Volunteers who are Visually Impaired or Blind Needed for Unique Program

Summary:
Media Release from St. James ESL Program in Seattle, WA.

Do you use Braille, large print or assistive devices for low vision? Do you enjoy conversation, reading, getting to know new people? Do you enjoy cross-cultural experiences? Are you sighted but want to help people with visual limitations? Are you looking for a way to get involved in your community?

St. James ESL (SJESL) in Seattle, Washington, provides instruction to adult, low-income immigrants and refugees who are visually impaired and blind. In partnership with Kaizen Program for new English Learners with Visual Limitations, SJESL offers enhanced ESL tutoring and social service advocacy for our students throughout King County.

Refugees and immigrants with visual limitations can achieve personal and professional goals and become more fully involved in their communities when they get adequate support in developing the skills and understandings they need. Many have little or no experience living independently with visual impairment. Few who have been blind or visually impaired since childhood have had the opportunity to attend school or work. Most come from countries where assistive services are minimal. Also, most English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction is geared to students who are fully sighted making it inaccessible for students with visual limitations.

Our volunteer tutors gain rewarding, cross-cultural experience, while assisting students in meeting a range of English language speaking, listening, reading and writing goals. These goals include being able to use the telephone, calendar, transit, and assistive devices; to access community services, education, and further education; to understand and assert one's rights; general literacy and conversation; preparing for and participating in other community activities; etc.

Tutors are screened and attend a specialized training to learn how to meet the unique needs of refugees and immigrants with visual limitations. Sighted volunteers receive orientation to working with persons with visual limitations. We ask tutors to make a make a one year commitment, two days per week for 1.5 hours each.

Students and volunteer tutors are matched based upon student needs and goals, tutor skills, visual capacity, and availability. Instruction is defined by the student's expressed goals and literacy instruction takes place in the student's preferred medium (Braille, large or enhanced print, audio).

We also are recruiting volunteers to drive students and tutors with visual limitations to their tutoring sessions, and to help in our small, non-profit office with clerical tasks and instructional materials development.

For further information, call (206)382-4511 or send e-mail to cwalsh@stjames-cathedral.org

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