LOOK supports visually impaired young people to thrive.
We are a charity based in Hereford, but we work nationally. We offer mentoring, transformational events, online forums and parent support. We are the leading mentoring organisation in the UK for visually impaired young people.
We offer structured peer support for our young people and their parents / carers, through our mentoring project, support groups and events programme.
We believe that nobody should have to cope alone.
Our services are in demand, we cannot improve our delivery and work without the partnership and support of the wider community. This community involves our colleagues working with young people with a range of disabilities. We can learn from one another and ultimately ensure that young people with disabilities have a supporting community and professional network around them. We want to improve our learning and expand our work to ensure inclusive services and opportunities can grow
Activities we run:
Peer mentoring - young people with VI needs aged 11 to 29 have 1:1 peer mentoring from a trained, DBS and reference checked peer mentor for approximately 12 months. Our mentors all have lived experience of Visual Impairment and are aged 18 to 35. The project supports young people to develop their sense of self, their ability to self advocate, to access opportunities, build connections and access their curriculum/ beyond education opportunities.
We run a monthly Parent Support Group and a Healthy Parent Carer course.
We run a changing programme of transformational events, including a residential trip to Jamie's Farm and an accessible family festival - LOOKFest.
We shared Information, Advice and Guidance - through various methods - eg webinars, workshops, Newsletters and Digital Media (created with our youth mentors) to bring their voices, ideas and knowledge sharing to the community.