[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

Tue Nov 12 16:16:08 UTC 2013

Is this something the NFB could look at as a possibility? RJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world


> Hi all,
>
> I think a volunteer-based in-home training program like what Bridgit
> described would be really excellent to have in  every state. I know a
> bunch of blind folks who are unemployed but who would make great
> in-home teachers for other blind people. Why not set them up first as
> volunteers, and then allow them to be hired as independent contractors
> of the state VR once they gain enough experience? At the very least,
> voc rehab needs to be better about matching blind mentors up with
> menttes particularly those who cannot go to a formal center. Those of
> us who have other disabilities or health conditions need the help most
> and tend to get it least.
> I will also admit that I've met several NFB center grads who remain
> unemployed for a long time after graduating, and often settle down in
> the town where the center is located but don't participate in school
> or work. This can happen for many reasons. Some have barriers to
> employment or higher education that the centers just can't address,
> like psychiatric conditions, chronic illnesses etc. For others who
> come to the center from out of state, they find it difficult to
> integrate what they learn into their old environment, for instance if
> they have over-protective families or a lack of blindness community
> support where they live. And finally, our centers are really designed
> to teach access and independence skills but they're not designed to
> teach job-specific professional skills or much in the way of academic
> skills. Perhaps our centers could improve on that, though I don't know
> exactly how.
>
> Arielle
>
> On 11/11/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I have often told my employers about blindness training and how it
> > made me an effective problem solver. Use it to your advantage. I was
> > in a quandry of having a school year look blank on my resume or not,
> > so I choose to list it. I also explain how my experiences have helped
> > me and how they will make me a more effective employee. But that is a
> > personal choice. I may have missed a few interviews because of listing
> > it, but I have also gotten some.
> >
> > Cindy
> >
> > On 11/11/13, RJ Sandefur <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Ashley, the rehab center I attended did not teach any job skills or
> >> anything. Sure they had us read a bunch of hand outs, but any one can
> >> read
> >> a
> >> bunch of hand outs and pass a test! RJ
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> >> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 4:28 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> >>
> >>
> >>> RJ,
> >>> They do teach job skills. just talk to  a center graduate and you'll
get
> >> the
> >>> answer.
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: RJ Sandefur
> >>> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 4:18 PM
> >>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> >>>
> >>> I could be wrong here, but I don't really see where rehabilitation
> >>> centers
> >>> are teaching both social and job skills. RJ
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
> >>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 11:50 AM
> >>> Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> > Minh,
> >>> >
> >>> > You seem to have had a very fortunate experience. I lost my sight as
> >>> > an
> >>> > adult, but in my experience, most blind people, especially children,
> >>> > don't have an experience like yours. If more families adopted an
> >>> > attitude like yours, we may not be having this discussion.
> >>> >
> >>> > And on a side note, I notice few people have analytical reasoning
> >>> > skills
> >>> > and the ability to be self-taught regardless of disability. Some
> >>> > people,
> >>> > for whatever reason, don't possess the ability to learn this way,
> >>> > therefore requiring a more formal teaching process.
> >>> >
> >>> > And life skills, these can easily be taught to blind people without
> >>> > shipping off to a specialized training center. But skills like
> >>> > Braille,
> >>> > adaptive technology, cane travel, etc., these are specialized skills
> >>> > that are not always easily picked up. It's for these skills that
> >>> > training centers are necessary.
> >>> >
> >>> > I think how we comport ourselves has a lot to do with how the world
> >>> > perceives us and our abilities. Right or wrong, when you present
> >>> > yourself to an employer, they are immediately judging you based on
> >>> > physical appearance. If you walk in well-groomed, confident and
> >>> > polite,
> >>> > this goes a long way, sighted or blind. If you enter a room
appearing
> >>> > to
> >>> > not be confident and not looking polished physically and mentally,
an
> >>> > employer will automatically have red flags. This is just human
nature.
> >>> >
> >>> > So, sadly, few blind people are provided the experience afforded you
> >>> > in
> >>> > this department. They don't naturally possess confidence, and
> >>> > regretfully, many people in their lives do not foster a spirit of
> >>> > confidence. So without training centers, I do think fewer people
would
> >>> > be employed. This isn't to say that getting a job will be easy as a
> >>> > blind person because you received training or carry yourself with
> >>> > confidence, but your chances certainly are better.
> >>> >
> >>> > And yes, a few studies have been conducted pointing to the advantage
> >>> > of
> >>> > attending a training center for the blind. Those with this
background,
> >>> > especially those not taught nonvisual skills beforehand, do better
in
> >>> > school, employment and life in general.
> >>> >
> >>> > Bridgit
> >>> > Message: 3
> >>> > Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 00:33:06 -0500
> >>> > From: minh ha <minh.ha927 at gmail.com>
> >>> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> >>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
> >>> > Message-ID:
> >>> >
> >>> > <CAAJqG9hYUgmy=_M2GLmwOmdknimkhUc6Y=Fgg8fBdHC0z6RX-g at mail.gmail.com>
> >>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
> >>> >
> >>> > All the proponents of training centers, NFB or otherwise keep saying
> >>> > how
> >>> > going to one will give blind individuals the skills they need to
gain
> >>> > employment or to be successful. I'm just wondering how these success
> >>> > stories are measured? Do the majority of graduates gain employment
> >>> > afterwards because of their new found independence skills and are
> >>> > these
> >>> > numbers higher than those that do not attend training centers? Maybe
> >>> > it's different for me because I had vision for the first few years
of
> >>> > my
> >>> > life, but all the skills that I've acquired over the years, I
learned
> >>> > from my family and friends. I remember growing up, cooking was one
of
> >>> > the activities that my best friend and I experimented together; she
> >>> > didn't know cooking skills either so we played around in the kitchen
> >>> > and
> >>> > taught ourselves how to use a stove, etc. I think we place too much
> >>> > responsibility on others--if I want to learn something, I teach
myself
> >>> > or I ask someone who knows it to teach me. Furthermore, I can't see
> >>> > myself taking 6-9 months to essentially remove myself from society
to
> >>> > focus on blindness skills so I can gain employment. I have had many
> >>> > internships and opportunities in college because I actually go out
> >>> > there
> >>> > and network and present myself to potential employers. My point is
> >>> > experience is the best teacher--I can learn all the independence
> >>> > skills
> >>> > I need at a center, but it's not going to do me any good without the
> >>> > experience.
> >>> >
> >>> > Minh
> >>> >
> >>> >
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> >>>
> >>>
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Cindy Bennett
> > Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
> >
> > B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> > clb5590 at gmail.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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