[nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America

Fri Mar 15 01:11:54 UTC 2013

As I mentioned, I went to LCB and they adjusted my Braille down from
daily to once per week at my request, after Mr. Whittle (Braille
instructor) and I both agreed that my Braille speed was good and the
only Braille area in which I was weak was slate and stylus. I think
any of the centers will provide such accommodation if you as the
student make a strong case for it and if the instructors and center
director are on board. Staff at CCB might be a little more liberal
than LCB in deciding when someone should be allowed to waive a class,
but any of the centers will work with you.
Arielle

On 3/13/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Keep in mind that LCB is the quintasential training center; the one that
> the
> other two are designed after.  They have to do a little something to
> separate themselves from LCB.  They have to bring a different flare and
> panache.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joshua Lester
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 8:56 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>
> Hmmm?
> Why then does LCB require Braille for everyone then?
> If all NFB centers aren't the same, that's fine, but LCB needs to follow
> suit.
> Blessings, Joshua
> ________________________________________
> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of justin williams
> [justin.williams2 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 7:54 PM
> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>
> The Colorado center, from what I understand, will let you tailor your
> schedule.  If you don't need braille, you should be able to skip it.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joshua Lester
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 4:20 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>
> My Voc Rehab counselor loves the NFB, but she said that they couldn't
> afford
> to send me to LCB, and that LCB wouldn't be my best bet, because she said,
> (and Pam Allen agreed,) that I didn't need to go to the Braille classes,
> which are required.
> What the NFB centers need to do, is to offer a test.
> If someone is already proficient in Braille, they shouldn't have to be
> required to take the Braille courses.
> Then, they could just focus on the independence training.
> Blessings, Joshua
> ________________________________________
> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Kaiti Shelton
> [crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 3:13 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>
> Hi Miso,
>
> Overall, your councelor should offer you consumer choice.  I know that's a
> hot topic now as we talked about it at the Ohio state convention last
> November.  Talk to the CCB staff and get justification.  Get specifics on
> their program as well as the junior blind program and outline what you
> could
> get in Colorado that isn't available in California.  Also draw on your past
> experiences with Junior Blind since you have them and use those to explain
> why Colorado would be a better opportunity.  Ultimately they should have
> given you this option since it's not like you're asking for them to fund
> you
> flying to Baltimore for a Journigan center program, or even Louisiana which
> would bring up higher plane costs, but hopefully once they have some
> justification they'll see what you're treally trying to get out of going to
> a center.
>
> Josh, I agree with Mike here.  Voc Rehab councelors are not always very
> fond
> of the NFB, and also it takes a little pushing and prodding to get what you
> really need out of them.  Look into the center, call and find out if it
> would really be a "waste of your time" or if it would be something truly
> beneficial for you.  Don't just take the word of your councelor, who is
> sighted and probably has no idea what the centers really do anyway.
>
> On 3/14/13, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>> Joshua:
>>
>> Did you check out LCB for yourself? Might not your VR counselor be
>> prejudiced against NFB centers?
>>
>> Just a thought.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joshua
>> Lester
>> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 7:05 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>>
>> Hi Miso.
>> If you're proficient in Braille, the NFB trainig center wouldn't be
>> your best bet.
>> Although they do independence training, you have to attend Braille
>> classes, every day.
>> If you need independence training, you'd be better off getting the
>> skills from a VR rep.
>> That's what I'm doing, since my VR said that LCB would be a waste of
>> my time.
>> Blessings, Joshua
>> ________________________________________
>> From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Miso Kwak
>> [kwakmiso at aol.com]
>> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 1:20 AM
>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>>
>> Thank you everyone for helpful answers.
>> To clarify, I was referring to the STEP not Davidson.
>> I lived in California barely 4 years, so I experienced JBA only twice.
>> I personally didn't like the atmosphere and philosophy very much
>> although not unbearable...
>> I think at this point, after reading feedbacks, I would prefer one of
>> the NFB centers over JBA. I think then the task to do is to get my
>> request to attend CCB justified.
>> I will contact staff at the CCB and see what I can do.
>> Thank you again.
>> Miso Kwak
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Hannah Chadwick <sparklylicious at gmail.com>
>> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wed, Mar 13, 2013 10:29 pm
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>>
>> Hi all,
>> So I just wanted to clarify since I've been to the STEP programs at
>> Junior Blind of America. There is STEP 1 and STEP 2, and they are both
>> summer programs that focus on helping young adults with job
>> interviewing skills, career research, and during STEP 2, the students
>> are placed on a work site.
>> They are expected to travel to and from work using public
>> transportation.
>> STEP 1 is 3 weeks and provides students with various info on the
>> topics mentioned above. STEP 2 is 7 weeks and students have the
>> opportunity to do an internship.
>>   I would be glad to provide more info on the STEP programs, however,
>> I think that Miso is referring to the Independent living program that
>> Junior Blind also offers.
>> The Davidson Program for Independence, DPI is a residential program
>> for blind individuals who wish to learn skills such as orientation and
>> mobility, technology, cooking, Braille, and of course independent
>> living skills.
>> I did
>> not attend DPI so I don't know specifically what they do and how they
>> run. I did have friends who attended both the STEP programs as well as
>> DPI.
>> They
>> told me they learned a lot and they found it very helpful. I'm sure
>> there are pros and cons to attending any residential program. Please
>> don't hesitate to contact me off list if you have further questions.
>> All the best, Hannah
>> -----Original Message-----
>>  From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brandon
>> Keith Biggs
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 9:48 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>>
>> Hello,
>> It depends where you are at in your living skills. I had been living
>> on my own for a few months before I went to the Step 2 program and I
>> found it only good for the few hours of work experience they provided.
>> They aren't very inventive when it comes to giving each person a
>> unique work environment, but you do get to do an internship. I did not
>> like however, the step 1 folks were mentored by the step 2 people for
>> both sessions and the step 2 people had to sit through classes the
>> step 1 participant's were taking.
>> Step 1 is a ton of classes on how to give an interview, talk about
>> yourself and act professionally dressing wise and so on. When I went
>> it was very lecture based and very little real-time experiences, but I
>> could tell some people really needed the learning. I could already
>> cook, clean, do laundry and had had a summer job the year before in a
>> much freer environment, so I found STEP oppressive, but I did learn
>> how to deal with authority in a mature way and even though I won't
>> repeat it, I am glad I went.
>> The campus is also very oddly situated, so it takes for ever to go
>> anywhere and they expect people to work around the schedule they set
>> up, so for example, I had a 2 hour commute on Para transit to and from
>> work and I had work to do at home. They were not very accommodating
>> for those of us who wanted to become work junkies, working till 10,
>> grabbing food, then waking up at 6 and leaving. They wanted you to
>> actually be around with other people and do tasks like instruct the
>> other students on how to use the computer for example.
>> Personally, the YES2 program in Washington state is more my cup of tee
>> than the STEP2 program, but I know plenty of other people who really
>> loved it and or who would really like it.
>> You can email me off list if you have any more questions.
>> brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Miso Kwak
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 3:55 PM
>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nabs-l] STEP Program offered by Junior Blind of America
>>
>> Hello,
>> I would like to know if any of you have participated in the STEP
>> program offered by Junior Blind in California.
>> If you have the experience, could you comment on how it was?
>> Would you recommend it?
>> I am trying to select a summer program that will help me improve my
>> independent living skills (mobility, home management, etc) and realize
>> that there are a few different options available, so I just want to
>> hear from someone if anyone on the list has experience with Junior
>> Blind's STEP program.
>> Thank you.
>> Miso Kwak
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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