Great toys for vision impaired children this National Play Day
Did you know that the first Wednesday of every August is National Play Day? To mark the occasion, blind writer Charlotte Bateman shares her memories of play as a child, and her top toy picks especially suited for children with sight loss. One of my happiest memories from childhood is spending endless hours just playing. I was born in 2001, before tablets and smartphones took over. Back then, it was all about toys. And as a blind child, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Everything was tactile. I spent hours building Lego houses, [...]
Top tips for making money and securing employment as a vision impaired person
Charlotte shares side hustles to try this summer holidays When I was a teen, many of my sighted peers at school were getting weekend jobs: stacking shelves, working as baristas, waiting tables. But as someone with no useful vision, none of those jobs were accessible. I ended up receiving Universal Credit which provided me with a small monthly income. It meant I could spend money on things like new clothes or eating out. Having said that, the whole application process was pretty laborious, and now that I look back, I wish I’d thought about other [...]
Shadow of Light – International Music Competition
By Ellie Wallwork Hi everyone, as some of you might already know, along with being a Changemaker, I am also a visually impaired actor. Below is a wonderful project which I feel so privileged to be involved in! Shadow of Light is an upcoming international feature film, in which I will be playing the lead role of Georgia. If you're a composer for acoustic guitar, you have the chance to be part of it too by submitting your own original piece of work to be featured in the film. You can find out more about [...]
Experiencing nature as a blind person
By Grace Hill Across June The Wildlife Trusts have been getting people involved and engaged in nature for 30 Days Wild. Grace shares her thoughts on exploring nature with sight loss. Hello, I'm Grace and I'm a VICTA Changemaker, and today I'm going to offer some insight into my experience of nature as a blind person. So we often talk about how nature can help our mental health, how going out in nature can help us clear our heads and connect with the world around us. And that is completely true, but there are downsides... [...]
Breaking barriers: journey through finance, independence, and empowerment
By Bilaal Ali My name is Bilaal, I'm a determined and passionate blind student pursuing a degree in Accounting and Finance. I'd like to share my journey which is marked by ambition, resilience, and the unshakeable belief that sight loss should never be a barrier to success. I am currently completing a work placement as a Junior Accountant at Nicholson and Co, where I have been gaining real-world experience in essential accounting tasks like bookkeeping, tax returns, and report writing. But beyond just learning how to work with numbers, I'm navigating an industry that often [...]
Misconceptions about guide dogs with Ruqaiya and Bertie
By Ruqaiya Asim I'm blind. My name is Ruqaiya and I'm also an artist and disability advocate. I'd like to talk to you about misconceptions about guide dogs - watch the video to find out more! Have you ever experienced any moments like Ruqaiya with your guide dog? Are you a non guide dog owner who has learnt something new? Let us know in the comments! Follow Ruqaiya on social media to hear more: Instagram: @ruqaiya.art TikTok: @ruqaiya.art YouTube: @ruqaiya.art Stay in the loop! Sign up for email [...]
I’m blind and this is why I love Ju-Jitsu
By Kieran Clarke The reason that I love Ju-Jitsu so much as a blind person is because it doesn't really have to be adapted for me. I can spar, compete, train and do everything that everyone else can do without any adaptation, unlike other sports. Ju-Jitsu primarily relies on contact and feel of your opponent, so this is great for someone like me that relies on these senses more than the average person. However, sometimes when I'm grappling, I do tend to accidently poke my opponents in the eyes. And I promise this is not from [...]
Nine ways ChatGPT can help you live a smarter, more independent life
Top ChatGPT Hacks You Need To Know: Charlotte shares her thoughts on how ChatGPT can be especially helpful for VI users: I was very sceptical about ChatGPT. I assumed it would be unreliable and clunky and full of misinformation. But I can honestly say, I was wrong. It is so clever and it has made a huge difference in not only my job, but also my daily life as a blind person. Here, I discuss my top hacks for living a smoother, smarter and more independent life with ChatGPT. What is it? Developed by OpenAI, [...]
GSCE and A-Level Revision Tips
It's the final push before exams - here are our top ten revision tips! Revising for exams like GCSEs and A-Levels can be tough. But with the right tools and strategies, you can absolutely thrive. Whether you use Braille, screen readers or large print, here are our top revision tips for blind and VI students. 1. Make a revision plan In a document, write out a list of all the subjects you are taking. Divide each subject into topics. Put a star or symbol next to the topics you find most challenging. This will help you [...]
Celebrating our love of books together!
Let's celebrate all of our entries! We'd like to say a massive thank you to all the children who entered our World Book Day celebration! Here is the final line up of submissions where you’ve dressed up and told us about your favourite books. All of the children who took part this year received a a free Voxblock audiobook reader so you can continue to explore your love of literacy! Catherine from the VICTA team has also selected some of her favourite entries to receive a pair of POGS The Elephant headphones, we’ll be in touch soon if you [...]
