Improving the employment prospects of blind and partially sighted people - DVD transcript
Introduction from Alex Saunders, RNIB project Manager
My name is Alex Saunders. I work for the Evidence and Service
Impact Team here at RNIB.
Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund, RNIB, Action for Blind People and the University of Birmingham have been able to work together in an innovative partnership that really focuses in on how we can improve the employment prospects of blind and partially sighted people.
Part One - the first day of the pre-employment programme at Waltham Cross
Zsuzsanna Hybel, Employment Co-ordinator Action for Blind People
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming.
I appreciate all of you being here.
I'm Zsuzsanna Hybel. I'm an employment coordinator covering Essex and Hertfordshire, working for Action for Blind People.
We're here for the first meeting for the pre-employment programme.
What I would like to do today, this morning, is get to know each other a little bit more as a group.
I think it's very important to have this kind of pre-employment
programme in this setting. People usually feel really isolated. It's very important for them to come out to meet with other people in a similar situation.
Please tell a little bit about you.
Introduction from pre-employment programme participants.
My name's Wendy.
I'm 25. My eye condition is glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. I was in college, training to be a nursery nurse teacher. But I had to end that when I lost my eyesight. Over the next few weeks on this course, I'm hoping to get a lot more confident and basically learn how to do an interview, if I get an interview, and how to apply for a job, and hopefully at the end of it, get a job.
I'm Alan.
I lost my job as a London bus driver in 1998 because I had to go on insulin. In 2007, I lost my driving licence due to my eyesight. I'd like to do a job with responsibility, where you're trusted by your employer.
I'm hoping as well that the course can give me other options and other ideas to move forward.
I'm Fiona.
Before I lost my eyesight, I was a secretary. I worked in London. Everything just collapsed around me. Yes, I would like to go back to work, but I would like to go back to work where it's fulfilling for me.
Zsuzsanna Hybel, Action
With this programme, I hope that they're all going to have a clear understanding of their skills and abilities. I'm also hoping that they're going to be able to apply for suitable jobs and not just jobs for visually impaired people, but jobs that are for them with their skills and abilities.
Alex Saunders, RNIB
The project is all about testing new ways of supporting individuals
who are a long way from being ready to work. So, we're running the pre-employment programme in Waltham Cross so that individuals can benefit from a group environment. We're also running one-to-one support projects elsewhere within the country.
Part two - individual employment support work with Mike Holroyd (Action for Blind People, Team Leader) and David Ridgway (employment customer)
I'm Mike Holroyd and I'm team leader and employment coordinator
here at Action for Blind People. We have taken different approaches to see the impact that they have on different clients. So, I am just working with one client very intensively.
My name is David Ridgeway.
I'm 49 years old. I'm actually registered as totally blind, but I have what they call residual vision.
Mike Holroyd, Action
David has very, very good mobility. But there are maybe some issues around public transport, so we spent our first few weeks looking at how David was going to get from the station to here.
Transcript of Mike and David meeting at the bus stop in order to do some mobility training
'Hi, David.'
'Hello, Mike.'
David Ridgway
I actually get on the bus and actually meet Mike in Bedminster. He actually guides me to the building. I must admit, I think it's very difficult to find employment when you have a sight impairment.
Woman at reception when they arrive
Morning, guys. Morning, David.
David Ridgway
Mike came and he said, "We are looking for people to see how we
can perhaps make you more employable." "Build up your confidence."
Mike Holroyd, Action
I thought it might be good if we had a look through your action plan.
We looked at David's skills. And we looked at developing things both that he's interested in, also things that he's already good at, like for example using screen reader technology.David's interested in admin.
We have an admin role here which is involved in interviewing clients over the phone.
David Ridgway
Just doing a customer satisfaction questionnaire. Should take between ten and 15 minutes. There's quite a lot of skill involved in doing that. Would you feel comfortable requesting help from Action for Blind People?
Mike Holroyd, Action
For sighted people, they can see things and listen to the phone.
For those of us who are blind or partially sighted, everything is about listening. That's quite a skill to develop.
David Ridgway
Did you receive the information in the format of your choice? Things like computer, email, phone. I would hope that everyone would understand the complexities of getting blind and partially sighted people into employment. It doesn't just happen overnight.
Mike Holroyd, Action
My real desire as a result of this project would be that more resources would be available alongside the training. Real work experience, real job opportunities that are going to give blind and partially sighted people the experience which we so desperately need.
Alex Saunders, RNIB introducing part 3 of the DVD
In Bristol, David has had some great opportunities to build on his skills and experience. Returning to Waltham Cross at the end of the pre-employment programme a few months later, we can also see just how far participants have come.
Part 3 - returning to the pre-employment programme at Waltham Cross at the end of the course
Zsuzsanna Hybel, Action
I'm coming to the end of delivering the pre-employment programme for my group of visually impaired people. It's very important to show them all the possibilities and all the support there is out there so they can learn it and take it forward in their job search.
Fiona
Through the course and the people I've met, things have changed dramatically for me. Learning about Access to Work, learning what benefits would be affected if you went into work,what assistive technologies are available to assist visually impaired people.
Mohammed - IT Trainer
In here I've got a laptop. Just a normal laptop you can pick up in Currys, PC World, whatever. On it, it's got some assistive technology installed. It was a very good learning session for us. Since I've been doing the pre-employment programme for the last two months, I've become more confident in job searching.
I know a little bit more about what they're looking for.
Zsuzsanna Hybel, Action
The last thing I would like to do is to talk about interview skills and interview techniques. The reason I would like to cover that topic now is because Wendy, this afternoon, is having her second interview for a job.
Wendy
The job that I'm going for is to work in a launderette. Before this course, I wouldn't have even thought about going out and looking for work. I was just waiting for it to come to me. But now I've actually gone out and looked. It's actually really helped me.
Alex Saunders, RNIB
Wendy got the job that she applied for, so we're all very excited for her.
Closing comments - Alex Saunders, RNIB
What these programmes identify in a very clear and a very concise way is that with the right kind of support and the right kind of intervention, you can help individuals to move towards employment
and increase their sense of fulfilment and potential and happiness. That's what it's about.
End
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