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LightHouse News

Young Adults Learn the Ropes of Leadership

Employers are looking first and foremost for employees who communicate effectively and have the ability to work well as part of a team. But these skills are not typically taught in traditional school settings, especially to blind and low vision youth. In our efforts to address this need, LightHouse has just completed the first of three workshops aimed at getting blind youth up-to-speed in these areas. We launched the Future Leaders Training Program (formerly known as Transition Summit) last month in the beautiful setting of Enchanted Hills Camp. There, young adults ages 17 through 25 spent a fun-filled yet intensive three-days learning about team-building, clear communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, leadership, strategic planning, networking, time-management and more.

Whether enjoying a fierce yet friendly four-way tug-of-wits; coaching and encouraging teammates through a rigorous and challenging nighttime ropes course; or tensely negotiating which essential survival items should be kept or left behind before embarking on a strenuous mock survival hike; the young people were introduced to some of the most important concepts and strategies related to effective communication and teamwork. Exploring these vital concepts through active engagement and role play, they were able to demonstrate their understanding of these principles during various skill-building exercises.
LightHouse staffer Brandon Young with 24-year old Micah Aveno and 19-year old Priscilla Jimenez celebrate victory after a rousing round of tug-of-wits
LightHouse Director of Community Services John Liang said, “We saw a considerable transformation in how much more expressive these young people became because of the team building and trust that developed between the participants.”

24 year-old Micah Aveno, usually soft-spoken and shy, summed the weekend up best. “…Thank you for this amazing opportunity – it was a great experience. I learned so much and had a lot of fun. I look forward to attending future sessions.”

The next two sessions of this fun and growing experience will cover subjects such as professionalism and leadership. They are planned for later this year and will be open to previous participants as well as other blind and visually impaired transition-aged youth who are enrolled with the Department of Rehabilitation. For more information contact John Liang at jliang@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7334.

Joe Donaldson Rejoins the Work Force With Help From LightHouse Employment Immersion Program

For many years Joe Donaldson worked in commercial construction as a crew foreman. Then, two years ago, he lost one of his eyes due to an accident during a game of Ping-Pong. At that point, he evaluated his options and decided to make a career change. After discussion with his Department of Rehabilitation counselor, Joe decided to become an EKG technician. He sailed through the Cal State University East Bay EKG Technician Certification course, but still had ahead of him the challenge of finding a job in his newly chosen field. His counselor referred him to the LightHouse Employment Immersion program and he enrolled in the beginning of this year.
Joe Donaldson stands during mock interview that is part of Employment Immersion class
Meeting his fellow classmates and Program Leader Kate Williams was Joe’s first exposure to blind people and was a turning point in his life as a blind person. The time spent with this group of blind and low vision people, each with a variety of abilities, differing skills and backgrounds, has really shaped his attitude about his blindness and his career going forward. “During our class he saw that blindness was no obstacle to a full and happy life,” said Kate.

Once Joe got his certificate, his biggest concern was finding employment despite the fact that he lacked experience. One of the strategies he learned in class was how to emphasize the transferrable skills he had gained during his years as a construction crew foreman on his resume and in his interviews.

Even before the segment on interviewing came up in the classroom, Joe took the initiative to go on several job interviews. According to Kate Williams, with each try, she “could see his confidence rise.” He finally interviewed with a company called Cardionet. “I was nervous about my interview with CardioNet but confident at the same time because of everything I learned from Kate and [LightHouse Employment Associate] Alex Galeczka. Alex helped me get my computer skills up-to-date since I had not been online for many years. During the interview I had to take a test on the physiology of the heart, so I used my magnifier to read and I did well.”

Two years after losing his vision, Joe is now gainfully employed as an EKG technician for Cardionet which is located in a high-rise building in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district. Going from construction to heart rhythm patterns, Joe is a fine example of what one can achieve with a great attitude, hard work and some pretty fantastic role models. Joe said, “I want to give a huge, gigantic enormous thank you to Kate and Alex. I couldn’t have gotten this job without them. They are wonderful.”

Marcled Foundation Underwrites LightHouse Employment Immersion for Second Year

Last year the LightHouse launched its Employment Immersion Program, a cutting-edge project aimed at providing blind and visually impaired jobseekers with the means to successfully gain employment.

We’re pleased to announce that the Marcled Foundation has given us $25,000 for the second year in a row, letting us continue offering this much needed program. “The Employment Immersion leadership team is extremely grateful that the Marcled Foundation has chosen to fund us, because it will allow us to continue our commitment to providing unique and customized job search training,” said program leader Kate Williams. “In addition to continuing last year’s successful approach to training through immersive and demanding month of blindness-specific job search strategies, the Marcled Foundation’s funding will enable us to coach job seekers on a one-to-one basis, based on their specific goals. This personalized counseling has greatly increased the number of people we have successfully placed in secure employment.

“So far this year, another seven participants have reached their employment goals. They’ve gotten jobs that are highly-skilled and pay well, jobs such as EKG Technician, Naval Dept. Scientist and Rehabilitation Counselor, that will bring in annual salaries that add up to an estimated $400,000. What really makes this work worth it is that we keep in regular touch with past participants, both employed and still engaged in the job search. We do this to determine their status, encourage them in their concentrated efforts and because it’s just so great to hear about their progress. One of our successful participants, Joe Donaldson, called the other day while standing in front of his new workplace and said ‘I can’t believe I’m standing here in a suit looking up at a tall building and realizing I’m walking into the third week of my new position (as a EKG technician). I’m still pinching myself. Sometimes life has a funny way of moving us forward.’ The Marcled Foundation has been a key stakeholder in helping us provide this important service, including the follow-through.”

If you are a blind or visually impaired jobseeker we encourage you to talk with Kate Williams to find out if the Employment Immersion Program can help. We will start a new Employment Immersion session on July 31. Session lasts for 8 weeks and will be at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. Call Kate at 415-694-7324 or email her at kwilliams@lighthouse-sf.org.

Angel Island Adventure

On a sunny Bay Area day in May, a handful of young blind sailors took to the waters off Marin County in kayaks. Their object was to paddle the three miles to Angel Island, in San Francisco Bay, for an overnight stay. “We wanted to provide a great opportunity for outdoor fun and kayaking is a perfect summer activity for a group of young adults,” said trip leader and LightHouse Community Service Coordinator Brandon Young.

The group met at the LightHouse and traveled by Golden Gate transit to well-loved locals, Sea Trek in Sausalito. Sea Trek rented the kayaks and equipment while young adults from the Young Leaders program at Environmental Traveling Companions provided one-on-one training and guidance both to and from the island.

Each kayak housed two passengers, a blind kayaker from our group and a guide from Environmental Traveling Companions. The paddle from Sausalito to Angel Island takes about two hours. According to Young, “it was an absolutely beautiful day: the bay was flat and calm with no wind and plenty of sun. We couldn’t have asked for better weather than this.”
Blind sailor Patricia Jimenez and her guide settle into their kayak and get ready for the paddle
With harbor seals and sea birds accompanying them as they sang sea-shanties, the group enjoyed the challenge of keeping together, but not too close together, in the water. They paddled through Richardson Bay and beyond using whistles and hand gestures to keep formation despite the current. “We didn’t bump into each other too much,” Young said with a grin. “It was all done at a very serene, unhurried pace – there were a few people trying to race a little bit but it was mostly a leisurely journey.”
Blind sailor Fabian Cardona poses in his kayak
After arriving and unpacking, the young people prepared and consumed a fortifying spaghetti dinner, followed by a night hike and games of cards and dice (no betting, please). They slept on the floor in sleeping bags, staying in one of the historical buildings that remain usable on the island.

The next morning they made breakfast (waffles and bacon), hiked a bit, then cleaned up their lodging and headed back out on the water. Those who craved a little more excitement got their wish as the return journey was not quite as calm. The waves were a little bigger, the current was a little stronger, the tide was, as Young put it, “argumentative”. Of course this just added to the experience, and all-in-all the young people had a great time.

For information about upcoming adventures made available through the LightHouse Adult/Senior Program, please contact Brandon Young at 415-694-7320 or byoung@lighthouse-sf.org. Learn more about Sea Trek at www.seatrek.com, and Environmental Traveling Companions at www.etctrips.org.

Blindness Specialists Gather for Weekend Intensive at Enchanted Hills

Each spring, the LightHouse offers a Provider’s Weekend retreat for professionals working in the blindness field, at our Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa. This year over forty participants from around the state, representing a diversity of agencies of and for the blind, engaged in a weekend rich with dialogue, idea sharing and camaraderie. Attendees, most of whom are blind, included teachers and educators of the visually impaired, staff from guide dog schools, engineers and scientists, Veteran’s Administration representatives, access and computer technology specialists, youth and transition coordinators and staff from the Department of Rehabilitation.

We asked Lion’s Blind Center Employment Specialist Serena Olsen, who is relatively new to the blindness field, to share her fresh perspective on Provider’s Weekend. Here’s what she had to say:

My very first impression upon falling out of the bus and wandering off to find my cabin was that I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful California day or a more perfect setting to enjoy it. The grounds at Enchanted Hills are lovely and well-maintained.

Throughout the weekend attendees participated in a variety of sessions and activities; the subject of one discussion on day one was a little-known but important figure in the organized blind movement, Newel Perry; others joined Mike May of Sendero Group as he demonstrated their GPS technology during an excursion to a local winery. Interwoven that day and throughout the weekend were delicious family-style meals, swimming, hiking and gatherings around the campfire where we dialogued about best practices and the future of our services, in the spirit of collaboration and unity. The balance between work and play during the weekend was really great–though I simultaneously felt that I wanted both more work time and more pool time!

Saturday morning LightHouse Director of Rehabilitation Kathy Abrahamson facilitated the most sober and profound part of the agenda, a discussion on what motivates people. Her presentation was brilliantly simple and very powerful as she spoke about what motivates clients to progress toward success and what are the best practices for getting them there.

The final two presentations of the morning session demonstrated both what is now available, in terms of technology, to make learning more accessible as well as even more efficient and effective ways of developing this technology. Roger Tower, a representative of the company Independence Science, demonstrated products developed to make science accessible, particularly in classroom/lab settings. Independence Science offers Tactile Adaptation Kits that contain items such as tactile molecule models, tactile beakers and measurement tools, and supplies for tactile adaptation. More info at: independencescience.com.

Josh Miele, president of the LightHouse Board then spoke about LightHouse Labs, an emerging project of the LightHouse that is serving as a technology think-tank for the blind, whose mission is based on the idea of blind people imagining the products and technology they want or need and developing them with accessibility in mind right from the beginning.

On Sunday, we took an exhilarating hike which ended at the Cathedral, a gathering place situated in an outdoor setting. Once seated in this beautiful space, we had a wonderful dialogue. The overarching message of this discussion validated the approach I tend to take in my profession: the most powerful work is being done through one-to-one community-based connections and that these connections can be made in any context, even those not addressing blindness.

Roger Tower said something during his presentation that has stayed with me: “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I’ll remember, involve me and I’ll understand.” Provider’s Weekend was a great experience and I would most definitely do it again!

If you are interested in attending next year’s Provider’s Weekend, or are interested in becoming a sponsor for Provider’s Weekend, please contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org or (415) 694-7319.
Providers Weekend participants sit in the shade and sip wine at Fulton Winery & Vineyard, a destination arrived at using GPS technology for the blind. Clockwise from top: Nanako Yamada, Teacher for the Visually Impaired, California School for the Blind; Tieu Kohler, Blind Rehabilitation Specialist, VA in Tucson, AZ; Katie Gilmore, Business Development Manager, Sendero Group; Shen Kuan, Information Services/Tech Associate, LightHouse for the Blind; Seung Lee, Blind Rehabilitation Specialist, VA, Palo Alto, CA and Brian from Santa Cruz.
Note: Roger Tower, of technology company Independence Science, blogged about visiting the Fulton Winery & Vineyard with a group of Provider’s Weekend participants. The group used Provider’s Weekend sponsor Sendero Group’s GPS technology to get to the winery.

Camp Class Teaches Blind Kids the Practical Use of Chemistry

Last year the LightHouse began a wonderful tradition, that of providing the perfect setting for Chemistry Camp, a weekend opportunity for blind and visually impaired high school students to experience accessible chemistry while having fun. In May we hosted the second annual Chemistry Camp session, in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind of California, the California Association of Blind Students and the University of California, Davis Chemistry department. Chemistry Camp facilitator and blind UC Davis chemistry graduate student Henry “Hoby” Wedler described this year’s goings on:

Really the idea behind Chemistry Camp is the scenario where the kids come in not knowing how much they can learn – maybe they know a little about chemistry but they think of it as a visual subject. We teach that there is a lot they can do without being able to see and we let them figure this out during the session. We also want to show them how doing chemistry translates to getting a real job.
Hoby Wedler helps student Jimmy Cong add baking soda, citric acid and water to a plastic bag at Chemistry Camp 2012. Jimmy is listening and feeling for the evolution of carbon dioxide gas produced when the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate react, indicating the reaction has taken place.
We had a great group this year! The class consisted of ten high school kids, ages 14 to 18; five blind mentors; three volunteers and several sighted instructors. The kids were recruited from 20 schools for the blind from all over the country. We started on the first day with active, hands-on experiments. We had the kids create chemical reactions by mixing chemicals and then had them observe the mixtures for changes. For example, the kids made esters – they combined stinky/odorous chemicals with other components in order to make pleasing fruity scents. Then we explained that what they were doing is exactly what chemists who produce fruit flavored cereal do. That afternoon we got into a discussion of acids and bases – what makes them that way, and all about pH. Now at the schools they typically teach the kids to observe color to determine when an acid or base is neutralized. Our kids did the same experiments and used their sense of smell to tell when the solutions change. For example, the smells of onion or garlic, which are acidic, become neutralized by Windex, which is a base.

In addition, Bill Gerry, a blind electrical engineer who has been working in his field for 40 years, spoke to the class. He’s a real role model; he talked to the kids about learning to advocate for yourself and how hard work makes you feel good about yourself at the end of the day.

On day two we brought in two speakers from Davis; Professor Jared Shaw, a natural products chemist, and Selina Wang, the research director at the Davis Olive Center, to continue the discussion about how the kids might use chemistry in their everyday careers. Also the UC Davis Chemistry Club performed their famous magic show where experiments are conducted in front of an audience with theatrical flair – the kids had a great time.

I think the main take-away for the kids was ‘Wow, there are people all around us getting paid for doing work just like what we did on day one.’ But the absolute best part of the weekend was seeing these blind students get together with each other and really form a group, one that got really comfortable with each other and could talk to each other about issues that blind people face. Being blind is not that big of deal; it’s a minor nuisance. And it’s so refreshing to see the kids grow and learn so much from each other both in the classroom and afterwards, during social time around the campfire.

We’re excited to learn that Hoby has a half-day presentation planned for campers in our Enchanted Hills Camp Teen Session, which takes place at the end of July. He promises to bring “lots of fun things to do; I’m trying to get some cool demos and we might also talk about chemistry in the classroom, how to think about science and advocate for oneself, and more.”

Learn More About Chemistry Camp
Chemistry Camp was featured last year in stories by Amy Standen that were broadcast on National Public Radio and Bay Area station KQED.

Read what we wrote about last year’s Chemistry Camp here.

Hoby Wedler Honored as a Champion of Change

Hoby Wedler (right) with Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to President Obama for Disability Policy at the award ceremony for the White House Champions of Change
Also in May, the White House “Champions of Change” program honored Hoby, as part of a group of fourteen people who were given the award for leading education and employment efforts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for Americans with disabilities. Hoby, who is working towards his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at UC Davis, is helping to prove that blind people can master concepts in a field that is considered highly visual. “It’s a tremendous honor to have the president recognize our work,” he said. Read Hoby’s blog post about why and how he is studying chemistry and watch a White House video of the panel discussion about employment in STEM fields that Hoby (referred to by his proper first name Henry) participated in. (That particular panel discussion begins about 55 minutes in.)

Employment Opportunity: Accounts Payable Coordinator, LightHouse S.F.

JOB POSTING

 POSITION:  Accounts Payable Coordinator

JOB PURPOSE:

Responsible for all aspects of Accounts Payable and cash receipts in the LightHouse Finance Department.  Assists with month-end closing procedures and related work as required.

AGENCY EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEES:

As employees, we should:

  • Read, understand, and adhere to all Agency policies and procedures.
  • Conduct ourselves in a professional manner on and off the job, knowing that we are representatives of LightHouse.
  • Perform all job responsibilities.
  • Maintain a positive and respectful attitude toward everyone.
  • Communicate regularly and appropriately with our supervisors, and colleagues within our own departments.
  • Demonstrate efficient time management and the ability to prioritize our assignments.
  • Consistently report to work on time, and be ready to begin performing our assigned duties and responsibilities.
  • Work productively.
  • Continue to learn and communicate a blindness-positive philosophy based on best current practices in the field.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education or equivalent:  Accounting degree preferred.

Experience:  Two years of Accounts Payable/Cash Receipts experience.

Other:  Ability to work both independently and with others as a team.  Strong interpersonal skills essential to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers and contacts.  Knowledge of accounting principles and practices.

 

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Understands Accounts Payable (AP) and Cash Receipts (CR) policies and procedures.
  • Carries out the duties of the AP and CR positions by computing, classifying, recording and verifying source data utilizing project code.
  • Performs accounting functions in support of other departments as they relate to the maintenance of AP & CR.
  • Analyzes AP expense accounts coding.
  • Maintains all AP vendor files and CR documents.
  • Maintains Payable Accounts and Cash Receipts account schedules
  • Handles daily petty cash disbursements.
  • Assists with departmental filing system and periodic archiving.
  • Assists outside auditors during the annual certified audit.
  • Prepares year-end 1099 forms.
  • Cross-trains with Accounts Receivable Coordinator
  • Other duties may also be assigned

 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Equal opportunity to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, or sexual orientation.

All employees at LightHouse are hired for an indefinite and unspecified duration and consequently, no employee is guaranteed employment for a specified length of time.  Employment is at the mutual consent of the employee and LightHouse. Accordingly, either the employee or LightHouse can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause (“employment at will”).

Please submit cover letter / résumé in Word format, to hr@lighthouse-sf.org; thank you.

 

 

Better Market Street Public Workshops: July 17th and 21st

The goal of the Better Market Street Project is to revitalize Market Street from Octavia Boulevard to The Embarcadero and reestablish the street as a premier cultural, civic, transportation and economic center of San Francisco and the Bay Area.

How can we make the street safe and efficient to walk, bike and take public transportation? How can we make the sidewalks and public spaces inviting places to shop, linger, experience the arts and enjoy the vibrancy of San Francisco?

Share and discuss your thoughts with urban planners and other transit, bike, and pedestrian mobility experts during the upcoming July workshops. Ideas and feedback are needed to improve the way people move and spend time along the street.

Workshops will be held on Tuesday July 17 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and Saturday July 21 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Municipal Transportation Agency located at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor, Atrium.

Site is wheelchair accessible. To request an ASL interpreter, language assistance or other accommodations, call (510) 285-6746 at least 72 hours in advance.

Unable to attend these workshops in person? Register to attend the webinar on Thursday July 19 from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. Register at: www.bettermarketstreetsf.org.

Telephone Survey on Medi-Cal

Are you a person living with a disability in California? Do you have Medi-Cal and not Medicare? Did you switch from regular Medi-Cal to a Medi-Cal Health Plan in the last 12 months? If you fit these criteria, researchers from UC Berkeley would like to interview you.

The interview is about your experiences with the changes in Medi-Cal and with your new Medi-Cal Health Plan. The interview will take up to one hour of your time. After you complete the interview, we will send you a $30 gift card to Target.

To see if you are eligible or to learn more about the study please call 1-800-509-8710 or email howsyourcare@berkeley.edu. Please provide your name, phone number and a good time to reach you. Participation in this survey is completely confidential. Your choice to participate will not affect your Medi-Cal benefits in any way.

$75.00 Gift Certificate – Enter to Win by Giving us Your Feedback for Transit Mapping Project

Have you ever waited for an hour at a corner for a bus only to be told the bus stop was across the street? Do you wish there could be an easy way for you to know the number of stops there are between one BART station and another station? Would you like to know if there is a bus shelter available at each of the bus stops you’ll be using on a rainy day? Would you like an easier way to find out what buses you can catch at a particular stop? If so, the LightHouse has good news for you.

We are developing, and will distribute, “strip maps” which will present concise information about selected Bay Area transit routes in Braille or large print. The strip maps will be developed for BART, Muni, SamTrans and Caltrain routes.

Help us choose the routes we map. We need your help to select additional transit routes for which we may produce strip maps in the future. Currently, our highest priority will be to make strip maps for Muni and Samtrans routes, particularly routes serving the Market Street corridor or routes linking to BART or Caltrain, but your recommendations about routes throughout the Bay Area are needed.

Just go to this easy online survey to give us your recommendations. All survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win a $75 gift certificate for our Adaptations store. For more information about this survey and about the strip map project please call Frank Welte at 415-694-7363 or send email to fwelte@lighthouse-sf.org.