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Workshops and Programs

DSB Youth Services participant learns to use life vest and raft at an airline safety workshop hosted by Alaska Airlines. A flight attendant helps other participants.

Workshops

DSB workshops are offered year-round and usually held on weekends or after school. Workshops last 2 – 4 hours and provide participants with a focused study of topics important to help young people understand and achieve their vocational, educational, and career goals.

Travel and Mobility 

Participants learn to navigate different modes of transportation and improve their independent travel skills through discussion of commuting tips and public transit options for people with disabilities and travel on various forms of public transportation such as light rail, buses, or ferries. 

Career Exploration

Blind and Low Vision participants and their families learn about different fields of work through fun, hands-on activities at a variety of businesses and work sites. 

Interpersonal Skills 

Young people practice self-advocacy and other skills necessary to move forward and navigate their futures. Participants work on social skills behaviors, and peer interactions in a group setting, learning the “who, what, when, where, and how” of social skills.

Independent Living Skills 

Participants learn about topics including orientation and mobility, self-care and appropriate dress, money management, self-advocacy, time management, nutrition, meal preparation, accessing community services and supports, and community participation and safety.

Using Technology 

Participants learn to use technology outside of the classroom, and practice using a variety of devices, software, and apps to navigate their environment, identify and read objects and products, schedule activities and manage calendars, and record and organize notes and memos. 

We welcome ideas from parents, educators, and student or youth with visual impairments for workshops that will help young people with visual impairments reach their goals. Your input is valued and welcomed!

DSB workshops are planned throughout the year. Please visit our Events Page for the current Workshop schedule. 

 

Programs

DSB programs for students or youth who are blind or have low vision build on the skills practiced in the Workshops to create meaningful experiences that can directly impact their career journey. DSB programs provide students or youth with hands-on experiences to build strong foundations for their futures and provide them with a taste of a real-world career. 

Additionally, several DSB Programs offer paid and unpaid work experience. Evidence shows that people who have work experience prior to entering the labor market have a higher likelihood of successfully defining their educational and vocational goals and securing a career.

LEAP

Students - ages 14 to 21 - interested in attending the YES 1, YES 2, or Bridge summer programs, but in need of more practice with personal independence and life skills training are encouraged to take the LEAP

Youth Employment Solutions 1 (YES 1)

YES 1 is a two-week program for 14- and 15-year-old students, hosted at Washington State School for the Blind. YES 1 offers students the opportunity to explore their interests and aptitudes; discover careers possibilities; and visit work sites. Learn more about YES 1 

Youth Employment Solutions 2 (YES 2)

YES 2 is a six-week summer program for students ages 16 and up that offers students five weeks of paid work experience* based on student interests, experience, and ability and a residential living experience that provides students the opportunity to refine their daily living skills. Learn more about YES 2 

 

Request DSB services online. Or contact us at 800-552-7103 or info@dsb.wa.gov for more information.

 

* Students must be eligible to work in the U.S. to participate in programs providing paid work experience.

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