Beginning Sewing Instructor (Assistant)

Volunteer LA; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to empowering individuals with vision loss. As a volunteer instructor or assistant, you will play a vital role in delivering engaging classes in sewing, art, karate, and sensory awareness. Your passion for teaching and ability to connect with students of all ages will create a supportive learning environment. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the lives of blind and visually impaired students while gaining valuable experience and skills. Whether you have experience or are eager to learn, your contribution will help foster independence and confidence in those you serve.

Qualifications

• Ideal candidates should be passionate about teaching and working with visually impaired individuals.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging classes and assist students in various activities.
• Create a safe and supportive environment for learning.

Skills

Energetic teaching

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Sensitivity to individual needs

Bilingual (Spanish/English)

Education

No formal education required

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Assistive Technology tools

Job description

Braille Institute of America, Inc. (Los Angeles Center)

Braille Institute is committed to eliminating blindness and severe sight loss as barriers to a fulfilling life.

Beginning Sewing Instructor (Assistant)

Passionate and experienced sewing instructor for Winter 2025 term at Braille Institute. Instructor to deliver engaging and informative sewing classes to sewists of all levels.

What to Expect:

• Deliver engaging and informative sewing classes to sewists of all levels
• Teach range of sewing techniques
• Guide students through lessons

What’s Required:

• Ideal candidate will be energetic, excited about teaching sewing and have passion for sharing with others
• Interest in working with/learning about the vision loss community
• Comfortable working with students of different ages and skill levels
• Strong soft skills including friendly communication
• Create a safe and supportive learning environment for students
• Excellent attendance and ability to be on time

Access Technology Support/Greeter

Braille Institute needs volunteers to help create a welcoming experience for blind and visually impaired students seeking assistive technology.

What to Expect:

• Prepare classroom for students
• Upkeep equipment (e.g. clean, store, and assure proper functioning of devices)
• Greet and assist students as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned. Duties or tasks may change

What’s Required:

• Availability for 2-3 hours per week (or more) any day(s) during Monday through Friday (Wednesdays preferred) between 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Experience with problem-solving in how technology can support individual’s needs
• Ability to demonstrate Assistive Technology tools (e.g. screen readers, optical character recognition, and magnifiers)
• Experience in an in-person, virtual, and offsite teaching environment
• Familiarity with Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android platforms

Karate Class Assistant

Help a student embrace the challenge of sight loss and live well in Karate classes, designed to help blind and visually impaired students develop agility, strength, and speed, improving muscle tone and endurance.

What to Expect:

• Assist students in executing exercises performed by instructor
• Communicate issues or concerns with instructor as needed
• Set up mats for class
• Clean and store mats
• Assist instructor as needed

What’s Required:

• No Karate experience needed
• Ideal candidate will be energetic
• Create a safe and supportive learning environment for students
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs
• Availability on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Art Classroom Assistant

Assist blind and visually impaired students create projects in one of our popular art classes: Basketry, Ceramics, Mosaic, Print Making, or Paper Mache. Classes meet once a week for two hours. No experience working with visually impaired is necessary. Training will be provided.

What to Expect:

• Assist students in art methodology and projects performed by instructor
• Communicate issues or concerns with instructor as needed
• Maintain a safe and professional environment, assessing classroom and student surroundings for possible safety concerns
• Training will be provided

What’s Required:

• Availability weekdays 10:00AM – 12:00PM OR Wednesdays 1:00-3:00PM
• Ability to follow instructor’s directions
• Sensitivity to students’ individual variables
• Must preserve students’ right to privacy and personal space by requesting students’ permission to assist in executing specific movements and tasks
• Mastering technical skills is not required
• Bilingual, Spanish/English (desired but not required)

Exercise/Sensory Awareness Classroom Assistant

Help a student embrace the challenge of sight loss and live well in Sensory Awareness and Exercise classes, designed to help blind and visually impaired students fine tune their remaining senses through a series of lessons and exercises.

What to Expect:

• Assist students in executing exercises performed by instructor
• Communicate issues or concerns with instructor as needed
• Promptly communicate students’ individual performance results to instructor for the purpose of retraining or reinforcement applications
• Maintain a safe and professional environment, assessing classroom and student surroundings for possible safety concerns
• Training will be provided

What’s Required:

• Availability Mondays 10:00AM – 12:00PM OR Wednesdays 1:00-2:00PM
• Must follow instructor’s directions
• Sensitivity to students’ individual variables
• Must preserve students’ right to privacy and personal space by requesting students’ permission to assist in executing specific movements and tasks
• Mastering technical skills is not required
• Bilingual, Spanish/English (desired but not required)

Library Outreach Assistant

Volunteer in Braille institute’s unique library sorting the book collection, shelving, and preparing audio book cartridges to be mailed to blind and visually impaired library patrons.

What To Expect:

• Greet and assist students/library patrons as needed
• Assist with various clerical duties (e.g., contact patrons via telephone, basic check-ins, which may include checking on lapsed or inactive library user accounts for deletion)
• Participate in outreach email campaigns, assisting with drafting emails, letters, and marketing teases aimed at various constituents, organizations, and stakeholders (depending on experience)
• Perform other duties as assigned. Duties or tasks may change
• Assist Library Outreach Manager as needed

What’s Required:

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, internet searching, and willingness to learn library database
• Bilingual, Spanish/English a plus

Braille Challenge is a national braille reading and writing competition for students in first through twelfth grades in the United States and Canada. The program encourages and rewards braille literacy, and a large number of volunteers are required. While digital tools are helpful, braille is the gold standard and critically important for academic achievement in language, math and science. Braille literacy is the equivalent to print literacy in the barriers it breaks and the Braille Challenge competition motivates and encourages students to practice these skills. To learn more about volunteering for the annual Braille Challenge events, contact us.