The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has received an Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) award for its tailored support programme for blind and partially sighted people seeking work.
Only one in four blind and partially sighted people of working age are in employment. This is in stark comparison to the sighted working-age population where three out of four people are in work.
The Pre-Employment service developed a tailored support package for blind jobseekers based on in-house knowledge around sight loss and employment. From August 2022 to December 2024, the programme helped 227 people into permanent employment.
Bhadrika Chauhan, RNIB’s Pre-Employment Manager said: “It’s very easy to look at people out of work and make assumptions about their circumstances. At RNIB, we know that a lot of people want to work but systemic barriers are preventing them from doing so. This is why our tailored support programme is so important.
“It’s a huge honour to have this work recognised with an ERSA Award. Standard UK Government employability programmes are still failing jobseekers with sight loss. We’re determined to change this and are driven to ensure support is available to both jobseekers and employers, so that great candidates can get the roles they deserve, and businesses can flourish as a result.”
Kudirat Andeniyi, RNIB Employment Manager on the right, middle Bhadrika Chauhan, RNIB Employment Manager, and left, George Bradley, RNIB Employment Advisor.
Support starts when someone contacts the RNIB Helpline – their call is triaged and referred to the Employment Team to discuss their experience and employment goals. A personalised action plan is created based on the impact that their eye condition has on them, detailing the steps required to get work and barriers to employment that need addressing. Where individuals require wider RNIB services – confidence building, adaptive technology, benefits advice or counselling – a referral is made to the service.
RNIB Employment Advisors then discuss what types of jobs are of interest that align with their transferable skills in specific job sectors, review CVs and applications, and conduct practice interviews. The team identifies accredited training courses available and they discuss what adaptions may be required when someone tells an employer they have sight loss. Once the jobseeker has secured employment, the team continue to provide in-work support, fast-tracking important assistance when starting work such as the Access to Work programme. The team also offers guidance to employers and raises awareness of sight loss in the workplace.
Saleh Ahmed, 30, was born with Leber congenital amaurosis. He struggled to secure the support he needed at university and find employment in the roles he wanted. After reaching out to Shaw Trust, Saleh was referred to RNIB’s Pre-Employment Team for support. As a result, Saleh secured a job as a Customer Service Advisor at EE.
Saleh continues: “My Employment Advisor helped me fill out my application forms, and attended the interview with me, as well as my first meeting with my manager. I was nearly at the point of giving up, but she supported me with a lot of things and made me feel confident. If it weren’t for RNIB’s help, I don’t think I’d be working right now.”
The ERSA Employability Awards are the biggest celebration in the employment support sector. It recognises the dedicated expertise of everyone supporting disadvantaged people move closer and into employment.
If you’re interested in learning more about RNIB’s employment support visit rnib.org.uk/employment
