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Transcript – “We Are VR: Connecting with Students Who Have Disabilities”

(COLIN BOYLE) We are VR.

(AVAH ORIANA) We are VR.

(REBECCA SARGENT) We are VR.

(NARRATOR) We Are VR: Connecting With Students Who Have Disabilities

(NARRATOR) Like all youth, students with disabilities should have the opportunity to explore their interests, discover their strengths, and pursue and achieve their employment aspirations. Through a variety of services and supports, VR New Hampshire helps students with disabilities do exactly that—in close partnership with educators, parents, guardians, and other adults in their lives.

(FRANK EDELBLUT) My name is Frank Edelblut. I'm the Commissioner of Education for the State of New Hampshire. VR New Hampshire is one of many programs that we have at the New Hampshire Department of Education to support our students and our adult learners throughout the state. With VR New Hampshire, we work with individuals that have disabilities to try and help create support structures so that they can move forward in their education, and in their vocational preparation, to be able to find good employment here in the State of New Hampshire.

(LISA HINSON-HATZ) My name is Lisa Hinson-Hatz, and I'm the Vocational Rehabilitation director at VR New Hampshire. Vocational Rehabilitation helps students and youth with disabilities obtain their goals, and we help them in many different ways. We can help them connect with one of our student transition specialists that are available in the schools. We can also help them connect with an individual counselor if they want more in-depth services. And we help students with what we call pre-employment transition services. The five pre-employment transition services that we provide to students and youth with disabilities are job exploration counseling, work readiness skills, work-based learning, self-advocacy, and counseling on post-secondary education options. So, we can help students really be prepared for what happens after high school and what happens as they move into the workforce.

(COLIN BOYLE) Hello, my name is Colin Boyle, and I’m from Salem, New Hampshire. I’m 20 years old. I am currently going to the University of New Hampshire online program. 

(REBECCA SARGENT) Hi. My name is Rebecca Sargent. I’m a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor with VR New Hampshire. So, Colin came to us when he was in 11th grade in high school. He applied to VR, and we teamed him up with a job coach and got him a job, and he’s excelling, building his work tolerance and his work skills. Then the next steps will be to get him experiences in other jobs that he may like for a career.

(COLIN BOYLE) Right into high school, she helped me find college. She was very helpful in orchestrating getting me work. The current job she was helping. She also helped me find a job coach.

(REBECCA SARGENT) I think it’s important for the parents to know that we’re a voluntary program. Their children can really benefit from our services because it’s skills and experiences that they may not get from the public school system or even private school system. They’re in school, and they’re learning all their academics, but they may not be exposed to different careers and different work experiences.

(MARGORIE BOYLE) My name is Margorie Boyle, and I’m Colin Boyle’s mother. Our goal is for Colin to go to college and find a job where he enjoys it and can support himself. I feel as though with Vocational Rehab we are going to reach those goals. 

(COLIN BOYLE) It’s important to have a job because I want money, and I also want a life. Like, I’d like to get some sort of career. So I’ll hopefully have something in the marketing industry…somewhere like an arena or for a sports team or a horseracing track.

(REBECCA SARGENT) So, it’s not always specifically about careers, but everything that leads up to careers, which is, you know, mental health, physical health, and all those other experiences that go along with that.

(AVAH ORIANA) My name is Avah Oriana. I am a Junior in high school, and I live in Somersworth, New Hampshire. So, I found out about VR through my mobility and orientation instructor. But, also, my grandmother actually just had saw something about it online. And I started meeting with a VR counselor. And then after that, it just kind of took off. I have benefited from them in many different ways. One of the ways is going to their different events that they hold in Concord or different places in New Hampshire with other visually impaired teens around the same age. I feel like I have definitely made some serious long-term connections with a few people there that are my age. Some of the events we have actually done skiing and rock climbing. We've also just had conferences where we're talking about employment and how to become a successful adult. So, some advice I would give any young person with a disability is to take any opportunity that they hand you because it can seriously change your perspective on a lot of things. I never once thought that I would be skiing or rock climbing or meeting a bunch of people that have the same issue as I do and, you know, encounter a lot of the same challenges. But you do. And it's amazing because then you build these long-lasting connections with these people as well as you're able to do networking and help, you know, get a head start on your career. And I think that all of these things are really important. But I think the one thing that I will always take away from this is that there are people that are out there who do understand you for who you really are.

(NARRATOR) At VR New Hampshire, we transform the lives of people with disabilities by helping them prepare for, obtain, and succeed in meaningful careers. To learn how we can help you meet your employment or pre-employment goals, call 603-271-3471 or visit education.nh.gov/vr.