LifeChances Appeal
As a valued and committed supporter of Royal London Society for the Blind (RLSB), you should be among the first to know about a new venture that your continued generosity is making possible for children and young people who are visually impaired.
We know that blind and partially sighted children and young people can suffer from a poorer quality of life than children with other chronic conditions - those with epilepsy and cerebral palsy, for example. This is particularly pronounced when considering the socially isolating effects of visual impairment. 60% of blind and partially sighted children and young people never go out with their friends.
Children and young people who are given a chance to be part of a group, experience independence through achievement and try new activities that they enjoy. These challenges mean they are far more likely to adjust well in society and live happy and fulfilled lives. It's no different with visually impaired youngsters.
'Shared Vision' Activity Breaks
That's where the RLSB is actively helping to address these problems. At the RLSB's Dorton Campus in Kent, we have just started running our 'Shared Vision' Activity Breaks. These three-day breaks comprise modules entitled, 'Preparing for Independence', 'Art and Drama' and 'Fit and Happy'.
'Preparing for Independence' provides young people with important life coaching sessions, and workshops on motivation and planning for the future. 'Art and Drama', involves experience of acting, music and working on a radio station. Helping the children and young people to be 'Fit & Happy' is a very popular part of the break where the participants learn new sports such as Goalball, socialise and draw up an activity plan.
These activities are offered to visually impaired youngsters in mainstream schools, initially from Kent but later this year they will be made available to other education authority areas across London and the South East.
When we approached 25 local authorities with a research survey all declared that they were unable to meet the needs of blind and partially sighted children and young people in terms of leisure and holiday activities, independence skills, mobility, IT and support for parents and carers.
These activity breaks represent a very important opportunity to reach out to children and young people who are blind or partially sighted. Our eventual goal is to get to a position where we can offer them to all visually impaired children and young people in London and the South East aged 11 to 16 and extend them to a week in the summer.
It's vital to ensure that all our children and young people have the chance to socialise, challenge themselves and ultimately fulfil their potential.
If you would like to help make this vision a reality please go to our Make a Donation page.
For more information contact RLSB on 01732 592 500
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