Hello Everyone,
Thought I'd take a few minutes to update you all. I started working on March 5th, with the State of Indiana's Family Social Services Administration, with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. I am a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, helping coordinate services for people with disabilities, whose main goal is employment. It's been going all right, but I have some concerns. I breezed through the initial training. I had to master 13 course lessons, within 30 days, but I completed those in two weeks. Then, I began reading the agency's Policy and Procedure Manual, since I will be referring to it a lot, during employment! However, my first issue is this. The state knew they were going to hire me on February 10th, and I didn't start until March 5th. I still have yet to obtain the proper equipment, a state laptop with accessible software for me to use; I am using my own equipment, at this point, but as a result of this, I do not have access to their client database, which is slowing down my training significantly. In the meantime, I've been doing a great deal of job shadowing, but there is no indication as to when the equipment will be coming in. The transportation is also a bit stressful; I have rides home every day, and that is costing me $15 per trip. My dad has been taking me into work every day, but he will be leaving soon on vacation, and he and my mom always stay out of the country, for an extended period of time! Once my six months of training are over, I will not have to be in the office, every day, which will be a blessing, in terms of finances. I will work from home and in my nearby community. Then, I just recently contacted the only other blind Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, in the state, because I thought I could use him as a resource, once I get the state equipment up and running. He is resigning, after 12 years, and he told me that the state does not do well, with making accommodations, due to his blindness. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, they have to provide accommodations to me, but I truly don't know if I'm up for the ongoing fight. There are a lot of things, within the state database, that are not easily accessible to me, because the website is very visual in nature. I am starting to wonder, if I am in, over my head. My old job is still open, and part of me is xcreaming to go and ask for mthat jo back, even with its instability, due to being a grant-funded position. I took this job, because I was thinking about the longterm financial benefit, from being able to participate in PERF, the Public Employment Retirement Fund, but I just don't know. I am very, very adaptable to change, but I can't help but wonder if this might just be more than I can handle. I'll end on a good note. My brother is getting married in October, and he's having a destination wedding. We'll be going to Rivera Maya in Mexico, for 6 days, and it should be a great time. I am still wrrking on getting our passports, but the entire clan is going, so we're all ready and looking forward to that. our boy is doing well, straight As as usual; they have report cards again tomorrow, And, this will be the first time I've missed a tarent-teacher conference, so that's a little saddening for me. Claudia _______________________________________________ Cookinginthedark mailing list [email protected] http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
