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Strengthening our profession (was "Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals")

Dona Sauerburger

Fri, Nov 18, 2016 11:31 PM

Hi everyone! This thread about dire shortages in our field is very interesting, and people have made some great suggestions for making potential recruits aware of our profession.

I think the shortage problem and solutions go much deeper than making people aware of the profession – as Brandon said, we need to have something that is really attractive. We need to have a strong profession that instills confidence in people who are contemplating committing themselves to a career in that profession.

I’m convinced that issues such as personnel shortages cannot be addressed in isolation – they go hand in hand with issues that strengthen our profession, such as funding streams for our work, recognition and respect for who we are and what we do (and consensus among ourselves as to what that is – what is our scope of practice!), having adequate resources to do our job, university programs that are funded and supported, etc.

Where did I get those issues, you ask? They came from a strategic plan that was developed about 4 years ago. At that time, a number of us stepped back to take stock of the situation, and figure out how we can strengthen our profession. We paid a facilitator $7,500, and more than 100 people from all over the country participated in strategic planning in a very innovative, real-time process.

The plan and goals that we developed, as well as the priority action plans, are posted at http://www.pbvimobility.com/plan.html .

And what progress is being made toward those goals, you ask? The AER O&M Division is developing a strategic plan which may address some of the goals, and I’m very pleased to report that last summer, AER passed a resolution to research and develop a plan to obtain third-party funding for vision rehab professionals, which was one of the goals we thought was important. AER’s leadership is starting that process – exciting!

-- Dona

From: Brandon Keith Biggs
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 4:23 PM
To: Orientation and Mobility
Subject: Re: [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!!

Hello Coby and Joanne,

As people who came to the VI field after having another job, why did you wish to stop what you were doing before? What aspects of the VI teaching fields seemed interesting? If you were able to talk to your younger self just out of a BA, what would you have said to convince your younger self to consider such an obscure job? Now you have switched, what has been the most rewarding aspect of working in the VI field?

If we are ever to convince people to come into the VI field, we need to have something that is really attractive.

Hearing people who have already transitioned talk about their experiences will help pinpoint the kind of people who would be ready for a new kind of job and how to convince them.

Thanks,

Brandon Keith Biggs

On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Coby wctwig@sbcglobal.net wrote:

I agree...make high school students aware of the profession. My wife and I are in our 40's...she was approached 4 years ago by the soon to be retiring TVI, asking if she would be interested in becoming a TVI. Even though we both started teaching in 1998, it never occurred to us that there were TVIs and O&Ms. She is now a TVI and I should have my O&M certification in about 10 months. She loves her job and I'm excited for the next step in my career.

Coby Twilligear

On Nov 17, 2016, at 1:31 PM, Laurent, Joanne (DSB) joanne.laurent@dsb.wa.gov wrote:

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-education/blind-visually-impaired/rehabilitation

Video on Hunter VRT and O&M Programs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs&feature=youtu.be

ITI Brochure:

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/repository/files/ITI_BrochureWEB.pdf

Video on ITI TVI and O&M Programs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc&feature=youtu.be

The operators of this mailing list are not responsible for material posted on this list and the views expressed are solely those of their respective authors. Messages are posted as they were intended by the author!

To unsubscribe or change your subscription options, visit:

http://lists.blindcanadians.ca/mailman/listinfo/orientationandmobility_lists.blindcanadians.ca

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2016.0.7859 / Virus Database: 4664/13428 - Release Date: 11/17/16

Hi everyone! This thread about dire shortages in our field is very interesting, and people have made some great suggestions for making potential recruits aware of our profession. I think the shortage problem and solutions go much deeper than making people aware of the profession – as Brandon said, we need to have something that is really attractive. We need to have a strong profession that instills confidence in people who are contemplating committing themselves to a career in that profession. I’m convinced that issues such as personnel shortages cannot be addressed in isolation – they go hand in hand with issues that strengthen our profession, such as funding streams for our work, recognition and respect for who we are and what we do (and consensus among ourselves as to what that is – what is our scope of practice!), having adequate resources to do our job, university programs that are funded and supported, etc. Where did I get those issues, you ask? They came from a strategic plan that was developed about 4 years ago. At that time, a number of us stepped back to take stock of the situation, and figure out how we can strengthen our profession. We paid a facilitator $7,500, and more than 100 people from all over the country participated in strategic planning in a very innovative, real-time process. The plan and goals that we developed, as well as the priority action plans, are posted at http://www.pbvimobility.com/plan.html . And what progress is being made toward those goals, you ask? The AER O&M Division is developing a strategic plan which may address some of the goals, and I’m very pleased to report that last summer, AER passed a resolution to research and develop a plan to obtain third-party funding for vision rehab professionals, which was one of the goals we thought was important. AER’s leadership is starting that process – exciting! -- Dona From: Brandon Keith Biggs Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 4:23 PM To: Orientation and Mobility Subject: Re: [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!! Hello Coby and Joanne, As people who came to the VI field after having another job, why did you wish to stop what you were doing before? What aspects of the VI teaching fields seemed interesting? If you were able to talk to your younger self just out of a BA, what would you have said to convince your younger self to consider such an obscure job? Now you have switched, what has been the most rewarding aspect of working in the VI field? If we are ever to convince people to come into the VI field, we need to have something that is really attractive. Hearing people who have already transitioned talk about their experiences will help pinpoint the kind of people who would be ready for a new kind of job and how to convince them. Thanks, Brandon Keith Biggs On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Coby <wctwig@sbcglobal.net> wrote: I agree...make high school students aware of the profession. My wife and I are in our 40's...she was approached 4 years ago by the soon to be retiring TVI, asking if she would be interested in becoming a TVI. Even though we both started teaching in 1998, it never occurred to us that there were TVIs and O&Ms. She is now a TVI and I should have my O&M certification in about 10 months. She loves her job and I'm excited for the next step in my career. Coby Twilligear On Nov 17, 2016, at 1:31 PM, Laurent, Joanne (DSB) <joanne.laurent@dsb.wa.gov> wrote: 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-education/blind-visually-impaired/rehabilitation Video on Hunter VRT and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs&feature=youtu.be ITI Brochure: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/repository/files/ITI_BrochureWEB.pdf Video on ITI TVI and O&M Programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc&feature=youtu.be -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ The operators of this mailing list are not responsible for material posted on this list and the views expressed are solely those of their respective authors. Messages are posted as they were intended by the author! To unsubscribe or change your subscription options, visit: http://lists.blindcanadians.ca/mailman/listinfo/orientationandmobility_lists.blindcanadians.ca -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2016.0.7859 / Virus Database: 4664/13428 - Release Date: 11/17/16

eileensiffermann@comcast.net

Fri, Nov 18, 2016 11:40 PM

I question if O&M is a profession. Since there is no independent membership organization of O&M specialists governing issues facing O&M specialists it is questionable that we qualify as a profession.

Eileen

Sent from XFINITY Connect Mobile App
Eileen Siffermann, COMS> ------ Original Message ------

From: Dona Sauerburger
To: Lynn Gautreaux via OrientationAndMobility, AER O&M List, Julie Hapeman
Sent: November 18, 2016 at 4:32 PM
Subject: [OrientationAndMobility] Strengthening our profession (was "Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals")

Hi everyone! This thread about dire shortages in our field is very interesting, and people have made some great suggestions for making potential recruits aware of our profession.
I think the shortage problem and solutions go much deeper than making people aware of the profession – as Brandon said, we need to have something that is really attractive. We need to have a strong profession that instills confidence in people who are contemplating committing themselves to a career in that profession.

I’m convinced that issues such as personnel shortages cannot be addressed in isolation – they go hand in hand with issues that strengthen our profession, such as funding streams for our work, recognition and respect for who we are and what we do (and consensus among ourselves as to what that is – what is our scope of practice!), having adequate resources to do our job, university programs that are funded and supported, etc.

Where did I get those issues, you ask? They came from a strategic plan that was developed about 4 years ago. At that time, a number of us stepped back to take stock of the situation, and figure out how we can strengthen our profession. We paid a facilitator $7,500, and more than 100 people from all over the country participated in strategic planning in a very innovative, real-time process.

The plan and goals that we developed, as well as the priority action plans, are posted at http://www.pbvimobility.com/plan.html .

And what progress is being made toward those goals, you ask? The AER O&M Division is developing a strategic plan which may address some of the goals, and I’m very pleased to report that last summer, AER passed a resolution to research and develop a plan to obtain third-party funding for vision rehab professionals, which was one of the goals we thought was important. AER’s leadership is starting that process – exciting!

-- Dona

From: <a title="brandonkeithbiggs@gmail.com">Brandon Keith Biggs</a>

Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2016 4:23 PM

To: <a title="orientationandmobility@lists.blindcanadians.ca">Orientation and Mobility</a>

Subject: Re: [OrientationAndMobility] Dire Shortages of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals in New York - everybody's retiring!!

Hello Coby and Joanne,

As people who came to the VI field after having another job, why did you wish to stop what you were doing before? What aspects of the VI teaching fields seemed interesting? If you were able to talk to your younger self just out of a BA, what would you have said to convince your younger self to consider such an obscure job? Now you have switched, what has been the most rewarding aspect of working in the VI field?

If we are ever to convince people to come into the VI field, we need to have something that is really attractive.

Hearing people who have already transitioned talk about their experiences will help pinpoint the kind of people who would be ready for a new kind of job and how to convince them.

Thanks,

<a style="href: "http://brandonkeithbiggs.com/"">Brandon Keith Biggs</a>

On Thu, Nov 17, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Coby <<a style="target: _blank">wctwig@sbcglobal.net</a>> wrote:

I agree...make high school students aware of the profession. My wife and I are in our 40's...she was approached 4 years ago by the soon to be retiring TVI, asking if she would be interested in becoming a TVI. Even though we both started teaching in 1998, it never occurred to us that there were TVIs and O&Ms. She is now a TVI and I should have my O&M certification in about 10 months. She loves her job and I'm excited for the next step in my career.

Coby Twilligear

On Nov 17, 2016, at 1:31 PM, Laurent, Joanne (DSB) <<a style="target: _blank">joanne.laurent@dsb.wa.gov</a>> wrote:

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-education/blind-visually-impaired/rehabilitation

Video on Hunter VRT and O&M Programs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lszZBf7jhs&feature=youtu.be

ITI Brochure:

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/school-of-education/repository/files/ITI_BrochureWEB.pdf

Video on ITI TVI and O&M Programs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9fgfEnwMfc&feature=youtu.be

The operators of this mailing list are not responsible for material posted on this list and the views expressed are solely those of their respective authors. Messages are posted as they were intended by the author!

To unsubscribe or change your subscription options, visit:

http://lists.blindcanadians.ca/mailman/listinfo/orientationandmobility_lists.blindcanadians.ca

<a></a>No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2016.0.7859 / Virus Database: 4664/13428 - Release Date: 11/17/16

_______________________________________________ The operators of this mailing list are not responsible for material posted on this list and the views expressed are solely those of their respective authors. Messages are posted as they were intended by the author! To unsubscribe or change your subscription options, visit: http://lists.blindcanadians.ca/mailman/listinfo/orientationandmobility_lists.blindcanadians.ca