Trevor Warburton can proudly say that his hard work and dedication have led to great successes; his improved computer literacy skills have landed him two rewarding volunteer positions in one short year.
For several months now, Trevor has been volunteering at the Heart & Stroke Foundation twice a week. With the support of his Community Resource Worker (CRW), Trevor uses screen reader software for individuals who are visually impaired called JAWS to input and maintain the Foundation’s donor database.
Though Trevor began his volunteer position at the Heart & Stroke Foundation this year, he has been training to use JAWS since moving to Calgary nearly a decade ago. The many different versions of the software can make it difficult to use, so Trevor decided to invest in his own laptop two years ago. He now has his own customized software that he can install wherever he is volunteering to ensure he can work efficiently. Trevor also regularly attends JAWS courses at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).
The secret to Trevor’s success—besides his ongoing training and commitment to keeping up with JAWS software updates—is the personal keyboard that he brings with him. By sticking raised “bumps” on frequently used keys, Trevor is able to find them easily and work much faster. In fact, Lata Iyer, a CRW who often supports Trevor, shared that he types very well and has seen significant improvement since purchasing his own laptop. “When Trevor started, he would complete about 20 entries during a shift,” recalls Lata. “Now, he does between 50 and 60 entries.”
After the holidays, Trevor will begin his new position at the University of Calgary. He will be working at the Residence Services reception desk and his responsibilities will include tracking student transactions and inquiries. Trevor is really looking forward to this opportunity, and said he is “excited to try something new.”
Congratulations on your success, Trevor!
Photos: (top) Trevor and Lata at the DDRC. (bottom) Trevor received the Inclusion Award of Excellence – Career and Community for his work with JAWS in 2014.