Vodafone Foundation and Vision Ireland partner to support vision impaired individuals with digital skills
16 October 2024
- Vodafone trains employees in 11 stores to better assist visually impaired customers
- Vodafone Foundation and Vision Ireland to help over 2,000 vision impaired adults this year
- Hi Digital initiative expands to be more accessible for vision impaired individuals
10th October 2024 – Today, on World Sight Day, the Vodafone Foundation has partnered with Vision Ireland to support those who are blind or visually impaired develop the digital skills needed for greater independence.
As part of this initiative, Vodafone is training employees in 11 stores across the country to better support visually impaired customers. This training covers how to use smartphone accessibility features, recommend helpful apps, and provide tailored tech support. Vodafone plans to extend this training to all stores nationwide and upskill all their agents to be better equipped to help these customers. Additionally, visually impaired or blind customers can book a free consultation appointment to receive personalised assistance in-store from Vodafone's trained staff. With nearly 300,000* people in Ireland being blind or visually impaired, this initiative is a significant step towards improving accessibility and ensuring these customers receive the support they need.
Vodafone is also working with Vision Ireland to update their Hi Digital website, making it more accessible for people with vision impairments. Hi Digital, a Vodafone Foundation initiative, teaches digital skills such as internet safety and smartphone use to older adults. The website’s improvements will enhance accessibility for visually impaired users, ensuring access to its wide range of resources.
In Ireland alone, approximately 95,000* individuals over the age of 65 live with sight loss, a number on the rise due to conditions such as macular degeneration. Vision Ireland has seen a 50% increase in demand in 2023 for technology training amongst older people who are blind and vision impaired, underscoring the need for digital empowerment among this cohort.
In addition, Vodafone is providing funding for Vision Ireland Labs, to provide digital training for visually impaired older adults. Following a successful 2023 pilot programme that trained over 600 visually impaired older adults, the initiative aims to reach over 2,000 people this year. The training, delivered through virtual and in-person sessions at Vision Ireland’s 23 tech labs, focuses on skills like touch typing, internet navigation, app usage, and using smart speakers. For more information on attending training individuals can contact the Vision Ireland labs team.**
Participants from the pilot programme have reported increased confidence, stronger connections with family and friends, and a greater sense of community.
“At Vodafone Foundation, we believe that everyone, regardless of age or ability, should have access to the digital world. By training our staff and supporting Vision Ireland’s tech labs, we’re dedicated to making technology accessible for all and we are delighted to be partnering with Vision Ireland to work towards this goal” said Liz Roche, Head of Vodafone Foundation in Ireland.
Denis Nolan, Technology Training Manager at VI Labs, said: “At Vision Ireland, we’re proud to partner with Vodafone to empower our service users with essential digital skills through the Hi-Digital programme, while also enhancing digital accessibility awareness among Vodafone staff. Together, we’re building a more inclusive digital future for everyone.”
Through this partnership, Vodafone and Vision Ireland are committed to supporting blind and visually impaired individuals by enhancing the skills of employees to offer effective support. This initiative not only aims to improve the customer experience but also ensures that older adults with visual impairments have access to resources and assistance to help navigate the digital world confidently.
ENDS
