Vocational Training Centres
for Blind and Partially Sighted People in Europe

Norway

There used to be a vocational training center for the blind in Norway : "Huseby utdanningsenter for synshemmede" (Oslo).

The idea of integration or "mainstreaming" was embraced at an early stage by the Norwegian educational authorities. This has led to a gradual scaling down of specialised vocational training for the blind. Instead, blind people are supposed to receive their vocational training in ordinary schools and centers.

"Huseby utdanningsenter" is now functioning as a resource center, supporting blind and partially sighted people receiving training in ordinary schools. In addition, courses of short duration are organised to cater for special needs.



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Poland

11 centres :
1. Specjalny Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci i Mlodziezy Niewidomej i Slabowidzacej im. Louisa Braill'a
(Special Educational Centre for Visually Impaired Children)
85-008 Bydgoszcz
ul. Krasinskiego 10
Tel : +48 52 322 1787, 322 7625, 321 5558 ; Fax : +48 52 322 7625

Courses provided :
    - Shop assistant / salesman skills
    - Mechanics
    - Agriculture

2. Specjalny Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Niedowidzacych i Niewidomych
(Special Educational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
41-303 Dabrowa Gornicza - Golonog
ul. Wybickiego 1
Tel/Fax : +48 32 261 2245

Courses provided :
    - Ceramics decoration
    - Glass decoration
    - Horticulture
    - Wickerwork

3. Specjalny Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Niewidomych i Slabowidzacych
(Special Educational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
30-319 Krakow
ul. Tyniecka 7
Tel : +48 12 266 6680 ; Fax : +48 12 266 8622

Courses provided :
    - Music instruments tuning and restoring
    - Sound studio
    - Horticulture
    - Office skills

4. Medyczne Studium Masazu Leczniczego
(Medical College of Massage)
Krakow 30-079
ul. Krolewska 86
Tel : +48 12 638 5661

Courses provided :
    - Massage

5. Medyczne Studium Zawodowe masazu leczniczego
(Medical College of Massage)
20-090 Lublin
ul. Jaczewskiego 5
Tel : +48 81 747 8081

Courses provided :
    - Massage

6. Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Slabowidzacych i Niewidomych
(Educational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
91-866 Lodz
ul. Dziewanny 24
Tel : +48 42 657 7941 ; Tel/Fax : +48 42 657 7811

Courses provided :
    - Massage

7. Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Niewidomych im. Synow Pulku
(Educational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
62-005 Owinska k. Poznania
Pl. Przemyslawa 9
Tel : +48 61 812 0486, 812 0011 ; Fax : +48 61 812 6737

Courses provided :
    - Upholstery
    - Wickerwork

8. Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Niewidomych im. M. Grzegorzewskiej
(Educational Centre for the Blind)
53-125 Wroclaw
ul. Kasztanowa 3a/5
Tel : +48 71 367 1823 ; Tel/Fax : +48 71 364 3487

Courses provided :
    - Massage
    - Office skills
    - Textile work
    - Textile machine operator
    - Machine operator (ceramics)
    - Electricity
    - Locksmith
    - Woodwork

9. Specjalny Osrodek Szkolno-wychowawczy dla Dzieci i Mlodziezy Niewidomej i Slabowidzacej
(Special Educational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
Chorzow
ul. Hajducka 22
Tel : +48 32 241 4882

Courses provided :
    - Locksmith
    - Mechanics

10. Zespol Szkol Zawodowych Nr. 3
(Vocational Centre Nr 3)
20-425 Lublin
ul.Wyscigowa 31
Tel : +48 81 532 1914

Courses provided :
    - Bookbinding
    - Purse making
    - Textile work
    - Economy / Administration

11. Zespol Szkol Zawodowych Specjalnych Nr. 2 (Special Vocational Centre for the Partially Sighted)
91-836 Lodz
al. I Dywizji 16/18
Tel : +48 42 657 1653

Courses provided :
    - Textile machine operator
    - Purse making



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Portugal

6 centres :
1. ACAPO
Av. Joao Paulo II, Lote 531-2°
1900-726 LISBOA
Tel : +351 21 859 5097 or +351 21 831 0505

Courses provided :
    - Office skills
This center also provides support to those at work, as well as careers guidance and help with job seeking.
2. Associaçao Promotora de Emprego de Deficientes Visuais
(Association to Promote the Employment of the Visually Impaired)
Av. Joao Paulo II, Lote 525-1°
Zona J. de Chelas
1900-726 LISBOA
Tel : +351 21 831 0760 ; Fax : +351 21 859 7375

Courses provided :
    - Basketwork
    - Massage
    - Telephony
    - Woodwork

3. Associaçao Promotora do Ensino dos Cegos
(Association to Promote the Teaching of the Blind)
Rua Francisco Metrass, 95
1350-141 LISBOA
Tel : +351 1 385 9426 ; Fax : +351 1 387 8230

Courses provided :
    - Piano restoring and tuning
    - Translation, Interpretation
    - Braille transcription
    - Music
    - Cane making

4. Associaçao dos Deficientes das Forças Armadas
(Armed Forces Association for the Disabled) Av. Padre Cruz
1600-560 LISBOA
Tel : +351 21 751 2600 ; Fax : +351 21 751 2610

Courses provided :
    - Graphic arts
    - Computer skills

5. Fundaçao Raquel e Martin Sain
(Raquel and Martin Sain Foundation)
Rua Joao Saraiva, 11
1700-248 LISBOA
Tel : +351 21 848 0136 / 0137 ; Fax : +351 21 849 2753

Courses provided :
    - Mechanics
    - Computer skills
    - Telephony
    - Carpentry
    - Textile work

6. Centro de Reabilitaçao de Gaia
(Gaia Vocational Rehabilitation Centre)
Av. Joao Paulo II, Arcozelo
4405 VALADARES
Tel : +351 22 762 9840

This Centre does not offer specific courses but provides careers guidance and help with job seeking.



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Russia

1 centre :
All-Russia Association of the Blind, VOS
Novaja Plochad 14
103 672 MOSCOW
Tel : +7 095 923 6160 ; Fax : +7 095 923 9149
E-mail : oms@vos.org.ru

Courses provided :
    - Massage
    - Music
    - Wickerwork
    - Wood carving
    - Knitting
    - Bookbinding
    - Agriculture
    - Carpentry


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Slovakia

4 centres :
1. Rehabilitacne stredisko pre zrakovo postihnutych
(Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired)
Kosicka 2
054 01 LEVOCA
Tel : +421 53 4513 649 ; Fax : +421 53 4513 390

Courses provided :
    - Physiotherapy
    - Telephony
    - Computer skills

2. SOU pre zrakovo postihnutu mladcz
(Vocational Training Center for Visually Impaired Youth)
Stefana Kluberta 1
054 01 LEVOCA
Tel/Fax : +421 53 451 4515

Courses provided :
    - Upholstery
    - Brush making
    - Basketwork

3. Stredna sdravotna skola
(Secondary Health School)
Klastorska 24 a
054 01 LEVOCA
Tel : +421 53 451 3381 ; Fax : +421 53 451 2269

Courses provided :
    - Physiotherapy

4. Unia Nevidiacich a Slabozrakych Slovenska (UNSS)
(Slovak Blind and Partially Sighted Union)
Sekulska 1
842 50 BRATISLAVA
Tel : +421 2 654 20796 ; Fax : +421 2 654 20842
E-mail : mamojka@unss.sk
Website : www.unss.sk

Courses provided :
    - Computer skills



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Slovenia

1 centre :
Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia
Groharjeva 2
SI 1000 LJUBLJANA
Tel : + 386 61 4700 211 ; Fax : +386 61 4700 220
E-mail : zdsss@zveza-slepih.si
Website : www.zveza-slepih.si

Courses provided :
    - Computer skills
    - Housekeeping
    - Family skills (for parents of multi-handicapped children)



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Spain

3 centres :
1 ONCE Educational Resource Centre "Antonio Vicente Mosquete"
Paseo de la Habana 208
28036 MADRID
Tel : +34 91 353 5600 or 5601 ; Fax : +34 91 345 4157

Courses provided :
    - Telephony and telemarketing
    - Computerized Stenography
    - Piano tuning and repair
    - Communications and Computer Network Management
    - Chiropractic, Massage

2. ONCE Educational Resource Centre "Louis Braille"
Ctra. de Sevilla-Malaga, Km 1
41016 SEVILLA
Tel : +34 95 451 5711 ; Fax : +34 95 467 7929

Courses provided :
    - Telephony and telemarketing
    - Chiropractic, Massage
    - Social insurance (sales skills)

3. ONCE Educational Resource Centre "Joan Amades"
Avda. d'Esplugues 102-106
08034 BARCELONA
Tel : +34 93 280 4849 ; Fax : +34 93 280 5193

Courses provided :
    - Telephony and telemarketing
    - Chiropractic, Massage
    - Social Insurance (sales skills)



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Sweden

10 centres :
1. Ap-Rehab
Box 1131
172 24 SUNDBYBERG
Tel : +46 8 98 0090 ; Fax : +46 8 98 2092

2. Ap-Rehab H/D/S
Box 315
751 05 UPPSALA
Tel : +46 18 683 500
E-mail : arbetsformedlingen-hds-uppsala@lanc.amv.se

3. Ap-Rehab
Box 6043
600 06 NORRKÖPING
Tel : +46 11 20 2700 ; Fax : +46 11 20 2305

4. Ap-Rehab
Norra Järnvägsgatan 12
352 34 VÄXJÖ
Tel +46 470 357 50 ; Fax : +46 470 470 13

5. Ap-Rehab
Box 8188
200 41 MALMÖ
Tel : +46 40 32 1800 ; Fax : +46 40 32 1816

6. Ap-Rehab
Box 12023
402 41 GÖTEBORG
Tel : +46 31 775 5600 ; Fax : +46 31 14 9720

7. Ap-Rehab
Box 3051
681 03 KRISTINEHAMN
Tel : +46 550 341 50 ; Fax : +46 550 147 48

8. Ap-Rehab
Bergsgatan 130
853 50 SUNDSVALL
Tel : +46 60 19 5800 ; Fax : +46 60 12 3355

9. Ap-Rehab
Lagergatan 1
931 36 SKELLEFTEA
Tel : +46 910 84300 ; Fax : +46 910 84325



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Switzerland

5 centres :
1. Swiss Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Laupenstrasse 4
CH-3008 BERNE
Tel : +41 31 390 8800 ; Fax : +41 31 390 8850
E-mail : info@sbv-fsa.ch
Website : www.sbv-fsa.ch

Courses provided :
    - Telephony

2. EBTC
Friedackerstrasse 8, Postfach 9069
CH-8050 ZRICH
Tel : +41 1 317 9000 ; Fax : +41 1 317 9001

Courses provided :
    - Computer skills

3. Service Romand d'Informatique pour Handicapés de la Vue
Chemin des Trois-Rois 5 bis
CH-1005 LAUSANNE
Tel : +41 21 345 0070 ; Fax : +41 21 345 0071
E-mail : srihv@srihv.ch
Website : www.srihv.ch
10.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Computer skills

4. Eingliederungsstelle für Sehbehinderte
(Vocational Training Centre for Visually Impaired People)
Zürcherstrasse 149
CH-4052 BASEL
Tel : +41 61 564 0406, Fax : +41 61 564 0409
E-mail : info@sbh-basel.ch
Website : www.sbh-basel.ch
10.4.2008


Courses provided :
    - Computer skills

5. Unitas
Via San Gottardo
CH-6593 TENERO
Tel : +41 91 745 3030

Courses provided :
    - Computer skills


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Turkey

3 centres :
1. Federation of the Blind of Turkey
GMK Bulvan 32/6
Demirtepe / ANKARA
Tel : +90 312 231 8243 ; Fax : +90 312 231 8246
E-mail : bilgi@korlerfederasyonu.org.tr
d 9.2.2007

Courses provided :
    - Telephony
    - Assembly work
    - Packaging

2. Federation of the Blind of Turkey
Halitaga Cad. 84/3
Kadikoy, ISTANBUL
Tel : +90 216 418 0400 ; Fax : +90 216 418 0403
d 9.2.2007

Courses provided :
    - Telephony
    - Assembly work
    - Packaging

3. Six Dot Foundation for the Blind
Tuncay Artun Caddesi 69
80850 Emirgan / Istanbul
Tel : +90 212 277 62 28 / 323 21 53
Fax : +90 212 323 21 54
E-mail : info@6nokta.org.tr
Website : www.6nokta.org.tr
10.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Massage
    - Handicraft
    - Computer skills



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Ukraine

1 centre :
Ukrainian Association of the Blind
3 Pechortsky spusk
252023 KIEV
Tel : +380 44 224 1127 ; Fax : +380 44 225 4342
E-mail : utos@carrier.kiev.ua

Courses provided :
    - Electrical equipment fitting
    - Brush making
    - Iron work
    - Knitting
    - Bookbinding




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United Kingdom

4 centres :
1. RNIB Vocational College
Radmoor Road
LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 3BS
Tel : +44 1509 611077 ; Fax : +44 1509 232 013
E-mail : enquiries@rnibvocoll.ac.uk
Website : www.rnibvocoll.ac.uk
10.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Communication skills
    - Information and Communications technology
    - Basic keyboarding
    - Administration and Office work :
      - Text/word processing
      - Audio transcription
      - Desk top publishing
      - Spreadsheets
      - Database
      - Stock control
      - Switchboard training
      - Achieving customer excellence
      - Teleworking
      - Job seeking
      - Careers guidance
      - Enabling technology
      - Braille, braille shorthand
      - Accounts

2. Royal National College for the Blind
College Road
HEREFORD HR1 1EB
Tel : +44 1432 265725 ; Fax : +44 1432 376628
E-mail : info@rncb.ac.uk
Website : www.rncb.ac.uk
10.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Academic Studies - GCSEs, AS/A Levels
    - Access to and Preparation for Higher Education
    - Administration
    - Art and Design
    - Braille and Moon
    - Business Studies
    - Customer Services
    - Distance Learning - RNCs unique Teletutoring programmes
    - Flexible Foundation Course
    - Information and Communication Technology
    - Massage and Complementary Therapies
    - Music Technology
    - Performing Arts
    - Piano Technology
    - Short Courses
    - Sport and Recreation
    - Work Preparation

3. Henshaws College
Bogs Lane, Starbeck
HARROGATE HG1 4ED
Tel : +44 1423 886451
Email: admissions@hsbp.co.uk
Website : http://henshaws.live.poptech.coop/internal/89605/92693/89914/henshaws_college
10.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Horticulture
    - Woodwork
    - pottery

4. Queen Alexandra College
49 Court Oak Road, Harbone
BIRMINGHAM B17 9TG Tel : +44 121 428 5050 ; Fax : +44 121 428 5048
Email : enquiries@qac.ac.uk
Website : www.qac.ac.uk
10.4.2008


Courses provided :
    - Health and social care
    - Manufacturing
    - Information and communication technology
    - Business
    - Craft and Design
    - Basic furniture making and design




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Serbia

2 centres :
1. Veljko Ramadanovic
(Vocational Centre for the Visually Impaired)
143 Cara Dusana street
11080 ZEMUN
Tel : +381 11 2197 321 ; +381 11 611 525 ; +381 11 2616 948
Tel/fax : +381 11 2198 61
Email : veljkor@yubc.net
Website : www.skolaveljkoramadanovic.edu.yu
11.4.2008

Courses provided :
    - Telephony
    - Teleprinter typing
    - Office work

2. Belgrade Medical School / Department for the Visually Impaired
BELGRADE

Courses provided :
    - Physiotherapy



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