Calendar

Where: LightHouse Headquarters (1155 Market Street in San Francisco)

February 3 at 4:00 pm through February 5 at noon

Whether it’s for work, recreation, or a multitude of other reasons, independent travel is a significant part of the transition student experience. Join us this February for a weekend all about the importance of travel, filled with conversations with mentors and professionals, and plenty of opportunities to try out your independent navigation skills throughout San Francisco.

Youth Employment Services (YES) Workshops are monthly weekend-long learning experiences for youth and young adults who are enthusiastic about realizing their dream careers, emphasizing the vocational enrichment of low vision and blind youth, providing access to a multifaceted array of mentorship, employment readiness skills, and alternative accessible techniques. Each YES workshop focuses on a specific theme and offers an array of self-advocacy, assistive technology, living skills, and soft skills curricula empowering students to strive toward future employment or post-secondary educational success. The weekend is spent learning from blind and low vision mentors, connecting with blind and low vision peers, and engaging in creative hands-on activities which further support youth to explore and achieve their individualized and professional goals.

1. Hear from blind and low-vision professionals on why strong orientation and mobility skills matter, and how they have utilized them for work as well as fun. Students will get opportunities to ask questions and get advice.
2. Students will participate in conversations about canes, dog guides, and the benefits of each. They will come away with stronger understandings on what mobility aids they might like to utilize in the future.
3. Participants will have multiple opportunities to practice route-planning techniques, explore San Francisco’s public transit systems and get hands-on experience of navigating around one of the busiest cities, all with the support of blind and low-vision mentors and staff.
4. The over-night nature of the YES workshop provides opportunities for students to refine their workplace readiness soft skills including effective social and professional communication and independent living, all while building community with their blind and low vision peers and mentors.

Things to Bring:

1. A notetaking device or implement (braille note, pen, slate and stylus, phone with keyboard, laptop, etc.). You may be asked to complete activities electronically.
2. Necessities you may need such as any orientation and mobility tools to travel safely, money for transportation to and from the workshop, or personal medication.

If you are interested in participating in the February YES Weekend Workshop, please:

1. Contact your Department of Rehabilitation counselor to discuss workshop attendance and authorization. The cost for this workshop is $950 and includes all activities, food, and lodging for the weekend.
2. Confirm attendance with Daisy Soto, Youth Services Coordinator by email at DSoto@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7328. If you have any questions or would like to pay for your participation in this workshop, contact Daisy. Note: Space for this program is limited and workshop attendance must be confirmed one week prior.

Please note: Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 plus boosters when applicable is required to join this event.