Page 29

Access all areas

Blind in Business Employment Retention

On the first of July this year, Blind in Business is launching a new service to complement its work with visually impaired graduates and school-children.

75% of all visually impaired people of working age are out of work and three thousand people leave work each year because of sight loss. Following modern legislation designed to benefit disabled people and their employers, employment retention is not only vital, but also desirable. But it’s hard.

(Picture: Photo of a finger touching braile)

That’s why Blind in Business is launching this latest project – to enable older people in good jobs to remain in their jobs. And to work with their employers to ensure a smooth and comprehensive process of employment retention. As part of this new project, Blind in Business will be offering:

Intensive and individually tailored coaching to the employee affected by sight loss. We will help them identify and overcome the new barriers before them.

Employment Retention training courses – available to both teams, or as one-to-one consultations.

Support for managers as they strive to create mutually supportive cultures in the work-place.

Advice on technological adjustments and pastoral frameworks to assist integration into the workplace. This is a natural extension of the work that Blind in Business already does, and does well.

Michael Kenny, Director of Blind in Business commented that “we are in the City of London and although we know there are 3,000 people in the country who begin to lose their sight, each year, we have had only one person come to us in five years. He was a stockbroker who began to lose his sight and had no idea about the technology now available to maintain him easily in his work. Neither did his employers. Both were nervous and agitated. We told him about Jaws and Supernova, which he would use if he lost his sight. We told his employers about them. Both were relieved. Slowly, his sight faded and he used more sophisticated equipment. But with conversations between us and him and his employers, he stayed at work. And so he should, and so should 3,000 who begin to lose sight when they are older and working. John Spence OBE, Chairman of Blind in Business, added that “It’s only when you lose your eyesight that you understand how threatened and exposed one feels.” “Many can’t cope - 50% of those who lose their eyesight lose their employmen within 12 months. So it is fundamental that we ensure not only the provision of services for people in this circumstance, but also that we ensure they know what is available”.

John Spence is completely blind and was a Director of Lloyd’s TSB. He lost his sight in work, but continued to rise to the very top of his profession.

Published by the Blind in Business Charitable Trust (1011957), June 2007

For more information, please contact Andy Flack on 020 7588 1885 or visit www.blindinbusiness.org.uk