Vip-Tech-Job : Time 2 Act !

Background This project addressed the following needs: - Access to suitable job opportunities for young visually impaired (vi): it developed a user-friendly web app featuring accessible job listings to help visually impaired job seekers find suitable positions in various sectors and countries. - Empowerment of vi youth with job-seeking skills: it created a comprehensive training platform to equip visually impaired youngsters with essential skills such as CV writing, interview preparation, networking, dealing with discrimination and stigma. - Awareness of rights and obligations under EU legislation: it provides in-depth information on EU legislation related to disabilities, informing users about their rights and obligations as persons with disabilities. - Creation of awareness-raising workshops: it developed a toolbox for visual impairment technicians (VITs) and Supported Employment Specialists (SES) to create and conduct workshops that educate stakeholders about visual impairments and their impact on employment. - Showcasing real-life success stories and fostering understanding: it produced powerful video and podcast testimonials featuring vi participants and employers, demonstrating the project's impact on the lives of the participants, promoting understanding and appreciation of their work performance and contributions. It also developped a guide for making own video presentations by young vip. Objectives By implementing the VIPTechJob: Time 2 Act project, the main goals were to: 1.Empower young visually impaired individuals as active job seekers by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and skills to successfully enter the job market. 2.Enhance the inclusion and employability of visually impaired people in the European Union by making job opportunities more accessible and fostering an inclusive job-seeking environment. 3.Raise awareness among employers, educators, policymakers, media representatives, and other stakeholders about the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals in the job market and the importance of their inclusion and participation. 4.Educate visually impaired individuals about their rights and obligations under EU legislation related to disabilities, helping them advocate for themselves and better understand the protections and opportunities available to them. 5.Highlight the positive impact of hiring visually impaired candidates and showcase their valuable contributions in the workplace, ultimately promoting a more diverse and inclusive workforce across the European Union. Implementation We have implemented an LTTA, 5 transnational project meetings, 3 intellectual outpus (briefly explained below), 4 multiplier events, dissemination materials (5 newslteters and one press release). IO1 -Accessibility Toolbox: The project developed an Accessibility Toolbox that is multilingual and has three sections: the Workshop Curricula; the User Guides and the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Section. IO2 -VipJob Podcast: The project produced a series podcasts featuring interviews with young visually impaired participants and employers, highlighting the project's impact on real lives, showcasing participants' experiences, insights, and achievements, and promoting understanding and appreciation of their work performance and contributions. IO3 -Vip-Job VideoPack: Is a set of two different deliverables, a guide and a video. The guide, called DIY video guide, is a publication with the objective to offer guidance to vi job seekers to make their own self-presentation videos when looking for a job. The documentary's main purpose is to lift the voice of young VIPs who are called to share their expectations for an accessible workplace and society in general, express their opinions and share their experiences from relevant situations. Achievements The products are: 1) the “VIP Job Accessibility Toolbox”, a one-stop-shop for all our users belonging to different target groups: it will include tools and resources to support employers who wish to understand concepts like accessibility and inclusion in the workplace, job agencies, youth workers, youth leaders, supported employment specialists and career and school counsellors working with young VIPs, and young VIPs themselves, who will be able to connect and exchange experiences with their peers and, undoubtedly, ease their access to the job market and as a result, increase their levels of social inclusion. 2) the "VIP Job Podcast", a podcast comprised of 10 episodes in partner languages, which will be recorded by skilled young VIPs and explore success stories of young VIP's inclusion in different workplaces in Europe through interviews and storytelling. The podcast will also include a narrated version of user guides for our digital products - how to use them, what you can get out of them, how will they help you in your job quest, etc. 3) the "VIP Job Video Pack": the narrative of this IO will tend to depict the hurdles of young VIP in integrating the job market as well as their idealistic views on a 100% barrier-free work environment. 4) the “VIP-Tech Fair”: a learning/teaching/training activity in Granada for young VIPs to be trained in effective job hunting using the VTJ & VTJ2 tools and to also discuss with employers on opportunities and challenges 5) 4 multiplier events to share the results of the progress with the goal to promote their sustainability and systematic use by other organisations/employers/etc.