Northern Ireland

RNIB Northern Ireland Employment and Training Services

Summary: Securing work for people with sight loss in Northern Ireland.

• Supporting job seekers, employees and employers
• Supporting you getting into work
• Training for professionals
• Volunteering
• Further information

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Supporting job seekers, employees and employers

We aim to support blind and partially sighted people of working age to improve their employability. We assist people in employment who are developing sight problems to continue in work. We help employers to recruit people with sight loss.

Anti-discrimination law in N. Ireland covers employment. It sets out rights for people with a disability and obligations on employers.

Supporting you getting into work

We have a number of services which assist blind and partially sighted people to obtain employment.

Services for young people

• Young people’s service for school leavers (South and East Belfast Trust area).

Training

• Information Technology (IT) training: We provide individual and group training on a wide range of access technology.
• Employment and Skills for Women, a three-strand project which includes Confidence Building, IT Training and Placement.

Guidance and assessment

• Vocational guidance: to help you make decisions about career paths to take.
• Employment assessment: to look at the suitability of the environment you work in.
• Technology assessment: to provide solutions to cater for a variety of visual needs in work.

Job club

The job club provides an opportunity for blind/partially sighted people to come into the office and talk to one of our employment officers. Our staff will be happy to help with anything from improving your CV to helping you search and apply for jobs.

For more information or to make an appointment call the Belfast office on 028 9032 9373 or email Clare.Bryson@rnib.org.uk

Services for employers

• IT Consultancy: We audit company systems to check accessibility and provide recommendations. Provide training to employers on employment and technology solution.

Support for RNIB members

• IT Support in the Community. Provided by IT volunteers for members of RNIB NI

Workable NI Belfast

• We provide a comprehensive support service for people having more difficulty managing tasks in work. We can supply a job coach and training on site (and off) in order to raise employability levels in relation to the job and work environment. This is delivered in partnership with three other disability organisations. We also provide consultancy to other providers in NI.

New Deal Job Broking Service

• This into-work service supports people looking for work, and for a period after attaining work. Our job clubs assist individuals with job search, applications, interviews, job matching as well as assistance to employers.

Training for professionals

Specialist ICT training is available for librarians, rehabilitation workers and other professionals.

Volunteering

We provide volunteering opportunities as a means of gaining workplace experience and building confidence.

Further information

Further information for job seekers, employees, and employers is available on the main RNIB website.

Further details of services in N. Ireland can be obtained from our Belfast office or by email: rnibni@rnib.org.uk

Content author: mike.brown@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13