Finding a Careers Advisor

Your local Jobcentre will be able to help you look for work in your area. They advertise job opportunities online and also in the Jobcentre itself. If you need extra employment support because of your sight loss, the Jobcentre can put you in touch with one of their Disability Employment Advisors, sometimes called DEA's. They can help you find work or gain new skills even if you have been out of work for a long time, or if you have little or no work experience. It's well worth getting in touch with a DEA in your area to get some additional help with your job search.

You will probably have already met with a Careers Advisor as part of your transition review at school. However, you may wish to contact them again while you are at college or in university. They can help you:

• develop your CV
• search and apply for jobs
• understand the job market
• search for courses and training schemes
• find funding to support any learning
• identify your key strengths and skills
• explore your career options
• explore available support options
• choose training routes that fit your lifestyle
• develop an action plan to help you achieve your goals.

The National Careers Service offers specific advice and guidance for young people aged between 13 to 19 as well as services for adults aged 20 and over. Their services include information and advice on choosing a career, CV writing, funding advice and more. You can contact them by email or telephone and if you wish arrange to meet an advisor face-to-face.

You can contact a Careers Advisor through the National Careers Service for free by telephone, email or through webchat by following the links below:

• Careers advice: If you are aged 20 years old and over

The Employment Line offers phone based employment advice across the United Kingdom. The line is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and the team can assist you with writing CVs and completing job applications online, as well as conducting mock interviews over the phone. People requiring face-to-face support are referred to a local team.

For more information contact the employment line on 0800 4402255 or email [email protected]

If you live in Northern Ireland, you can contact the RNIB NI Employment and Technology Service on 028 9032 0373 (Belfast) or 028 7136 6060 (Derry/Londonderry) or email at [email protected].

You can find out more about choosing a career, options after year 12, and how to get a job through the Careers Service Northern Ireland website.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS)

SDS staff can assist individuals with additional support needs to:

• assess their own interests, skills and strengths
• understand the range of options open to them
• develop realistic and achievable career plans
• develop job seeking skills if appropriate
• make applications for college and university courses
• apply for current job or training vacancies
• link with other helpful organisations and agencies.

For more information and help, you can call in to your local Skills Development Scotland Careers Centre or visit the Skills Development Scotland website.

Careers Wales

Careers Wales provide free, bilingual, impartial careers information, advice and guidance for all ages and will help you at school, college and even when you apply to university. Their advisors can offer advice and guidance but are also really important in securing funding if you want to go to specialist or mainstream college. Careers Wales have teams of specialist advisors called LLDD advisors who are experts in supporting people with disabilities or additional learning needs. To find out more visit the Careers Wales website.

In addition, RNIB Cymru can put you in touch with specialist advice, telephone 0303 123 9999.