Youth Services
VisionCorps provides quality, family-centered vision services, and enrichment activities to children with vision loss. Certified teachers of the vision impaired and orientation & mobility instructors provide vital information, consultation, and direct services to families, partnering agencies and school districts throughout the community.
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Independence begins at a young age and grows with the child. VisionCorps provides direct services to its youngest clients through early intervention, preschool early intervention and youth enrichment activities. Our focus is to provide every child with the tools and resources needed to meet age-specific developmental milestones. Through a coaching model that incorporates parents/guardians and other service providers, VisionCorps staff provide resources, strategies and adaptations alongside direct instruction that address each child’s individual needs. All services take place within a child’s natural environment and routines.
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VisionCorps came to our home. It was such a comfort for me to have someone who could really guide me in how to help my son.
I had no prior experience with visual impairment. It was the beginning of a relationship we have come to depend on.
Rebekah Robinson - Mother of VisionCorps Youth Services Client
Connect with a Youth Services expert!
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VisionCorps’ Youth Enrichment programming is designed to introduce and enhance daily living skills that are both age appropriate and will be key to the student’s success in living an independent life after school. The following three programs are available to students who are blind or visually impaired living in VisionCorps’ service area.
Vision Outfitters offers a wide range of recreation and leisure activities with skills from the Expanded Core Curriculum embedded throughout the activities. These activities/events are open to clients ages 6-12 years of age. Activies/events take place once a quarter during the school year. Those same students are then able to participate in VisionCorps’ Summer Enrichment programming, which is a weeklong day camp experience. Past activities include art, cooking, rock climbing, kayaking, ziplining, scuba diving and horseback riding. All activities are designed to challenge and empower participants in everyday situations, with the goal of creating independence and confidence now that continues to be developed throughout their life.
Youth Ambassadors are high school or college students who use their voices to help improve services for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania. This is a leadership role where participants will build skills in self-advocacy, teamwork, and communication, while connecting with Office of Vocational Rehabilitation staff, statewide leadership, schools, and community partners. Ambassadors will participate in real projects while being compensated for their time.
Student Transition to Employment Preparation Program (STEP) is a six-week hands on experience where a Workforce Readiness Trainee spends six weeks gaining hands-on experience in a light manufacturing environment while developing essential employability and independent living skills. Participants build competencies in areas including workplace expectations, interviewing, job readiness, communication, teamwork, workplace etiquette, and self-advocacy, all while demonstrating alignment with the company’s values, vision, and mission.
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It’s been wonderful. My daughters go on Easter Egg hunts complete with audible, beeping eggs. They take cooking classes. They went to summer camp and toured the Whitaker Center.
They go skiing, kayaking, and even scuba diving. They’ve made friends with other children who are blind or vision impaired. They love it, and we feel part of a supportive community. They are becoming confident in their own abilities. They are learning crucial social skills. And they continue to grow and challenge themselves.
Felicia Ramsey - Mother of VisionCorps Youth Services Clients
Connect with our Youth Services team today!
Get Started with VisionCorps Services!
Who can we help?
People who may benefit or qualify for VisionCorps services generally meet these guidelines:
- Vision loss that cannot be corrected through standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery
- Living in Pennsylvania, specifically Adams, Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon or York Counties
- All ages served
Referrals for services are easy!
Eye care physicians can fill out this referral form by following the link below. To refer yourself or others, please complete the contact form or call Mary Lou at 717-205-4141.
Frequent questions about Youth Services
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Everyone learns at a different pace and style, and training can take from a few months to years. Learning things like Braille or access technology might be easier for someone who has been blind all or most of their life, while people who lose their vision later on may have more difficulties. Having information and resources as well as maintaining a positive attitude and being persistent are keys to overcoming challenges! VisionCorps works with each client to determine their goals, and develops a personalized plan to reach them.
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An Individualized Family Support Plan will be created for you and your child. VisionCorps staff use a multitude of resources to ensure your child meets age appropriate milestones. Two main resources include The Oregon Project for Preschool Students who Blind and Vision Impaired, and TAPS; An Orientation and Mobility Curriculum for Students with Visual Impairments
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VisionCorps employs highly qualified staff that are certified as Teachers of the Vision Impaired and Orientation and Mobility Specialists.
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There is NO cost for youth services. Funds from local counties, Intermediate Units and VisionCorps donors assist in off-setting costs.
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Services take place in the child’s natural environment. This can include places like the child’s home, a relative’s home, or day care settings. Basically, the services occur where the child spends the majority of their day.
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Children who are blind or vision impaired under the age of 6 years living in Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York Counties are eligible for early intervention services. School-aged children may attend our Youth Enrichment programs that occur throughout e year.
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VisionCorps services are provided at no cost. Most services are supported by donations from the community and revenue from the Business & Industry Group. Should clients require assistive devices or other products, there may be a cost involved. VisionCorps can connect clients to organizations to help offset these expenses.
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Yes! You may call VisionCorps toll-free by dialing 866-876-8550 or send us a message by visiting our Contact page. We would be happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns you may have before referring yourself or someone else.
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Low vision means that even with regular glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, an individual finds everyday tasks difficult to achieve. Reading the mail, shopping, cooking, seeing the TV, and writing can seem challenging. Traditionally, Low Vision is defined as having a visual acuity of 20/70 or greater in the best eye with correction (glasses or contacts). VisionCorp’s rehabilitation program can help people adapt to vision loss and restore lost independence.