Employment Services
Saavi’s employment services department focuses on preparing students to be job ready for the career path of their choice. Learn how to explore career options, develop a resume, tailor a cover letter, engage in job shadowing and volunteer opportunities along with developing many other non-visual skills needed to be fully prepared for employment.
If you are interested in our Employment services please contact:
Reginald Laister
Business Development Manager
rlaister@saavi.us
Services include:
CAREER EXPLORATION:
searching for and identifying the student’s career goal based on their strengths and interests.
JOB READINESS:
hard and soft skills needed to get the job as well as keep the job.
JOB DEVELOPMENT:
once a student has finished programming, we also help find and secure employment, including assisting with accommodations and providing work-site evaluations before and during job training.
If you are a employer seeking a qualified candidate to fill a position, an organization interested in hosting students for job shadowing and volunteer opportunities, or you simply want to learn more about our employment services and how we support in creating an inclusive and accessible workplace please contact:
Reginald Laister,
rlaister@saavi.us
Education Services
Saavi’s Educational Services Program offers a range of services to assist our clients in obtaining a post-secondary education, vocational certification, or GED.
Often times, blind students are unaware of the variety of services and accommodations provided by institutions of higher education.
It is our job to ensure you have everything you need so that you have equal access to your school work, books and classroom materials.
This may include tutoring, financial assistance; help applying for financial aid, or a support system to secure success – below is a list of some services available:
Remedial Education:
Remedial education in group and individual settings in Reading, Writing and Math to improve assessment testing scores in order to test into college level courses.
Tutoring:
Tutoring provided around class schedules is help is needed with homework, class projects and quizzes/exams. Tutoring for graduate placement exams also available.
Alternative Media:
Assist students in obtaining and using accessible materials to complete their coursework. Specializing in electronic textbooks in all subjects, including STEM materials.
Reader and Note Taker Services:
Accommodations can be provided to assist you so you have the equal access to materials in science labs, math courses, and foreign language classes.
GED Preparation:
Tutoring available to prepare you for all 4 GED tests or for the Hadley High School Diploma program.
English as a Second Language
Our goal for our Comprehensive ESL program at Saavi Services for the Blind is to ensure that all blind Arizonans feel confident enough to use their voices, reach their goals, and fully engage with the communities they live in. We know that lack of non-visual skills training is not the only barrier for those seeking to live the life they want. Language barriers can make advocating for yourself extremely difficult while also causing anxiety about the efficacy of any non-visual skills training. This is the gap that our Comprehensive ESL Program seeks to fill.
Students in this program will learn blindness skills as they learn the English language. This gives students the opportunity to constantly make connections between the different aspects of their learning. Students are taught by theme, learning non-visually about how to: introduce themselves, order food at a restaurant, go camping, ask the right questions at a clinic, etc. Our expertise allows us to seamlessly blend language learning with cane travel, assistive technology, adaptive literacy, daily living skills, and more.
We know that each student comes to us with different backgrounds, skills, and outlooks. So, our culturally competent staff hand tailors one-of-a-kind curriculum for our one-of-a-kind students. As they complete the program, students will also examine the broader American culture in relation to their own, building both cultural literacy and a strong sense of self. Our greatest achievements occur when students walk out with confidence in their blindness and ability to navigate the world blind and in their ability to navigate another culture while remaining proud of their own.
Our unique non-visual ESL program focuses on the following subject areas:
ORAL COMMUNICATION:
Learn proper pronunciation, articulation, and comprehension skills for the English language
ADAPTIVE LITERACY:
Learn how to read and write using braille, large print, audio clips, and screen readers
SOCIO-CULTURAL:
Learn to develop an awareness and knowledge of cultural norms.
LIFE SKILLS:
Learn about specific resources that are available to support their orientation to blindness
HABITS OF MIND:
Learn resourcefulness, problem-solving skills, motivation and engagement
For more information regarding this program, feel free to contact:
Joanna Solowska
Statewide ESL coordinator
jsolowska@saavi.us
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