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

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.

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

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

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:

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

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

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.

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

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

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

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

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

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

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

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.

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

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

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)

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.

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

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

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)

Volunteer Greeters at Braille Institute welcome and assist visitors in a friendly and professional manner.

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

Why: Through educational training, programs, and services, Braille Institute helps tens of thousands of people each year regain and maintain their independence. Braille’s educational, social, and recreational programs are provided in an environment of hope and encouragement, seeking to reinforce the confidence, self-esteem, and dignity of those who are visually impaired and enabling them to live, attend school, and work as they choose.

What to Expect: 

• Assist visitors as needed
• Answer general questions about programs and services
• Assist visitors with verbal directions and/or escort clients when needed
• Assist with simple tasks in the cafeteria in the mornings and at lunch
• Identify safety issues for staff to address
• Assist departments with light clerical duties as needed
• Training and orientation provided

What’s Required:

• No experience with the blind and vision community is necessary
• Ability to communicate professionally
• Available at least 2-3 hours per week, more hours available (per week)

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.