Well done Sue!

Sue Hopkins pictured below , first staff member to complete and receive our Visual Impairment Awareness Training Certificate.

Letter from Sue after completing course.

THIS IS HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AWARENESS COURSE THAT I HAVE COMPLETED AND PASSED!

 The ignorance and prejudice that often informs some people’s attitude to those whose abilities differ from their own is constrained by lack of education. 

 The Visual Impairment Awareness Course deconstructs those subconscious social memes that reinforce difference and bring empathy and a more enlightened perspective.

 Although I have worked in the care sector for 30 years now, the course added invaluably to my skill-set, in bringing a greater insight and confidence working with visually impaired people.

 The core values of dignity, equality and independence is the fundamental challenge with a great and mutual reward.

 I have every expectation of the course becoming a prerequisite for those who wish to follow a career in care and a distinct asset for those in the public sector. This course is truly a must for all.

 Thank you Mike for giving me this opportunity.

Regards

Sue

“Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre wins a National Innovation Award for the UK’s first online distance learning Visual Impairment Awareness Training course”

Within the 2015 National Visionary Awards as announced at the Visionary Annual Conference in Edinburgh on 20^th October 2015, Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre won a national award for ‘Innovation’.  This comes as a direct result of the UK’s first Visual impairment Awareness Training (VIAT) that can be taken online or through distance learning. The course designed by the professional team of rehabilitation specialists, volunteers and service users is for anyone who may come into contact with a person who is visually impaired.

Mike Bailey said, “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award and have been blown away by the response and feedback that we have received so far, we feel ‘we have opened the gates to visual impairment awareness training’ which can only benefit everyone and  make a positive impact on the lives of people who struggle with sight loss every day.

The Visionary Awards 2015 judging panel was made up of representatives from VISION 2020 UK and Thomas Pocklington Trust.  Alison Oliver, CEO at Visionary, commented that the panel were impressed by how the Christopher Grange Rehab Centre used their knowledge and experience to design an awareness course that has the potential for reaching a wide range of people both within and outside the sight loss sector. They saw the potential for this to make a big difference in the inclusion of people with sight loss and particularly liked the way that this initiative brought innovation in improving visual impairment awareness together with new ways of generating funds for local sight loss societies through their participation in promoting the training. Alison Oliver CEO Visionary.

For information and interviews contact:

Mike Bailey Manager – Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre

0151 220 2525

mikebailey@christophergrange.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

Visionary is the only organisation that supports local independent charities that support blind and partially sighted people across the UK.  These independent local societies provide practical on the ground services for local people with sight loss.  Currently Visionary has over 100 local society members throughout the UK. www.visionary.org.uk

VISION 2020 was established in 2003 in support of the VISION 2020 global initiative and we are leading partners of the international Agency for the prevention of Blindness (APB) www.vision2020uk.org.uk  

UK’s first online Visual Impairment Awareness Training

The first Visual Impairment awareness training course which can be taken online or through distance learning has been launched by Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre.

The course, designed by the professional team of rehabilitation specialist, volunteers and service users is for anyone who may come into contact with a person who is visually impaired – as a customer, service user or student – and aims to provide the learner with the confidence to offer effective support.

The 11 modules, with exercises and questions, take people through the facts and figures about sight problems, discuss some of the myths and realities and also provide straightforward practical advice for making everyone’s lives easier.

“Almost two million people in the UK already have some level of sight loss, and this number’s increasing sharply” says Mike Bailey.  “We come across a lot of people who ask us about the visual impairment training course we deliver at Christopher Grange.  They cannot come here themselves, but they are very keen to find out the essentials of how to accommodate the needs of the people with visual impairment.”

Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre already provides in house training for taxi drivers, medical students and businesses in the Merseyside area.  The new online course is available through NCC Resources and is backed by Visionary, the national membership organisation for local sight loss charities.  Visionary’s’ Chief Executive Alison Oliver commented,   “This is an exciting initiative that will help people to develop a broader understanding of visual impairment and improve their confidence when interacting with a person with sight loss. We at Visionary are very pleased to be able to support this” 

For further information contact: Mike Bailey 0151 220 2525 mikebailey@christophergrange.org

Notes to Editors:

Christopher Grange Visual Rehabilitation Centre provides centre based rehabilitation services for people who are blind and partially sighted. Our focus is promoting independence and choice.

Christopher Grange is part of Catholic Blind Institute. Registered Charity No. 1102657

NCC Resources Limited and NCC Home Learning have almost 20 years’ experience in adult learning education, offering a complete resources of paper based and on-line learning courses.  NCC offer over 350 home learning courses that have a relevant and practical use in the workplace.  More information is available at www.ncchomelearning.co.uk.  or www.ncctrainingresources.co.uk

Visionary is the only organisation that supports local independent charities that support blind and partially sighted people across the UK. Currently Visionary has over 100 local society members throughout the UK. More information is available at www.visionary.org.uk