‘Why let it stop me?’: Students with visual impairments get job opportunities on path to dream careers

Odd jobs. Busywork. Answering phones. For a long time, those were the only options for visually impaired high schoolers and college students seeking work experience in an internship.

But that’s now changing, thanks to a citywide nonprofit that connects the students with professional opportunities in the five boroughs and Westchester County.

Tottenville High School’s Ava Lawler, 17, knows this first-hand. Her internship at the New York Public Library’s Huguenot Branch, arranged by the City Access New York’s Career Discovery Project, put her smack in the middle of the action. She assisted patrons with their research, connecting them with books and other materials, as well as scanning documents and reading materials.

Read the full article…

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Thank you to the Staten Island Advance for highlighting the work we’re doing with the Career Discovery Project! In the program, teens and young adults with visual impairments get to showcase their skills and abilities at internships in fields they are interested in.

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