Blind Beginnings Calendar
– This program is for children & youth who are blind or partially sighted 7 – 13 years Many children across BC are missing the social connection with other kids at school and in their communities. Each Tuesday, children 7 – 13 years of age who are blind or partially sighted can connect with each other in our Blind Beginnings Zoom room. This is a place to share struggles, strategies, and successes, but also to play games, tell stories, and make new friends. When: Every second Tuesday starting Jan 5 at 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm PST – Parents are invited to connect online, without your children, to share your challenges, frustrations, worries, and strategies for coping. Some of you aren’t seeing all the professionals who normally come into your home to work with your child, some of you are juggling home-schooling and working from home, some of you may have lost your jobs. Whatever your situation, this group is a place to receive support from other parents as well as a registered clinical counselor. This winter we are adding something new to our Virtual Parent’s Night Out. In addition to offering this chance to drop-in and network with other parents of blind or partially sighted children, we will also be offering a workshop format once a month where parents will be able to gain information and resources about a pre-determined topic. Our first drop-in parent support will take place on January 7, 2021. A registered clinical counselor will connect with parents to make introductions, answer questions, and offer support. on January 21, 2021 our workshop topic will be “Preparing your Child for Pre-School or Kindergarten” and our presenters will be Adam Wilton of the Provincial Resource Centre of the Visually Impaired, and Bruce Taylor, Early Childhood Vision Specialist. On February 18, 2021 our workshop topic will be: “What is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and What Support Do They Provide”, and our presenter will be Winnie Lee. Who can attend: Blind Beginnings Parents across BC / Yukon – What kind of careers do people who are blind or partially sighted have? What are some potential career paths? What is it like for an employee who is blind or partially sighted at a workplace? Parents quite often ask these types of questions, and uncertainty about future careers can be very stressful for both families and youth. In order to help answer some of these questions, we are inviting parents and youth to our Blind Beginnings Zoom Room this Fall as we meet individuals who are blind or partially sighted and hear all about their own employment journeys. Each session will consist of two guest speakers who will tell us about how they chose their career, what training, education, and accommodations may have been required for their job, and any challenges they may have had to overcome. Our goal is to not only inform but also to inspire youth that may feel unsure of what kind of jobs may await them as they enter the workforce. Wednesday, January 13, 2021 In this session, we’ll meet Grant and Graham Hardy, brothers who are both blind from birth. Grant is a Presenter with Accessible Media, and Graham is a lawyer. Wednesday February 10, 2021 This session will feature Tamara Tedesco, TransLink Coordinator, Access Transit Planning and Jessica Rathwell, Apple Store. Both are totally blind. Wednesday March 10, 2021 When: January 13, February 10, and March 10 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Our Online Baby Beginnings Program, in partnership with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada BC, is a bi-monthly drop-in group for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers who are blind or partially sighted and their caregivers. Parents of children birth to five years of age are invited to connect online every second Saturday. We start at 9:00 am with a consultation with Margret Hanke, an Early Child Vision Specialist from Vision Loss Rehabilitation BC. This is a chance for parents to ask specific questions about your child’s vision and/or development. At 9:30 am, All Blind Beginnings children/youth and their families are invited to join the Zoom room for Adam’s Accessible Story Time! Adam will read stories, but also provide image description and explain concepts that might be new to some listeners. Following each story listeners can share their thoughts or ask questions about the story. After the stories, parents are welcome to stay in the room for some social connection and support from other parents, and Shawn Marsolais. This is a chance to share strategies and celebrate successes with a group that can relate to the experience of raising a child with a visual impairment. Who can attend: – This program is for children & youth who are blind or partially sighted 7 – 13 years Many children across BC are missing the social connection with other kids at school and in their communities. Each Tuesday, children 7 – 13 years of age who are blind or partially sighted can connect with each other in our Blind Beginnings Zoom room. This is a place to share struggles, strategies, and successes, but also to play games, tell stories, and make new friends. When: Every second Tuesday starting Jan 5 at 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm PST – This program is for BC youth who are blind or partially sighted 13 – 19 years Since the beginning of Covid-19, it has been a challenging time for all of us, and when we reflect on the challenges, they are not physical, they have been emotional; feeling lonely because we can’t see our friends and families; feeling angry that we can’t do the activities we enjoy; feeling sad that some of our favorite places have closed down; feeling scared that we will have forgotten some of the independence skills we rely on; feeling grief for the people we have lost. Life is full of challenges and adversity, which is why it is important for teens to develop some mental toughness. This February and March, we invite participants Age 13-19 to join Registered Clinical Counsellor Shawn Marsolais in a workshop to begin to build psychological strength and mental toughness. Each week, Youth aged 13 – 19 will explore and discuss specific topics such as: When: Four consecutive Thursday afternoons: February 18, 25, and March 4, and 11, 2021 from 4:00 – 5:30 PM – Parents are invited to connect online, without your children, to share your challenges, frustrations, worries, and strategies for coping. Some of you aren’t seeing all the professionals who normally come into your home to work with your child, some of you are juggling home-schooling and working from home, some of you may have lost your jobs. Whatever your situation, this group is a place to receive support from other parents as well as a registered clinical counselor. This winter we are adding something new to our Virtual Parent’s Night Out. In addition to offering this chance to drop-in and network with other parents of blind or partially sighted children, we will also be offering a workshop format once a month where parents will be able to gain information and resources about a pre-determined topic. Our first drop-in parent support will take place on January 7, 2021. A registered clinical counselor will connect with parents to make introductions, answer questions, and offer support. on January 21, 2021 our workshop topic will be “Preparing your Child for Pre-School or Kindergarten” and our presenters will be Adam Wilton of the Provincial Resource Centre of the Visually Impaired, and Bruce Taylor, Early Childhood Vision Specialist. On February 18, 2021 our workshop topic will be: “What is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and What Support Do They Provide”, and our presenter will be Winnie Lee. Who can attend: Blind Beginnings Parents across BC / Yukon – This program is for BC youth who are blind or partially sighted 13 – 19 years Since the beginning of Covid-19, it has been a challenging time for all of us, and when we reflect on the challenges, they are not physical, they have been emotional; feeling lonely because we can’t see our friends and families; feeling angry that we can’t do the activities we enjoy; feeling sad that some of our favorite places have closed down; feeling scared that we will have forgotten some of the independence skills we rely on; feeling grief for the people we have lost. Life is full of challenges and adversity, which is why it is important for teens to develop some mental toughness. This February and March, we invite participants Age 13-19 to join Registered Clinical Counsellor Shawn Marsolais in a workshop to begin to build psychological strength and mental toughness. Each week, Youth aged 13 – 19 will explore and discuss specific topics such as: When: Four consecutive Thursday afternoons: February 18, 25, and March 4, and 11, 2021 from 4:00 – 5:30 PM – This program is for children & youth who are blind or partially sighted 12 – 20 years On the last Friday evening of each month youth who are blind or partially sighted 12 – 20 years are invited to connect online for Creating Connections! This is an opportunity for youth to meet and socialize with peers who are also blind or partially sighted, and make new friends. There will be get-to-know-you games, themed activities, and of course some laughter and fun. Who can attend: Children & youth who are blind or partially sighted 12 – 20 years – Our Online Baby Beginnings Program, in partnership with Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada BC, is a bi-monthly drop-in group for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers who are blind or partially sighted and their caregivers. Parents of children birth to five years of age are invited to connect online every second Saturday. We start at 9:00 am with a consultation with Margret Hanke, an Early Child Vision Specialist from Vision Loss Rehabilitation BC. This is a chance for parents to ask specific questions about your child’s vision and/or development. At 9:30 am, All Blind Beginnings children/youth and their families are invited to join the Zoom room for Adam’s Accessible Story Time! Adam will read stories, but also provide image description and explain concepts that might be new to some listeners. Following each story listeners can share their thoughts or ask questions about the story. After the stories, parents are welcome to stay in the room for some social connection and support from other parents, and Shawn Marsolais. This is a chance to share strategies and celebrate successes with a group that can relate to the experience of raising a child with a visual impairment. Who can attend: – One of our first Blind Beginnings programs ever offered was our Family Community Discovery program where BC’s children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families attended a range of outings in the community to learn new concepts through hands-on experiential learning. After the success in the fall, we will continue our family Community Discovery with our Online Baking with Blind Beginnings Program! Each month, families who register for this program will receive the recipe and list of ingredients and equipment needed in advance. On the morning of the program, families will join us in the Blind Beginnings Zoom Room from their kitchens across BC. Together we will each prepare and bake that day’s recipe. We will be led through the process by one of our long-time Youth Mentors Jill Sloane. If you attended our online Independent Living Skills Workshop this summer, you know how competent and capable Jill is. Jill grew up with a visual impairment, but lost her remaining sight at age 15, and had to learn how to do everything all over again. She now lives independently, a plane ride away from her family, and has direct experience on how vital these skills are, as she tells us: “I always had plans to move to Vancouver and attend university, and without these life skills there’s no way that would have happened. In my opinion, life skills are one of the main things needed to become independent, and they are a great way of showing family and friends that you are capable and can do anything you put your mind to! I was so grateful to have the instructor I did teach me all of these things, and I am so excited to be able to lead the Baking with Blind Beginnings program.” As Jill talks us through the steps to bake our delicious treats, families will follow along in their kitchens. If you are stuck, you can unmute and ask your questions. When our baking is in the oven, we can enjoy some social time together while we wait for, and then taste what we have made. So what are we making? Prepare your sweet tooth, we’ve come up with a list of recipes that will be sure to please everyone in your household! January 23 – Lemon Squares Who can attend: Any Blind Beginnings family across BC Recipes will be sent on the Friday, a week before the baking session to allow families time to purchase the necessary ingredients. If you know now that you wish to register for all 3 sessions, please include that information when you register.
Events in February 2021
Kids Connect Support Group
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom RoomVirtual Parents Night Out
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom Room
When: every other Thursday starting January 7, 2021 at 7:00 pm PSTExploring Work Wednesday
WHO WE WILL MEET:
TBA
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom RoomOnline Baby Beginnings and Adam's Accessible Story time
From 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST – Parents/Caregivers of children birth to 5 years of age
From 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM PST – Any Blind Beginnings child/youth and their families
When: Every other Saturday starting January 16, 2021
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom RoomKids Connect Support Group
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom RoomOnline Mental Toughness Creating Confidence Workshops
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom Room – so from the comfort of your home!Virtual Parents Night Out
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom Room
When: every other Thursday starting January 7, 2021 at 7:00 pm PSTOnline Mental Toughness Creating Confidence Workshops
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom Room – so from the comfort of your home!Creating Connections
When: 4th Friday of the month: January 22, February 26, and March 26, 2021 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PSTOnline Baby Beginnings and Adam's Accessible Story time
From 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST – Parents/Caregivers of children birth to 5 years of age
From 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM PST – Any Blind Beginnings child/youth and their families
When: Every other Saturday starting January 16, 2021
Where: The Blind Beginnings Zoom RoomBaking with Blind Beginnings
The purpose of this program is twofold: 1) offer opportunities to children and youth who are blind or partially sighted to learn about their community and concepts at their own pace, and 2) offer families to spend leisure time together while meeting other families who form part of their network of support.
February 27 – No Bake Cheesecake (please note: will require an electric mixer)
March 27 – Mini-Egg Cookies
Please note: This is a family program, so we would ask that each child with a visual impairment is accompanied by at least one parent or responsible adult.