Each week we are going to be saying “Hello” to another organisation in the VI world to learn more about who they are and what they do.
This week, we are chatting to Elin Williams (Volunteer Development Coordinator) plus Craig Brett and Abbie Reddington (Volunteer Mentors) from Look.
So, Hi all, please can you tell us about Look:
We are a small but national charity who support young visually impaired people and their families, through topical online and offline events, to thrive.
Our events include peer-support groups; youth forums; parent support groups; educational/schools workshops; events for professionals; and informative webinars to connect and empower the visually impaired community.
From these events, a catalogue of resources such as podcasts, webinar recordings and accessible documents (on a range of topics including assistive technology, remote learning and VI student Q&A’s) is created and housed on the Look website.
And you have a tailored peer-mentoring service?
Yes, we connect visually impaired young people (aged between 11 and 29) with a trained mentor. These mentors are all visually impaired adults (aged between 18 and 35) who, based on their own personal experiences, are able to offer advice, support and guidance on subjects such as school; further & higher education; careers; opportunities; and independent living.
Craig and Abbie, you are both mentors, how did you get involved and what do you enjoy about the role?
We started by attending mentor training which was run over a residential weekend. Here we got to meet up with other mentors and build strong links from the very beginning.
We were then matched with a mentee who we communicate with, about once a week, via a safe online mentoring platform called brightside. Initially this was supposed to be for 12 months but it has been extended because of lockdown.
We mentor on a 1 to 1 basis but we also get involved in other Look events where we get to meet other mentors and mentees. We really enjoy the social side. Being visually impaired can be very challenging at times so sharing experiences to benefit others is really rewarding – we all learn from each other.
How can we find out more information?
For more information you can phone us on 07464 351958 or email info@look-uk.org. You can also visit our website and connect with us on social media:
