Young people in Brisbane who live with vision loss are being encouraged to make the most of an upcoming opportunity learn valuable job hunting and employment skills.
Vision Australia is calling for participants for the next round of its Building Stronger Futures pre-employment program, which aims to equip people aged 15-24 who are blind or have low vision with skills to help them find and maintain employment.
Participants in the program will initially take part in three days of skill development with Vision Australia Employment Consultants followed by a six-month period of employment and problem solving assistance.
Julie Newton, Vision Australia Brisbane North Regional Business Manager, said Building Stronger Futures is designed to support young people from the blind and low vision community to build careers.
“Across the first three days our Employment Consultants focus on the areas participants might need to improve in to become more attractive to potential employers, things like putting together their resume or preparing for an interview,” Ms Newton said.
“Following that we provide job placement assistance for six months and we’ll be working with the participants to develop and implement the strategies they might need to overcome any challenges they might face in the workplace,” she said.
While the program will be held in Vision Australia's Coorparoo facility, video conferencing capabilities are available to allow people in other other areas of Queensland to participate as well.
Listen to an ABC Radio Interview about the Building Stronger Futures program here or on the player below:
For those who do find employment, Ms Newton said they then have the option of connecting with further employment support Vision Australia can offer, such as advice around workplace modifications or assistive technology.
Along with working with Vision Australia’s specialist support staff, Ms Newton said Building Stronger Futures has the benefit of connecting young people who are blind or have low vision with one another.
“For many young people, finding employment can be a challenging and stressful experience. Unfortunately living with blindness or low vision can present additional challenges due to issues like employer attitudes and inaccessible job application processes,” she said.
“Building Stronger Futures lets participants know there’s support available to overcome those challenges, but also that they aren’t alone in facing them. Being able to connect with others who have had similar experiences is important for assisting our younger clients in coming to terms with their vision loss and helping to reduce any sense of isolation they might be facing.”
Building Stronger Futures will be run from October 2-4 at Vision Australia Coorparoo – 373 Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo. For further information on Building Stronger Futures or to apply, call 07 3727 2345 or email info@visionaustralia.org.
Find out more about Vision Australia's Employment Services here.