In 1985, S M A Jinnah established the Indian Association for the Blind (IAB). IAB was the culmination of Jinnah’s dream of comprehensive rehabilitation services for the visually impaired through skill training, create access to education and generate employment opportunities for economic independence.

All India Confederation of the Blind (AICB) is committed to the principle that training in itself is not enough and must result in placement in remunerative work-opportunities. Thus, the major focus of our placement services is to secure meaningful jobs for our trainees, commensurate with their qualifications and at par with their sighted counterparts in respect of salaries and work conditions. 

Accordingly, about 325 trained blind men and women have, so far, been helped by us to secure jobs as stenographers / typists / receptionists / clerks in state and central government departments, nationalized banks and public sector undertakings. 

12 of our former trainees have also been honored with National Awards as Best Visually Impaired Employees by the President of India, till now.

Check: Document on possible job profiles for visually impaired bank employees 

Helping The Blind Help Themselves

Blind Relief Association (BRA), Delhi is a premier non-governmental organization in the country empowering the visually impaired. 

Securing employment for the trainees is a responsibility that the Blind Relief Association has chosen to bear. The placement cell interacts with industrial associations, potential employers, and a network of individuals and organizations. Representatives from the cell visit industries to identify and ascertain suitability of available jobs for the candidates. 

The cell not only locates suitable jobs for the trainees completing their respective training courses, but also provides hand-holding services to those who work independently.

The newly employed are familiarized with the work and workplace environment. 

The services of the cell are also available to other visually challenged individuals seeking job counseling and assistance.

College of Fragrance for the Visually Impaired (COFVI) is a unique education initiative in Mumbai, India, funded by fragrance industry partners.

Research conducted by us with the help of BPA & fragrance partners clearly shows that a heightened sense of smell in the visually impaired

Based on these finding COFVI was established by Trustees Sheetal Desai & Renuka Theaogaonkar In 2013. COFVI’s purpose is to educate the under privileged visually impaired students and find them employment in the fragrance, flavour and FMCG companies.

Nestled in the village of Sundarajanpatti in the outer fringes of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Association for the Blind (IAB) promises the visually challenged a life of confidence and opportunities. Started in 1985 by S.M.A. Jinnah, a visually challenged activist, IAB has been the pioneer in empowering the visually challenged towards self-reliance through various initiatives. Currently, in Tamil Nadu, out of the 30,000+ educated and vocationally trained visually challenged people, 20% are being educated, rehabilitated, and even employed by IAB.

Employment

IAB has has paved the way for the visually challenged. With its specialized training initiatives that backs the visually challenged with skills, several IAB alumni are gainfully employed in the government sector in sectors like teaching, railways and banking. So far about 750 IAB alumni have been employed in Government sectors. In a unique initiative several IAB alumni have been reemployed in IAB after retiring from Government service. The channels of employment are:

• In House Placement: Keeping pace with current market demands and trends IAB has reoriented its employment avenues. Among its initiatives is a BPO that offers support services to impressive clientele include Tata DoCoMo, SUN Direct and Bharath Post Graduate College, Chennai.

• Government sector: Since 1991 several IAB alumni are employed in the government sector. The implementation of Persons with Disability Act 1995 which mandates 1 percent of jobs for people with visual disability has boosted employment opportunity for visually challenged in government and public sectors. This farsighted intervention has enabled several thousands of visually challenged people to be employed in services like teaching, railways and banks.

• Private Sector: IAB has taken the initiative of identifying employer needs and then placing students whose skill and capability match the requirement in the right position.

• Self-Employment: Self-employment is another area that IAB encourages students towards by providing vocational training.

Ever since its formation in 1972, the Institute For Blind, Society for the Care of the Blind, Sector 26, Chandigarh (Regd.) has been actively engaged in the Education, Training & Rehabilitation of Blind children and also working for the Prevention of Blindness. The objectives of the society are:

• To impart educational and vocational training to the blind children

• To help in the rehabilitation of children passing out of the Institute

• To create awareness among the general public, particularly the rural areas in and around Chandigarh, on the causes of blindness and promote its prevention

Placement

The Society/Institute keeps a track of the students, who pass out from the Institute. We at the Institute take every effort to help our ex-students to not only rehabilitate them by getting gainful employment but also help those who wish to go in for higher studies by getting them admitted to various colleges of their choice. There are about 140 of our ex-students, who are doing jobs and are well-placed in life.

National Association for Blind (NAB) NAB plays a vital role in helping visually challenged job-seekers find suitable employment, by working closely with the candidates and liaising with companies – both in public and private sector – to give the blind the opportunity to get into the work force. The employment options are categorized in terms of Open Employment, Self-Employment and Sheltered Employment. Employment blind persons are placed in the Government, public and private sector. Jobs for the blind in the Government and public sector; and convince prospective employers in the private sector to employ the blind. The NAB has immensely contributed to the process of identifying jobs in the open market, which could be managed by the blind.

NAB Department of Employment

Economic independence – the fundamental requirement of any individual – when fulfilled leads to higher levels of self-esteem and self-worth; and this is applicable to one and all, including the blind. NAB (India) established the NAB Department of Employment – almost immediately after its establishment in 1952. 

The Department plays a vital role in helping visually challenged job-seekers find suitable employment, by working closely with the candidates and liaising with companies – both in public and private sector – to give the blind the opportunity to get into the work force.

Employment

The following three options are followed for employment.

• Open Employment: Through Open Employment blind persons are placed in the Government, public and private sector. Determined efforts are made to optimally utilize the 3% reservation for the disabled provided under the PwD Act (1995); secure jobs for the blind in the Government and public sector; and convince prospective employers in the private sector to employ the blind. The Department has immensely contributed to the process of identifying jobs in the open market, which could be managed by the blind.

• Self-Employment: In the early 80s, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) would allot sites to various NGOs in the disability sector, to put up telephone booths, which the NGOs allocated to disabled persons, to help them earn a livelihood. The sites given to NAB (India) were assigned to blind persons for setting up PCOs or a vending stalls, sponsored by donors. Since past few years, MCGM has stopped providing new sites. Consequently, the Department these days gives deserving blind persons only the old sites that are surrendered by blind persons who have changed their occupation or expired.

Unemployed blind persons interested in self-employment are referred to funding agencies like the Maharashtra State Handicapped Finance Development Corporation, for financial assistance by way of loans, to start their own small business.

• Sheltered Employment: Candidates who cannot be assisted under the two above stated categories are trained to make articles like paper bags, candles etc., at the Department’s Training Centre at NAB Rustom Alpaiwalla Complex at Cotton Green, Mumbai. They are paid Rs.75 per day as stipend.

Training and Counseling

With conventional sources of employment drying out, the Department has initiated many new training programs such as: training in making novel items, marketing consumer products, Call Centre Operation, Medical Transcription etc. Many of our trained candidates work in Call Centres and have also been employed as Medical Transcriptionists by some reputed names in the field.

The Department has partnered with some agencies that help prepare the candidates to face interviews and entrance tests for various competitive exams, thus helping them compete for jobs on an equal footing with sighted applicants. With a view to enhance their employability, job aspirants are provided communication and computer skills training. Blind individuals are also offered pre and post-employment counseling.

Sarthak Education Trust

Centers: New Delhi, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Lucknow

Sarthak develops skills in young people with disabilities through basic training program, corporate linked training program, employability training program and rural training program. These candidates are placed with their partners Aegis, Infosys, Team Computers, Plan India, Yum International etc. Sarthak also conducts job fairs. It is a holistic platform for providing skills and empowering the disabled.

To Empower Persons with Disability, enabling them to live their life with dignity and respect.

Sarthak Educational Trust was started in year 2008. To achieve this vision of empowerment of persons with disability team Sarthak is geared "To establish SARTHAK ADARSH Kendras (Skill Building & Early Intervention Centers) across the Nation" Sarthak is aimed towards carving an equal stature for persons with disability by providing them a platform wherein, they have equal access to opportunities and resources. 

Education

Children with Disability are either not enrolled in regular schools or paucity of Inclusive Education system leads to drop out. And, once they are segregated from the mainstream it gets difficult to integrate at later stages. Inclusive Education is an effort to ensure Right to Education despite the special requirements or needs of children with disability.

Inclusive education works on ensuring inclusion of school going children with special needs in regular education setting with required intervention and support. Inclusion strategies includes range of services, namely, co-teaching, consultative services, paraprofessional support, modifications to curriculum or testing, accommodations for specific disabilities, and others.

Skill Building

Sarthak JEET (Job Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Training) Program for Persons with disability addresses the requirements of PwDs aged between 18-35 years by providing vocational skill building training and sustainable employment opportunities.

The 3-month skill building program comprises of

• Basic Skill Building: 1.5-month basic skilling (Computers, English, Life skills)

• Sector-Specific Training: 1 month sector specific (IT/ITes, Retail, Hospitality and Ecommerce) 

• Pre Employment Module: 15 days pre placement modules

Further, various allied activities (guest lectures, exposure visits, parents’ workshops) and corporate volunteering activities are part of 3-month extensive training programme.

For enrolment in Sarthak JEET Program, Persons with disability can register online Click here or drop an email to trainings@sarthakindia.org 

Employment

Employment Drivers of Change – Equal Opportunity Employers

With the support of our 1050+ Equal Opportunity Employers Sarthak provided sustainable employment support to 18000+ Persons with disability across different sectors. The indicative list of employers are given on the left.

Digital Literacy Program

Sarthak Educational Trust provides free Digital Literacy Training of 15 days to PwDs, so that after training they can start their own business/ enterprise or get self-employed.

Program Focus 

• Govt. Schemes, Loan Opportunities available for PwDs by Govt.

• How to start small business

• Digital Literacy (How to use smart phones, how to operate basic computers, how to make online payment etc.).

• Case Stories of other PwDs benefitted from Sarthak.

• Overcoming Disabilities.

• Soft Skills, Time Management, Communication Styles etc.

Enrollment Criteria

• Disability Type - OH/ HI/ Low vision

• Age - 18 to 51 years

In case of any further queries, email to us at sarthakedu@gmail.com 

The story of a doctor who lost his eyesight; fought back and helped 10,000 people with disability find jobs, Social Story - Your Story, 2017

Creating Awareness About Disability

Trinayani was founded with a purpose of combating discrimination against people with disabilities. Their focus has been to assist and encourage individuals with disabilities in making their mark and functioning as a part of mainstream society. Trinayani is in constant touch with organizations and corporate houses across the country trying to facilitate employment for persons with disabilities.

Provide Livelihood Opportunities

At Trinayani, we aim to Include, Honor & Empower persons with disabilities. As such, we have been involved in several explorations of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Some of these are listed below:

• Loop Mobile: A series of candidates with disabilities were shortlisted for Loop Mobile who were considering hiring persons with disabilities in their mobile galleries. 

• SAI Service Auto Station: Trinayani is in constant touch with organizations and corporate houses across the country trying to facilitate employment for persons with disabilities. At our end we have been successful in securing employment for Intellectually Impaired candidates and Deaf Adults sourced from NASEOH, at Sai Service Auto Station at their Borivali, Lower Parel and Andheri Centers in Mumbai. 

They were inducted as Washers and Cleaners, in the Housekeeping Department and in the Accounts Department. 

• Sparsha Foot SPA: We have taken a more direct approach to creating employment by opening the Sparsh Foot Spa which is completely run by our blind therapists. 

• Collaboration with Other NGOs: We also network and collaborate with NGOs whose main area of work is to create employment for people with disabilities such as V-Shesh in Chennai, EnAble India in Bangalore and Sarthak in Delhi.

Whom to call for a job

Work trial

• v-shesh has designed and run work trial based training programs for jobs in hospitality, retail and financial services sectors.

These programs are run in partnership/ with support from employers in the sectors. 

Workplace

Serving employers to progress in the journey of inclusion

• Recruitment: Having extensive experience in identifying and hiring talent on the basis of skill levels, v-shesh is ideally suited to help you become an inclusive employer

• Pre & Post hiring: Job analysis and mapping is the first step towards identifying suitable opportunities for persons with disability.

• Sensitization: Inclusive environments are not just physically accessible but sensitive to social aspects as well

• Policy advisory: v-shesh has training programs to support up skilling needs of your employees.

• Inclusion advisory: v-shesh offers a host of training programs to engage corporate bodies in becoming a disability confident organization.

The Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged

Breaking Barriers... Achieving Access

The Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) is an integral part and department of St. Xavier's College - Autonomous, Mumbai.

The XRCVC was started in 2003 as an effort to ensure an inclusive environment at St. Xavier’s College, one of the most well-known educational institutions in the country, for its students with blindness and low vision. Having created an inclusive set-up for its own students, keeping with the college’s long tradition of creating social impact within the larger community, the XRCVC has today become a national advocacy and support center for the blind and low-vision across the city and the country.

The XRCVC offers a range of direct support and training services to persons with vision impairment, caregivers, educators and institutions.

• Personal & Career Guidance

Developing the right understanding of visual impairment for oneself and for families and caregivers can often be a complicated process. Varied factors – eye conditions, age of onset, pre-held myths and lack of knowledge affect coping.

The XRCVC guidance services offer individual and family guidance for persons with vision impairment to be able to make the right choices and not let the impairment be a hindrance in their lives. These services are available on an appointment basis and you may contact our office for the same.

Employment Expanding Reach

XRCVC organized a career guidance seminar, Employment Expanding Reach sponsored by IBM, in order to inform visually challenged students about the career choices available to them.

Click here for brief descriptions of each session along with audio podcasts

The 35 videos are available on XRCVC YouTube Channel.