Employment Support in conjunction with State Street Kate Storrow

1. Employment Support in conjunction with State Street Kate Storrow Employment and Learning Services Manager RNIB Scotland kate.storrow@rnib.org.uk

2. Background • Regular contact with unemployed blind and partially sighted people with poor or no IT skills, poor independence skills, poor socialisation skills, no up to date knowledge of the Labour Market • Grandiose ideas of their individual skill levels and wages employers pay • Existing funding schemes for employment do not support blind and partially sighted people to develop the skills they need to enter employment.

3. Figures • Unemployment rate of at least 67 per cent and has not • improved in 25 years • Over 90 per cent of employers consider if 'difficult' or • 'impossible' to employ someone with a sight problem. (Only mental health issues rate as a more difficult issue) • 300 people a year leave their job in Scotland due to sight • loss • Young people are poorly represented in 'mainstream initiatives' such as Modern Apprenticeships

4. Figures • Government Flagship Employment Initiative, Work Programme - in Year One 480 and ZERO jobs (UK wide) • Assumption that people with sight problems are 'job • ready' • Most have no relevant up to date work experience • RNIB Scotland gets no funding to provide this • Rely on charitable donations to deliver this service.

5. State Street • 9000 staff based in Europe, UK and Ireland (800 in Edinburgh) • Investment servicing, Investment research and Trading investment management • £2.9 trillion in assets under custody and administration in EU, Uk and Ireland • £188 billion in assets under management in EU, UK and Ireland • Offices in 11 EU countries • CSR programme and Foundation funding

6. State Street • Global player with local focus • Local projects with impact on employability for hard to reach groups • Supportive with staff volunteers (16 days and 2 staff per day) • Visit to the HQ in Edinburgh to highlight the jobs available • Existing track record of employment blind and partially sighted people

7. Programme • 8 Day pre-employment programme devised by Dr Karen Wolffe • Had been previously delivered in Maine to similar cohort • Satisfaction with and evaluation of the programme evaluated by Dr Wolffe • RNIB Group already use a 15 module pre-employment course devised by Dr Wolffe to deliver pre-employment services

8. Programme • How finding a job requires self/job matching • Labour market …. What's hot and what’s not! • Discrepancy analysis • Disability statement and the art of self-revelation • Four dozen ways to stay unemployed • How looking for work is harder than working • Employer visits • Input from role models (successfully employed blind and partially sighted people)

9. Programme • 2 x 8 day programmes • 20 in total • Overall excellence rating of 75 per cent • Comments included: • "Very useful course in terms of relevant information but also in terms of support and encouragement." • "This is an excellent course which helps to build self-confidence. Very informative."

10. Programme • "Everyone was very helpful. This is the best course I have attended." • "This has been the best course I have attended concerned with partial sight. I cannot fault any part of this course and it will benefit me in the future." • Follow up evaluation is currently underway by Dr Wolffe • 5 people obtained jobs as a direct result of the programme.

11. Comments from Louise Wotherspoon, Vice President, State Street Global Services " In December 2014 I was delighted to attend the Graduation ceremony held at RNIB Employment and Learning Centre, Edinburgh and present the awards to the twenty students who successfully completed the Pre-Employment programme. The ceremony was the culmination of the partnership between State Street and RNIB Scotland, which successfully created and delivered the programme.

12. Comments from Louise Wotherspoon, Vice President, State Street Global Services " We are delighted with the outcome and it was incredibly touching to hear the participant's heart-warming comments which included: an increase in their network of friends, increased confidence and increased information about the job application process. It was very rewarding to hear that some of the students had successfully gained employment and further training opportunities through the course.

13. Comments from Louise Wotherspoon, Vice President, State Street Global Services " I was also delighted to host visits to the State Street office, which was well received and gave an insight into how blind and partially sighted people can gain employment in an office environment, with the use of modern technology equipment to overcome sight challenges, and also about volunteer opportunities available within RNIB Scotland. I am very much looking forward to continuing the longstanding relationship with RNIB Scotland in the future"

14. HELP AVAILABLE • RNIB website www.rnib.org.uk has a section for • individuals and professionals relating to employment • Local contacts in Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh and • Aberdeen) • Employment Advisers, transition advice, technology • advice, support with HR issues, staff development and training