LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The life skills program at the Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation is specially designed for teens and young adults with visual impairments, teaching life skills to boost confidence and foster independence.
“There are four levels. They start out very basic, how to brush your teeth, how to brush your hair, how to bathe properly… To very advanced, living on your own, doing all the grocery shopping, cleaning your own place, and doing it without assistance,” said Maribel Garcia, Executive Director of the Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation.
They teach the students how to cook, clean, do laundry, and other household chores, using special methods to conquer the tasks despite their visual challenges.
One trick they learn is marking clothes in the closet to keep track of the colors so they can dress themselves.
“Understanding how to put their clothes on a hanger versus folding it and putting it into a drawer, and being able to identify their clothes,” said Garcia, “teaching them different methods that they can use at home so that they’re able to do all of these independent skills on their own and not depend on their families.”
The life skills program also teaches basic financial literacy. The students make grocery lists and go on shopping trips for their cooking classes.
“They also are learning basic math skills, financial skills,” said Garcia. “They put together a list, a budget, and then we take them shopping.”
Most importantly, they learn how to speak up for themselves in everyday life.
“What kind of tools do they need? How to advocate for themselves, to speak on behalf of themselves and say this is what I need and here’s how you can best serve me,” said Garcia. “So having that voice is the biggest thing.”
To learn more about the programs at the Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation, click here.
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