Alice Findlay, RNIB Customer Voice Insight Coordinator shares the latest opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to get involved in with RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey.

Opportunities highlighted this week included:

RNIB have teamed up with British Blind Sport to launch our new See Sport Differently campaign. Blind and partially sighted people are twice as likely to be inactive than people without sight loss, and so the goal of the See Sport Differently Programme is to tackle the barriers around awareness, confidence and information to get more blind and partially sighted people feeling the physical, mental and social benefits of sport and exercise.

The RNIB are looking for people with sight loss to act as See Sport Differently Champions. 

You may be someone who takes part in local sport or physical activity and happy to share your experiences with other blind and partially sighted people. The RNIB would be hoping that you might be able to offer informal peer support and encouragement to others who are taking those first steps to get active.

There are more ways of taking part in the programme, from signing up as a See Sport Differently champion, to sharing your story, joining a focus group, or helping the RNIB evaluate the programme. There are lots of ways to get involved and you don’t need to be sporty or active to take part. 

Contact the team via email [email protected] to find out more about current opportunities. 

BRAVO VICTOR (a sister charity of Blind Veterans UK) are currently recruiting adults aged 18 and over who are Chinese or of Chinese heritage and have a visual impairment to take part in a research interview. 

A recent review found that very little research has explored the everyday experiences of adults from different ethnic communities in the UK who have a visual impairment. Considering that some groups may be at greater risk of visual impairment and the health inequalities experienced by different ethnic communities, it is important that they are included in research and their voices are heard. The aim of this research is to explore the experiences of individuals with visual impairment in Chinese communities in the UK, including their support needs and access to services. By understanding these experiences, BRAVO VICTOR hope to identify areas where improvements can be made to better support Chinese adults with visual impairment.

If you are interested in taking part or have any questions, please email Yanan Yu via [email protected] or call 020 7550 4049. 

All research information and materials are available in Chinese simplified.

MP Smarter Travel are currently working with the Transport team for Lambeth Council, London, on the delivery of an Accessibility Working Group.

As part of the Equalities Act 2010, Lambeth Council want to ensure that all proposed infrastructure in the borough meets the requirements for disabled individuals. Visually impaired individuals can experience infrastructure differently to others and this can restrict their experience and freedom of travel. Whether this is kerbs, tactile paving, junctions and crossings, or access to buses.

Accessibility working group members will meet monthly to discuss proposed infrastructure designs and suggest changes to these designs. Feedback from the lived experience of accessibility group members will ensure that new infrastructure implemented in Lambeth is as inclusive as possible going forward, and freedom of travel is experienced by as many individuals as possible in the borough. 

Accessibility working group members will need to live or work in Lambeth, London, and be available to attend one meeting per month either online or in person in Lambeth.

If you are interested in participating in the group or know someone who might be interested, please do get in touch via email [email protected] or call 020 7960 2559.

To find out more about these Connect Voices opportunities and how you can get involved with RNIB Connect Voices do visit-

https://www.rnib.org.uk/connect-community/connect-voices-network/connect-voices-current-opportunities

(Image shows RNIB logo. 'RNIB' written in black capital letters over a white background and underlined with a bold pink line, with the words 'See differently' underneath)