NCBI Employment Skills for Individuals with Vision Impairment or Blindness (4M0857)

NCBI Employment Skills for Individuals with Vision Impairment or Blindness (4M0857)

Gaining invaluable skills that help us access independently to the community is even more challenging for people with vision impairment. That is why NCBI developed this QQI Level 4 accredited programme that will give recognition to these significant efforts.

The programme is challenging but based on the support and guidance that will ensure participants develop the skills and competences required in the contemporary Irish workplace.

Here are some key features of the programme that is taking place at the National Training Centre (NCBI Services):

• This is a nationally recognised qualification, awarding participants with QQI level 4 of the National Framework of Qualifications (Certificate 4M0857).
• It combines the Level 4 Specific Purpose Certificate in Orientation, Mobility & Access (Special Purpose Award 4S21459) with the Better Outcomes Framework (which is the best practice approach used in Rehabilitation Training).
• Assessments are skill based and specifically targeted to real-life employment tasks.
• Learners can have confidence to display their qualification on their CV.

The major Employment Skills for Individuals with Vision Impairment or Blindness Award QQI Level 4 (4M0857) offers learners a unique opportunity to develop the skills necessary to have access to mainstream employment, further education or training, and the community at large.

One of the key considerations for the content in the award was the inclusion of Maths, as this is a QQI programme requirement. However, this was evaluated and reinterpreted to reflect maths used in everyday life and everyday scenarios that affect the lives of learners in the vision impairment community.

With a specific combination of modules and frameworks, this programme also allows learners to fully participate in all aspects of the curriculum. We ensured the content is accessible, realistic and achievable for learners in the vision impairment community.

The overview of the programme is as follows:

• A 2-week work placement supported by the team and the NCBI Services to ensure accessibility and support independent travel.
• All assessments have been carefully mapped to simulate skills necessary for full participation in the labour force.
• All learning outcomes must be reinterpreted to update the award, making it relevant to the lives of members of the vision impairment community in the 21st century.

This programme aims to promote choice and independence by supporting learners in developing the competencies and skills required to enter the labour force in meaningful roles.

Additionally, all students can access NCBI’s Quality Assurance Manual, which provides an outline of the processes and procedures at the NCBI Services to Quality Assure Accredited Training. The Manual includes Protection for Enrolled Learners (PEL) policy, as NCBI has ensured that PEL arrangements are in place to safeguard our learners and these protections are consistent with the requirements of Part 6, Section 65 of the Quality and Qualifications Assurance Act 2012.

In the table below, you can find the additional overview of the modules that are covered in the programme:

* Level 4 Specific Purpose Certificate in Orientation, Mobility & Access (4S21459)