Finding work after uni
By Megan Fernandes Hi, my name is Megan. I am 24 years old and I work as a student adviser for a Student’s Union at a London University. I have been working in this role for 3 years and this was the first job I have ever had. Much of what made me pursue this job came from experiences I had at University. At University I studied Criminology and Sociology, and although at the time I didn’t know what job I wanted or could get with this degree, I knew I wanted to work in a job alongside supporting [...]
Volunteering as a key for long-term success
Written by Idil Serce The transition from higher education to employment can be a difficult and emotional roller coaster for all new graduates, but especially for visually impaired (VI) graduates who are in a more disadvantaged situation in comparison to their fellow peers. Being VI myself, I know how difficult it is for VI students to focus on their studies and gain work experience whilst fighting with the physical and emotional challenges of living with a VI. As a recent VI graduate, l will share my personal experience of transitioning into the world of employment and the impact that [...]
Behind the blog – A VIP’s blogging experience
By Elin Williams In the last few years, blogs have become one of the most popular innovations in the online world with people of different genders, ages, abilities and interests taking to a blog to share their stories, passions and opinions. This has also been the case for many vision impaired people, myself included, and I receive many questions about how I started my blog as well as how accessible I find the process of blogging and sharing content through social media. I established my blog, My Blurred World, in April 2015 to share my experience of living with a [...]
Volunteering at Junior Parkrun – By Scarlett
For my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, I volunteered at my local Junior Parkrun. The volunteering system was very structured, with a rotation system so people are allocated different roles each week, but also, for beginners like myself, a system that allowed me to experience each role from a marshalling point to run director. Initially, I started as a marshal, clapping and encouraging the runners around the course. I could hear the sound of the runners’ feet and heavy breathing approaching coming past my point, which allowed me to know when to start encouraging the runners when they were [...]
Superhero triathlon fundraiser – Q & A with Ryley
In 2018 Ryley, age 13, decided to set himself a huge sporting goal and enter the Superhero Tri, the UK’s one and only disability sports series for the Everyday Superhero! Ryley was born with a rare congenital eye condition which limits vision in both of his eyes and after attending VICTA activities himself, decided to support VICTA and raise funds towards our activities and services. We decided to find out what spurred Ryley on to take on this inspiring challenge… What inspired you to enter a triathlon? I wanted to try a new group of sports all together and [...]
Thailand Adventure with VICTA
I consider myself lucky to be well travelled. But this is only with family. Destinations and attractions have been numerous, but I have always craved something else; to travel with friends, peers, and experience richer, local cultural experiences than traditional family holidays deliver. Though I have many sighted friends through university, beyond hiking across the UK with friends from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Group, opportunity to enjoy any travel like this and with my own friends has been allusive. Finally in 2017 I graduated from university – an extremely testing, and sometimes very dark time in my life [...]
My university experience during lockdown
By Ibraheem Iqbal A stressful storm Hi, I’m Ibraheem. Currently a first year university student studying Psychology at the University of Liverpool. Well, I should be in my second year, but COVID happened. Let me take you back to the beginning, March 2020. All university students were told that studies would continue at home. To some this brought joy, to others confusion and although I can’t speak on behalf of everyone, from my encounters, most were pretty stressed out. Most students I spoke to adjusted to this ‘online’ method pretty fast. I mean attending a lecture while lying in [...]
A dramatic day with Extant performing arts!
This VICTA activity for 14 to 17s saw us heading into the big city for a real treat with a group of artistic young people! We had a dramatic day with Extant, a performing arts company based in London at Greenwich and Lewisham Young People’s Theatre. Lights, camera, action… we were thrown straight into the spirit of the day, working on our own performing skills by introducing ourselves. However, these were not your average introductions. Each person had to say how they had arrived at the theatre. However we soon discovered these journeys were far too… normal. So we [...]
World War I battlefields tour across France and Belgium
With a big trip ahead, an intrepid and excited group from VICTA came together through the hustle and bustle of Ashford International and quickly became acquainted. We hurried aboard our coach and waved ‘au revoir’ to England… France and Belgium here we come! Our travels kicked off with a ‘treat’ for our taste buds as we sampled some of the foods that may have been consumed during the Great War including, corned beef, tinned sardines and canned fruit. After speeding under the English Channel on the Eurotunnel, we emerged on the continent, saying ‘bonjour’ to France and after a [...]
Pre-Teen Scientists at the Natural History Museum
18 young people aged 10 to 13 joined VICTA at the Natural History Museum. It was a great opportunity to get up-close and hands-on with some of the Museum’s more unusual exhibits. The day brought students together with lots of great chat over common interests and mutual understanding. Check out our image gallery from the day and make sure you join us on our next pre-teen activity!
