RWPN NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017
Lots to report on so I’ll crack straight on.
Annual Seminar
Friday 9th June at Birmingham City University. Booking will be via the BCU site, and members will be sent an email notifying them of the event and how to book. The programme likely to include: update on the Trailblazer Apprenticeship, a report back on the very interesting research into the effectiveness of Vision Rehab. carried out at Cardiff University, workshops and presentations on low vision, vision rehab. for people with retinal implants, lighting and understanding how working with a guide dog affects orientation and mobility skills. One of the workshops will be for visually impaired workers only and, as a result of the survey of VI workers we undertook last year, will focus on issues relevant to them. The cost is likely to be £40 for members and £60 for non-members.
NB wewill be providing BCU with a list of members who have renewed. If you have not renewed your membership by this point you will be charged the non-member rate – your renewal will be almost three months overdue by this point!
Mentoring Scheme
We are delighted that twenty one mentors have completed their mentor training and ten mentees are currently paired up with a mentor. I think it is interesting that not all the mentees are new to the profession and that some see it as a chance to develop their skills and challenge their thinking – surely the ideal of what CPD should be. If you are interested in being mentored please email us at and we will discuss it over the phone.
CPD scheme
The scheme launched on 1st January and the optional on-line storage portfolio (beta version) was launched in February. If, for any reason, you have not seen the documents about the CPD then email us or click the website under “the profession”. Just to re-iterate: anyone who is currently on the full top-up degree at BCU or who has completed it in the last couple of months or does it in the future is exempted from needing to provide evidence of CPD in this three year cycle.
Managers can join
Managers can now become associated members of RWPN for free. Managers will not get access to the full members site or be entitled to come on courses (excluding the annual conference), but we feel it is essential that managers understand what you do, why CPD and supervision matters, what threats and opportunities exist and can be kept informed of things like the Apprenticeship scheme. Consequently they will receive the newsletter.
Trailblazer Apprenticeship scheme (England only)
The apprenticeship standardfor Rehabilitation Worker (Visual Impairment)was submitted to the government for approval and we are waiting to hear back. The next step is to design the assessment criteria for the standard. As end point assessors of the standard, RWPN will be central to this next phase. We appreciate that there are a number of questions about the scheme that need answering. RWPN will be publishing an explanation of the current state of play and the implications for employers in the next few weeks and we will be indebted to Josh Feehan, Andrew Dodgson and the team at BCU for their work on the project.
RWPN Courses
The first “smartphone and tablet course for the less confident” seems to have gone well. Future locations will depend on the availability of staff from RNIB’s On-line today project, but we are looking at a course near Manchester shortly.
We will also be running an O&M with wheelchair, mobility aids and buggies course that Andy Fisher has already run in Wales. This is likely to be held sometime
around September/October and we are currently looking at locations in Scotland, Liverpool and Bristol.
Echolocation
It always good hear of a new resource that’s out there, particularly on an under-discussed theme. Jo Hook and Daniel Kish have written “Echolocation and Flash Sonar” published by APH in the US. Here is the link to purchase it
There has been some issue over import tax on the item. Books imported from America to the UK are exempt from import tax, so Jo advises that, when you order it, “in the section on the customs declaration that says “contents” it should say “book” and the code 4901990000. Then again in the section that says “category of item” it should say “book”.
On the subject of Echolocation, those of you who attended last year’s seminar may recall the presentation given by Lore Thaler from Durham University. She has just asked us to receive feedback on what affect, if any, her presentation has had on your practice. I appreciate the world has turned since then, but if you can help Lore, you can phone her on01913343290 or give feedback online at
Supporting members and raising issues
Apart from the usual one-to-one support, in January I have been up to meet the students on the Graduate Diploma at Glasgow Caledonian University and talk to staff – including fellow Vision Rehab. Workers and represented RWPN the panel at the English Vision Strategy conference.
Survey of the Workforce
Later this week you will be receiving a survey monkey via us from RNIB’s EIRECS project. It will also be going to non-members. It is many years since any full survey has been undertaken of our supervision, CPD and attitudes to the profession. When you receive this please take the time to fill it in.
Best Wishes
Simon