Campaigns
Increasing employment amongst blind and partially sighted people
Summary: One of RNIB's priority campaigns is to ensure better employment opportunities for blind and partially sighted people
Why is this a priority?
The unemployment rate of blind and partially sighted people is unacceptably high at 75 per cent. We need to exploit the Government's stated intention to increase the numbers of disabled people in the work force, for the benefit of blind and partially sighted job seekers.
We will campaign for:
- increased supported employment opportunities
- better measures to improve job retention
- new ways of getting people with sight problems into jobs, such as training schemes.
Current campaigns
On 15 July 2008 we will launch our Hire Vision campaign. This national campaign is aimed at supporting greater numbers of blind and partially sighted people to move into work.
Our Work Matters' campaign, which we are pursuing, with Action for Blind People, highlights that blind and partially sighted people can obtain and retain paid employment.
We are campaigning for better job retention policies to enable people who become disabled to remain in work. We are also encouraging employers to make adjustments to the workplace to make retention possible.
As part of the Disability Employment Coalition we are campaigning to improve funding for the Access to Work scheme
Find out about the latest Government announcements on skills and welfare reform, consultation on disability employment services and the latest on Remploy.
Further information about employment.
Past campaigns
RNIB and Action for Blind People held a highly successful employment fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference 2004.
Get involved
There are many ways you can get involved. Each campaign has information about the ways that you can take part. From writing to your MP, to helping us spread the word, there is something for everyone.
Do you have a story to tell? Personal experiences are a very effective way of getting the message across. Contact us about how you could feature as a case study.
Our campaign toolkit has further information and advice for people wanting to campaign on our behalf.
Content author: campaign@rnib.org.uk
Last updated: 20/10/2008 15:51
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Your stories
Jenny's story - Jenny Burgess volunteered for a disability support group run by people with physical disabilities. She was the only staff member with a sight problem. “I depended on a colleague with physical disabilities to give me a lift to work. I have far greater mobility problems than most people with physical disabilities who can drive a car, yet receive less benefit - it’s unfair and unjust.” Join our campaign to make the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance fair - taken for a ride.
