The NABS Student Union

What's a Student Union? No it's not an organization that engages in collective bargaining. Student Unions, also called Rec Centers are physical facilities located on school and college campuses where students congregate and spend time relaxing and socializing with one/another. Generally these facilities consist of various meeting places such as restaurants, coffee houses, bars, rec centers, and lounges. It's here where students can meet each other and visit for a little conversation while sharing a meal, listening to music, participating in recreational activities or just hanging out with one-another. Some student unions also contain shops and stores where students can purchase books and school supplies, sign up for campus activities or join campus organizations.

Presentation

In the April 28, 2008: edition of "Straight Talk about Vision Loss" Mark Riccobono discusses the importance of mentoring with Anil Lewis, president of the NFB of Georgia. They also discuss the NFB's formal mentoring program, the National Center for Mentoring Excellence, which has grown to six states, including Georgia.

Straight Talk: Episode 16 2008, (WMV)

Straight Talk Episode 16: Audio Only: (MP3)

The National Association of Blind Students has created an online "Student Union" to enable blind students and their friends to connect with each other via a number of different social networking opportunities. These range from blogs, discussion groups, mentoring programs, and Wikis. Feel free to drop in to our online social networking services to find the one that works best for you and have fun.

Local Chapter and State Affiliate Meetings

The first and foremost opportunities for meeting and mingling with other blind individuals is at your local chapter and/or state student division meeting. At these gatherings you are surrounded by other blind individuals and can engage in the many chapter and division activities in your state. The online social networks listed below should be considered as an "Add-on" to your contact with other blind persons between NFB meetings, not a replacement for them. While these resources can allow you to stay connected with other blind students via various media you won't receive the immersion experience that is vital to becoming independent and comfortable with your blindness like you will by attending your affiliate's meetings. It's at these gatherings where you can receive lessons in how to use a cane properly, help with reading Braille more effectively, learning a new skill or two to enhance your independence, employability, or to develop effective study habits and the chance to make new friends with other blind students. Think of attending your chapter or division meeting or a state or national convention being like visiting your campus rec center or student union to meet friends for an activity or to socialize.

Conventions

There are numerous ways for blind students to network and share information about blindness, their life experiences, and discuss matters of interest to them. NFB National and state conventions and NABS activities that take place during these gatherings provide wonderful networking opportunities for members to make new friends, reestablish old friendships, learn about new technology, find out how to become self advocates, and otherwise be a part of the most influential force in the affairs of blind students. The NABS Conference Center contains a vast array of information about NABS Activities on the state and national level.

National Center for Mentoring Excellence, (NFB Link)

Do you want one-on-one mentoring on blindness? Would you like to meet successful blind individuals employed in a field that interests you? Are you a blind parent needing to learn skills to help you maintain your home, care for your children? Do you need employment assistance? Would you like to get quality training in the alternatives of blindness from high-quality training centers for the blind? NFB Link can help you by matching you with a blind mentor with like interests and who possesses the knowledge and skills you are seeking. To register visit the National Center for Mentoring Excellence Web Site at:

http://www.nfblink.org

NABS Blog

One of the "Jewels" in the NABS Web Site's crown is the National Association of Blind Students Blog. It is another way to build communities of blind students from throughout the World. You will be able to post entries, comment on entries posted by other bloggers, and include post content in various media including pictures, audio, and video. It's an excellent way for members to put voices and faces behind their words. If you have an RSS News Reader you can receive new blog posts and comments via your desktop or PDA.

NABS Calendar

Want to know about upcoming NABS events and activities around the country? The NABS Calendar enables you to check out what's happening in our state NABS Affiliates and to be alerted when an important activity in your area will occur.

NABS Discussion Group

NABS-L is our flagship forum for blind students and others to exchange information and engage in meaningful and thoughtful conversations concerning blindness and its challenges. Information about other social networking opportunities appears elsewhere on this page.

NABS Wiki

Do you want to share information concerning your student experiences, your NABS activities, or on a topic of particular concern to others? The NABS Wiki is another innovative way for members who want to put their ideas and thoughts concerning blindness and their participation in NABS and NFB activities on the Web. Imagine being able to create an article about a particular topic, activity, or experience. others who had similar experiences or have similar recollections of their federation activities can add them to your article. This would be an excellent way for creating a NABS Oral History. The NABS Wiki permits members to collaborate on writing projects by allowing them to contribute to the same document via the Internet.

Thought Provoker

Thought Provoker is the brain child of Robert Leslie Newman, a blind rehabilitation counselor from Nebraska. Periodically he posts his "Thought Provokers" short essays concerning an aspect of blindness and how to deal with its challenges and invites readers to send comments to him. Responses are compiled by him and some are posted to the Thought Provoker Web Site for visitors to read.

Thought Provoker has an outstanding reputation among blind individuals, colleges, and universities and agencies for the blind. Material from Mr. Newman's thoughts and the responses to them are used by teacher training teachers for the blind, in philosophy classes, at blindness rehabilitation centers, and within the NFB. For his outstanding contribution to bettering lives of the blind Robert Leslie Newman received a Jacob bolotin Award at the 2008 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind held in Dallas Texas. This award is given to individuals and agencies for the blind that have made outstanding contributions to the betterment of lives for the blind.

http://www.thoughtprovoker.info