Youth & Families

We teach young people with visual disabilities how to be productive, independent, and successful. Learn about the youth services we offer from childhood through young adulthood.

Who we help

We serve young people ages 21 and under who are Blind, Deaf-Blind, or have Low Vision.

Our Pre-Employment Transition Services help teens and young adults who are ages 14 to 21 who are in high school, college, or another recognized education program and eligible for special education programs.
The DSB Explorers Program provides services and supports to children ages 13 and under and their families.

How we help

We support young people ages 21 and under with vision loss by preparing them for successful futures by providing workshops, programs, and activities provide geared towards teaching age-appropriate skills of blindness, self-advocacy, orientation and mobility, and educational and career exploration.

Services for young adults

We support young people ages 21 and under with vision loss by preparing them for future careers. Our workshops, programs, and activities provide opportunities to:

Explore career opportunities
Get work-related experience
Discover education and training options
Build social and communication skills
Learn to live independently and care for yourself
Be part of your community
Advocate for yourself
Know how to ask for accommodations
Understand your rights and responsibilities
Become confident

Learn more about Pre-Employment Transition Services for teens and young adults.

Services for children

Our team can answer questions and offer suggestions about how young children with visual disabilities can be safe, self-aware, confident, and socially engaged by:

Hosting events for parents and activities for children
Connecting families with advocates and counselors
Helping parents get infants and toddlers to move and explore their environment
Providing information about organizations we work with
Consultations for schools, birth-through-3 centers, and other community organizations

Read about our Explorers program for young children to learn more.

In this section

All in Youth and Families

We teach young people with visual disabilities how to be productive, independent, and successful. Learn about the youth services we offer from childhood through young adulthood.

Teens and young adults

The high school and college years are a time of great growth and transition for young people. Learn to make the most of these years and prepare for a successful future.

DSB Explorers: Children under age 13

The DSB Explorers is a new program providing experiences and activities for children ages 13 and under who are Low Vision, Blind, or Deaf-Blind and their families.

Explorers Parent Connection

Explorers Lunch Buddies

Youth Workshops and Programs

With the right skills and support, children and young people with visual disabilities can achieve future success. Learn how our youth workshops and programs can help you get there.

Year-round workshops and courses

Residential Programs

Organizations that help young people with vision loss

If you care for a child who is Blind, Deaf-Blind, or has Low Vision, we encourage you to contact these groups for additional help.

Take the next step

Learn more about how DSB can help. Call our 800 number or use the online form to request information for yourself, a friend or loved one, or a patient, client or staff member. A DSB representative will call to discuss options.

Request information with our online form

Call us at 800-552-7103

A man using a white cane leaving a railway station. In the background are the ticket gates and a stationary commuter train.

Angie

Youth & Families program participant

Participant Story

These programs have helped me to strive to live a more independent life. I got to meet a lot of people with vision impairments, and work in places where I previously did not think that blind people could work in. It got me to realize there are more blind people out there in the world besides me.