John Beale from Lane Cove has been looking for work for a long time but with the help of Vision Australia’s Employment Services he has developed a greater confidence.
John was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease in 1980. This is a genetic condition which causes deterioration of the central vision while leavening peripheral vision relatively unaffected. This means John finds reading and writing difficult but he still has enough sight to walk around safely.
John has had a variety of jobs including running a gardening business, a printing production assistant and working at Centrelink. He has also worked in a call centre and wants to continue working in the customer service industry.
“I have been looking for work for a couple of years and it can get a bit discouraging sometimes but I am becoming more confident now,” he said.
John has recently completed the Pre-Employment Program at Vision Australia; an intensive program specifically designed to assisted vision impaired job seekers to develop the skills to successfully enter the workforce.
“It was a valuable thing to do. The modules were very good, particularly the ones on how to find jobs and the job market. Some of the questionnaires allowed me to learn a lot about myself. The enthusiasm of the staff giving the program helped as well.”
This is the first time Vision Australia has offered the Pre-Employment Program.
Deena Naidu, National Engagement Co-ordinator for Employment Services is pleased with its success.
“Running the program was a joy because of the calibre of the clients. Our delivery was based around making it enjoyable and interactive. I think clients have gained confidence and have become motivated and enthusiastic about work,” she said.
Download John Beale media release
John was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease in 1980. This is a genetic condition which causes deterioration of the central vision while leavening peripheral vision relatively unaffected. This means John finds reading and writing difficult but he still has enough sight to walk around safely.
John has had a variety of jobs including running a gardening business, a printing production assistant and working at Centrelink. He has also worked in a call centre and wants to continue working in the customer service industry.
“I have been looking for work for a couple of years and it can get a bit discouraging sometimes but I am becoming more confident now,” he said.
John has recently completed the Pre-Employment Program at Vision Australia; an intensive program specifically designed to assisted vision impaired job seekers to develop the skills to successfully enter the workforce.
“It was a valuable thing to do. The modules were very good, particularly the ones on how to find jobs and the job market. Some of the questionnaires allowed me to learn a lot about myself. The enthusiasm of the staff giving the program helped as well.”
This is the first time Vision Australia has offered the Pre-Employment Program.
Deena Naidu, National Engagement Co-ordinator for Employment Services is pleased with its success.
“Running the program was a joy because of the calibre of the clients. Our delivery was based around making it enjoyable and interactive. I think clients have gained confidence and have become motivated and enthusiastic about work,” she said.
Download John Beale media release