Entering the world of work can be daunting for many young people, but when you have a visual impairment it can seem like an impossibility. Our partner the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) aims to challenge that perception with its Equip and Empower Project. Over the last year RSBC has worked with 40 young vision impaired people aged 16-25 and offered one-to-one employment support to ensure they get the job of their dreams. Many of the participants enter the programme sceptical about the job they might attain, such as J, a 21 year old from South East London.
J dreamt of being a film maker but thought his visual impairment (nystagmus) meant that this could never be a reality. After working with an Employment Advisor his confidence grew and J realised that with some light touch support he could apply and interview for roles he aspired to. J’s advisor was also on hand to speak to new employers about any specialist support visually impaired employees may need. J recently entered full-time paid employment as a Videography Assistant within a niche travel agency, giving him control of his future again. J said: “I was a bit doubtful at first about how they’d feel with me being VI, but when they saw my showreel they were like yes! You’re in! It made a big difference having RSBC there to support and to have the difficult conversations with the company first. It’s brilliant!”
Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to fund these services for people like J; help us widen our impact by making a donation.
Take your career to the next level!
This Saturday, 26 March 2022, we are hosting See My Skills: How to land your dream job! with LOOK. The Zoom conference will welcome jobseekers aged 16-25 to develop their skillsets and envision their goals. With a Q&A between comedian Chris McCausland and influencer Lucy Edwards, the event will feature special guests and LOOK mentors; discussing everything from CV writing skills to securing work experience placements to understanding the Access to Work scheme and knowing your employment rights.
