Youth Enrichment Program

In order to prevent youth in the region from becoming part of the staggering number of unemployed blind adults, it is essential for us as a community to provide them with the opportunity to develop the blindness skills and confidence to successfully compete in the classroom and, eventually, the job market.

In 1999, to address this challenge, the Society for the Blind created the Youth Enrichment Program. This program is designed to teach blind youth in the region the skills necessary to be successful and independent individuals. The program includes meetings, gatherings and events designed to bring blind youth together to discuss their experiences, build positive attitudes and improve their own beliefs in themselves and abilities.

Our flagship program is a 10-day intensive summer youth retreat where the youth receive over dozend of hours of blindness skills training, including cane travel, Braille, adaptive technology, cooking and other daily living skills. The backdrop for this learning experience will be a traditional camp setting, where youth will also experience hiking, building a campfire, horseback riding, swimming, rock climbing and other customary camp activities.

Each autumn, the Youth Enrichment Program also sponsors the annual Blind and Low Vision Olympics for the Youth of Northern California. This event is in its third decade, and better than ever! The date is announced in late summer, and the event generally takes place at California State University, Sacramento. This day is designed to provide an opportunity for youth aged 18 and under to highlight their athletic abilities and promote healthy competition. The events include shot-put, discus, javelin, broad jump and 100 yard dash. For those under the age of five, we have a tactile obstacle course. This annual event is a terrific opportunity for youth, parents, teachers and friends to network and enjoy the day together and build a healthy sense of competitive athletics and fun.

In winter, we team up with the San Francisco LightHouse and the Palo Alto Vista Center to put on the Northern California Regional Braille Challenge(TM). The Braille challenge is designed to encourage learning and literacy in Braille among school-aged children. Regional competitions are held all over the country. The nation's top scorers get the opportunity to compete at the National Braille Challenge (TM) at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.

Springtime bring the annual transition summit in Napa, CA. Young adults who are transitioning through high school, college and the work force are invited to attend to discuss topics that might help them find and retain meaningful employment. In past years, this has included workshops on resume writing, interviewing, health and appearance, public speaking and leadership. To learn more about programs for transitional-aged youth, visit the California Transition Council.

Throughout the year, we have other programs and activities, both social and educational, for youth of all ages. Visit our events page to see what might be coming up.

All components of the Youth Enrichment Program are led and managed by blind instructors, who not only teach the youth the skills necessary to be successful, but also serve as positive role models and mentors.

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For more information on the Society for the Blind’s Youth Enrichment Program, please call (916) 452-8271 or e-mail us at frontdesk@societyfortheblind.org