Signposting: Employment Advice & Support

RNIB and Blind Ambition are very excited to working together, to provide a series of 'New Me, New You, New Job' Employment Advice webinars for jobseekers with sight loss. If you would like to know more and join one of our advice sessions, please click on our Events section

If you need Employment advice or support, you can seek help from Blind Ambition or RNIB, see below details below:

• Blind Ambition: We provide careers coaching and guidance as well as employment advice. To contact us, you can either complete the contact us form OR email contact@blindambition.co.uk

• RNIB: https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-work-and-employment/looking-work

• Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999

• RNIB Job search Resources: https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-work-and-employment-looking-work/job-search-resources

• RNIB Equality, Rights & Employment: https://www.rnib.org.uk/advice/equality-rights-employment

• RNIB: Your rights in employment - https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-your-rights/your-rights-employment

• RNIB: Disclosing disability - https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-work-and-employment-looking-work/disclosing-disability

Interviews

• Looking for work includes interviews and tests, click on link below, https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-work-and-employment/looking-work

• Virtual Interviews - once on page, scroll half way down to get information on virtual interviews, click link, https://www.rnib.org.uk/advice/equality-rights-employment

Be Your Own Boss support

• Becoming Self-employed, you can also download the RNIB Factsheet from this page, click link https://www.rnib.org.uk/sight-loss-advice/equality-rights-and-employment/becoming-self-employed

• Turn 2 Grant Finder, click link https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/

• New Enterprise Allowance, click here

• Setting up a Limited Company, click link, https://www.gov.uk/set-up-limited-company

• Working For Yourself, click link https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself

Finding a Support Worker

• You can find information via RNIB, click on link, https://www.rnib.org.uk/sight-loss-advice/equality-rights-and-employment/staying-work/support-workers

Recommended books for Interviews

• "how to get a job you love" by John Lees. This is good for taking a strategic look at your work life, finding out your strengths, values etc and matching to potential roles.

• "Winning at interview " by Alan Jones - the approach to interviews, dealing with questions . Fantastic advice.

Work & Health Programme

• RNIB & the Work & Health Programme - https://www.rnib.org.uk/who-we-are/media-centre/latest-media-releases/rnib-work-and-health-programme . Currently RNIB's service model consists of the below:

• Pre-Employment Advice and Guidance

• Support for Providers

• In Work and Retention Advice and Guidance

• Shaw Trust Work & Health Programme (Central England and Home Counties and West London) - call 0800 389 0082, email Self–referral@shaw-trust.org.uk or visit https://www.shawtrust.org.uk/what-we-do/the-work-and-health-programme/

• Reed in Partnership Better Working Futures (North East) https://betterworkingfutures.co.uk/about-us/

• Ingeus Work and Health Programme (North West) https://ingeus.com/uk/privacy/working-well-(work-and-health-programme)-privacy-n

• Pluss (Southern) - https://www.pluss.org.uk/work/services

• Remploy (Wales) - https://www.remploy.co.uk/WHPWales

• Scotland Fair Start Scotland - https://www.mygov.scot/help-find-job/

• Northern Ireland, the RNIB projects are Eye Work Too (pre-employment) and Workable (retention). Link is https://www.rnib.org.uk/northern-ireland/employment-services

Eligibility for Work and Health Programme

People who are disabled and those who have been unemployed for more than two years may be eligible for the programme. In addition, people may be eligible if they are:

• a carer or former carer

• homeless

• a former member of the armed forces or an armed forces reservist

• the partner of a current or former member of the armed forces

• a care leaver

• a young person in a gang

• a refugee

• a victim of domestic violence

• dependent (or have been dependent) on drugs or alcohol and preventing them from getting work

• an ex-offender who has completed a custodial or community sentence

• an offender serving a community sentence

The programme is voluntary for all the above groups.

All Jobcentre Plus work coaches are able to refer people to the Programme. They can be referred if various criteria are met, such as the claimant being able to find employment within one year, or if they need more support than can be provided within the standard Jobcentre Plus offer.

Access to Work advice, please click link www.gov.uk/access-to-work

• You can also call Access to Work on: Telephone: 0800 121 7479 Textphone: 0800 121 7579

• DWP Youtube channel for BSL click link, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjUsu6cIRwcEx48fYYmFfBA/videos

• Access to work Easy read factsheet https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877745/easy-read-access-to-work.pdf

• Click here for DWP advice

• RNIB access to work: https://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-work-and-employment-practical-support/access-work-scheme

• Access to work information for employers: https://www.rnib.org.uk/employers-and-businesses/employing-blind-or-partially-sighted-person/access-work

If you need Apprenticeship advice, please contact:

• RNIB Apprenticeships Programme, click here https://www.rnib.org.uk/rnib-apprenticeship-programme

• How to find an Apprenticeship via Gov.UK website: https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch

• Amazing Apprenticeships: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/

• Remploy: https://www.remploy.co.uk/

• Remploy number: 0300 456 8119

How to Present Yourself - Help with lighting and colour

We had a great webinar run on the 6th April with our expert, Lizi Green from House of Colour, which was all about , 'How to Present Yourself' and there were a few suggestions on what would help:

• Talking colour detector from RNIB - https://shop.rnib.org.uk/talking-colour-detector

• Colorino talking colour identifier and light detector from RNIB - https://shop.rnib.org.uk/colorino-talking-colour-identifier-and-light-detector

• LED Ring Light with Tripod Stand & Phone Holder, 6 inch Dimmable Selfie Ring https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CR7M7JV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_QQG31G0KJF31T2672Q75?pldnSite=1

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Image description: Logo RNIB black text, pink link underneath, text underneath 'See differently'.