DRS offers new employment training program for blind/visually impaired Oklahomans

OKLAHOMA CITY —A new program designed to help clients who are visually impaired find employment kicks off this fall. It’s called Employment VIBE and is part of the Visually Impaired and Blindness Empowerment program or VIBE. The program is offered by the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

“This program is for clients ages 18 and up,” said Cheryl Snow, programs manager in DRS’ division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. “We will kick start Employment VIBE in the fall, and it’s specifically for clients who have already learned adaptive skills and are ready for employment.”

The VIBE program has been around for several years and consists of four components, Snow said. Adult VIBE is a week-long training program offered several times a year in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Muskogee. The focus is on assessment and training in daily living, orientation and mobility and assistive technology. Clients return home after completing the course to work with their assigned instructional staff to add to their skills.

Another component is Mini VIBE and is for clients who are ages 18 and older, living in rural areas. It is typically conducted over a three-day period and incorporates the curriculum of Adult VIBE, only in a shorter time frame.

DRS staff in both the Adult and Mini VIBE assess and train clients in communication skills, kitchen safety and food preparation, manual skills, home and personal management, and assistive technology. They also receive training on how to use computers and smart phones.

“Part of our training includes taking clients out to dinner,” Snow said. “If you’re blind or visually impaired, you may have difficulty in accessing a menu, identifying items on the plate and paying the check. This gives us a chance to provide hands-on training and gives clients some peace of mind when they want to go out on their own.”

Transition VIBE is designed for clients ages 16 to 22 and focuses on pursuing education and employment opportunities after high school. It incorporates daily living, orientation and mobility, and assistive technology. But it also incorporates resume writing, job search, and interviewing skills.

“Our VIBE program has been tremendously successful,” Snow said. “We have an apartment set up in our offices at Shepherd Center in Oklahoma City. Here, we provide clients with training on how to navigate in their own home. We have both a gas and electric stove so we can teach them how to cook on whatever they use at home. We show them how to use kitchen utensils, like knives, safely. Cleaning their shower, vacuuming, even simple tasks like making their bed can give them a sense of accomplishment.

“Now, with our new employment training, we are adding another component to help clients find work,” she said. “Once they complete the course, that’s just the beginning of their journey toward independence.”

More information on VIBE and other DRS programs can be found at okdrs.org or by phone at 800-845-8476.

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