Vision in Enterprise (VIE)

NEW ! the project is now on the wikipreneurship site !

See ViE on the Community of Practice on Inclusive Entrepreneurship website !

With the current Europe wide economic downturn and consequent reduction in job vacancies, those normally disadvantaged in the labour market face additional pressures. Blind and partially sighted people face a range of significant barriers, which has resulted in their widespread exclusion from the labour market. These challenges are multiple, stemming from factors such as fragmented educational histories, low confidence/self esteem, and stigmatisation throughout the wider community (RNIB Needs Survey 2001).

For those encountering barriers to entry in the labour market, the solution is often to consider starting their own business or becoming self-employed. Action for Blind People (Action), in partnership with Business Link for London, has developed tailored business support services for this group with funding from the London Development Agency (LDA).

The aim of the Vision in Enterprise project is to take the innovatory programme of support services developed in the LDA funded Enterprise in Sight (EIS) project and build on the innovation achieved:

• to develop a toolkit and good practice guide for those training business support advisers working with the visually impaired;
• to enable those supporting blind and visually impaired entrepreneurs both in the UK and across Europe to be trained in support techniques proven to be successful with this vulnerable group;
• to test and adapt the toolkit for use by mainstream providers of business support to enable them to support the visually impaired and thereby increase the range of support available to this vulnerable group;
• to disseminate the learning and good practice gained on a pan-European basis to increase the capacity and competences of visually impaired.

EIS was highly successful. The final evaluation report is included with this application.

The project also builds on research undertaken in the successful EQUAL 2 Visage project which both demonstrated the employability and entrepreneurship of visually impaired people in the open labour market, and the need for specialist training and skills for business support staff working with this group.

The project partnership comprises of 6 partners: Action for Blind People (UK), Prevista Limited (UK), The European Blind Union (EBU), The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), The Pancyprian Organization of the Blind (POT, Cyprus), The Foundation Institute for Regional Development (Poland).

Tangible results will be a toolkit of bespoke learning materials, competencies and delivery methods for VET professionals with underpinning materials such as leaflets and reference guides. Intangible outcomes will include improved access to mainstream enterprise development and self-employment support services for the visually impaired resulting from improved training and greater awareness of the needs of this vulnerable group. The main impact of the project will be widespread awareness that the visually impaired can successfully achieve self-employment and develop enterprise given sensitive and appropriate support.

• Check out also the official project page
  http://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/our-services/projects/vision-in-enterprise/
  and the recently added sucess stories
• Read the Vision in Enterprise Research and Needs Analysis report
• Read the first EBU ViE press release of 21 April 2011 in English.
  French, German, Spanish, Polish and Greek versions are available on the press release page.

• Read the new article on the ViE project

  in the new, electronic EBU newsletter, also available in French, German and Spanish. Articles on the project were also published in issues 79, 81 and 83 of the EBU Newsletter in English, French, German and Spanish on the newsletter page.

Useful links related to the ViE project:

General European Entrepreneurship sites

Disability/sight-loss job-related sites

Sites in FRENCH