New Mexico School for the
Blind and Visually Impaired

Prep for STEP: Pre-ETS Summer Camp is once again coming to NMSBVI, summer 2024!

This two-week intensive program is designed for students who are blind or visually impaired, on the younger end of the Pre-ETS age scale, and/or require more significant support in order to participate successfully in employability activities.  The students who will most benefit from this camp are those who have shown a readiness to begin learning employability soft skills but may require intensive support and strategies to reduce prompting and address behaviors in order to participate in work programs or the standard STEP program.

Every summer, the NM Commission for the Blind offers a program called STEP – Students in Transition to Employment Program. It is a wonderful way for students to learn employability skills and transition skills needed to be successful in employment. Some students, however, may need an intensive support program to help them be more prepared for STEP and that is why we designed this summer camp. Scaffolding a system of strategies and supports for students to progress from a Prep for STEP program to the STEP program to adulthood can open more opportunities for students to experience success. The Prep for STEP program will address the following skills sets:

•  Building employability soft skills

•  Practicing strategies to reduce prompting in task completion

•  Increasing independence in task initiation and task completion

•  Self-advocacy in the workplace

•  Increasing independence in daily living skills – meal prep, hygiene, dressing for work, etc.

•  Self-administration of medication (taught by certified medical staff)...

And more…

Students will be picked up from their home locations on Sunday evenings and will stay in the NMSBVI dormitory throughout each week. They will return home on Fridays in order to spend their weekends with family.

FUTURES Pre-Employment Transition Services Opportunities are presented by NMSBVI in partnership with the New Mexico Commission for the Blind pursuant to Governmental Services Agreement 23-606-2110-00004-00.