Skill Power, 2005

What a week we had at the resource centre!!

A total of ten students took advantage of this one-off program offered by the staff of the Statewide Vision Resource Centre in conjunction with the staff of Guide Dogs Victoria's Children's Mobility Services. The program was offered in response to the needs of a small number of students who this year suffered significant and sudden vision loss. It was also opened up to other students who have deteriorating vision. The aim of the week was to “skill” these students in talking computer technology, braille, mobility and activities of daily living. Though we don't expect that the students would learn all this in one four-day program, we aimed to expose them to the possibilities so that they could then pursue the learning of skills, which they found useful.

Following morning lessons in touch typing, JAWS, braille and computer skills, the students made their lunches under the direction of an occupational therapist from Guide Dogs Victoria. The afternoon orientation & mobility sessions incorporated public transport use, sighted guide and white cane training with excursions in the local area.

One bonus outcome of the program was that all the students had great fun and many tried skills to which they had previously been resistant. One student who announced at the beginning of the week that she “didn't need to learn braille”, was eager to learn more braille by the end of the week. Another who didn't want her laptop computer adjusted for high contrast found by the end of the week that it was much easier working that way. I guess many students are reluctant to learn a new skill when it is introduced to them on their own. But when they are in a group of students doing the same thing and meeting similar challenges, they are much more receptive.

One student remarked, “It was a great week. At school I am the one who often has to be helped. But on this, everyone was the same.”

Special thanks to Lea Nagel (Visiting Teacher, Eastern Metropolitan Region) who ran many of the morning sessions with the students and to the Children's Mobility Services folk for their willingness to offer their time and energy to this program. Another special thanks to Mike of Bolinda Audio books, who very generously donated CD audio titles for these students to take home with them.

If you would like to know more about the Camps and Recreation Program, please contact Deb Lewis.