Category: Let's talk
Hi All,
Besides the training centers that are all run by the commission, are there any other schools that you can attend that will help with cooking skills, provide counseling, and the like?
So, something comprehensive, that's not run by the commission. Lol.
If anyone could help me out with this, I'd be greatful!
Yes, there are. There are schools all throughout the country. This would be another good thing to consult with the Federation for the Blind about - I know in the northeast there's the Carroll Center, but there are several around the country that cater to the blind specifically.
Again, thank you! I'll have to look them up since their the only name I have for the moment.
Well, I think there might be other privately run centers around the country, but i'm not sure. So, I'll simply tell you about the NFB ones, as they are the ones I know about. If anyone else knows of other private centers, feel free to tell about them. I'd be curious to hear about them myself.
There are three centers run by the NFB. One is the Colorado Center for the Blind here in Littleton. It's the center I went to for my training back in 2001. It's not as good as it was back then, but I'd still say it's better than the centers run by the commissions around the country.
The second is the Louisiana Center for the Blind, located in Ruston, Louisiana. It has a really good director, and is also considered a good program.
The third is called Blind Incorporated, and is in Minnesota. As far as our NFB centers go, I'd recommend this one least of the three.
If you want more information about them, such as their contact info or why I think what I do about their training, etc, feel free to send me a private message, a voice-mail via ZBP, or an email. You should have my personal email addy. Talk soon.
I found one in Cali, they actually have you living in an apartment with a roommate & work with you right there, so you're already living right in the community & getting acclimated (as opposed to living in a center with rules/regulations that are ridiculous). Like no pop in your room or no visiting neighbors in their rooms, crap like that.
I'm not saying I'm done looking though, so I'll def get in touch with you!
the nfb centers don't have crazy rules like you mentioned above. I'm a graduate of the center in Louisiana, so feel free to get in touch.
I went to the Center in Minnesoda back in 2007, although they were tough, I still learned a lot. I'd recommend this one just because they actually have you living in a community, apposed to the other 2 centers (the one in LA and CO) they have you living with just the blind people who attend the center (and+ the one in LA is in the middle of nowhere) and Minneapolis's center is at least in the city, and has you living in an apartment in the community, so it's not just the other blind people from the center, it is the sited population as well. And+ I learned a lot from them. . So I'd recommend them the most out of all the centers.
Amber.
I'm seriously looking at going to the one in minesota, partly because it's the closest one to home.
Thank you both for your posts.
Even though the LA one is in the middle of nowhere, I'm still going there (I've made my decision finally!), bc they do take you to other places to get bus travel, & they do other things with you. Also, most people here have complained about the other centers, but namely the one in Min.
Finally, I've been around sighted people all my life, so I'm not to concerned about being "sebgreated" if you will, from them. My parents are sighted, my sister, all my relatives, my friend. So you get the idea. Maybe the emersion technique is what I need temporarily.
It doesn't matter either way since they can't change the way I view sighted people anyways.
I posted this a few weeks ago, when I was still on the fence, but I'm not now.
Thank you again for posting!
I would say that just bc something isn't as far from home doesn't guarantee you get what you need/want out of it. Not criticizing, just making an informed statement.
I went here to MI bc it was only 3 hours from home & now I have to "go through the program" all over again. Believe me, I'd rather be close to home too, but that doesn't mean it's what's best for me.
I think the NFB needs to open more centers! In every state (eventually), that way everyone can stay in their home state (if they want too), & still have the option of going out of state if they want too.
Ahh! I can't spell! That was supposed to be "Segregated"! Lol.
Yes, I'd also reckimend the center in minnesota. La is great, but it, is after all, in the middle of nowhere.
So that's your only bias against it?
Pam Allen says they travel to other cities, bigger cities. Not only that, but there are 2 cab companies located there. I've read it's a college town, so I don't see where it can be that lacking. I live in Montrose. It has an old phone museum, a freakin phone museum! Lol. & it's closed. It has a McDonalds, & a pizza place called 50's pizza. I have a Saginaw phone number, went to Chesaning schools, pay taxes to Albee Township, & if you walk across the street from me, it becomes long-distance to call me! Lol. So compared to this place, Ruston appears (although I know it's not bc I've been to Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, Kalamazoo, Auburn Hills & Detroit MI) to be a huge place! Lol.
That's why I like input from people who've actually been there versus just people who think one is better over another strictly bc of it's location.
Not trying to be argumentative, just stating my thoughts on the matter at hand.
Thank you for your input.
Yes, most people's biggest complaint against LCB is that it's in the middle of nowhere. But I know others on this site who have gone there, and learned a great deal. That, and the diredtor is an awesome woman. Denver and Minneapolis have big, metropolitan areas, which I personally favor for learning travel, but that's not for everyone. And, if you live in a small town, maybe learning travel in one would be more useful to you. There's a big difference between traveling in a small and big town/city.
And sometimes, being far from home can actually be part of what's helpful abouta center's training, if one needs to get away from sheltering family/friends, no matter how well-intentioned they are.
I have a question about these centers. Is there really a reason why one should have counseling when they go there?
I can see if a person is struggling to accept their blindness, but I don't think it should be mandatory. Perhaps there could be some way for the staff there to determine whether or not you really need it, because I'm not trying to be rude, but saying that all blind people need counseling is ridiculous, and a stigmatizing stereotype.
Hi,
The centers don't have counselling, persay. They discuss issues of blindness, but with other blind staff and students, not counsellors.
Just as an aside, check out Blind industries and Services of Maryland.
I happen to work for them.
We're not an NFB center, but operate under their philosophy. All of the staff and the director have been through one of the NFB training centers and bring what we've learned to the training center.
Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions.
James K
braille instructor
e-mail jakon22@gmail.co
I'm confused. Where are you getting that NFB centers make students go through counseling, Turtle? They don't. Hell, sometimes I think it'd be a good idea if rehab facilities, NFB ,state, or otherwise, would provide some kind of optional, but quality, mental health services for students. Training, especially for those who are newly blind, can be very hard on one's mental health. so like I say, I'm not sure where you're getting that.
The original poster said something about counseling, so that's where I got it. I also think I heard that from someone when I was still in school, not that NFB centers offered it, but there was a center in Boston that I believe had mandatory counseling.
I didn't say you had to attend counseling Turtle, I said " Where they'll provide counseling". & yes, for me, counseling is necessary, but it has not as much to do with my blindness as it does my facial disfigurment. I went through the public school system, & have had 64 reconstructive surgeries. I've been punched, kicked & spit on. My home life wasn't always the best, parents put alot of weight on my shoulders (most likely without intending to). So yes, for me counseling would be helpful, but they don't require it. Although, I did have some at the rehab center here in MI. We met once a week to discuss "whatever" I wanted to discuss.
As a side note, I do agree with SisterDawn, I encountered alot of people here in MI who could have used some mental health help.
Well, it should be noted here that I plan on leaving here Alicia. I don't intend to learn all these skills, then come back here to Montrose to live. That's the whole point, there's no bus travel here, no access to taxies even, nothing! This is less then a small town, it's a shit town! Lol. It's more like a bunch of country bumpkins living way out on the pig farm! Lol. I need to get the hell out of here & into a city where I can go to concerts, hold down a job & travel freely without having to rely on people to take me places.
It'll do me no good to attend there, then come back here to live.
Hello James,
Don't think I'll be able to attend your center since I've already got an app on the way from the one in LA. I posted this topic a couple weeks ago, & when it didn't take off (very quickly I mean), I just started making decisions on my own. So my case is already open & I've already got an app on the way here from the LA center, plus I told the comission this was the center I was looking at going to.
Well Michelle, you could technically attend another Center if you wanted. Just because you've got an app on the way from LCB doesn't lock you into anything. you are still free to check out other places if you want, though I wouldn't live, work, or train in Baltimore unless it was my last option, and maybe not even then. No personal offense to you or BISM meant, James, I just don't like the city itself. BTW, Michelle, has your state rehab agreed to pay for this training yet, or no? That could be a real fight on your hands. If not MI, how are you getting it paid for?
No, they haven't agreed yet, but Fred Wurtzle is good at getting them to ok things. He'll fight for someone to go out of state, so I'm covered in case that happens. Well, I am pretty set on LCB anyway. I wouldn't say 100 percent, but 95 percent at least. Why don't you like Baltimore?
Ok, I didn't say there's anything wrong with getting counseling, I just said it shouldn't be mandatory, and I was under the impression that it was, at least at some centers. My apologies if it came out the wrong way.
No, it's cool. As I said, for me personally, it'd be helpful for other reasons, & as Alicia said, sometimes, you do get the impressions that some people would be better off having it.
In MI, we met once a week with our "counselor", but the guy really didn't guide us in anything. He was mostly there for class counseling I guess is what you'd call it. But he'd let you discuss whatever you wanted.
Cool, I can definitely see how counseling would benefit some blind people, especially those who have a complex about their blindness. And also, I definitely think blind people should be well informed about careers by someone who really has their best interest as heart, not just someone who will say, "oh, you can do waht you want even though you're blind" but not really mean it. I've come across a couple adults who told me it was great I wanted to get into tech support, then a few months later said it wasn't a good idea, stuff like that. So I definitely think, at the very least, career counseling would be a good thing.
Definitely.
Well, there's no reason you can't get into tech support considering that's one of the things they teach (under the umbrella) of computer training at LCB!
A few things. Too often in the rehab field, the term, "counselor," is used far too loosely. there's your rehab counselor, of course. That's its own knid of counseling. But I've noticed at some rehab centers, again both private and state, that they have you meet with a staff person once a week for so-called "counseling," when the staff person has no mental health background whatsoever, maybe even no rehab counseling background, either. That's why, in my post way back when ,i said something about the option of quality mental health services, unlike a lot of the crap that gets provided.
Independence training can really take a toll on people sometimes, even if they're not newly blind. It often means learning to think of one's blindness in a different way. It can mean breaking away from one's accustomed role in their family, or with their circle of friends. It can be a period of redefining yourself in a lot of ways. I know it was for me, even though I've been blind all my life. And I've sure seen it with other blind folks, too. Counseling shouldn't be mandatory, as Turtle says, but I do wish that places would realize the mental aspect of rehab training that seems to often be ignored altogether, or if not that, then completely mishandled.
On another note, glad Fred Wurtzil can and will help you, Michelle. that's good. I've never met him, but have heard good things about him. My state president at the time helped me to go to CCB, too, and although I didn't and don't like her, I was grateful for that.
So, how do you feel about LCB'S staff then? In terms of counseling I mean. Do they "counsel"? Or just do rehab counseling?
I'm sure there are some grads of LCB around here, you'd have to ask one of them about their feelings on LCB staff. Only one I know is Pam Allen, and I knew her best long before she was the director there.
Nice! At least you knew her well enough!