Adam Lodge, Training Development Worker

Adam joined us as our new Training Development Worker back in June. We asked Adam to share his thoughts on what life has been like since joining Visibility Scotland. You can read his thoughts below:

Joining Visibility Scotland

I can’t believe it’s been over three months since I joined the Visibility Scotland team. Time does fly, especially when surrounded by such a friendly and supportive bunch of colleagues and members.

In my previous role as a Project Officer and Guide Communicator at Deafblind Scotland, I spent over five years championing independence and challenging the stigma associated with sensory loss through various projects. Looking for new challenges and opportunities to apply my experience, I was drawn to the Training and Development Worker position at Visibility Scotland. I am so happy to have been given this opportunity.

My first two months

My main focus during my first two months was reviewing and refreshing existing training programs. I concentrated on creating impactful video examples showcasing different types of visual impairments in various environments. For example, I made a video highlighting the challenges faced by individuals with Retinitis Pigmentosa when using public transport, such as trains. Using video examples adds a dynamic element, bringing visual impairments to life and leaving a lasting impression on participants.

I’m pleased to share that the revamped training programs are now live and available for organisations and businesses to participate in. Over the past few months, I’ve delivered three paid training programs to Carr Gomm, Dumfries and Galloway Voices, and most recently, to the ALLIANCE.

Delivering training

The training sessions cover various topics, including guiding visually impaired individuals, creating accessible documents, understanding the impact of sensory loss, exploring different types of daily living aids, and outlining the support services offered here at Visibility Scotland.

Here are a few quotes from the training so far:

“Enjoyed the session. Adam was great at leading it.”

“Brilliant training. Highly recommend.”

“I really enjoyed the interactive bits and gaining knowledge of visual impairments and how they impact people living with a visual impairment.”

Caption: Adam wearing a blindfold while being guided by a participant in VI awareness training. 

Caption: staff at the Health and Social Care ALLIANCE Scotland sitting around a table taking part in Visual Impairment Awareness training.

Other activities

On top of delivering training, I also attend events hosted by other organisations. For example, I recently attended the HCSW NHS Development and Learning Day at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and New Victoria. On both occasions, I had a slot on the agenda to speak to the attendees about different eye conditions and what staff can do to help and support a visually impaired individual.

Caption: Adam stood talking to two volunteers about how to guide a visually impaired person before they try it themselves.

Final thoughts

Overall, my first few months in the role have been productive. Diving straight into the work has helped me understand the job and what we should prioritise. I have also established a list of contacts who I will be reaching out to take part in our paid training programmes. Exciting times are ahead, and I look forward to contributing further to our shared success.

I look forward to telling you all more in my next blog.

Find out more about our training 

You can find out more about the training we offer at the link below.

Training – Visibility Scotland – You don’t need sight to have vision.