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VI-SA-GB Empowerment and awareness training

This course and subsequent certification exists to develop, and recognise the skills and competence needed by Skippers and crew, when sailing with visually impaired people. The course demonstrates and trains the skills needed for the correct and proper facilitation of blind and partially sighted people to maximise the enjoyment of sailing opportunities by promoting equality, empowerment, and independence for all visually impaired people when sailing.

The purpose of the course is to equip delegates with the tools that will secure better opportunities for visually impaired people whose requirement is empowerment and who wish to develop and progress as equals within offshore and blue water sailing.

The course

The course is committed to teaching awareness and the skills needed to counteract negativity. We demonstrate the approaches needed to dismantle barriers to equality, by developing a programme of positive confidence and competence towards visually impaired people when sailing, throughout leisure yachting. Skills that are transferable and more contemporary to how blind and partially sighted people wish to intergrate.

The first two modules are shore based, whilst the third module takes place on a yacht. Initially moored alongside the pontoon before going to sea.

We've had Disability awareness training - how is this different?

The certification of competence for sailing with visually impaired people training course and workshops has been designed by and is delivered by the associations trainers; all of whom are visually impaired themselves and also keen sailing enthusiasts.

The course does not, unlike current awareness and training given by organisations like RYA saleability and others blind fold, or make delegates wear ‘bubble wrapped’ spectacles. This gives a wholly unreal impression of what it feels like and means to have a visual impairment.

Blind folds are no more an accurate experience of blindness than painting yourself a different colour would be an understanding of minority ethnic related issues. Such ‘out dated’ practises do not replicate visual impairment accurately.

Blind and or partially sighted people will have adopted a variety of very personal coping mechanisms by which they adapt, someone wearing a blind fold will not have these skills and therefore may find the so described simulation as very frightening. This view of fear of the unknown can then translate itself into seeing all visually impaired people as brave and courageous, a view that goes against the core philosophy of the course.

This method is also seen as offensive by some because sighted volunteers know they can remove the blind fold at any point, blind people can not so it becomes more on a par with pin the tail on the donkey than a real experience of what it is like to be visually impaired.

50% discount on the course fee

A massive 50% discount off the standard course cost is being offered in conjunction with affiliated membership of the Visually Impaired Sailing Association of Great Britain.

Further information

For further information and to discuss how VI-SA-GB's Certification of competence for sailing with visually impaired people can work for your particular project and add further value to your after guard training Contact VI-SA-GB today

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