonprofit supporting the public library and the coordinator said all the 
right things and asked me to stuff tote bags for some fundraiser. I did and 
enjoyed it. However she did not follow up with me for more office work even 
though she said the right things in the interview. If I  want to help at a 
school event, I feel marginalized. Sometimes they simply say "oh we got 
things under control" even though I know they could use a hand. For 
instance, at the fundraiser dinner/auction for the global charity project 
club I was in, that is what they said. I helped the club raise money for the 
charity, but not much in the event. Of course, I've had positive experiences 
too. For example I gave out candy during halloween fest at school; that is 
where we had the low income kids come in and trick or treat the dorms. And 
then I helped campus ministry stuff backpacks for catrina school children 
victims. There are more of course, but seems like it can be frustrating to 
find a niche in service work.

Ashley


-----Original Message----- 
From: Darian Smith
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 4:03 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Blind people doing community service

Hi all,
  I know  I have been pretty quite on the list  as of late, but I
figure I should add my two cents.

Obviously, any way you  can use your talents and skills to  better  a
community of any sort is  a very good thing and is considered
"community Service".

This is my personal feeling, but I think it would be great if we
challanged ourselvesa little bit and tried to take our talents and use
them to benifitnot just the blind.
I am a big fan of non-blindness based community service.
  As enough people probably know I dida ten-month service term  in
AmeriCorps.  I think  I have learned so much from that time, and I
reminded myself that in order to be considered a part of society, I
really should do service work shoulder to shoulder with my sighted
peers.
  I learned so much about myself, the country, and the issues we face
in some places.

Just some thoughts, and I would be intereste  in hearing yours.
  Take care,
  Darian

On 5/18/12, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
> I think this counts, but I'm a musician, as everyone here knows.
> I go out to the nursing homes, to entertain the residents, with
> uplifting Gospel music.
> I know it's not much, but I'm doing what I can, in this community.
> This is also blindness related, because I'm assisting a blind
> resident, who has finally decided, that she wants to learn Braille!
> Woohoo!
> I've talked about her, on another list.
> We need to do outreaches like this, as blind people, to make people
> more aware of us, and our issues.
> Also, when the sighted individuals see that blindness isn't something
> that keeps us from doing what we want to do, their perceptions of us
> will change!
> I'd like to know what all you guys are doing, to serve your community!
> Thanks, Joshua
>
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-- 
Darian Smith

"To dream what is possible and to put oneself in service of that dream is 
the
formula
for a life well lived."

- Dr. Peter Benson

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