Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Taking the Lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hopner with my co-host Leslie Hoskins, and guests Alyssa Otis. And today we're gonna have a bit of a shorter episode because we wanna provide a nice overview of all the programs and services Leader Dogs for the Blind has to
Leslie: offer.
Yes. One of my favorite things to share with people, that is that, believe it or not, we are actually so much more than just guide. We have a lot of free programs and services that we offer, and today we're gonna give you the full rundown of everything.
Christina: Yes. But we are going to start with our Guide Dog program.
Oh,
Leslie: come on. Hey, it's in the name. It's
Christina: in the name. So we're gonna start with that, Alyssa. You used to be a guide dog mobility instructor. You've now moved on to marketing on the dark side. So we're gonna, you're gonna run us through, you know what Yeah. Is our Guide Dog program. What do we have to offer?
Alyssa: So our Guide Dog program, you know, well, for all of our programs, really, it's, it's not a one size [00:01:00] fits all.
So for our Guide Dog program, we have a lot of different options on, on how we can make that work for each individual. So the one that we're probably most known for is our on-campus program, and that's a three week program where we have people come from all over the us, Canada, Spain, central America, um, and they come and they stay in our campus in Rochester Hills for three weeks.
It gives 'em the most one-on-one time with an instructor. And trust me, it gives them a lot of time with that kitchen food, because let me
Leslie: tell you, we don't talk about that enough. It's delicious.
Alyssa: I, I, you guys talk about it often. I know, but it's because it's so true. I tell everybody, I say, I know you think you're gonna lose weight, but bring those stretchy pants because yeah, the desserts are unrivaled.
Um, and that's just a great program in general because you're surrounded by a lot of people going through that same thing that you're going through. So you have that support and you have, you know, new people that you can learn. Um, so I'm a big fan. Of course. I've lived on our property many times teaching classes.
Yeah. Um, [00:02:00] and I love
Christina: it. And so Alyssa, that's three weeks, that's basically almost a month. So, but there are people who probably can't take that time off work. Are there any options for that? Sure, absolutely.
Alyssa: So we also have our home delivery option, which is where a guide dog mobility instructor will bring a.
To you in your home environment and work with you for approximately 10 days. Um, there's flexibility there, but it's about a 10 day one-on-one, uh, training there in your home environment, which is great. Yeah.
Christina: And so that's really different because it's just you and the instructor and you're working basically at
Alyssa: home.
Yeah. You get to practice your own routes, which is great. We also kind of have a mix of that. So we also have our flex program, which is where you would come to campus part-time, maybe one to two weeks, and then you would go home with an instructor for that following one to two weeks and kind of get the best of both worlds there.
Yeah. So
Christina: that's, if you like, maybe you can take like a week. Mm-hmm. If you're working a week off work or if
Alyssa: you. Absolutely. Yeah. And [00:03:00] then kind of wrapped into all of those, something that I always like to talk about is our adaptive services program. So that's a program that is a little bit more, uh, one-on-one as well, where it is working with maybe somebody who's deaf-blind or has a traumatic brain injury, and they just need that little bit more one-on-one time with instructor.
Um, or any sort of special considerations. It's something we've been doing for a while, but it, it's something that we're really just now starting to talk about. Which that's
Christina: great because there's probably some people who go, well, I'm blind and, or I'm visually impaired, and Sure. So they may have an option now.
Absolutely. Yeah. We
Alyssa: have an incredible adaptive services team,
Christina: so. Well, that is awesome, and I know Leslie is dying over here because she loves to talk about her white cane. So we're gonna move into our orientation and mobility programs. Leslie, I know we have had some new ones too, so excited to hear
Leslie: about these.
Yeah, our o and m program has really grown. Believe it or not, we have had o and M services at Leader Dog for over 20 years, which is [00:04:00] absolutely. And so exciting cuz again, just like Alyssa was sharing about all those guide dog programs and being individualized, that's really what our o and m program is too.
We've got a lot of different options. So the first one we have is our intro to o and m. So this would be for somebody who's maybe never had or traveled with a cane before. A lot of times we're giving people their very first cane. Fun fact about our o and m program is we give everybody a brand new free cane.
If they choose to bring their own, that's totally cool. But we do offer everybody a cane during their week of o m. But intro to oms, gonna be somebody just starting out really, you know, learning the basics of folding and unfolding or basic cane technique going up and downstairs, going through doorways, that type of thing.
But not everybody's looking to start off. Some people have had some training in the past and are looking for a little bit of a brush up. Sometimes their visual condition changes, their physical ability change. Or we know sometimes people have traveled with a guide dog for a long time, and maybe it's time for that refresher course with the [00:05:00] cane.
So we do offer a brush up o and m. We also have our guide dog readiness o and m program, and this is gonna be for individuals who are really on that guide dog track. They have a goal of traveling with a guide dog. During this week, we're gonna spend a lot of time talking about all of the skills necessary to be approved for a guide dog, but also just travel successfully.
With a guide dog. Um, and then we also have what we consider our advanced program. Mm-hmm. This is for anybody who wants to travel in really complex environments, maybe incorporate some technology into their travel. Lots of reasons why we would call that maybe advanced. Just looking to take those own m skills to the next level.
And then lastly, what we're super pumped yes, of course to share about is that we do have that in-home option. So we have in-home o and m services where we are now coming to you to provide this long white cane training. Yes.
Christina: And uh, Leslie o and m is different than. Guide dog because they're only on campus for one
Leslie: week, right?
Yes. Thank you. Yes. So [00:06:00] our o and m clients typically come in on a Sunday afternoon. We work Monday through Friday and then they head out on Saturday, the following Saturday. So it is a lot different, but we're not, we're not learning a living, breathing thing. Right? Yeah. Arcane again, much easier sometimes to manage and work with.
Uh, I'm not gonna say it's superior cuz we know. Listen, I might have to throw down over here. Just kidding. We know it's a personal preference. Yeah. Um, which is great that we're able to offer both these programs. Yeah. And I do
Christina: want to say as well is you don't have to just come once you can get these programs again if you need it again.
Leslie: Correct. Yeah, absolutely. So like Alyssa was mentioning, it's completely unique and individualized. So while I went through kind of all of those programs, we know sometimes it's a mix of multiple. So sometimes people are getting at those little bit of brush up skills, but also talking some guide dog readiness.
So the reason we created those categories is one, it helps people understand what type of training we can offer at Leader Dog. But two, it [00:07:00] helps us on the flip side so I understand what that client's goals are when they're coming. Um, Completely free as all our programs we're flying people in paying for that airfare, paying for people to stay on our campus meals.
All of it, completely included. And
Christina: let's talk just a little bit into, before we move into our next programs about, you know, who qualifies for these two, who qualifies for a guide dog and who qualifies for orientation and mobility or those white
Leslie: cane. Yeah, so for all of our programs you have to be at least 16 years or older.
You have to be, I say legally blind, but I would encourage everybody to always call us cuz there are some situations where we can be a little bit more flexible on that. So please always call us and ask questions or talk about your vision with us, cuz we do wanna discuss that. We ask that everybody be, uh, seizure free or fainting, spell free for at least a minimum of six months, and of course, have daily living skills to come stay on campus.
So being able to administer your own medications and, [00:08:00] you know, organize your clothes and laundry and all of those types of things. Um, in order to stay in like a hotel like setting independently.
Christina: Very cool. Now we're gonna move into some programs that are more teen based. So let's start with, um, we have a new program.
It launched it, we tried it last year, correct. And then it's coming on full swing this year. Leslie, what is this program?
Leslie: This program is so exciting, you guys. It's called Youth o and m, and so. It's a spinoff, our o and m program, obviously, but it's very different in the sense that this program is specifically for 16 and 17 year olds.
So you might be 16 or 17 during this week of O youth, o and m, and this time people actually, or the teens are bringing a support person with them. So either a family member or close friend, uh, relative in some way, shape or form coming and actually, Off campus. So we're putting these people up in a hotel.
Again, leader Dogs covering the hotel. We're covering flights, we're covering rental cars, meals. All of that is completely included [00:09:00] in this program, but it's really unique because there's a track for kind of the student learner, learner and then also the parent. So the student is working with a certified orientation mobility specialist on all of those o and m skills, just like they typically would.
But the parent also has a track, so they're getting to meet other parents going through the same things. They're getting, um, to learn and understand a little bit more about what their, their loved one is going through, what it's like to have a visual impairment. We also are putting them under blindfold, the parent's under blindfold or support person so they can get an idea of what it's like and experience it, learn some new cane techniques, but also observe their loved one and their, their student out there and all the success that they're having in traveling independently.
It's
Christina: so a really cool immersive experience for, you know, the youth and, you know, their supporter. Absolutely.
Leslie: Very, very exciting program. We're offering those weeks a couple times every summer, so if you're interested, you can simply start an o and m application and the, the date, the age of the, the applicant [00:10:00] will automatically kind shift shifted into that youth o.
Well, we have
Christina: another program that happens in the summer that Leslie talks about all the time. Oh my goodness. It makes me jealous because it's like, I want to go, but I, I know I can't because I, the things that they do, I am a little jealous of. So, uh, what is this? Other summer program.
Leslie: Hey guys, this is delightful that I get to chat about it.
Usually I start talking about camp and Christina's giving me the wrap it up signal. You're talking too much about camp again. Um, but our teen summer camp again is for 16 and 17 year olds and completely different than youth o and m. This one, the teens are coming independently. That means happen on that plane all by themselves, coming to, uh, Rochester Hills, Michigan and spending the week with us doing a ton of fun things.
So we go Rockwell climbing ziplining. We've played beep kickball, we've gone tandem bike riding. But also don't tell anybody. We're really learning a lot. We're talking about leadership skills and why these kids are absolutely the leaders in their schools and communities and. We're also talking about accessible [00:11:00] gps.
Our kids are going home with a free Victor Reader truck by Humanware. We're teaching 'em how to use it. They also are, of course, exploring mobility options. We're spending a full day with a guide dog and guide dog mobility instructor. So of course we do all of that. It's absolutely wonderful. But the best part is they're just spending time with other teens that like themselves going through similar things, um, and hopefully making friendships and memories to last a lifetime.
Christina: Yes, that sounds like so much fun. But you know, we know that not everyone can come to campus every year or every six months or whatever it may be, to partake in these programs. So we have some things that you could do at home. We have some virtual services. So Alyssa, we're gonna have you get started in talking about that.
Yeah, so
Alyssa: we've got a lot of virtual learning options on our website, and we've kind of broken it down into four different sections for whatever everybody you know, wants or needs to learn. So we have an area for prospective clients that has campus tours and testimonials of people that have come and. Um, you know how they've enjoyed it, [00:12:00] things that they found interesting.
And we also have an area for graduates, uh, which talks about support once you go home. How to join our alumni group on Facebook. We have a section for family and friends, which has been super beneficial. It kind of talks about what you can do as a family or friend to support your person that has just come home from training.
And then of course we have an area for our blind rehab professionals where you can get continuing education credits and, and learn a little bit more about, you know, perhaps things that we do at Leader Dog.
Christina: Very cool. And we also have some things that are open to anyone as well. Absolut
Leslie: talk about that.
Yeah, so I know this is a lot, right? We also have collaboration events. These are once a month, a live webinar that we do, and we really just spotlight other organizations or agencies in the blindness and low vision field. So what's crazy is that we really only focus on mobility at Leader Dog. That's the skill that we're working on, whether that be with a white cane or with a guide dog.
But we know there's [00:13:00] lots of other resources and skills and things that our, our clients need and, um, want. To, so these once a month webinars, we highlight other organizations, resources, products, and just kinda share them with anybody. So anybody's welcome to join. You can check those out. Um, any of these resources you can find@leaderdog.org under the resources tab.
Christina: Yes. And then there's also something else that you guys have started to do. What is that?
Alyssa: Yeah, so we also have webinars periodically that aren't necessarily collaborations. Um, but webinars about things that people want to know. So we've done webinars about our breeding program, webinars about just the life cycle of a leader, OG in general.
Um, and those pop up periodically. So check our website, check our social media, and you'll find information about.
Christina: Yes. And then our final one,
Leslie: you, you should talk about this with Christina, is the podcast. It is this podcast.
Christina: We have done so many episodes and we're gonna continue to do more, even though [00:14:00] they're going to be every other week.
But we're gonna bring so much more content and we are so excited that we've been planning and you know, we're not gonna tell you. We have coming up, but we have a lot of exciting things coming up. So our podcast is also a great learning tool that you can listen to while you're out on a walk or whatever it may be.
Leslie: So yes, I do wanna share just a couple more things about thinking about applying for our services that makes us really unique. So we always say, you know, we don't receive any state or federal funding. Um, honestly, our philanthropy team does an incredible job of supporting us in our mission. Same with the lions.
But what's really unique and great about that is that we don't require any vocational goals. So anybody who wants to apply for our services does not have to wanna get back into the workforce. You don't have to have any vocational goals. Another thing is that we don't have a limit on number of service hours available to individuals.
Our goal, in fact, is to serve people throughout their lifespan multiple times with multiple programs. We also don't [00:15:00] have any upper age limits. So while our programs do start at age 16, they go all the way up until, well, until you tell us we can't anymore. Um, we've served clients well into their eighties and nineties as well.
And then the last thing I'll say is we don't require a formal referral. So if you wanna apply for any of these services, these free services, you can go to our website@leaderdog.org. We will always take a referral. Absolutely love getting those for many other professionals, but it's not required. So we're really trying to remove as many barriers as we possibly can in hopes of serving as many individuals as we possibly can.
Yes. And when Leslie
Christina: says it's free, there is no fine print. Like we get that question all the time, like, how is it really free?
Leslie: Really is, I know. It's so, it's crazy. And I know we chatted a little bit about the legal blindness and so one big just myth and I, I, I know we talked about it a little bit. People who are legally blind, 90% of the people still have some remaining vision.
So if you're sitting there thinking, well, oh, I can still see a little bit. I don't, you know, somebody else needs the services more than I, that's not [00:16:00] how it is. You're not taking away services from anybody else. These services are here for you. So if you are having difficulty when traveling because of your vision, give us a call.
Um, again, most times legally blind, but if not, we still, we still wanna be there, so please call us. We are happy to help in whatever capacity we.
Christina: Yes. Well, thank you both for running through these great, um, programs and services, and hopefully this will be helpful to people to kind of have it all in one place.
Leslie: Absolutely. And thank you so much to our listeners for listening to this short episode of Taking the lead. I'm Leslie Hoskins with host Christina Hoeppner and guest Alyssa Otis. We hope you enjoyed today's short episode. Please stay tuned in the next few weeks to hear some of our favorite episodes until we're back in late.
Christina: Yes. And if you'd like to learn more about applying to our free services at Leader Dog, you can head to leader dog.org or call us at (888) 777-5332. And don't forget, you can reach us at taking the lead@leaderdog.org with any questions or ideas. If [00:17:00] you'd like today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever Podcast Dream.
This season of the Taking the Lead podcast is brought to you by a longtime supporter of Leader Dog, the Mary P DL Halleran Foundation.
Leslie: As you may know, generous donors like this one make it possible to achieve our mission. The Mary p DCI
Christina: Halleran Foundation supports the study of mathematics and mathematics
Leslie: education.
For more information about our generous sponsor, visit their website at www dot dol chi halloran foundation dot.