Across the north-east of Scotland, many people with sight or hearing loss face barriers when it comes to finding and sustaining work.
Nationally, only 25 per cent of blind or partially sighted working-age people are in employment, and just 37 per cent of Deaf British Sign Language users have jobs.
For people with hearing loss, employment rates are higher, but still below the average, and many find their careers stalled or cut short by a lack of workplace support.
This is where the charity I work for, North East Sensory Services (NESS), can make a real difference – not just to individuals, but to businesses too.
We provide support services for people of all ages living with serious sight and/or hearing loss, helping them achieve greater levels of independence.
Like all charities, we rely on the kindness of individual donors and the time of volunteers to keep doing what we do, and there are plenty of ways for businesses to support us.
If your organisation would like to partner with us, organise fundraising to support our vital services, book training, or sponsor one of our programmes, we’d love to hear from you. For more information, email Colin Mathieson here.
Sight or hearing loss often develops later in life, sometimes while people are already established in their careers. Diabetes, strokes, cataracts, or progressive hearing loss are just a few examples.
For employees, the onset of sensory loss can cause anxiety about job security, financial stability, or whether to disclose their condition to their employer. Too often, this leads to early retirement or underemployment, and with it a loss of talent and experience.
For employers, the cost of losing skilled staff is significant. Recruitment, training, and the time it takes for a new employee to reach full productivity all add up.
Supporting an existing employee to stay in their role is not only more cost-effective, but also demonstrates loyalty and inclusivity.
Disabled employees are loyal, have strong attendance records, and can improve customer confidence by reflecting the diversity of the community they serve. In short, creating an inclusive workplace is good for people, good for business, and good for society.
So how can NESS help? We have provided dedicated employment support for over 15 years, through our specialist employment officer.
We work one-to-one with people who are blind, partially sighted, Deaf or living with hearing loss, tailoring support to their specific needs and goals.
This covers everything from helping them with applications for funding for adaptations and equipment, to working with employers to address common workplace issues.
If you have an employee in this situation, we can also help you understand their needs, and how you can support them. This might be about providing information about sight loss, hearing loss, or Deafness, or organising awareness training for wider staff.
Whether it’s a simple change like improved lighting or a larger adjustment such as restructuring tasks, most barriers can be overcome with discussion, planning, and the right support.
At NESS, our mission is to help Deaf and blind people live as independently as possible. We believe that people’s skills, knowledge and contributions should define them, not their sight or hearing loss.
By working with us, your business can retain valuable staff, recruit from a wider talent pool, and demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion.
If your business is looking to strengthen its workforce, improve inclusivity, and benefit from the skills of people with sensory loss, NESS can help.
To find out more about the NESS Employment Service, please visit www.nesensoryservices.org or contact us directly to discuss how we can support your organisation.