This issue was edited by Marion Blazé, Education Officer, and Deb Lewis, Co-ordinator, SVRC.
To see the annual program and to download programs for professional development activities, go to: http://www.visiontech.svrc.vic.edu.au/pd2007.htm
Lea Nagel, Senior Visiting Teacher, Eastern Metropolitan Region has kindly offered to conduct a couple of extra professional development sessions – just for Visiting Teachers. The next one will be:
Visiting Teachers Combined Conference – Melbourne, Friday, June 22
At Crowne Plaza – 1-5 Spencer St, Melbourne – Cost $80
Register by May 18. A flier is attached or contact Aurora School on (03) 8878
9878.
Our thanks to Mike Steer for passing this information our way. This website looks fabulous. It’s by the ‘Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic’ organization and includes lesson plans and resources for teaching using audio books, teaching good listening skills and more. Take a look at http://ltl.rfbd.org/
A Careers Day with a Difference!!! A select group of students had some unique and varied experiences on our first Try a Career day. In the morning Michael Kelly, with help from Toni and Sophie Chilton, assisted students in producing and recording their own radio broadcasts, music and all! Nicole and Lea Nagel showed students how to adapt scientific tasks using technology – looking under the microscope, using CCTV technology and even conducting a scientific experiment with Coke and Mentos! Quantum Technology generously provided a new CCTV for the day. Myotherapist, Glenn Bowen, talked about his career and the technology he uses to conduct it. Telemarketer, Jacqui Stephens, gave students a taste of selling via the telephone. Rachel Hansen, OT with Guide Dogs, taught students how to prepare food for our lunch. Our own Lyn Robinson brought along her star dog, Jasper to demonstrate dog handling and Anne Franklin came with her Jim’s Dog Wash van so the students could handle dogs in a dog wash. In the afternoon, the Guide Dogs instructors, Dean, Erin and Janelle, took students through the skills they’ll need to get to and from their jobs or work experience, research timetable and bus routes on the internet and generally be confident and independent. Special thanks to Deb’s daughter, Melissa, who brought two more dogs for the dog wash and was chief photographer for the day. Jacqui’s husband Alex also helped and took photos, while Robert, cleaned the BBQ, and of course the ever energetic (and tolerant) SVRC staff who kept everything moving and organised
The students did start thinking about the skills they will need for work (which was, after all, the aim of the day). Jamie suggested that to be a cook you would need clean hands and good taste buds, but above all you would need to be organised. Geordie said that to be a radio presenter you need a clear voice and to be brave. Alex requested that we run another day with even more experiences on offer.
Photos show the recording studio, dog wash, science experiment, lunch preparation and dog handling activities.
Di Hayward, Vision Australia’s Recreational Development Worker, has again passed some wonderful information our way:
Guide Dogs Victoria is developing a new Orientation and Mobility service for
young adults aged between 18 and 35. It is called the Young Adults Program and
the service aims to provide a range of group and individual programs that focus
on meeting the O&M needs of young adults.
Goals of the programs include –
The latest Young Adults program was held on Friday April 27 when a Self Defense
Day was run at the Guide Dogs campus.
15 clients attended the session that started off with a beautiful lunch provided
by the Arnold Cook House staff. After everyone was full to the brim, Tricia
(our self defence expert) talked the group through different situations, incorporating
many safety tips. She covered many topics including safety in the home, at a
shopping centre, at the bank and even when you’re a passenger in someone’s
car.
The next Young Adult program is Friday Night Footy at the MCG on the 1st of
June. (incorporating a private tour of the MCG earlier that week).
Other upcoming Young Adult Program events –
Dates and program themes to be confirmed
A Young Adults Newsletter will also be produced on a regular basis that will contain information about up-coming programs and events and how to get involved. The newsletter will be sent to everyone who has requested to be on the mailing list.
Contacts
For further information about the programs, or have your name added to the Young
Adults newsletter mailing list, please contact any member of the team and they
will be glad to answer your questions.
DARLENE MCINTOSH – 9854 4470
JOHN-ROSS BARRESI – 9854 4450
ROSE LONG – 9854 4444
Children’s Mobility Service – Upcoming Events
Senior Program in Halls Gap
Monday June 2 – Friday June 6
Applications for the program close on May 28.
Like other CMS expeditions to regional Victoria this program promises to provide
lots of fun and the opportunity to learn some O&M skills.
Junior Program at the Guide Dogs Victoria Campus
Monday September 24 – Thursday September 27
Further details about this program will be advertised in the near future.
The next edition of the CMS newsletter is due for distribution in July. If you would like to contribute an article to the newsletter or be added to the newsletter mailing list please phone Lisa Brown on 9854 4467.
For further information about any aspect of the Children’s Mobility Service please contact any member of the team.
Dean Johnson (Manager) 9854 4506
Rachel Morgan (Team Leader) 9854 4469
Sharon Taylor 9854 4496
Lil Deverell 9854 4542
Alicia Madden 9854 4493
Janelle O’Loughlin 9854 4520
Erin Galloway 9854 4521
Our Vision Loss Support Group will meet on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at the Resource Centre. Child minding will be provided for any smaller siblings. Our guest Speaker will be Dr James Elder, Ophthalmologist with the Melbourne Eye Clinic at Royal Children’s Hospital. James will talk about current research and treatments, his clinical statistics and experiences. His talk will be followed by the usual sumptuous afternoon tea and a chance to network. Please let any of your families know about this gathering. Any VTs or other professionals are, of course, welcome, too.
For further information, call Annette Godfrey-Magee on 9841 0807.
We’ll have a flier out, soon.
Anne Franklin gave her time, materials and expertise so generously for our careers day, that I am happy to advertise her services. She really went above and beyond by patiently demonstrating all the tricks of her trade to our students (and she washed four dogs – free!). So please, if you need a dog wash call on Anne (0413 754 300) or the Jim’s franchise. Anne already has one guide dog in her list of clients (and it happens to belong to an ex-student of ours). Did you know that the many Jim’s services have grown out of the original Jim’s mowing service? Apparently, you can go to them with an idea for another Jim’s services. You never know, there may one day be a Jim’s VT service!!
Some of you may not realise the generosity of this company to the SVRC. Proprietor, Graham Sheil, has always been very generous with his time and expertise, bringing displays to our Expo and speaking at PD days; but did you know that he is also the source of the wonderful examples of optical aids, which we have demonstrated and used in our simulations at the PD days we run for class teachers? We are very grateful for the use of this state-of-the-art equipment when we are asking our teachers to experience what it is like to be vision impaired.
So please, if you are visiting your optometrist, ask if they get their glasses and optical aids from European Eyewear, Australian agents for Eschenbach, and if they don’t put them wise!!! Their telephone number is 03 9877 7956.
Thanks to Lillian Adler, Di Hayward, Garry Stinchcombe, Dean Johnson, Annette
Godfrey-Magee, Lee Clark and Mike Steer for contributing to this edition of
The Bulletin. Thanks also to our fabulous proof-readers, stuffers and mailers.
If you have something you would like included in ‘The Bulletin’,
please contact:
Marion Blazé (who can be emailed at marionblaze@svrc.vic.edu.au).
Marion Blazé (who can be emailed at marionblaze@svrc.vic.edu.au).