Access to Employment
Thursday 02 October 08
Eye matters' latest campaign is focused on reversing the statistic that 75% of Blind and partially sighted people of working age are unemployed.
A common misconception is that unemployment among Blind and Partially Sighted people is due to lack of skills, lack of qualifications and the lack of desire to work. What this statistic does highlight is the inaccessibility of the job search and application process. For the majority of people, securing employment involves a visit to the job centre, finding a suitable job and submitting an application form. With luck they then go for an interview, very simple?
Not quite, for a Blind or partially sighted person. From the onset of the job searching process, they are faced with difficulties. Job centres present a host of difficulties, for example, they can be inaccessible from the voice telling you to go to the fourth attendant at the counter to the small receipt with the job details on it.
For Blind and partially sighted people the problems arise long before the nerve racking interview. We aim to make the application process less of a mine field and more a walk in the park so that blind and partially sighted people can get the jobs they have the ability and interest to do.
Check back soon for more updates on the progress of this campaign
