Back in May 2013, I was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s In Touch by Peter White, alongside Dr Fred Reid and Ellie Southwood, to discuss a stark reality: only one in four blind people of working age in the UK had a job. That meant 75% were unemployed — the highest unemployment rate of any disability group.
Dr Reid pointed out that the situation was similar across Europe, and that since the early 1990s, progress had stalled. Support services were overstretched, and visually impaired people continued to face systemic barriers to employment.
Fast forward to 2025 — more than a decade later — and that figure has barely shifted. We are still talking about three in four visually impaired people locked out of work.
But here’s what has changed: if no one else was going to tackle the problem head-on, I decided to be part of the solution. That is why we have launched the Blind Ambition Recruitment website — a platform designed from the ground up to:
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Be fully accessible: the site has been built with blind and partially sighted people in mind, removing the barriers job seekers often face navigating dozens of inaccessible job boards.
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Create a safe and supportive space: every employer who posts a role with us is committed to inclusive hiring, so candidates know they are applying into a welcoming environment.
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Bring job seekers and employers together: Blind Ambition Recruitment is not just another jobs board — it’s a central hub where visually impaired people can find opportunities and employers can connect with a rich, often overlooked talent pool.
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Champion new opportunities: with technology advancing, there are more sectors than ever where visually impaired professionals can compete on equal terms. We’re here to make sure those doors open.
Our ambition is simple: to help drive down that 75% figure. Even bringing unemployment rates for visually impaired people in line with the wider disabled population — around 51% — would be a powerful first step.
If, in a few years’ time, I find myself back on In Touch or another platform, I hope I’ll be able to say: “We’ve made real progress. The number is no longer 75% — it’s falling, and more blind and partially sighted people are in meaningful work.”
This is about more than statistics. It’s about confidence, independence, and fairness. With Blind Ambition Recruitment, we’re moving from talking about the problem to building the solution.
👉 Explore opportunities or post jobs with us here: Blind Ambition Recruitment Board
