The VisionTech Empowerment Initiative
One-on-one coaching on assistive technology for people with sight loss.
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"I am writing to express my appreciation for the outstanding five session mentoring course I recently attended, which was organized by Fighting Blindness. This course, led by a visually impaired tutor, has significantly enhanced my ability to access and utilize digital media, and I would like to commend your team for this exceptional initiative.”- Learner
This project aimed to improve support for individuals living with sight loss by offering personalised one-on-one coaching on assistive technology. Building on the Exchange Club, a peer-to-peer technology group, facilitators addressed needs for guidance on how to use assistive technology.
The project mainly took place online, using virtual platforms to deliver coaching sessions to individuals with sight loss throughout Ireland. In-person sessions were also offered for those who preferred them.
55 individuals were supported during the project, with 234 hours of coaching delivered to help participants gain valuable skills.
This project was innovative because it addressed longstanding challenges faced by individuals with visual impairments in accessing digital literacy resources. This initiative responded to the needs of individuals with visual impairments, who often encountered barriers to participating in such programs.
Through personalised support, this project empowered participants to use assistive tools, enhancing their independence and digital literacy. They gained valuable skills to better access technology, improve their quality of life, and participate more fully in community activities.
This initiative helped bridge the gap between technology and the needs of the visually impaired, fostering inclusivity and accessibility.
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“I was matched up with Pat, who is visually impaired himself, who was my mentor for the course. I am still not the total master of what I set out to do but the one-to-one tuition for me was the best training I had ever done, and I hope going forward I can have more of this training.”- Learner
This project was a collaboration between Fighting Blindness and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
For more information about the project, please contact Fionnuala Carter, Education Lead at the National Programme, at fionnuala.carter@solas.ie
The Adult Literacy for Life Collaboration and Innovation Fund
The Collaboration and Innovation Fund supports projects for adults with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs and projects that support organisations to be literacy friendly. The closing date for 2024 applications has now passed but keep an eye out for information on our 2025 fund which will be launched in December.
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