Sight guide volunteer scheme for Shopmobility
The project has been developed through a partnership with RNIB NI (The Royal National Institute of Blind People Northern Ireland) and Shopmobility schemes across five centres in Northern Ireland including the North Street base.
The scheme will allow an individual to book a volunteer guide for the agreed period of between 90 minutes and two hours. RNIB has assisted in the recruitment of 28 volunteers and has provided accredited Visual Awareness Training.
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Hide AdNoting a “real demand for this service”, Olive Rodgers, Activity Leader at RNIB, encouraged retailers “to offer visual awareness training to their staff to increase awareness of the needs of people living with sight loss”.
Ryan McCartney, who has accessed the service, said: “The guides are extremely helpful, doing all you ask of them, but also letting you have your independence as well. They will meet you at an agreed location, then take you round the shops of your choice and read product information for you, the service aims to get you the same guide who gets to know your shopping preferences and patterns and I find this a big help to me.”
Contact Shopmobility on 028 9336 8415 or [email protected]