Transition Services

Employment Preparation Ignites Confidence (EPIC)

Program Overview 

The Employment Preparation Ignites Confidence (EPIC) program is a structured employment readiness and workforce preparation program operated by the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. EPIC is designed to serve transition age participants, applicants ages 16 – 21 (with their 22nd birthday occurring after the conclusion of program), who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind and who are active consumers of the California Department of Rehabilitation.  

The EPIC program is intentionally designed as a multi-phase, year-long model, with the summer intensive serving as the core instructional and experiential component. The summer intensive portion (EPIC – SI) is an eight-week program that provides concentrated access technology instruction, employment readiness training, vocational exploration, networking, and work-based experience. Post-summer activities extend learning and engagement through workshops and ongoing programming. 

Program Details  

Participants will receive structured instruction focused on workplace readiness and professional technology skills. Instruction emphasizes preparation for modern workplace environments, including: 

  • Advanced word processing skills appropriate for professional and business environments
  • Microsoft Excel skills ranging from foundational to advanced, depending on participant readiness
  • Employment readiness skills focused on workplace communication, professionalism, self-advocacy, and job preparation

 

EPIC Topics 

Assessment and Planning 

Participants will complete program assessments, including vocational and self-awareness tools where applicable, to support goal setting and instructional planning. Assessment tools include but are not limited to: the World of Work Index1, the Kolbe Index2, and the standard access technology assessment used by the LightHouse. 

Resume and Cover Letter Development 

Participants will work on developing focused resumes and cover letters as part of employment readiness training. Instruction emphasizes professional formatting, content creation, and aligning with employment goals. 

Interview Preparation 

Participants will collaborate with human resource experts to understand the soft and hard skills involved in employment interviews and the job hiring process.   

Employment and Vocational Training 

Dedicated instructional days are reserved for employment and vocational training activities led by subject matter experts. These sessions focus on career exploration, vocational pathways, employment expectations, as well as immersive experiences with San Francisco based business. Prior experiences have included day trips to Visa Headquarters and Dandelion Chocolate, as examples. 

Participants also have the opportunity to participate in a culinary career workshop with LH chefs. Following the workshop, participants may also complete the ServSafe certification,3 a food handler’s certification.  

Networking 

Participants experience networking opportunities with professionals, LightHouse staff, blind leaders and external partners to support career exploration, professional identity development, and exposure to employment and post-secondary pathways. Prior years have included panel discussions and guest speaker experiences with industry leaders who are blind, networking opportunities at LightHouse events and opportunities to engage with professionals at post-secondary institutions. 

Access Technology 

Participants will receive structured instruction that integrates workplace readiness and professional technology skills. Access Technology training will focus on: 

  • Advanced word processing skills appropriate for professional and business environments
  • Microsoft Excel skills ranging from foundational to advanced, depending on participant readiness

Volunteer Experience  

The EPIC – SI integrates a volunteer work-based experience located at Enchanted Hills Camp or the LH San Francisco Headquarters Office. Work-based experience opportunities include, but are not limited to, junior camp counselor, customer service, and front desk reception support.  

Excursion Experiences 

As this is a summer intensive program, participants will have the opportunity to participate in excursions exploring the California Coast.  

EPIC – Summer Intensive 2026

Program Dates 

The EPIC-SI runs for eight weeks during the summer months of June and July, broken into two sessions. The program includes instructional phases, scheduled breaks, and volunteer experience components. The summer intensive concludes at the end of July. 

Start Date: Monday, June 8, 2026 End Date: Friday, July 31, 2026  

Session 1: June 8 – June 30th 

Session 2: July 6 – July 31st 

Scheduled Breaks:  

  • June 19 – June 21 | Juneteenth Break
  • July 1 – July 6 | Independence Day Break

During these breaks, no program will be running. Participants are expected to coordinate their own transportation to and from San Francisco.  

Registration Timeline 

All participants are required to be DOR consumers and complete the EPIC Summer Intensive application and interview.  

To Apply: EPIC Summer Intensive 2026 Application – Fill out form 

Important dates are as follows:  

Summer Volunteer Work Experience 

EHC Area Leader Assistant  

This work experience places participants in an active support role alongside Area Leaders during the Enchanted Hills Camp summer sessions. Area Leader Assistants help ensure that camp programs run smoothly by supporting daily activities, assisting with setup and breakdown of program areas, helping monitor equipment and supplies, and providing additional supervision and support to campers as needed. Participants are assigned to a specific program area, such as recreation, arts and crafts, enrichment, nature, or aquatics, and work closely with the Area Leader in that area throughout their assignment. This role offers a behind-the-scenes look at how camp programs are planned, delivered, and managed in a real-world setting. Participants build skills in teamwork, communication, professionalism, safety awareness, and adaptability while working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. The Area Leader Assistant position is well-suited for students who enjoy being active, supporting others, and gaining experience in leadership-adjacent roles without being solely responsible for leading activities. 

Reception / Front Desk Support  

This work experience provides participants with hands-on exposure to a professional front desk environment. Students in this role support daily reception operations by welcoming students, visitors, and community members, answering incoming phone calls, and directing calls or in-person inquiries to the appropriate staff. Participants also assist with notifying staff when a student or visitor has arrived for an appointment. This role is well suited for individuals who are interested in building communication, customer service, and workplace professionalism skills. Participants will practice clear verbal communication, appropriate greetings, basic information management, and professional etiquette.  

Adaptations Showcase Support  

This work experience takes place in the LightHouse Adaptations Showcase and focuses on customer support and product education. Participants in this role assist by welcoming students and community members into the Adaptations Showcase, helping them explore available assistive technology and adaptive products, and answering general questions about how items are used in daily life. When a customer is interested in purchasing a product, the EPIC participant supports the process by showing the customer how to access the Adaptations website and complete an online purchase independently. If a customer cannot navigate the website on their own, the participant connects them with Adaptations Showcase staff so the order can be placed by phone. Participants do not handle payments or complete sales transactions, allowing them to focus on communication, customer support, and accessibility awareness while gaining experience in a retail-adjacent professional environment.  

We wish to acknowledge our generous Institutional Donors

  • Ability Central
  • Apple, Inc.
  • Bernard E. and Alba Witkin Foundation
  • California State Coastal Conservancy
  • City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health
  • City and County of San Francisco, Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD)
  • Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation
  • Comerica Bank
  • Consumer Technology Association Foundation
  • Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
  • Delong-Sweet Family Foundation
  • Delta Gamma Foundation
  • Harvey Family Foundation
  • Honda USA Foundation
  • Maximus Foundation
  • Mr. and Mrs. G. Kirk Swingle Foundation
  • National Industries for the Blind
  • Rainbow Sandals Foundation
  • Robert and Helen Odell Fund
  • SCAN Health Plan
  • San Francisco Public Health Foundation
  • Senior Assistance Foundation of Eastbay (SAFE)
  • State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and San Francisco Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission
  • State of California, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
  • State of California, Department of Rehabilitation
  • The Annunziata Sanguinetti Foundation
  • The Guardsmen
  • The Herbst Foundation
  • The Moca Foundation
  • The Peninsula Endowment
  • The Safeway Foundation
  • Uber Technologies, Inc.
  • United States Department of Agriculture
  • Walter and Elise Haas Fund
Scroll to top