August is an exciting time here at the APH ConnectCenter as we announce the launch of the brand-new: APH ConnectCenter Transition Hub.
Our new look is dynamic, in high contrast with our websites still offering a wealth of curated resources on all aspects of living, learning, and working with vision loss. You will have the ability to change the contrast and text settings to meet your own visual needs.
Just in Time for the New School Year!
The new APH ConnectCenter Transition Hub is a one-stop, easy-to-use, searchable resource of transition programs across the United States. The resource is available for school-age students, teachers of the visually impaired, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and family members. Users can search for programs by state and program type; if a program has attendance fees, if a program is offered in languages other than English, or if a program is offered year-round or seasonally.
“The APH ConnectCenter Transition Hub opens the doors to career exploration, life skills training, mentoring and countless other tools and connections for maximizing lifelong success,” said Olaya Landa-Vialard, APH ConnectCenter Director. “This is a place where anyone can get the most updated lists and will grow as more agencies and schools upload their information.”
With the launch of the Transition Hub, state schools for the blind, blindness vocational rehabilitation agencies and partner nonprofit organizations that offer transition-specific programs for teens and young adults will have the ability to register with the Transition Hub. As new programs come online, the Transition Hub will grow to meet the needs of thousands of young people in search of life skills and career empowerment training across the United States and the world.
Made possible through a grant from The Gibney Family Foundation, the APH ConnectCenter Transition Hub is proud to have inaugural partners, The Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER), VisionServe Alliance (VSA), and Perkins School for the Blind’s Perkins Compass Program supporting critical transition services for youth with visual impairments and blindness. The professionals, organizations, schools, and agencies represented by our partners are on the front lines of advocating for and supporting transition services for youth with visual impairments and blindness.
This month APH ConnectCenter for Careers and the APH ConnectCenter will be spotlighting our partnerships with these organizations beginning with Lee Nasehi, CEO of VisionServe Alliance. In this blog, you’ll learn how Lee’s experiences as a parent of a child with vision loss inspired her passion for ensuring access to transition services for all children with visual impairments.
To learn more about the APH ConnectCenter transition Hub, visit the APH ConnectCenter main page and look for the Transition Hub tab.