EyeCan CYP is a skills-based programme that delivers essential life skills to vision-impaired young people. This project is funded by the Young Start award from The National Lottery Community Fund and The Powell Family Foundation (family advocacy). It is delivered in partnership with Freedom and Joy and Food Heroes.

Core purpose

This project will empower young people with vision impairment to reach their goals and aspirations by providing practical experience and age-appropriate opportunities in a safe environment.

The primary goal is to provide essential life skills that foster independence and confidence. We offer a suite of services with options for children and young people from birth up to age 25. They are listed below.

What the project offers

Family Advocacy Support (birth to 25)

Visibility Scotland’s Family Advocacy Project empowers vision-impaired children and their families to make informed choices by providing access to information, advice, and non-time-bound practical and emotional support. Family advocacy is available to children and young people from birth to 25 years and their families / caregivers.

Visibility Scotland’s Family Advocacy Project is available in two health boards: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian.

Family advocacy has received funding for two years (2025 to 2027) from the Powell Family Foundation.

Pre-school support (birth to six)

Messy Play (group)

Messy Play incorporates exploring food through play to build positive relationships with food for children and families while learning and having fun together. Food Heroes, two Specialist Dieticians, deliver the session. At these sessions, families also have the chance to meet and speak with other parents / caregivers who have a pre-school child with vision impairment.

The sessions take place at our Queen’s Crescent office in Glasgow and various locations across West Lothian.

Watch the video below to find out more about Messy Play.

Baby yoga play (group)

Working with Heather Burns, a trained therapist, we offer baby yoga play sessions. Parents / caregivers learn a range of baby movement and play techniques. At these sessions, families also have the chance to meet and speak with other parents / caregivers who have a pre-school child with vision impairment.

Support for children and young people (six to 25) 

Practical kitchen skills sessions (group)

Two qualified dieticians, Food Heroes, have created a practical skills-based cooking programme to foster independence in the kitchen and teach healthy eating options. These sessions create a safe space to explore new foods and cooking techniques that are sometimes described as off-limits for people with low or no vision. Many young people leave these popular sessions having cooked and eaten food they usually refuse at home because they have made it themselves, building healthy nutritional habits for the future.

Socialisation and motivational peer support (group)            

Freedom and Joy (qualified coaches and a counsellor) facilitate workshops on goal-setting and aspirational plans, enabling children and young people to feel included in group activities. Every EyeCan CYP workshop / event will be in a group format. The group will design the theme, but we know through experience that the activities that are routinely most popular are sensory art, music, accessible gaming, movement, and self-defence. Our groups encourage active participation and socialisation.

Young people will be split into age appropriate groups. Parents are not allowed to enter the socialising group environment as this has been proven to hinder the young people’s confidence. However, parents are welcomed to the practical skills sessions as the skills and confidence can be transferred and encouraged at home.

These sessions take place at our accessible headquarters in Glasgow but are open to those who can travel.

How to book

To find out more about our services or to book a space at one of our sessions, contact Visibility Scotland on 0141 332 4632 or email families@visibilityscotland.org.uk

Partner organisations

Organisations working with Visibility Scotland to deliver this programme include but are not limited to the following:

• Freedom and Joy
• Food Heroes
• Heather Burns Yoga
• Nicola Beedie – Glasgow-based sensory artist
• Jamie Keenan- musician (bands include: The LaFontaines and Glass Cheques)
• Jim McAnulty – Musician (guitar tutor)

Funders

You can find out more about our funders by clicking the links below:

The National Lottery Community Fund Young Start Award

The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund Young Start logo

The Powell Family Foundation

The Powell Family Foundation

The Powell Family Foundation logo