1

RLSB’s resource to

get more blind young people into work with tips for

young people, careers professionals and

employers.

The Royal London Society for Blind People

Let’s work it out 3

Contents

Foreword from the RLSB Youth Forum ..........................................................4

What is vision impairment? ...............................................................................5

The start of your career .......................................................................................6Upskill yourself ........................................................................................................8Get some work experience under your belt .................................................12Applying for jobs - CVs, covering letters and application forms ..........14

Getting your first job ............................................................................................16Interview tips and hints for young people ...................................................18Interview tips and hints for interviewers .....................................................20

You’ve got the job! .................................................................................................22Get your access technology ................................................................................23Access to Work .........................................................................................................24Health and Safety ...................................................................................................24

“We will work with RLSB to engage with forward thinking

employers to produce a concise resource which covers the

abilities and potential of vision impaired young people,

and the support available from various parties including Access

to Work. We will share this document with employers, and encourage them to recruit more vision impaired young people.”

RLSB Youth Forum,Youth Manifesto 2014

Welcome to RLSB’s resource to get more

blind young people into work with tips

for young people, careers professionals

and employers.

Let’s work it out 5

Many of us probably never give much thought to what life might be like for someone with impaired vision: it may be too scary to contemplate or just very hard to imagine. 

The best place to start is to consider how vision impairment affects the person concerned. The nature of the underlying eye condition will affect what the person can and can’t see.

The majority of people we think of as ‘blind’ in fact have some vision, ranging from some sensitivity to changes in lighting, to the ability to recognise faces at close range and perhaps read print if it is presented in large font.

One of the reasons we use the term ‘impairment’ is that it more accurately describe the wide range of ways that one’s sight can be affected.

A second important dimension is the age at which a child or young person first experiences vision problems. Those affected at a very early age may find it easier to accept their impaired vision, but on the other hand they have to rely on their other senses for a huge amount of learning that normally comes though vision. Whilst vision impaired people have a greater reliance on their other senses, this does not mean that their other senses are enhanced in any way. Those whose sight deteriorates in childhood or when they are young adults will have to cope with the trauma ofsight loss as well as the challenge ofre-learning numerous skills.

Not surprisingly, everyone responds to sight impairment differently, and there is no simple relationship between the severity of the impairment and how the young person adjusts practically and psychologically. Some young people have to work hard to overcome feelings of frustration, anger and resentment andto build confidence in themselves.For others the biggest challenge is learning the practical skills that sighted people take for granted, for example, choosing colour coordinated clothes, using public transport or surfing the internet.

But this isn’t the whole story. The reactions of other people are just as important and can have a lasting impression. Families need to be supportive, but not over protective; teachers need to know how to present visual information in formats that are accessible to students who can’t see very well, while stretching them academically; and employers need to be open to the idea of employing vision impaired young people.

This information packs invites employers to recognise that young vision impaired people are not seeking sympathy or charity. But they do want the opportunity to compete with others on a levelplaying field. From our, perspective the fact that a young person has overcome the many challenges posed by sight impairment should be considered a positive asset that attests to theirself-confidence, determination and resilience as prospective employees. 

Dr. John HarrisHead of Research, RLSB

What is vision impairment?

The RLSB Youth Forum was set up to act as a megaphone for vision impaired young people in London and the South East and to unearth potential solutions to challenges we face, such as employment, transport and accessible technology.

I joined the RLSB Youth Forum in January 2014 after attending their Future Exchange event in 2013. Just two months later we launched our Youth Manifesto, representing our proposed solutions to some of the challenges we face as young people with a vision impairment. It covered transport, independence, education and employment.

One of the key challenges we identified was securing meaningful employment which would enable us to live our life without limits. Within the Manifesto we identified three main barriers to employment:

Employers do not fully understand the potential of vision impaired people

There is a lack of awareness of the technology and support available for vision impaired people among employers

Vision impaired young people do not always have the skills and confidence to convince employers of their merits as employees1

Nine out of 10 employers rate blind and partially sighted people as either ‘difficult’ or ‘impossible’ to employ2. For example, employers may think that a vision impaired person is a health and safety risk. This is simply not true.

We have worked with RLSB to put together this pack in order to address these barriers, and ensure that both young people and employers are more confident about what we know vision impaired people can do.

Across the young people who have contributed to the pack, there are people who work in restaurants, shops and soft play centres to those who work in financial services, law and IT. As with any group of young people we have a huge range of ambitions across various sectors, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to succeed.

There are opportunities out there, but I would like to see employers become more open minded as to what vision impaired people can offer. Research from the Department for Work and Pensions has shown that disabled employees are as productive as their colleagues, and stay longer in their jobs. Therefore, I believe that we make great employees.

Lauren RichardsonHead of the Employment working groupRLSB Youth Forum

Foreword from the RLSB Youth Forum

1. Saunders, A. Douglas, G. And Lynch, P., 2013, Tackling unemployment for blind and partially sighted people: Summary fi ndings from a three-year research project (ENABLER). London: RNIB.

2. Waddell, G. and Burton, K., 2004, Concepts Of Rehabilitation For The Management Of Common Health Problems. London: Commissioned by The Corporate Medical Group, Department for Work and Pensions, UK.

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“I lost my sight as a child, but this was no barrier for me and I always attended mainstream school. When I was 15 and I was starting to think about what I wanted to do next, my careers advisor told me that I couldn’t go to university because I couldn’t see.

“Receiving this advice made me feel very upset, angry and disappointed. I felt that all I had worked towards was not going to amount to anything.

“On the other hand, I got a sudden burst of determination. With all the positive help given by friends, family and a very supporting school network, I was able to persevere, get a place at university and graduate with a degree in Criminology.

“The advice I would give to other vision impaired young people would be to never give up on your hopes and dreams.Be strong in what you believe and ignore the negative comments deter that could deter you from reaching your goals.

“I would encourage careers advisors to consider the responsibility they have in supporting young people into their future careers, and hope that this resource proves that blindness doesn’t have to be a barrier to further study or employment. I want to ensure that no other blind young people receive the same advice as me at school.”

Courtney Nugent, 24Criminology Graduate

Make sure you get comprehensiveadvice early on.

Theimportance

of goodadvice:

Let’s work it out 9

LifeSkills

LifeSkills, created with Barclays, is a free, curriculum-linked programme designed to give young people in the UK access to the skills, information and opportunities they need to help them towards getting the jobs they want. In schools, online and through work experience, LifeSkills helps young people be the best they can be.

barclayslifeskills.com

The National Careers Service

The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help young people make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice, supported by qualified careers advisers.

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

Become a role model or mentor

Whether you are a young person looking for work, or are successful in your career and looking to support others, why not think about mentoring? Think about the people in your network, and seek out opportunities to build valuable and rewarding mentoring relationships.

Visit ukyouth.org or search onlinefor other opportunities.

With over 850,0003 young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are unemployed, there is a lot of competition out there for jobs. To be successful in getting your chosen job it is up to you to make sure that you are the best you can be and stand out from the crowd. Getting the right skills and experience is vital – we hope this handy guide for you and your potential employers will help you in taking those first steps.

There are many organisations out there who are experts in getting young people ready for work. The courses they run are often free, and stuffed full of good ideas.

Support from RLSB

RLSB offers tailored support to get vision impaired young people ready for work:

Basic Skills courses - Here you can learn about gaining knowledge and skills to make you more employable, such as our courses for basic numeracy and literacy skills.

Employability Support - We have a well-established programme of employability sessions which offer support in looking for jobs. You’ll get complete careers advice, job interview workshops, CV writing sessions and training on basic employability skills. We’ll partner you with a leading organisation for a work placement.

To find out more about RLSB’s support pleaseemail connections@rlsb.org.uk or call 01732 592650.

rlsb.org.uk

plotr website

plotr is a revolutionary new careers platform for 11 to 24 year olds that brings together insight and guidance from industry with real opportunities to learn and work. Whether you are a young person, employer or careers professional, get online and see how plotr could support you.

plotr.co.uk

Not sure what

kind of job you want to go for? Here’s what one

employer said to us:

‘You could do any role. When we are recruiting it is down to what the individual has to bring to the organisation. Their talent, skills,

competencies, ambition and drive – a desire to learn

with the business’.

Support in Education

RLSB’s Dorton College is a specialist college for vision impaired young people. Students attend our

mainstream partner colleges, supported by our specialist staff. They live in houses nearby where they have opportunities to develop their

independence, socialise and take part in a range of activities. Find out more at rlsb.org.uk/college

Support is also available for vision impaired young people attending Further or Higher Education

provision to cover the costs of specialist technology and support staff where

required. To find out more, speak to the student support services at your

college or university.

3. Evans, Jack (2014) Youth unemployment statistics, House of Common’s Briefi ng Note, SN/EP/5871.

Let’s work it out 11

“My name is Eve and I am studying my pre-med year at university, which lays the foundation for me to study medicine at undergraduate level. My visual impairment is caused by anopthalmia, anaridia and cordipheral detachment. This means I have to use speech to read and use a long cane to get around. 

“When I was at school I always dreamed of a medical career but the support was not available for me to get the grades I needed. Careers advice was pretty much non-existent. I continued onto my A levels with a desire to study medicine but ended up studying Criminology at university as the support to get into medicine wasn’t there.

“When I applied for the pre-med year I was met with fierce resistance from the Head of School. At the beginning they were not willing to tailor the course to my needs. To get onto the course, we had to sit maths exams which were in print, which I cannot access. Ever the practical person I used my phone’s scanner and convinced a member of staff to be a

reader when I needed it and for him to let me use his Mac. 

“The technology I use for my studies is very mainstream. An iPad with an external keyboard is the best way to store all of my textbooks (my back is grateful for this too!) and when it comes to writing assignments I use a standard MacBook Pro. For anatomy I use standard lab models and have my own specially constructed diagram at home. 

“My advice is to go with your passion and your dreams. A vision impairment is an aspect of you - not your only characteristic. Show your passion and when people question your ability, show the innovation and creativity you use to get around your visual impairment. Although my blindness is apparent I never mention it until someone asks how I modify a learning style. I am Eve who is blind. Not blind Eve.”

Eve AdkinsPre – med student.

Stay focused on your dreamsand learn to adapt.

I am Evewho is blind.

Not blindEve.

Let’s work it out 13

“I was born with Nystagmus; an eye condition that causes my eyes to move side to side. It also means that I have limited distance vision.

“In January 2014, as part of my college work experience programme, I spent a week in the Marketing Department at RLSB. I worked across all aspects of the team, and was given an opportunity to get stuck in straight away.

“That one week had brought me so much confidence for future work.

“The next week, I applied for a job at a huge kids play and party centre. I had to go through a group interview and I got the job. Just that one week of work experience gave me the self-belief to succeed, and six months on I am still enjoying my job.

“Many people who are blind or partially sighted are capable of much more than most. Some of us have had vision impairments since birth and we have had to work with it. This means that we are great problem solvers!

“People with vision impairments should be confident about their abilities and skills. Employers shouldn’t just assume and judge, we should be given the chance to show employers what we have to offer them.”

Lauren Richardson, 16

Student and party host at a children’s play centre

Work experience is a great way to gain skills and demonstrate that you have the ability and aptitude for a particular role. There are various ways of getting experience before you get your first job, such as work experience placements, internships and volunteer work.

Routes into work experience:

Use your networks - think about the people that you know – family, friends and whether they know people who work in the areas you are interested in. Ask them if they would consider taking you on for a period of time.

Volunteer - many local organisations and charities often advertise a variety of volunteer roles, these can be a great way to gain valuable work experience.

Get online - use websites like plotr to search for opportunities in the field you are interested in.

Be tenacious - don’t be afraid to contact the place you really want to work and tell them how interested you are in working there. You have nothing to lose.

Use RLSB programmes

Get in touch and if you are eligible for one of RLSB’s employability

programmes we can support you to look for

work placements.

Offering work experience:

The young people we surveyed say that one of the big challenges they face is getting the all-important work experience, which as you will know makes all the difference.

Whether you can offer young people a week of work experience as part of their school or college careers programme, or a longer term work placement or internship, giving vision

impaired young people the opportunity to experience your workplace is hugely valuable.

As with all newcomers to the team they bring with them fresh energy to the team and a new perspective to your workplace’s projects and challenges.

Try and set up a work experience scheme in your company. Make sure that you advertise all of your opportunities on sites like plotr.

Employer tips

Put yourself out there for work experience.

Work experience changed my

life.

Let’s work it out 15

Application forms

Many employers now use application forms alongside or instead of CVs and covering letters to find out more about you.

Make use of your CV to fill in the information that you can.

Be prepared - read the form through and be sure to give yourself enough time to complete it comfortably.

Make sure you answer all questions in full and stick to their word counts so that you can tell the employer as much as possible about you.

Check your spelling and grammar.Ask a friend or family member to check it over too, a fresh perspective will notice errors you may have missed.

Add the application deadlines to your diary so that you don’t forget them; late applications are often ignored.

Disclosure

If there is nowhere obvious for you to disclose your vision impairment and you want to at this stage, speak to the Human Resources team at the organisation. Aspiring lawyer Michael Smith says;

“Call them up and let them know the application is coming and what adjustments you would need if you were to get through to the interview stage. They will appreciate your honesty and forward thinking - it will give them time to ensure they have made all reasonable adjustments for you. It also means you have started a personal relationship with the organisation before the interview.”

There is no requirement to disclose your vision impairment but your employer may say that they couldn’t be expected to make reasonable adjustments if you don’t. You can also choose to disclose your vision impairment at the interview stage.

As required under the Equality Act, make sure that your application process is accessible, whether that be large print or electronic documentation.

Many young people we surveyed say that on online application forms there is no opportunity for them to let you know if they need any additional support. There is such a range of vision impairments that each person will require slightly different support, so it is important they are able to tell you this at the earliest possible stage so that reasonable adjustments can be made in the interview process.

Employer tips

You know the area you want to work in, you have worked to get the skills you need and you are ready to start applying. So, where do you find the opportunities and how do you make sure you stand out from the crowd?

Top five CV tips:

1. Tailor your CV for each application - compare job ads for the roles you are interested in and pick out words and phrases that pop up often to build up a picture of who they are looking for.

2. Choose a clear layout and keep it concise - make sure the areas of your CV that are most relevant are at the top. If your CV feels too long, delete any information that doesn’t relate back to the job you are applying for.

3. Keep it up to date with examples - don’t just say you have the skills and experience they are looking for, talk about examples that demonstrate it. Make sure you update it as you gain new experience.

4. Keep it error free – check your spelling and grammar and make sure that your CV is all in the same font and easy to understand.

5. Show what makes you unique – use your CV to demonstrate to the employer what makes you stand out. Tell the truth, you willbe caught out if you exaggerate your skills or experience!

Promote your CV

Once you have put a general CV together, sign up to the professional social network LinkedIn and you can network with past and future employers and show off your CV.

Cover letters

Your cover letter is really important; you can use it to demonstrate why you want this job. Tailor each letter individually to the organisation and role you are applying for. Employers are looking for someone who is hard working, enthusiastic and demonstrates an innovative approach. Don’t be too worried if you don’t have all the skills or experience you need for the job, they will also be looking for a willingness to learn new things.

Where to look

Make sure you are registered on jobs sites like

Universal Jobmatch, Guardian Jobs, Prospects and Reed.

Many companies also advertise vacancies on their own

websites, and you can often sign up for job alerts via

email.

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My name is Joanne. I am vision impaired, and I am also a wheelchair user.

I went to university to do Media Studies because I wanted to work in radio, but I ended up dropping out because the support I needed wasn’t there. A lot of the course involved photography, which was not made accessible to me. I wish that someone had supported me at school to find a course that was accessible.

Since then I have done lots of voluntary work with different disability organisations from campaigning and facilitation to letter writing and admin – I have done it all! It would have been useful if someone had told me that these were transferable skills that I could refer to on my CV.

I have been a part of a community radio show in London for a few years, and they suggested I apply for Take It On, which is an eight week internship at BBC Radio 1 and 1xtra. Out of the 1000 people who applied for the scheme, only 36 were invited to interview, and eight were offered the internship. I was one of them.

I went through RLSB’s Employability Support interview workshops a few years ago, which I found really helpful. In my interview for Take it On I was amazed at how much I still remembered from those workshops. One tip I would offer anyone who is going for an interview would be to ask what the format of the interview will be: how many candidates will be interviewed at once, will there be any reading involved, etc.

Through my internship as part of Take it On, I gained the realisation that it is hard out there in the working world. I learnt that human beings aren’t mind readers and you have to speak up about your disability. We all have to learn to be the experts in the support that we need, but equally if someone asks you what support you need and you don’t know, say you don’t know and work together with your employer to find a solution using Access to Work.

Joanne Wacha, 28 former Take It On intern, BBC Radio 1and 1xtra

Let people know about your vision impairment before the interview so they can make adjustments.

Speak upabout your disability

Let’s work it out 19

“I grew up with near perfect vision, and then during my first term of university I suddenly lost my sight to a condition called Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy. My identical twin brother Daniel lost his 18 months later. I am currently completing a Law Conversion course after graduating from Kings College with a Geography degree.My brother Daniel graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

“At university we discovered as long as the people around you want you to do well and give you the right support then you will achieve your dreams. It’s no different when selling yourself to employers.

“At university I set up individual meetings with every lecturer to discuss what I needed. Taking this stand when I’m applying for jobs means the employer can get to know me before I submit my application and feel confident that they can support me when considering whether to give me a job.

“I have met some people who expect everything to come from the employer, but I believe that it is a two way process. Every vision impairment is different, and only you know what you can see, so we need to take it upon ourselves to be clear with people about the adjustments and support we need – no one can do that for us. With schemes such as Access to Work this support is not a financial burden on employers; there is no reason for them not to provide the support you need to do the job.

“It’s very competitive out there but blind people need to be prepared to stray from their comfort zones and engage with employers. Be confident about your disability. It is important to accept that it isn’t going to be easy, but as long as you communicate with people and make sure that people can feel comfortable with you and your eye condition.”

Michael Smith, 23Postgraduate Law Student

Before the interview

Research

Make sure you thoroughly research the company you are being interviewed by. It gives you scope to ask questions of the company to see whether they are a good fit for you and makes you look proactive and assertive.

Practice, practice, practice!

Interview practice always helps to steady nerves before the big day. Ask a friend or family member to practice questions with you, or even practice the answers on your own until you feel confident.

How do you suit the job?

You will have demonstrated this in the application process, using your CV and covering letter. Make sure you reread them and spend more time thinking of specific examples for each part of the job specification. Examples can be from any aspect of your life so long as they are relevant.

Get to the interview early

Always aim to get there a full 15-20 minutes before your appointment. This will ensure you can collect your thoughts and don’t run the risk of being late.

During the interview

Take your time

At the interview always take your time before answering questions. Keep your answers concise and to the point. Try not to waffle.

If you get stuck on a question don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat the question and don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know something.

Ask questions

At the end of the interview it’s always good to have questions to ask the employers about the nature of the role, their expectations of you and yours of them. Avoid asking questions about pay and what the hours are. Ask questions related to the ambitions and direction of the organisation and demonstrate you have researched them.

Disclosing a vision impairment

Disclosure of your vision impairment makes sense from a practical point of view. You can discuss with the employer any additional support they may need to put in place including the acquisition of assistive technology.

You’re looking to show employers how you manage your vision impairment and what you already use or need in order to be able to carry out work.

Be confident about your disability.

Disclosureis the key

Let’s work it out 21

RLSB’s tips on sighted guiding

1. When guiding someone after introducing yourself, ask what side they prefer you to walk on. Place your arm in a relaxed vertical position next to theirs and allow them to lightly grip your arm above the elbow. Face the same direction of travel and walk one step ahead.

2. If space is narrow, move your guiding arm towards the middle of your back to indicate that the person needs to walk behind you.

3. Let the person you are guiding know when an obstruction, stairs or escalators.

4. If helping someone onto stairs or escalators, guide their hand onto the rail before stepping on. Let them know if they are going up or down and when it is the last step.

5. When you get to the interview room, explain to the candidate where their seat is, and if you offer them a drink explain where you put it down.

6. If there is a window in the room ask the candidate if they prefer to sit with their back to it – glare can be a problem for vision impaired people.

Before the interview

Reasonable adjustments

Support candidates by asking if they need an adjustment to the recruitment process to allow them to be considered for the job. These adjustments might include:

changes to lighting or room layout

an alternative to a standard interview e.g. working interview, or extra time

allowing candidates to complete a written test using a computer

You can get help towards making reasonable adjustments through Access to Work (see page 24 for more information).

During the interview

The handshake

It seems simple, but as we all know the handshake can be pretty awkward whoever you are meeting.

The candidate may extend their hand in anticipation, but if not, tell them you would like to shake their hand and then reach out and take their hand. If they extend their hand ensure that you touch your hand to theirs so that they know where your hand is.

Getting around

Some vision impaired people use a long cane or a guide dog as a mobility aid, and some use their residual vision so have no visible aids. When you meet the candidate at your reception introduce yourself ask them if they would like you to guide them.

Don’t beafraid to ask

Some of the employers RLSB surveyed suggested they did not

know much about the spectrum of sight conditions. All vision impairments are

different, and you need to understand how the candidate’s impairment affects them.

Their level of sight might mean they could carry out tasks and roles you might not have thought about. Don’t be afraid to talk to the candidate about their level

of vision, and what it means to them in terms of any support

that they require.

When interviewing someone who has a vision impairment, there are a few things to consider. Remember that depending on the candidate’s personal choice they may or may not have disclosed their impairment to you at this point.

Let’s work it out 23

Well done. You’ve got the job! Make sure you get off to a flying start by using all the tools at your disposal.

Before you start, ask your new employer if you can have access to the officeto allow you to learn your way around the workplace, and your route to andfrom work.

On your first day ask your manager or colleague to introduce you to your colleagues.

Your business systems

If you have bespoke internal computer systems, and use of them is necessary for a role, Access to Work can help you to explore how to make them accessible to your vision impaired employee on an individual basis. They can also support you and your new employee in ensuring you are purchasing the right technology and software, and help cover the costs.

Employer tips

The developments in technology in recent years mean that blind and partially sighted people have many more employment opportunities.

From computers to smartphones and tablets, most technology is generally accessed visually through a screen. For people with a vision impairment there are two main ways that the technology can be adjusted:

Screen magnifiers - for those with a level of residual/useful vision, the zoom can be adjusted either through programs like Zoom Text, or often in later versions of Windows through inbuilt accessibility features, in order to make what is on the screen bigger - this is particularly useful on tablets such as iPads.

Screen readers - for those with little or no residual/useful vision, screen reader software, such as JAWS or NVDA, can be used to read out the information on the screen.

Smartphones and tablets have opened up another world for many vision impaired users. Both magnification and text to speech features are now often standard across smartphones and tablets such as iPhones and iPads, which allows many users to make full use of this technology.

For training and advice on Access Technology contact Ability Net or RLSB.abilitynet.org.uk | rlsb.org.uk

Let’s work it out 25

Health and SafetyMany employers we surveyed expressed concerns about health and safety in the workplace when employing a vision impaired person. “How will they move around safely?” “Will they pose a risk to themselves or others?”

One young person we spoke to was told she would be a health and safety risk so she couldn’t do a particular job, and consequently she and other vision impaired people fear disclosure as they feel it could cost them the job opportunity.

Essentially, health and safety is not as much of a challenge as you may think. Some employers that we surveyed were clear that whilst they had concerns about safety, these could be overcome collaboratively through training and adjustments.

It is important when considering health and safety that both sides are honest, and willing to work together. Once a vision impairment has been disclosed both parties need to work together, without making assumptions as to what the vision impaired person can or can’t do, follow the appropriate risk assessment procedures and make reasonable adjustments to ensure the safety of everyone in the workplace.

hse.gov.uk

Access to workMany employers we spoke to, even those who employed people with vision impairments reported knowing little about Access to Work, and how to get the support they needed. Here is our guide:

You may be able to get help from the Access to Work programme towards some costs where an individual requires support or adaptations beyond the reasonable adjustments that you are legally obliged to provide. Access to Work is run by Jobcentre Plus. Find out more in the Employer’s guide to Access to Work which you can search for on gov.uk.

Access to Work can offer support in a number of ways. Generally it does not provide the support solution itself, but provides a grant to reimburse the cost of the support that is needed. For example, it can provide funds towards:

special aids and equipment

adaptations to equipment and software

travel to/from work

a wide variety of support workers

Contact Access to Work to arrange a work-based assessment for your new employee before they start, or as soon as you know that a current employee is losing their sight. This will involve a specialist coming to make recommendations on the equipment, software and adjustments that would allow your employee to fulfil their role.

Search ‘Access to Work’ on gov.uk

Employer tips

“My name is Jane, and I am 20 years old. I would say that I am a typical young woman; I enjoy my job and like to go out with my friends. I also have a rare condition called Stargardt disease which affects my central vision. I have been registered partially sighted since the age of 15.

“I didn’t get a lot of careers advice at school, so I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do.

“I found apprenticeships at Barclays advertised online and decided to apply. As a vision impaired customer, I had always felt they understood my needs, which made me confident in them as an employer too. I also thought that with them being a large organisation they would have the experience and systems in place to make all reasonable adjustments for me.

“I got the job as an apprentice cashier with Barclays; they have been really supportive. My role involves being on the tills dealing with customers’ transactions or being out in the banking hall meeting and greeting customers. In terms of adjustments I have an electronic hand-held magnifier and specialised computer software which allow me to carry out my job in the same way as my as my sighted colleagues.

“I have completed by apprenticeship and am now a full time member of the team at Barclays.

“I would ask all employers to give people a chance; a lot of the time people with a disability are more determined to succeed and show what they can do.”

JaneBarclays cashier

Think about how the technology out there can help you to carry out your role.

Use the technology available.

Let’s work it out 27

“I am 23-years-old and have worked in financial services for the past six years.I currently work as a sales manager for an investment company in central London.

“In January last year I noticed that I was having difficulties reading emails and was having to squint to read small text. I immediately went to an optician and expected to be given glasses, but instead I was rushed to hospital because it turned out that I had profound vision loss in one eye.

“After a few months I had lost all of my central vision in both eyes and was registered blind.

“Up until this point I had been struggling to try and carry on with work. After I received the diagnosis it was clear that I would need to take a long period off work in order to come to terms with the situation.

“Like most people that I now come across in society I was ignorant to what people with vision impairment can do. At the time I assumed that my career was over, as I could not see how I would carry on with my job.

“My employer allowed me as much time as I needed, assured me that there would be a job for me and that they would make the recommended adaptations.

“If my employer hadn’t been so supportive from the start I don’t think that I would be back at work now.

“At the time I thought that my employer was just doing what they legally had to. I now realise that they went above and beyond.

“The next stage was to involve Access to Work who are part of the Department of Work and Pensions and are a free resource for anyone with a vision impairment. I arranged an initial meeting with Access to Work, my manager and HR. We sat down in a room and discussed each of my day to day duties and then the assessor recommended adaptations in order for me to carry on doing my role.

“I have now been back at work for four months. It has its daily challenges and frustrations but does continue to get easier as time goes on. There are some things such as spreadsheets that I find really challenging but I continue to persevere and find ways around the challenges.”

Matt Leverington Sales manager

Work together to learn about the support available and the adjustments you need.

Supporting an employee through sight

loss

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ManifestoYouth

“We believe that meaningful employment iscritical for vision impaired people to lead

productive and independent lives.

We are committed to raising awareness of the true potential of vision impaired young people and the support available to employers and employees to make

meaningful employment a reality.”