Emotional support to families and individuals

Loss of sight, whether progressive or sudden, can create psychological, emotional, social and practical problems. It can lead to social isolation through loss of employment and income, resulting in severe financial hardship, the loss of long- established pastimes, total lack of confidence and severe difficulties in getting about. It gives rise to problems that need special techniques and aids to help overcome them. There is no other specific service providing emotional support for people and families where an individual has lost/are losing their sight. There are very specific needs and issues that need to be addressed which general support services do not answer. Social Services have a statutory responsibility for helping blind and visually impaired people come to terms with their blindness. But nobody is responsible for providing emotional support to families and individuals whose lives have been severely affected by blindness. We can now offer that support.

Employment Support

It is a fact, documented by RNIB, that 75% of all blind and visually employed people of working age are unemployed. This must represent the most disadvantaged group of people in the UK. We are already supporting a number of blind employees by providing them with essential information in Braille and audio via our Transcription Service. Without this support their employment could not continue. We want to expand considerably on the help we give to support blind and visually impaired employees - actual and potential. We want to ensure that employers are aware of the potential of blind employees. We want to inspire confidence in blind people and equip them with the skills to obtain employment.

Access to Culture

We want to ensure that blind and visually impaired people can get the maximum possible enjoyment from their visits to social, cultural and leisure venues. This will involve providing information in accessible formats via our Transcription Service, ensuring by negotiation that there is as much tactile provision as possible and that audio description is provided where appropriate. We have raised awareness, wherever we have visited, to the barriers blind people face when accessing leisure activities. We plan ahead before visits and we have 100% support from locations and venues in making their services accessible. People know what is needed but don't know where to go for advice. We would like to produce a toolkit containing relevant information on how to comply with DDA requirements in making accessible environments. We will encourage providers to have information in all formats.

Provision of social activities

Loneliness and isolation are the most common problems experienced by blind and visually impaired people, especially those who live on their own. "SociaLites" is a mixed group for mature blind people and those who are younger and more adventurous. It is evident from the comments from those who attend that such clubs provide a lifeline to many vulnerable and lonely people. Through such activities greater confidence has been developed. We are now keen to build on what this group has achieved by expanding considerably on their activities.