Grants of up to £50,000 are available for charities in London aiming to tackle unemployment among blind and partially sighted people.
The Vision Foundation’s 2021 fund is inviting applications that will help to tackle barriers that prevent visually impaired people from getting into work.
These may include negative perceptions among employers or the public, delivering specific support services such as training, mentoring and job matching or providing technological solutions.
Applications are also encouraged from groups that don’t currently work with the visually impaired community but whose projects could be made accessible and targeted with development funding.
A recently published report by the charity, See My Skills, revealed that only one in four visually impaired people of working age has a job.
Researchers found that 90 per cent of employers think it would be difficult or impossible to employ a blind or partially sighted person, in addition to public perception being a big issue.
In a previous survey carried out by the charity, more than nine in 10 members of the public said they did not think their job could be done by a blind person.
Olivia Curno, chief executive of the Vision Foundation, said: “The upshot is that everyone loses.
“Businesses lose out on much needed skills and talent and blind and partially sighted people are denied the sense of belonging, independence and self-esteem a job can bring.
“We’re looking for ideas which will make a real change to the work prospects for blind and partially sighted Londoners.
“This is a great chance for small, grassroots organisations with new and imaginative ideas to test or pilot these with one of the small grants, while our large grants can support longer-term projects.”
Applications are also invited from organisations that address other challenges faced by blind and partially sighted people and come under the charity’s existing three strategic aims: opening London up, empowering those at risk, and preventing avoidable sight loss.
Charities have until 1 September to apply for up to £50,000 from the 2021 Vision Fund.
There is also a small grants programme, which awards up to £10,000, that has a 15 September deadline.
The charity said a minimum of £332,000 will be awarded in this round, and details of a second round will be confirmed next year.
For further information and how to apply, click here.