[nfbmi-talk] Job Posting - Student Assistants in Kalamazoo
joe harcz Comcast
joeharcz at comcast.net
Fri Oct 4 20:29:28 UTC 2013
Actually I really don't have an issue with hiring student assistent's
including the type of program and training you are talking about here
Christine so long as they are blind. We have too many people who need
general and meaningful work experience not to do these things. In fact both
of the parentss, of blind youth who spoke before the commission earlier
reported this as a lacking issue (meaningful work experience) of any type.
But once again there are no requirements in this thing for hiring blind
students, nor were there any in the now pulled student assistent program in
BADP which was all about running a franchise at the Anderson HOB anyway.
Nor, do I have issues with the pay range for either of those, especially for
blind students, or any student for that matter for they ranged pretty well
for part time employees. And this one I believe was at $12 per hour and not
minimum wage for sure.
It was also interesting that this post did include the collective bargaining
unit (UAW), while the BAD P notice did not.
And before goofballs like Rodgers says we can't have a priority for hiring
blind, or indeed otherwise disabled folks, including part timers like this
well here federal law is supposed to trump state civil service law and
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act does promote affirmative action
requirements in these regards.
(That goes to all VR entities and is supposed to be adressed in the State
Plan and supplements along with documentation)....Oops I can't get tthat
very instrument for they (BSBP/LARA?FOIA, and likely NSA) has made it a
classified document, very hush hush don't we know and all that?
Regardless we don't even know who is currently working in any capacity for
BSBP as their online directory hasn't been updated since October 1,
2012....And the agency really turned my simple request for that information
in to another never ending loop of FOIA requests which weren't FOIA requests
to begin with.
Man, I never thought I'd ever say this but Susan Tierney actually did a
pretty good job with keeping basic information on the web site, and in fact
followed the law and did a good job regarding CIC information as well.
And compared to the current regime CAnnon, et al were very transparent
though in the public record yours trully dogged activities helped ensure
that.
But that is indeed one of the roles of a consumer advocate for those who are
blind, and indeed, in my mind a primary role of NFB MI and nationally in
ensuring that at very least the activities of this federally funded VR
entity complies with allapplicable laws, let alone transparency to really
assure that, let alone the nuances of how best toevaluate, accesss, and to
rehabilitate a person who is blind which is their charge to begin with.
Now, once again in full circle I have no problem with these positions so far
as they go, and can see real value in them, with the provisos that they
should go to blind students, and, as you rightfully suggest here the roles,
responsabilities, and appropriate training of them should be in place too.
One more item here before I cease and desist from this topic. I'm also
concerned that these student assistents are only "earmarked" to work with
other youth at the center. As we know the center is mostly for adults and
there are only limited numbers of youth during the summer mostly, who
participate in these programs.
I see no problem for example with having a well trained, Blind, local
college student working during these hours and assisting the newly blinded
adult. In fact I see great merits in that as we all know.
When I attended the center, with much humility, I did in fact get much
assistence from blind peers often many years younger, but above the age of
eighteen.
One was a young lady from Bosnia, who was twenty three years old (and who
later was a student if not then).
Man, oh man that girl knew her Braille! In fact she new all U.S. codes and
German and other codes too. There is a lot of talent amonst us. We all have
strengths and weaknesses I guess for lack of better words but we are not
lacking in talent and it should not be wasted and it should be compensated
if shared in this sort of learning environment.
But, I do digress.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Boone" <christineboone2 at gmail.com>
To: <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>; "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List"
<nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Job Posting - Student Assistants in Kalamazoo
> The idea of having student assistants working in Supportive Services after
> hours was initiated when I was unable to fill the positions lost in the
> Supportive Services unit between 2006 and 2009. It is not a bad concept.
> Pat Cannon nixed it in the fall of 2010 and the positions were not filled
> at all during my hiatus from the Center. Though we were able to have
> student assistants back again beginning with the summer of 2012, we were
> not able to keep them during the remaining 3 seasons. The persons in
> these positions however, were never given enough training. This meant
> that they simply did not always have the knowledge that would have enabled
> them to do their jobs to the best advantage of the customers served by the
> Center.
>
> An intensive training program was in the works for the Student assistants
> who were to be hired in April of 2013. Not sure whether the timing of
> hiring permitted much training to happen.
>
> On Oct 4, 2013, at 12:12 PM, "Terry D. Eagle" <terrydeagle at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Does the following job description give an indication.
>>
>> Can you imagine BS4BP hiring the blind, given their attitude and
>> philosophy
>> they demonstrate about blindness, when it comes to the safety and
>> security
>> of blind youth?
>>
>> Job Description
>> This posting is for (3) student assistant positions.
>> The Student Assistant acts as a facilitator for after hour recreational
>> activities
>> with Training Center students, including the under age and young
>> transitional students.
>> Also provides safety and security coverage at the Training Center and
>> while
>> on official
>> Training Center recreational activities.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> Christine Boone
>> Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 11:07 AM
>> To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Job Posting - Student Assistants in Kalamazoo
>>
>> Would these be the persons who are serving as receptionists at the
>> Training
>> Center? Or will the Center continue to employ the student assistants
>> who
>> were working with young people in the evenings during the summer months?
>> I
>> do not have an answer, merely wondering.
>>
>> On Oct 3, 2013, at 8:22 PM, Larry Posont <president.nfb.mi at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
>>> 20812 Ann Arbor Trail
>>> Dearborn Heights, MI 48127
>>>
>>> October 3, 2013
>>>
>>> Dear Michigan Federationists:
>>>
>>> Today, I received this message from Bob Robertson that I have
>>> included below this email. It concerns a posting for student
>>> assistants at the Training Center. I find it curious that we have
>>> received this posting for minimum wage jobs but have not received
>>> postings for management positions. I urge you to read between the
>>> lines! Blind people will be hired for these minimum wage positions but
>>> I do not believe the Agency is willing to hire competent blind
>>> individuals who possess skills of blindness for management positions.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Larry Posont
>>> President
>>> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
>>> (313) 271-3058
>>> Email: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
>>> Web page: www.nfbmi.org
>>>
>>> Vehicle Donations Take the Blind Further Donate your car to the
>>> National Federation of the Blind today!
>>> For more information, please visit:
>>> www.carshelpingtheblind.org
>>> or call 1-855-659-9314
>>>
>>>
>>> Subject: Job Posting - Student Assistants in Kalamazoo
>>>
>>> The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons has posted notice of 3
>>> vacant, part-time, Student Assistant positions at the Training Center
>>> in Kalamazoo. The persons hired for these positions will need to be
>>> able to work nights and weekends to provide assistance in the Support
>>> Services section. Hours will vary depending on availability and need.
>>> The posting expires on Saturday, October 5 at 5pm. A position
>>> description can be found by going to the vacancy notice at the
>>> Department of Civil Service website:
>>>
>>>
>> http://agency.governmentjobs.com/michigan/default.cfm?action=viewJob&jobID=7
>> 37815&hit_count=yes&headerFooter=1&promo=0&transfer=0&WDDXJobSearchParams=%3
>> CwddxPacket%20version%3D%271%2E0%27%3E%3Cheader%2F%3E%3Cdata%3E%3Cstruct%3E%
>> 3Cvar%20name%3D%27CATEGORYID%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%2D1%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3
>> E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27PROMOTIONALJOBS%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fv
>> ar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27TRANSFER%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%
>> 3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27FIND%5FKEYWORD%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fva
>> r%3E%3C%2Fstruct%3E%3C%2Fdata%3E%3C%2FwddxPacket%3E
>>>
>>>
>>> If you wish to learn more about this position, you may contact Lisa
>>> Kisiel, Director of the Training Center, at 269-337-3848.
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob Robertson
>>> Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
>>> Lansing, Michigan
>>>
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