Sharing our vision via eye 2 eye Community Development Projects

eye 2 eye Community Development Officers are currently operating in Yorkshire & the Humber and London and the South East. To date these projects have provided direct support to over 4,100 individuals with a learning disability.  Our Development Officers are based within local health or social services teams and work directly with people who have learning disabilities, families, carers, eye care professionals and a range of health and social services staff. 

Each eye 2 eye Community Development Project works to ensure that:

• People with learning disabilities are aware of the importance of eye care and vision and are accessing regular and effective eye tests.
• Health and social care professionals and family carers are aware of the importance of eye care and vision for people with learning disabilities.
• Optometrists are providing quality, accessible, eye tests for people with learning disabilities.
• Barriers to effective eye care and vision for people with learning disabilities are identified and communicated to relevant local and national stakeholders and solutions are sought.
• Rehabilitation workers for the visually impaired and low vision practitioners are providing services for people with learning disabilities.
• Methods of improving eye care and vision for people with learning disabilities are embedded within the culture of the local community.

 Read a day in the life of a Community Development Officer (25KB)

We are aiming to open more Community Development Projects across the UK. Please e-mail p.spinks-chamberlain@seeability.org if you are interested in setting up an eye 2 eye project in your local community.

About our Community Development Projects

Sheffield

Since 2005 SeeAbility has been working in partnership with Sheffield City Council to improve eye care and vision for people who have learning disabilities.  It is estimated in Sheffield that there are as many as 6,000 people who have a learning disability and a visual impairment. 

To date our Sheffield eye 2 eye project has:

• Supported over 170 people with learning disabilities to prepare for and access eye tests - sometimes for the first time.
• Worked with health and social care staff across Sheffield to create a team of "sensory champions" in learning disability services. 
• Delivered workshops to people with learning disabilities to explain the importance of eye care and vision - and explain what happens during the eye test.
• Worked in partnership with Sheffield Eye Hospital to produce an accessible "eye test form" for people with learning disabilities to fill in and take to eye tests.
• Delivered training to Sheffield's Learning Disability Social Work teams on accessing eye care and low vision for people with learning disabilities.
• Set up a cooking group for people who have a learning disability and a visual impairment using existing sensory impairment service resources. 

Contact our Project Lead and Development Officer:

Laura Christie - Project Lead
Mobile: 0755 445 6330  Email: l.christie@seeability.org

London and the South East

The project is working strategically with people who have learning disabilities; families and carers; eye care professionals; social care and health staff to implement systemic change and improvement in eye care and vision for people with learning disability. 

To date our eye 2 eye project has:  

• Working in Partnership with the London Borough and Primary Care Trust of Tower Hamlets, and Barts & Royal London Hospital, to create an enhanced Optometry service for people with learning disabilities. The 6 month pilot project has successfully evolved into a 5 year funded service to look at all aspects of vision care for people with learning disabilities.
• Working in Partnership with Sutton & Merton Primary Care Trust, Learning Disability and Rehab service to provide an enhanced 3 year Community Optometry services for people with learning disabilities.
• Working in Partnership with Hackney Learning Disability & Rehab services, on Valuing the Vision project, assessing vision for 90 people with learning disabilities, and evaluating improvement to quality of life, and independence, after appropriate support is provided.
• Offer advise and support to people with learning disabilities and carers on how to access eye care and learning disability services in London and the South East, to improve lives for people with learning disabilities.

Contact our Development Officer:

Stephen Kill
Telephone:  01903 745331   Email: s.kill@seeability.org
 

Aylee Kemp
Telephone: 0784 335 6003   Email: a.kemp@seeability.org