Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) funded the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR), at the University of Birmingham, to undertake a unique research project. The study followed the experiences of a group of young people with vision impairment from secondary school into further education and employment.
This research provides an in-depth view of these students’ experiences and continues to provide vital insight to inform policy and practice. It demonstrates that more must be done to ensure blind and partially sighted children and young people have an equitable educational experience and they are supported to reach their potential in life.
We have worked with VICTAR to produce policy reports on the findings. Please see the below reports for more information:
The Transition Experiences of Young People with Vision Impairment Key Findings Dec 2019 (DOCX, 90 KB)
Longitudinal Transitions Report 2018 (DOCX, 265 KB)
Transitions Briefing 1: Current settings and activities of participants (DOCX, 102 KB)
Transitions Briefing 2: Employment readiness (DOCX, 97 KB)
The last phase of the research commenced in November 2015 and was funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust until 2019.
Previous stages of the study were funded by RNIB and The Nuffield Foundation. Technical reports and briefings from the earlier stages of research are available on the University of Birmingham’s website.
At the Lost in Transition conference 2021, habilitation specialists Suzy and Terri shared the building blocks needed for maximum independence for blind/partially sighted young people.
Find out more about 'Preparing Vision Impaired People for Their Future at an Early Age'Elin Williams, now Volunteer Development Coordinator at Look UK, has been involved in the transition study since she was 15. She talked at the conference about her transition journey through school, university and into employment.
Find out more about 'Elin Williams: My Transition Journey'Read our report from the session on Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at the Lost in Transition conference 2021.
Find out more about 'Sharing the Experiences of Careers Advice'Read our article from the final day of the Lost in Transition conference which explored how young people with vision impairment can be better supported to make the transition from full time education into employment.
Find out more about 'The Ultimate Transition Into Employment Must Start at School'Find out about the workshop we hosted at the Lost in Transitions conference (2021) which provided practical advice to blind /partially sighted students on successful transitions.
Find out more about 'Post-16 Education – Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help'
This online community is for blind and partially sighted students, family and friends, education providers and other staff in the sector. It forms a supportive environment where relevant news, advice, questions and pieces of work can be shared to enable students with visual impairments to get the most out of their time at university.
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