Justin: There are FANTASTIC ideas!! Hunter College Programs in Blindness and Visual Impairment offers Masters and Advanced Certificate programs in TVI, VRT nad O&M - Hunter finds word of mouth to be one of the best form of recruitment-you can sure see why!! It takes a village J Thanks again!! Grace From: KAISER, JUSTIN [mailto:jkaiser@uscupstate.edu] Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 2:49 PM To: Grace Ambrose Zaken; 'Orientation and Mobility'; 'O&M Listserv'; aernet@lists.aerbvi.org Subject: Re: [OandM] [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!! This same issue has been brought up in the information gathering process that we used to help create a strategic plan for the AER O&M Division. If anyone is interested in working on any of this or overall to promote the profession, please let me know. Here is a brief summary of some of these ideas and tasks specifically related to promoting the profession. Promote O&M Division and profession of O&M . Should have tables or posters at conferences for OT's and PT's nationally and locally to show people what our field and profession does. . Talk to AARP- write article for publication in AARP magazine . Get O&M listed in Occupational Indexes and national databases . Talk about O&M to future educator association . Recruit students that are being rejected by programs like nursing, OT, or PT. . Talk to academic advisers about the field. . Use website and social media to show O&M activities . Post option to request local professional to come and speak Justin Kaiser O&M Division Chair _____ From: OandM <oandm-bounces@lists.aerbvi.org> on behalf of Grace Ambrose Zaken <gambrose@hunter.cuny.edu> Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 2:35:59 PM To: 'Orientation and Mobility'; 'O&M Listserv'; aernet@lists.aerbvi.org Subject: Re: [OandM] [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!! Joanne that is beautiful and encouraging- I know together we can spread our love of this field to others!! Grace Ambrose Zaken, Ed.D. Project Coordinator RT and O&M Programs Programs in Blindness and Visual Impairments Department of Special Education 916W Hunter College of The City University of New York 695 Park Avenue New York, NY 10065 212-772-4741 Top 5 reasons to choose Hunter Programs in Blindness and Visual Impairments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw6UrTzkdYE Combined Masters in RT and O&M webpage: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/programs/graduate/special-edu cation/blind-visually-impaired/rehabilitation Video on Hunter VRT and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs&feature=youtu.be> &feature=youtu.be ITI Brochure: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/repository/files/ITI_Brochure WEB.pdf Video on ITI TVI and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc&feature=youtu.be> &feature=youtu.be From: OrientationAndMobility [mailto:orientationandmobility-bounces@lists.blindcanadians.ca] On Behalf Of Laurent, Joanne (DSB) Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 2:32 PM To: Orientation and Mobility; 'O&M Listserv'; aernet@lists.aerbvi.org Subject: Re: [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!! This question Grace asked caught my attention." I am not sure how we can meet the growing demand for VRT, O&M and TVI professionals. Does anyone have any good ideas?" Maybe we should be talking to high schools students (even much younger) to make people aware of this career option? I had never heard of O&M or any profession that involved working with blind people until I was old enough to already have grey hair. Then-while searching for a new career idea-I found out I could actually get paid for teaching people how to shop AT A MALL! That sounded like fun and I started planning my new career that very day and I've never looked back! I kind of stumbled across the blind rehabilitation profession while unsuccessfully trying to investigate how to become a dog guide instructor. After numerous phone calls I eventually got routed to someone at a state agency for the blind who told me about rehab teaching and O&M. I wish I had known about this career when I was young because this is what I was meant to do all along. Joanne Laurent, Program Specialist/Certified O&M Specialist If you can't learn it, I'm not teaching it right! (360) 696-6239 Dept. of Services for the Blind 2214 East 13th St. Suite 208 Vancouver, WA 98661 From: OrientationAndMobility [mailto:orientationandmobility-bounces@lists.blindcanadians.ca] On Behalf Of Grace Ambrose Zaken Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 10:22 AM To: 'Orientation and Mobility'; 'O&M Listserv'; aernet@lists.aerbvi.org Subject: [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!! Have you all noticed the age of our VRTs?? Not to mention that most O&Ms leave direct practice for administrative positions as soon as they show some gray-LOL. J This time of year I get oodles of requests from employers in vision rehabilitation and education- Hunter College can't fill them because all of Hunter's graduates are immediately absorbed into a giant vacuum of stable employment. J I am not sure how we can meet the growing demand for VRT, O&M and TVI professionals. Does anyone have any good ideas? I know that Fall Registration Deadline for Hunter College is in March - maybe we could all encourage a friend to consider checking out one of the programs in the field?? Replace yourself - that's our motto! It is easy at Hunter as our distance learning program allows folks to live at home and attend in real time through video/audio weekly classes. No matter what- remember your alma mater they want you to replace yourself too!! Encourage someone to make the call today for a rewarding career as a VRT, O&M or TVI!! What do you think? Grace Grace Ambrose Zaken, Ed.D. Project Coordinator RT and O&M Programs Programs in Blindness and Visual Impairments Department of Special Education 916W Hunter College of The City University of New York 695 Park Avenue New York, NY 10065 212-772-4741 Top 5 reasons to choose Hunter Programs in Blindness and Visual Impairments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw6UrTzkdYE Combined Masters in RT and O&M webpage: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/programs/graduate/special-edu cation/blind-visually-impaired/rehabilitation Video on Hunter VRT and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs&feature=youtu.be> &feature=youtu.be ITI Brochure: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/repository/files/ITI_Brochure WEB.pdf Video on ITI TVI and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc&feature=youtu.be> &feature=youtu.be