Community Engagement

Goal

Outlook Enrichment aims to provide a wide range of unique opportunities to keep visually impaired adults fit, engaged in the community, and boost self-confidence.

Program

Activities change every year to provide exposure to new and diverse experiences.

Adaptive Sports Programs

Enrichment’s adaptive sports specialists lead all activities and can accommodate for various types of vision loss and a wide range of additional disabilities our participants may have.

Some of our past recreational events include adaptive self-defense classes, bowling, cross-fit, yoga, and much more.

Bike Club

Summer is coming; bike club is gearing up! Our Tandem Bike Club pairs community volunteers with Enrichment participants for a series of cycling adventures over the summer. The bike club will keep you pumping from the Corporate Cycling Challenge to exciting night rides.

Out and About

This program focuses on community engagement. Participants meet at a central location and organize to participate in all the excellent programming the metropolitan Omaha area offers, like Jazz on the Green, patio bike rides, parades, botanical gardens, and the Taste of Omaha.

White Cane Safety Day, October 15, was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to raise awareness of people who carry a white cane. Each year, the Outlook Enrichment family celebrates the abilities and freedoms provided to our participants by the white cane, a symbol of independence and access to our community.

While program participants enjoy these activities, they act as Outlook Enrichment’s ambassadors, increasing community awareness and educating the community on the capabilities of individuals with vision loss.

Other Benefits

Our activities provide social opportunities with peers their ages, foster independence, and teach essential life skills. Additionally, participants develop relationships with peers, providing a sense of community and fellowship.

Fees

A nominal, non-refundable registration fee is charged when you reserve a spot.

Program Requirements

All participants must complete Image and Audio Consent and Medical & Liability Release Forms. News media or other media outlets not affiliated with Outlook Enrichment may be present at an event.

Recreational Adventures

We have recreation opportunities for individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired. Participants engage in programming to improve healthy lifestyles, boost confidence, and build relationships.

Program activities include monthly activities like:

Weekly recurring fitness activities and social/cultural outings are also provided to eliminate barriers to accessing community activities.

Fitness Activities

Outlook Enrichment offers four whole family activities a year. These family activities are often the first interactions youth will have with us.

Parents of blind youth and parents who have vision loss turn to Enrichment to provide accessible opportunities to engage in recreation opportunities and experience vision loss from the perspective of their loved ones.

Activities

Youth Programs

Physical activity is essential for everyone, especially kids. Studies have shown that blind children are less physically active than their peers. Once a month, we offer visually impaired young people an opportunity to get up and get moving through youth recreational adventures.

Goal

Outlook Enrichment aims to provide a wide range of unique opportunities to keep visually impaired youth fit, engage in the community, and boost self-confidence.

Program

Activities change every year to provide exposure to new and diverse experiences. Enrichment’s adaptive sports specialists lead all activities and can accommodate the various types of vision loss and a wide range of additional disabilities our youth may have.

Some of our past recreational events included Tree Top Adventures, skiing, paddle boarding, soccer, ax throwing, and more.

These activities expose teens to the kind of play that helps them overcome barriers they might face while introducing them to peers who understand visual challenges.

Other Benefits

Our activities provide social opportunities with peers their age, foster independence, and teach essential life skills. Additionally, youth develop relationships with other youth peers, providing friendship, a sense of community, and a sense of belonging that they may not have otherwise. Often, participants may be the only students in their school with vision loss, leading to isolation and loneliness.

Fees

A nominal, non-refundable registration fee is charged when you reserve a spot.

Program Requirements

All participants must complete Image and Audio Consent and Medical & Liability Release Forms. News media or other media outlets not affiliated with Outlook Enrichment may be present at an event.

Color Outside the Lines

For many of Outlook Enrichment’s consumers, losing vision meant eliminating many of the hobbies and crafts that they once did. Vision loss creates a significant barrier to completing hobbies such as painting, crocheting, and other artistic outlets.

Our team provides opportunities in various crafts and hobby areas to open the door for our consumers to understand if there is a will, there is a way they can still participate in activities they love.

Participants enjoy the arts, from painting in the park to jewelry making, by using adaptive techniques. They learn different, often tactile, ways to bring their artistic vision into reality.

Hobby-based activities are also a part of our Color Outside the Lines programming. Gardening and plant care are areas of interest that many of our participants continue to enjoy after their vision loss.

Participants enjoyed our classes on plant care, creating fairy gardens, and seed starting, which allowed them to care for other living things independently.

One of the most popular classes we offer lends itself to exploring other senses, such as smell, touch, and texture, in our adaptive soap-making classes. Participants are exposed to aromatherapy and learn how to make soaps, salts, lotions, and even perfume.

Audiobook Club

This group meets monthly through the winter via Zoom. Members select books based on the participants’ current interests and reading styles.

The audiobook club always selects books readily available through Nebraska Talking Book & Braille Services. If a participant is not an existing library patron, we will help the individual apply for services.

How Virtual Audiobook Clubs Create a Community for Visually Impaired Readers

We all know reading books is an inexpensive entertainment, an educational tool, and a time-traveling machine. Grabbing a book and diving into its pages is a pleasurable experience regardless of the day or time. September 6 is National Read a Book Day, a special occasion to read that new bestseller or book you keep putting aside.

Virtual audiobook club starts. 

Reading a good book is enjoyable and helps reduce stress and enhance mental concentration. Having someone to share it with is even more fun. When the pandemic struck last year, Outlook Enrichment developed a virtual audiobook club. Everyone was sheltering in place and practicing social distancing. Yet, people who were blind and visually impaired still needed community and socialization. This monthly club allows one to share a good read and connect with others. It also helps members to read consistently, read books out of their comfort zone, and see different perspectives.

“I value this club because it brings folks together amid the virus and specifically hardships of blind folks.  We pick audiobooks from many types like mysteries, thrillers, and suspense while having fun discussing them,” said Kathy Beers, an audiobook club member. “Audiobooks open a whole new world to the reader. You read at your own pace and on your own time. They are inexpensive to buy, and they belong to you after purchase.  Many audiobooks and podcasts are free.  Many different devices can be used to read audiobooks.  This book club is also a great support for visually impaired folks. I truly enjoy this club.” 

Although the club focuses on audiobooks, people with vision loss can read in various formats. Braille, large print, digital text-to-speech, and even accessible apps are available for reading multiple books. Members can choose the format based on their comfort. Computer-savvy members can help those who aren’t with downloading books. Or they can also call the technology helpline at 531.365.5334 for assistance.

“I enjoy listening to works where the narrator knows the perfect accent or multiple voices read the story. It brings various characters to life. When they are monotone, especially in the non-fiction genre, I’d rather just read the books in braille,” said Rachna Keshwani, another audiobook club member. I look forward to each meeting, discussing all our viewpoints about every novel, which sometimes changes my perspective. Without this group, I wouldn’t even consider psychological thrillers.” 

Connect with more people.

Once members start attending the virtual audiobook club, they will interact and connect with more people. This boosts camaraderie and decreases isolation. Transportation and location are not obstacles, meaning more people can join the discussion.

“I think reading books lets you travel to other places even when physical limitations would otherwise prevent you from doing so. Every time I read a book, I learn something about life and love, and the writer throws whatever else it is,” Heather Pfeifer, an audiobook club member, explains. “I love the opportunity to get together with other intelligent minds and discuss our take on what we read; each perspective is unique. Such a blessing to have meetings that don’t require Uber.” 

Connect with different people.

Traditional physical book clubs have the same faithful members who come regularly. But the virtual audiobook club welcomes new members. New members bring different opinions and perspectives, making for lively discussions.

“Before book club started, I had never listened to a book and had not physically read one since high school. I love how I can listen to audiobooks while cleaning or doing other things around the house,” said Megan Mackie, a club member. The best part about the book club meetings is that often, the books inspire the members to share personal stories and memories. We get to share opinions about the books, but more importantly, we share our lives and experiences.” 

The audiobook club is an excellent resource for visually impaired readers. It offers a place to discuss interesting books, share perspectives, build connections, and make friends. Sign up for Outlook Enrichment’s Art and Culture program to join the discussion. Avid visually impaired readers who want to enhance their technology skills can also contact the adaptive technology department for help.