Visual Impairment Awareness Training

Every day, 250 people start to lose their sight – there are currently two million people in the UK living with visual impairment (VI) and this is estimated to increase to four million by 2050. Sight loss is indiscriminate in that it can affect anyone at any stage in their life. Any one of these people could be your staff, family, existing or potential customers, so visual impairment awareness training is now more important than ever before for businesses and organisations.

Given the above statistics, some of your customers, clients and possibly employees will be living with some form of sight loss which may not always be obvious. Therefore, responsible organisations ensure they are able to cater for their needs by making sure their staff have the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence.

Our visual impairment  awareness training programmes focus on empathy and engagement as a means of raising awareness and channelling positive change within organisations and larger society; our aim is for this to be part of a sea of change in attitudes to, and opportunities for, people with visual impairments.

As our nationwide courses are delivered by  professional trainers, who many of them have lived experiences of living with a visual impairment, your team will get a real insight into how to deliver high quality customer service to people living with sight loss.

Who should attend?

The courses are suitable for anyone from customer facing staff for example receptionists, medical staff, carers, nurses or managers.

Common questions about visual impairment, sight loss or blindness

• How do I support a person with a visual impairment?
• How do different people see the world?
• Is visual language such as “see you later” offensive?
• How do blind people access a computer and what jobs can they do?
• How do I guide someone with sight loss?
• How can I ensure my business is accessible for people with sight loss?
• How do I communicate with people who have a visual impairment?
• How do I ensure my employees maintain good eye health?

Visual Impairment Awareness Training course content

Your organisation’s needs will be fully met through our bespoke visual impairment awareness training which will be tailored to suit your business requirements.

Typically, you’ll learn about:

• Causes of sight loss, eye conditions and their effects
• Understanding the  emotional impact of sight loss
• Sighted guide training – how to safely guide a person with a visual impairment
• Effective communication and appropriate language when communicating with a person who has a VI
• Reasonable adjustments to ensure you comply with The Equality Act 2010
• Making your buildings and environments accessible to people with VI
• The importance of eye health, especially for visual display users
• How assistive technology can empower a person with a visual impairment

You’ll find the course both interactive and engaging as it enables staff to take a hands-on approach and use simulation exercises to reinforce perspectives, whilst fostering confidence in supporting  and delivering high quality services to  people with visual impairment.

We have delivered these courses to various clients, nationwide. Take a look at our video to see what delegates say about our sessions.

Location

You’ll benefit from courses being delivered at your workplace which minimises staff time away from normal duties and facilitates the training of actual scenarios in-situ. If you prefer an off-site course, we can arrange for the use of a training facility close to your premises (may incur an additional charge for room hire).

Visual Impairment Awareness – Open Training Courses

We  also run open courses across the UK – click here to see if there’s one coming to your area.

Why choose Visualise as your training partner?

All our trainers are highly skilled and have a variety of disabilities, which allows them to provide first-hand, practical insight and training based upon real-life experiences.

What attendees say about our awareness training…

“I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel’s training course as it was informative with a good mix of theory, film and interactive learning. I particularly enjoyed the simulation specs and guiding exercises. Daniel’s delivery style is both fun and engaging.”

PRM Training Officer, OCS, London Gatwick Airport

“It was a complete pleasure and fun experience to undertake the visual impairment training offered by Daniel. His knowledge and experiences bring to life a topic that some people find hard to discuss. The session was full of fun exercises and gave a real insight into how simple things can make a real difference. I would highly recommend this training to anyone.”

Programme Support Manager, The Prince’s Trust Cymru

Cost and Booking Information

Half Day £795    Full Day £995 plus expenses. VAT not applicable.

To discuss your requirements or book your training course, call Daniel Williams on 07472305268 or email daniel@visualisetrainingandconsultancy.co.uk