There is a strength within you, and I know this because you are here.
Your strength may not feel strong right now, but it can grow over time. I know this because I remember how powerless I felt when I began my employment journey with DVR. I didn't know where to start or what questions to ask. I had to rely on the counselors working with me, and it was okay to do that.
The purpose of this newsletter is to help you begin building your confidence, strengthen your decision-making, and learn how to become an active participant in your DVR journey.
When I first lost my sight, I didn't know what I didn't know. I didn't know about screen readers, orientation and mobility training, assistive technology, or the many ways people who are blind can prepare for and succeed in employment. I had to learn what was possible. Over time, I began to see possibilities that I couldn't see when I first started.
You don't have to have everything figured out when you begin your DVR journey. Learning what is possible is part of the journey.
DVR can provide valuable services, resources, guidance, education, training, technology, and connections to employment. Counselors can support us. Employers can open doors. Other people can encourage us along the way.
But none of these people or services are the source of our power.
The power to envision something different for our lives, to make choices, to ask questions, to learn, to grow, and to keep moving toward what we desire is already within us.
I learned this through my own journey. As I began to recognize and accept this I began to see myself and my possibilities differently.
What matters is recognizing that you are not simply a recipient of DVR services.
You are an active participant in creating your future.
Your counselor has a role. DVR has a role. Employers have a role. And you have a role.
You don't have to know exactly what you want your future to look like on day one. Start with questions:
What are my strengths? What would I like to learn? What interests me? What kind of work might I enjoy? What support do I need to explore my possibilities?
DVR can be one of the resources that helps you discover those answers.
And if you are new to DVR and feel overwhelmed, confused, or unsure of what is possible, you are not alone. You are learning something new. You can ask questions, learn about available resources, and take your journey one step at a time.
Knowledge is power—but sometimes the first step is simply learning what is possible. Never underestimate what you bring to the process.
Brenda
