Programs for Families
At Blind Beginnings we recognize that blindness impacts all members of a family which is why our programs, activities, and services include the child or youth who is blind or partially sighted and their parents and siblings.
Therefore we strive to try to include parents and siblings in many of our different programs as well.
Family Community Discovery
Community Discovery outings were created to provide children who are blind or partially sighted and their families with the time and opportunities for hands-on exploration.
Children who are blind or partially sighted need a modified learning environment tailored to the way they interact with the world around them. For example, when students are taken on a field trip to a farm, sighted children will instantly recognize a cow, whereas children who are blind or partially sighted need time to touch, smell and hear the cow to develop an image of this animal. Families can also learn techniques on how to make outings more meaningful while at the same time providing families the opportunity to network and support each other. Lastly, it gives the community a chance to interact with blind or partially sighted children or youth and educates them on how to be more inclusive.
Early Beginnings
Often when parents give birth to a child who is blind or partially sighted, they are overwhelmed, unsure, isolated and may feel great loss.
With our Early Beginnings Program, we strive to help parents with a greater understanding of how to encourage early literacy, language, and mobility for their child with a visual impairment. We teach tips for making family outings more meaningful and accessible and an overview of the services and resources available to their child. We also try to create opportunities to meet and network with other families who are also experiencing visual impairment for the first time.
“This has been EVERYTHING to me. So helpful to have a safe place to chat with other people going through the journey also.”
Summer Camps & Family Retreats
Children who are blind or partially sighted often have unnecessary limits placed on them by teachers, society and even their own families. As a result, these children can underestimate their own abilities, which directly impacts their self-confidence, independence and physical pursuits.
To support BC’s children who are blind or partially sighted to challenge physical boundaries and build confidence, Blind Beginnings’ Summer Camps offers summer camps for school aged children to get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves physically and mentally. Their parents also begin to see their child’s true capacities and lift unnecessary limits, allowing their child to develop undiscovered talents, increase independence and lead an active life.
Our Family Retreats are focused on early intervention and are designed to provide families much needed resources while bringing families together and creating new friendships and bonds and much needed social networks and support systems. These weekend long retreats have historically taken place at various locations in BC, from the Okanagan to Vancouver Island.
Parents receive information that address a variety of issues relevant to parenting a child who is blind or partially sighted including: braille and early literacy, social skill development, early movement & orientation & mobility, establishing routines in daily living skills, and more. Parents also meet other parents in their community and build an essential network of support.
“Camp Hornby was an amazing experience for me - the community was strong, the staff was so supportive and kind. The overall experience was a ten out of ten and I would recommend. It not only was fun but it was entertaining, the people truly made the whole experience, even though there were several events and activities it was the staff, campers, youth leaders and workers that made everything amazing.”
Barrier-Free Programming
We strive to make all our programs barrier-free environments. If any family or individual has any sort of barrier to participation (eg. mobility, technology needs, language barriers, etc.), please contact us at info@blindbeginnings.ca or call 866.736.8620 (Toll-Free) or 604.434.7243 and we will do our best to accommodate.
Participation in our programs and services require a Blind Beginnings Annual Membership. Sign up today!
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