Young NI people with vision impairment praise Our Futures project
Two Northern Ireland people have paid tribute to a project designed and developed by and for young people with vision impairment.
Nathan Hood and Rebekkah Lindores were among a group of young people living with vision impairment who attended a celebration of the ‘Our Futures’ project, held recently in Belfast’s Black Box.
Designed by, and for, young people aged eight to 25 with vision impairment, Our Futures was a five-year partnership between RNIB NI and Guide Dogs NI, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund NI’s Empowering Young People’s Programme, supporting them to overcome barriers and challenges through transitional periods of their lives. Surpassing all expectations, the project touched the lives of 275 children and young people with vision impairment.
The theme of the project celebration event in Belfast was, ‘Our Futures, Our Voice, Our Choice’.
During the event, young people with a new-found confidence and independence, along with project staff, shared key successes and discussed next steps to support young people with vision impairment to thrive.
Nathan Hood, who is 23, partially sighted and lives in Banbridge, said he gained a lot from attending the 18 to 35 Young Adults group that was set up through the Our Futures project.
“After the Covid pandemic, I’d lost touch with some friends and hadn’t realised how isolated I’d become. I was rather down in the dumps. With my vision impairment, I find it quite hard to just go out to a bar or somewhere like that, without people I know with me.
“But I went along to this group and found a whole bunch of people who were on the same wavelength as me. It was a way of connecting with people my age.
"We all felt that commonality and were able to share experiences and let our guard down. I quickly realised that I wasn’t the only one to feel a bit isolated, and anxious about travelling alone on public transport or visiting new places.”
Nathan added: “The ‘Our Futures’ project was so important for young adults with vision impairment like me, at a time when life can throw a lot at you and things can be confusing whether you have vision impairment or not.
"You’re moving from one world to another. You have to suddenly worry about getting a job, travelling to new places; even cooking for the first time. These are all things that some people might take for granted but they’re skills that you need to learn - building up that confidence to go and do these things in a big scary world.”
Rebekkah Lindores is 22 and from Belfast, she is currently enjoying studying Psychology at Ulster University. She has tunnel vision and no depth perception as a result of the removal of a brain tumour.
She said: “For me, it was so important to have a space and a time to be able to talk about things I was going through, with people my own age and who were going through something similar.
"When you can socialise and talk about things with people who empathise and understand, it means so much. As a group, we discussed many things, but independence was a topic that came up over and over again.”
Rebekkah said a huge step forward in her own independence was when she got her guide dog Iggy.
She said: “I feel a lot of the barriers and challenges I faced have lessened since I gained more confidence and got Iggy. I wouldn’t have gone out by myself very much but now I just go ahead. I was never a big fan of the long white cane as I tended to trip or bump into things. With a guide dog, you just go round the obstacle.”
Research shows that children and young people with vision impairment can be particularly vulnerable to emotional health difficulties and social isolation. Peer support can be of huge benefit, creating a sense of community, reducing feelings of social isolation, and providing opportunities to share information and advice.
Donna McNicholl, RNIB’s project co-ordinator for the Our Futures project, said: “It’s been such a privilege to work with these children and young people. We know that young people growing up will meet barriers and challenges, especially at those transitional stages of life, like when leaving school or education to start work, but if we can provide the support they need to meet these challenges head-on and with confidence and independence, then nothing can stop them.
“One aspect I’ll take with me is how much it’s about the relationships we build. When working with young people, it’s about building trust and confidence. Same goes for their parents and guardians.
“Above all, I’m so delighted to see these young people learning new life skills, flourishing in new experiences and growing as people - to go on to thrive in whatever they wish to do in their adult lives. It’s been such a pleasure partnering with Guide Dogs NI on this project, and I’d like to thank the National Lottery Community Fund for their support.”
Miriam DeGroot, habilitation service manager, Guide Dogs NI said: "It has been brilliant to collaborate with RNIB on this wonderful project over the past three years and to mark its success in this way, alongside the participants and National Lottery Community Fund, is very special. It has been a privilege to work alongside the young people who directly influenced the many activities offered and to see the independence and confidence grow of all of those who took part!"