A unique chance to transform opportunities for children and young people with vision impairment
Top left to right: logos for Fight for Sight and Thomas Pocklington Trust. Bottom: Logo for The Powell Family Foundation.
Three funders of research and service provision have come together to create a major five-year funding programme to respond to the most persistent challenges facing children and young people (age 0 – 25) with vision impairment.
The Powell Family Foundation, Thomas Pocklington Trust and Fight for Sight believe that, together, we can accelerate improvements to service access, well-being and positive outcomes for generations of children and young people to come.
Why are we doing this?
Across the sector, we know that support and resources are providing valuable assistance to children and young people and their families/carers. However, existing research confirms that this group are often not getting access to the support and information when and where they need it.
Based on what is working, where the gaps are and what the unmet need looks like, this strategic programme will drive change through coordinated investment and sector collaboration, amplifying best practice and supporting sustainable and scalable initiatives that could deliver a step change.
How will this be achieved?
The three funders are looking to collectively invest significant amounts in the programme over a five-year period, working closely with Guide Dogs, RNIB and Visionary, alongside other local and national organisations.
Work has begun on a UK wide mapping of services, resources and unmet needs. Combined with in-depth work to understand the experiences of children and young people and their families/carers, this will create a robust evidence base to inform the programme.
How Can You Help?
Birch Tree Associates, led by Matthew Lee and Dr Nicky Shaw, has been appointed to deliver the UK mapping and research phase. Sector engagement and lived experience will be critical throughout this research phase and beyond, and the findings will inform the development of future workstreams and allocation of funding.
Organisations across the sector will be invited to participate in verification and engagement activities, ensuring the final evidence base reflects the breadth and diversity of provision and providers across the UK, and that resulting investment can be focussed to include relevant partners across the sector. Please share and look out for further communications inviting you to participate.
Further information and FAQs are available via the Fight for Sight website: Announcing the Children and Young People with Vision Impairment Funding Programme | Fight for Sight.
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