New Year, New Skills: Build Confidence at the Orientation Center

Two adults sit at a table during a braille lesson. A woman uses a slate and stylus to take notes.

With the turn of the new year often comes new resolutions and fresh promises to improve our lives. Maybe you want to read more books, focus on your health, or try something new. But have you thought about strengthening your blindness skills this year? At the Iowa Department for the Blind, we’re here to help you achieve your employment and independence goals, and one of the ways we do that is through our Orientation Center in Des Moines.

Our Orientation Center offers a Specific Skills Track that allows you to focus on the skills that matter most to you. You can attend classes and work with our instructors to build confidence, independence, and practical skills—all at your own pace.

Become a more confident cook

  • In our home management class, you can learn how to cook nonvisually in a safe and supportive environment. You’ll practice preparing a variety of recipes while also learning essential skills like grocery shopping and meal planning, so you can feel confident in your kitchen every day.

Brush up on braille

  • If one of your New Year’s goals is to improve literacy or workplace readiness, our braille class offers the opportunity to strengthen your reading and writing skills. Whether you’re refreshing what you already know or building speed and accuracy, our instructor meets you where you are.

Incorporate more movement into your routine

  • Staying active is easier when you have the tools to move independently. Our cane travel classes focus on building confident travel skills so you can get where you want to go on your own. If you're already a confident traveler, you may enjoy joining the blind and low-vision running club. We partner with Team Run Free to host biweekly meetings in Des Moines on Tuesday evenings—bringing together fitness, community, and fun. 

These are just a few examples of how the Iowa Department for the Blind can support your New Year’s resolutions. If you’re not ready to commit to the specific skills track, we also offer monthly Skills Retreats held across the state of Iowa, making it easier to participate close to home. No matter what goals you set for the year ahead, you don’t have to work toward them alone. We’re here to support you every step of the way and help you build the skills, confidence, and independence to make this year your strongest yet.