Inspiring 'Next Steps' as RNC welcomes Beacon Centre for the Blind

RNC was delighted to welcome three guest speakers from the Beacon Centre for the Blind in Wolverhampton in January. As part of our Next Steps programme to help students prepare for life beyond College - Eesa Amjid, Barry Lane, and former RNC student Mo Ravat shared their personal journeys and professional insights.
Introduced by Ged Friery, the trio provided a powerful look into the world of assistive technology, internships, and the importance of self-advocacy in the workplace.


Pictured: Barry Lane addressing the audience

First up was Barry Lane, IT and Assistive Technology Trainer. Barry talked about his role which includes visiting people in their homes to teach them how to navigate phones, tablets, and magnifiers to regain independence in their daily lives.

He talked about the range of services on offer at the Beacon Centre such as accommodation, but also including:

the Learning Team, who support people in looking and preparing for work and provides help with writing CVs, covering letters and filling out job applications.

the Braille Team, who offer one of the few opportunities outside of RNC to learn Braille face-to-face, rather than online.

the Community Team, who provide community and centre-based activities and crafts for learning, recreation and social engagement.

As a registered charity, Beacon also has busy fundraising and marketing teams.

On a personal note, Barry shared his own journey with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). His sight started to deteriorate in his twenties and he spoke warmly about his former employers, British Gas, praising their support and their collaboration with the Access to Work scheme. He started out using Supernova software but now utilises JAWs screenreading. His top piece of advice for students:

'Learn to touch type, it's an essential life skill for anyone with visual impairment.'

Barry shared a glimpse into his personal life. He met his wife playing Goalball. They both competed for Team GB at the Sydney Paralympics. They now have three sons and live a great life - happy and independent.

He finished with some "blind frustrations" which struck a chord with the audience - like navigating the streets on bin day, finding the seat on a bus, or someone leaving a kitchen cupboard door open! Empathetic groans could be heard from the audience.

Next, the audience heard from Eesa Amjid, currently a Finance Intern at the Beacon Centre. Eesa focused on the Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) and their Get Set Progress internship programme.


Pictured: Eesa Amjid addressing the audience

Eesa explained that TPT is a national charity dedicated to supporting V.I. people through empowerment, education, and employment.

After completing a Computer Science course, Eesa joined TPT's Get Set Progress internship, which is a fully accessible, paid, nine-month placement designed to help V.I. people explore and develop their learning and skills and get on the pathway to employment.

Beyond developing skills, the programme focuses on soft skills, teamwork, and self-advocacy, all supported by a dedicated mentor. It's an expanding programme, offering an increasing number of placements across a diverse range of industries.

There was a rousing welcome for the final speaker, Mo Ravat. As a former RNC student, Mo was familiar to many. Mo joined the Beacon Centre as a Communications Intern in 2024.



Mo shared an alarming statistic, 'Only 27% of people with visual impairment are currently in employment, compared to 80% of the non-V.I. population.' Mo is determined to see those numbers balance.

Once Mo got the internship, he was really excited but nervous to start his new role. But the transition was very smooth. Beacon were very welcoming and understanding of visual impairment. His job involved uploading to social media, to the website, and recording for the Black Country Talking News. He would also write blogs and would collaborate with the Fundraising and Marketing teams. Part of his role included visiting schools to raise awareness of the Centre and its services.

The Beacon Centre was celebrating its 150th anniversary when Mo joined so it was a very busy year where he had to collaborate on high-profile events like the Colour Run, Santa Run, the Beacon of Light Ball and the Mayor's Fashion Show.

Mo’s hard work has led to incredible opportunities, including shadowing the Mayor of Wolverhampton’s communications team and a visit to Parliament as a guest of Sureena Brackenridge MP. Mo recalled being quite moved while standing in the Palace where Queen Elizabeth II had been lying in state, and he was highly impressed by Parliament’s commitment to accessibility, particularly their talking toilets and the fact that many staff members, including his guide Pete, live with disabilities. Following his successful internship, Mo was officially hired by the Beacon Centre as their Communications Officer.

At RNC Mo learned to use various creative programmes for graphics and film and he would like to branch into documentary filmmaking. He really wants to spread awareness that V.I. people can be creative and are very capable. He said:

'There are a lot of people out there talking about sight loss - Elton John for one. Another is documentary filmmaker Danielle Selwood who's brilliant film 'Untethered' follows blind Paralympian Melanie Barratt's quest to swim the English Channel.'

His closing message:

'Anything is possible with the right adaptations and motivation. Accessibility is right now; it’s not an afterthought.'

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Barry, Eesa, and Mo for inspiring our current students and showing that with the right tools and a "Get Set" attitude, the world of work is wide open.