Networking Forum

Hello Bill and everyone. Although I don't really have a professional life, I do feel that I have a very strong and loyal network of friends. I am talking not only about my immediate and extended family, but also everybody here at Center for Independent Futures. For those of you who might be new to these blogs, Center for Independent Futures is a nonprofit that creates living opportunities for people with disabilities. The thing that is so unique and wonderful about CIF, though, is that it is very community-based. We all support each other through thick and thin. I now know that I am not alone in the struggle for employment. However, what really irritates me to no end is the fact that I am the only visually-impaired person I know of who has been to no job interviews. Even if I were afforded the opportunity of going to a job interview, I most probably wouldn't be able to make it because I have not had any formal O&M instruction here yet. I could very easily take a cab or paratransit to the interview, but the fact is that I am so behind in O&M skills that even transportation is more of an issue for me now than it probably ever was. I really feel I need more O&M instruction to build up my confidence. O&M allows those of us with a visual impairment to move about freely in our communities, or wherever we are. But like I said I have a very supportive network here at CIF. We each have life-skills tutors, who are more or less our daily living skills instructors. My tutor is currently out of the country visiting a friend, and I have been working with a neighbor who is also one of the tutors. He and I walked to the local YMCA to work out both yesterday and Monday, and we are scheduled again on Friday.

Hi Jake,

Thanks for writing and sharing your thoughts to help us all.

The Center for Independent Futures sounds like a great place.

I have a couple of ideas, and I am sure others will have more. If you live in the US you might try to get Orientation and Mobility training from your state Department of Rehabilitation or equivalent. Another option is to give Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired a call. Their URL is http://www.vistacenter.org/
They might be able to tell you who might be able to provide O & M in your area. This is where I got my O & M training from and they are great at this.

Best option that will help with acquiring O & M skills and other connections needed to be successful once you get an interview and get your job is to join a local blind organization. You can then start building your valuable network by attending local meetings and start meeting others whom will have great connections into many valuable resources. The members are great and will help you once you get to meetings, until your O & M skills are up to speed. I first started attending these meetings when I was still in a wheelchair and the members were very happy to push me around so I could get to where I needed in meetings. I had just recently gone completely blind at this point in my recovery and had not yet started serious O & M yet. I belong to the American Council of the Blind. They have state affiliates and then local organizations below that you can join. Check to see if you have one in your area. URL to The American Council of the Blind is www.acb.org.

I hope this helps. I think you are on the correct path getting out and networking in forms like this one. Do not give up! I can tell you have the right attitude to make it.

Does anyone else have other ideas that will help us? Look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Bill, what an inspiritng story and a great lead in for the networking course, thanks so much!
I've been very lucky that beginning as a small infant my parents encouraged me to think of my doctors and nurses as part of team Liz, helping me understand my disability and strengths and weaknessess but especially my limitations.
Because of them ,I was able to advocate for myself from a pretty early age and they didn't allow me to pursue something that may have been harmful to me , while encouraging me at the same time to go for all I could get.

Teachers in public and high school also helped , my professors at university, although not all. I've found that being active in the community, not just a blind and visually impaired community though has helped me develop wonderful resources who are part of my network. I write letters to the editor in my local newspapers advocating not just on issues of concern to disabled people but to those who are non disabled as well.

I've made friends all over the world from penpalling and using the internet as well as my local friends, they all are an integral part of my network.

I also gave up the attitude that I shouldn't accept help from people because that might make me dependent. After 52 years on the earth I've learned we're all interconnected and that when people want to help in some way they're expressing their gifts to you by offering service , kindness talent, empathy and compassion, sometimes knowledge and just strength. And in the same way you wouldn't refuse a birthday or holiday gift from someone you know , you shouldn't refuse their offers of help either. As you give to them they can give back to you.

Networks provide all of that and much more. Liz S

Hi Liz and all,

Thanks for jumping in and adding your great insight into the conversation. You bring up another great networking opportunity.

I too accept help at times, even though I may be able to do the task without assistance. I do this for a couple of reasons.

I do not want to offend the person offering help. Remember it also makes the person feel good who offers and gives help when a person graciously accepts, at times. This is also a perfect opportunity to meet another person you would have never met if you turned down the offer of assistance. If you just said “no, I can do it” and walked on you just missed a perfect opportunity to expand your network.

Before I went blind I hardly knew any of my neighbors. If I went on walks around the block I would just go on my walk and hardly talk to anybody. Now that I have lost my vision when I go on walks I take the opportunity to talk to the neighbors. They can be great resources, and for all you know the person you just met might be in the career you are interested in pursuing. This new acquaintance can possibly give you help and guideance. Besides finding another great person to add to your growing network pool it is always a good idea to get to know your neighbors for safety reasons: in case you ever needed help in a emergency.

Look forward to hearing how others network. Maybe something worked in your career or in pursue of your career you want to share with others so we can all learn.

Bill Tipton

It's funny Bill, that it wasn't a direct network who found me my careers in journalism and in teaching and working for our Canadian Member ofParlaiment. It was friends of friends so I guess a less direct network. People I met volunteering in political campaigns or helping in community projects who ' opened ' doors for me by recommending me and my work habits.

I think one of the first steps one needs to do in networking for work or just finding out information about a certain type of work , is do an informational interview . It doesn't have to be a formal setting but it could be. Like when I first deciding on whether to go into social work my mum had a friend who was a social worker and had her come to tea and I asked Donna alot of questions about educational requirements or the kinds of social workers there are.

A few years later I reciprocated the daughter of a teacher friend of mine was considering becoming a journalist and so she talked to me and to my editor to find about prospects- freelancing or working on a daily newspaper.

It helped her decide that perhaps she'd pursue public relations moreso than journalism.

So when of the first steps in your network is to find people who might be able to help you find out information you're interested in.

As I've said community volunteering is great for this , whatever you're interested in find a club or a group who are involved and get involved with them. And if there isn't one that suits your interest start one. You can have a virtual online group through yahoogroups or msn or you can start a physical group where you have meetings etc.

Besides your regular job interviews , you may also have informational interviews or strategic interviews where you target a certain industy or job and you find someone with that experience and talk to them about the requirements.

Your parents or guidance or voc rehab counsellor might help you set those up . Who knows even friends in a certain industry that you may have interacted with in school or in a community group.

Thanks Bill for your suggestions. I have heard of the ACB, in fact my brother was a member of their student affiliate. I can't recall if he's still a member but I will check with him. I hadn't heard of Vista but will check them out. I am located in Illinois, and I went to an event hosted by our ACB affiliate and it was fantastic. It was a picnic. My only concern with this approach, however, is that there just seems to be so much bureaucratic red tape, that either nothing gets done at all or progress is extremely slow in coming. There also seems to be a ton of retaliation, and I am honestly very intimidated by all of it. I know that's probably not the best thing, but every single thing I've tried up to now has gotten me absolutely nowhere. But I will try. I'm also trying to schedule another meeting with my Full Life Future Planning team. FLFP is part of Center for Independent Futures. I think the acronym basically speaks for itself, but the way it works is that teams are assembled in order to help facilitate goal planning for each resident of CIF. These teams are hand-picked by the residents. That's one thing I really like about CIF. It focuses on the actual participants, as opposed to having our lives run for us by some hierarchy. The founders of CIF wanted it to remain a nonprofit simply because of all the unnecessary interference and intrusion by state government. My FLFP team hasn't met now for a long time, and I think it's time to get back together.

Thanks Bill for your suggestions. I have heard of the ACB, in fact my brother was a member of their student affiliate. I can't recall if he's still a member but I will check with him. I hadn't heard of Vista but will check them out. I am located in Illinois, and I went to an event hosted by our ACB affiliate and it was fantastic. It was a picnic. My only concern with this approach, however, is that there just seems to be so much bureaucratic red tape, that either nothing gets done at all or progress is extremely slow in coming. There also seems to be a ton of retaliation, and I am honestly very intimidated by all of it. I know that's probably not the best thing, but every single thing I've tried up to now has gotten me absolutely nowhere. But I will try. I'm also trying to schedule another meeting with my Full Life Future Planning team. FLFP is part of Center for Independent Futures. I think the acronym basically speaks for itself, but the way it works is that teams are assembled in order to help facilitate goal planning for each resident of CIF. These teams are hand-picked by the residents. That's one thing I really like about CIF. It focuses on the actual participants, as opposed to having our lives run for us by some hierarchy. The founders of CIF wanted it to remain a nonprofit simply because of all the unnecessary interference and intrusion by state government. My FLFP team hasn't met now for a long time, and I think it's time to get back together.

Thanks Bill for your suggestions. I have heard of the ACB, in fact my brother was a member of their student affiliate. I can't recall if he's still a member but I will check with him. I hadn't heard of Vista but will check them out. I am located in Illinois, and I went to an event hosted by our ACB affiliate and it was fantastic. It was a picnic. My only concern with this approach, however, is that there just seems to be so much bureaucratic red tape, that either nothing gets done at all or progress is extremely slow in coming. There also seems to be a ton of retaliation, and I am honestly very intimidated by all of it. I know that's probably not the best thing, but every single thing I've tried up to now has gotten me absolutely nowhere. But I will try. I'm also trying to schedule another meeting with my Full Life Future Planning team. FLFP is part of Center for Independent Futures. I think the acronym basically speaks for itself, but the way it works is that teams are assembled in order to help facilitate goal planning for each resident of CIF. These teams are hand-picked by the residents. That's one thing I really like about CIF. It focuses on the actual participants, as opposed to having our lives run for us by some hierarchy. The founders of CIF wanted it to remain a nonprofit simply because of all the unnecessary interference and intrusion by state government. My FLFP team hasn't met now for a long time, and I think it's time to get back together.

Thanks Bill for your suggestions. I have heard of the ACB, in fact my brother was a member of their student affiliate. I can't recall if he's still a member but I will check with him. I hadn't heard of Vista but will check them out. I am located in Illinois, and I went to an event hosted by our ACB affiliate and it was fantastic. It was a picnic. My only concern with this approach, however, is that there just seems to be so much bureaucratic red tape, that either nothing gets done at all or progress is extremely slow in coming. There also seems to be a ton of retaliation, and I am honestly very intimidated by all of it. I know that's probably not the best thing, but every single thing I've tried up to now has gotten me absolutely nowhere. But I will try. I'm also trying to schedule another meeting with my Full Life Future Planning team. FLFP is part of Center for Independent Futures. I think the acronym basically speaks for itself, but the way it works is that teams are assembled in order to help facilitate goal planning for each resident of CIF. These teams are hand-picked by the residents. That's one thing I really like about CIF. It focuses on the actual participants, as opposed to having our lives run for us by some hierarchy. The founders of CIF wanted it to remain a nonprofit simply because of all the unnecessary interference and intrusion by state government. My FLFP team hasn't met now for a long time, and I think it's time to get back together.

Thanks Bill for your suggestions. I have heard of the ACB, in fact my brother was a member of their student affiliate. I can't recall if he's still a member but I will check with him. I hadn't heard of Vista but will check them out. I am located in Illinois, and I went to an event hosted by our ACB affiliate and it was fantastic. It was a picnic. My only concern with this approach, however, is that there just seems to be so much bureaucratic red tape, that either nothing gets done at all or progress is extremely slow in coming. There also seems to be a ton of retaliation, and I am honestly very intimidated by all of it. I know that's probably not the best thing, but every single thing I've tried up to now has gotten me absolutely nowhere. But I will try. I'm also trying to schedule another meeting with my Full Life Future Planning team. FLFP is part of Center for Independent Futures. I think the acronym basically speaks for itself, but the way it works is that teams are assembled in order to help facilitate goal planning for each resident of CIF. These teams are hand-picked by the residents. That's one thing I really like about CIF. It focuses on the actual participants, as opposed to having our lives run for us by some hierarchy. The founders of CIF wanted it to remain a nonprofit simply because of all the unnecessary interference and intrusion by state government. My FLFP team hasn't met now for a long time, and I think it's time to get back together.