Georgians Empowered through Mentoring Success
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia
“Mentoring the Blind Leaders of Tomorrow”
Diamonds are used to increase the value of other diamonds by cutting and shaping them into precious gemstones. In fact, due to the nature of the substance, it takes a diamond to cut another diamond. Our GEMS program is a creative example of how this theory can be used by successful blind adults to increase the “value” and self- worth of our “Diamonds in the Rough,” our blind youth. This is the core of our GEMS program. We take advantage of the resource of successful blind adults in an effort to increase the value (self-esteem, self-worth, and self-concept) of blind youth. There is no substitute for the involvement of a successful blind person when working to foster the productive growth and development of another successful blind person.
A successful blind adult can have a positive effect on the growth and development of a blind youth by establishing a positive mentoring relationship. The GEMS program facilitates the development of this beneficial relationship by providing training and support in the use of the techniques, strategies, and best practices that foster successful mentoring.
The aim of the Georgians Empowered through Mentoring Success (GEMS) program is to link blind and low vision young adults throughout Georgia, ages sixteen to twenty-six, with successful blind and low vision mentors for the purpose of increasing their knowledge and participation in their educational and vocational rehabilitation processes with a resulting outcome of increased post-secondary academic success, high-quality employment, and community integration. The GEMS program pairs blind and low vision young adults with positive blind role models who demonstrate good blindness skills, incorporate an exemplary philosophy on blindness into their daily lives, and are successful in their chosen careers.
Through the mentoring relationship blind and low vision adults offer their expertise, experience and ideas to young adults. Many mentors work full time, have a family at home and still make time for their mentees. This is because the mentor’s are committed to helping a young blind adult develop a positive self concept, which has a corresponding positive effect on their potential quality of life. When young adults learn good skills of blindness, as a result of a mentor's interaction, the mentor also receives great satisfaction and personal growth. Mentors are able to meet other blind and low vision adults and create a larger support network for themselves as well as others. In order to be considered as a potential mentor, individuals complete a mentor application, and in order to ensure the safety of the young participants in this mentoring program, all prospective mentors undergo a thorough, confidential background check and screening process.
By participating in the mentoring program, mentees have the opportunity to build a personal relationship with a positive blind role model; learn firsthand how other blind people lead successful lives and achieve their goals; develop friendships with other blind and low vision young adults; and, have fun with activities they never expected to do! Overall, the mentoring relationship assists the mentees develop the alternative skills of blindness and implement life strategies that increase their potential for success.
In many instances, a qualified mentor cannot be identified for each young person that would like to participate in the GEMS program. The Blindness, Education, Training, and Advocacy (BETA) project serves as a complement to the GEMS program by providing blind youth that cannot presently be paired with a blind adult, with a mentoring experience, while simultaneously working to identify potential mentors.
The primary purpose of the BETA project is to recruit, train, and empower competent blind persons with the skills and resources to serve as sensitivity awareness presenters, and education advocates (BETA Specialists) within the educational environment of blind students. Qualified, skilled blind adults traveling to various schools throughout Georgia to conduct blindness awareness trainings and self empowerment seminars helps to dismiss the fears and stereotypes held by many that continue to negatively affect our blind youth.
We know that the best advocate and role model for a blind child is a successful, educated blind adult. It is essential to have competent blind individuals participating in the education and vocational rehabilitation planning of blind youth to ensure the development and implementation of successful real world strategies that foster an effective educational environment. In addition, exposure to successful blind adults will help to educate parents, professionals, and blind students about appropriate accommodations, and life strategies, that assist in setting realistic academic and vocational goals.
With the BETA project, we take the values of the GEMS program to local schools that have clusters of blind students by having BETA Specialists give presentations, conduct activities, and facilitate discussions about positive self concept, personal responsibility, social responsibility, and the five essential elements of success.
Every contact a mentor makes with his/her mentee requires that the Five Essential Elements for Success are kept in the forefront of their mind as they develop the mentoring relationship. Building the mentoring relationship is important, but our ultimate goal is to develop young adults with a healthy attitude about their blindness and independence skills. This is best done by re-enforcing the five elements.
Element 1: It is OK to be blind
Blind people are thought by many to be inferior and unable to care for themselves. The most important element of success is for the blind youth to develop a positive self concept, and come to believe he/she is as competent, and can be as competitive as any of his/her sighted peers. The blind youth/young adult must come emotionally, not just intellectually, to know that he or she can truly be independent and self-sufficient.
Element 2: Mastering blindness skills
The blind youth must be taught, and become competent in the use of the alternative blindness techniques of Braille, cane travel, assistive technology, and other alternative methods used by successful blind adults to perform the basic everyday tasks and responsibilities expected of any citizen. The blind youth/young adult must really master and become competent in these alternative techniques of blindness, which will make it possible for him or her to be independent and self-sufficient.
Element 3: Coping with public attitudes
Most of society fears becoming blind, and views blind people as either beneficiaries of the public good will that need to be cared for, or inspirational, miraculous beings that should be praised. Both views are detrimental to the blind individual wishing to live a normal life. In order to pursue a life of full participation and true inclusion, the blind youth/young adult must learn to proactively and appropriately cope on a daily basis with these varying public attitudes about blindness and blind people.
Element 4: Blending in
The blind youth/young adult must also learn to "blend in" and to be acceptable to others. He or she must be punctual, reliable, neat and appropriate in appearance, and the like. Since the ordinary blind person needs to learn to blend in and be acceptable to society for maximum success
Element 5: Giving back
In order to counter the pre-existing custodialistic attitude that the blind should be cared for, the blind youth/young adult must learn the value of giving back. The blind youth is encouraged to take his/her rightful place as a viable, interdependent member of society, by becoming an active and contributing member of his or her local community.
Mentors are encouraged, and assisted, to interact with their mentee at least eight (8) hours per month. In addition to the face-to-face interaction, which is preferred, this includes, telephone, email, and written correspondence. Each mentor participates in a monthly telephone conference, and completes a monthly survey. Each mentee participates in a quarterly telephone conference, and completes a quarterly survey. There are quarterly mentoring trainings that bring all the mentors and mentees together to participate in creative activities that facilitate the learning and development of all participants. Narratives of the quarterly mentoring activities are written, and best practices from individual mentoring experiences are captured. The data is evaluated and annual statistical analysis reports are generated by a qualified professional as part of the RSA grant.
