Blindconnect Transition Week

	programs: TRANSITION
	This 60-hour program of blindness skills training for transition age youth (age 14 - 20) from July 5 - July 15, 2011. Activities include advocacy, cane travel, daily living, cooking, communication, interpersonal skills, consumer awareness. Staffed by blind and visually impaired adult mentors and trained rehabilitation providers. Many thanks to our generous funders: Bonnie Scoups Foundation and Cox Charities who allowed us to initiate this powerful program in 2009 and to continue it in 2010.
	TRANSITION 2010-blindness skills training within the Angela's House Program
	Transition 2010 focused programming efforts on developing leadership, encouraging teamwork, and supporting creativity. Twelve blind and visually impaired youth age 14-20 attended 60 hours of blindness skills training from July 12 - 23. Transition was held at the West Charleston campus of the College of Southern Nevada in collaboration with the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. A special project, making hand puppets, served two purposes. One, it encouraged creativity and self-expression. And two, the puppets were used in a group discussion of relationships as a tool for openness as each youth spoke through their puppet. The youth were divided randomly into 3 work-teams and assigned the responsibility of developing a 30-second to 2-minute commercial about Transition or Blindconnect. Additionally, the youth did a large group that they planned and filmed independently. Blind and visually impaired staff and program contractors served as mentors to the youth. Blindconnect is grateful for the collaboration of the RTC in providing to/from transportation daily and Transit Day. CSN's Occupational Therapy program provided the facility and staff support in programs. And grants, from the Bonnie Scoups Community Foundation and Cox Charities supported the program as well.		Transition was very hands-on. Activities included daily meal preparation. There were workshops on personal care, advocacy, social skills, and assistive technology. Youth participated in daily living skills as they practiced sewing, ironing, shoe polishing, window cleaning, and bandaging sprains and cuts. Special activities included Transit Day when all 12 youth, using white canes, traveled on the ACEGold and Monorail as they learned to use the fixed route system. RTC staff planned the excursion and provided on vehicle leadership. The youth planned, directed and implemented a final day Talent Show during which all the commercials were debuted. It was a fun-filled activity with music, singing, comedy, and martial arts displays.