From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's your host Sam Colley.
Hello and welcome to this episode of Talking Vision. I'm on leave this week, but I'll leave you in the capable hands of Jason Gibbs, who recently caught up with a group of Career Visions graduates, three of which you already heard from earlier in the year, back in early May. But we have five of them. This time it's Michael, Serena, Samson, Karl and Sarah who were joined by Career Visions coordinator
Harmony downs. Career visions is a uniquely tailored program to support participants to develop job readiness skills to enter the workforce. But to hear more from the participants themselves, let's head to Jason now.
How about we get things started by asking Michael our first question. What did you enjoy the most about the program, and were there any standout moments for you?
Um, I just enjoyed the fact, like everyone's had their own individual journey to where we are now, to the vision loss. But just when you you find it, you're not alone and you've got a good support system with Vision Australia, the program and it gives you. It gave me, uh, you know, self-confidence to, uh, realize that what I'd picked up along the way in my career wasn't going to go to waste, and that, um, I could still contribute.
So the standout moment was, is that, um, uh, just a camaraderie, like that whole thing about being not being alone, that was all. And then though you had a good support network and then you had people had their backs to the thing and it gave me the confidence to to continue in the workplace.
Yeah. Michael, we often say at Vision Australia that everyone's on their own vision loss journey. But I guess when you add the career path journey at the same time, I guess when you bring people together, everyone's in a very different headspace, and having everyone together perhaps helps you sort of put things into perspective. That's correct.
Yes.
Yeah. I might ask the same question to Serena then. What did you enjoy most about the program? The thing that.
I took away from it was seeing how we, as career visions, worked as a team, um, how Vision Australia as a whole works as a team. And in my workplace and at my community directory, seeing that the different style of team and leadership that's there, forming the friendships that we have in each of our teams and each of our placements has been, yeah, amazing. When you've got teams that aren't basically held back and they're coming forward
giving each other help with whatever they need. They, each of us, has our own areas of expertise or skill. We came together to work our way through the issues that we had.
It's always daunting to start something new when you see someone. There's so many opportunities out there for us to apply for and take, you know, take part in. But it can be quite scary to get started. Did you have any sort of reservations about getting involved?
Not really, because I came from having no work at all, no experience, no certs. But I came to the point where I'd said, I've got to start somewhere, I've got to go somewhere and start the process. And that's when I applied for Career Visions and was pleasantly surprised when Carmody contacted me saying, you want it.
But how can you not be pleasantly surprised when Harmony contacts you? It's in the name itself. It just sounds upbeat and friendly, doesn't it? Music to your ears. What are your thoughts on that one? Sarah?
All of the holistic things that the guides have said, I absolutely agree with, but some pointed things that I really enjoyed. The placements were the absolute standout for me, and then with the time that the 12 weeks that we had at VA doing workshops and training, we had two really great workshops that really stuck with me. One was actually with our former CEO Ron Hooten and Simon Blumberg, and they did a workshop with us all about growth
mindset versus having a fixed mindset. And that really, really affected me a lot. Um, because it was something that I definitely struggled with. Um, so that was really helpful. And also we did one on all of our interview techniques and how to ace an interview, and all of these guys did amazing in their mock interviews that we did. So those were the two real standout workshops for me. Yeah, right.
And Sarah, you mentioned placement. Did you want to share where you did your placement and how that came about?
Yeah, uh, it all came about through harmony. Um, I did my I did a split placement with two awesome places that she found that she had connections with. Um, the first one was a branch of Micah Projects called Lotus Place. They deal with victims of institutional child abuse and helping them get redress and also counselling services and
just find community and things like that. Awesome organisation. And the other one was with Communify and they run a really broad range of services, all to do with psychosocial health and also emergency relief. Sally's on reception there. So it was amazing. Yeah, right.
It sounds really diverse and that they do some really meaningful work in community. Samson, what did you enjoy most about the program?
Oh well, yeah, basically it's a team work. Like everyone said, it's because I put. The other thing I enjoyed was, um, people reach out to, you know, give assistance and help when you need it. You know, when I needed the help in terms of, um, going out to toilets and all these sort of things. People wanted to, you know, reach out and, you know, just just want to give me a hand. That's what that's what I that's that.
And that's what I like most. And even though I, I lost my vision and complete vision just eight years ago, now I've been trying to learn how to adapt to things and teamwork. And the last thing I want people coming out to give hands and help and yeah.
Great answer Samson. And do you feel like after doing the, um, the course that you have a little bit more confidence now that you feel like your options might have broadened a little bit?
Yes. Coming into this program gives me a lot of confidence. Some of the things that I thought I wouldn't do. But yeah, when I was through this program, I'm finding a lot of, um, confidence and, and taught me some of the skills that I never had.
Okay. So what do you think some of the major challenges were that you experienced during the course of the work that you were doing?
Some of the major challenges were, you know, getting around, navigating things, uh, because in new environments especially, you know, that was the most challenging I experienced. Yeah.
So the the accessibility element and navigating spaces. Yes. Yeah. Samson, do you feel like the like do you have confidence after having spent more time with people at Vision Australia, that you will feel that you will have the support when you go into a new workspace down the track, whether that's in a month or a few months time.
Do you feel like you've got the right supports through people at Vision Australia to to help you navigate those new spaces and, and perhaps, you know, go in there and work with that company to, to make sure that the space is, you know, workable for you.
Yes. I've, I've had a lot of support from the staff as well as, um, as arranged, um, through the, uh, job access program and, and trainer to give me trainings about going around and just basic orientation and all the things. So, so far I've adjusted myself and I can I'm able to do things as soon as, um, others left for the placing. And I was the only one who stayed back here that gave me confidence to come out myself and access all the other things that I was finding
it pretty much. I got a lot of confidence and yeah, it helped me. Yeah.
And sometimes confidence is one of the main things that hold us back. So really great to hear that you've boosted your confidence there. Does anyone else in the group want to share what challenges they faced and perhaps how they overcame them?
Um, my biggest challenge was probably my own mindset. So I really tried to take on board what Harmony was trying to teach us through all of these workshops and also through her own advice. And I was able to overcome that and kind of open up my thinking and my own perception of myself, um, and unlock what I'm capable of.
Yeah, just a bit more on what she was saying about accessibility, because there's a big, you know, it's a mix of Typhoon Monday, which is a totally new place over South Brisbane to a space none of us have been before. We had to navigate, you know, from a train station to there coming to Vision Australia. We worked in, uh, one 1st May or where we are now because of an air conditioning problem and we had to migrate to another,
another room. And then we also helped out with a big open day they had up here as a as an exercise as part of the course. So there's all these different things structured to make you more adaptable, more flexible in getting about. And um, yeah, finding new ways to to find new places. Yeah.
Great. And do you think that'll give you the confidence to, uh, come up against some curveballs in the future?
Oh, for sure. Yeah. It's, um. Yeah, it does give you that because, you know, you've been in a in an unknown space before, but you've, you've worked out how to get from A to B, okay.
And Carl, did you find that you were faced with any challenges during the period? Yeah, several.
Challenges during the period.
I suppose. Predominant one is with.
The vision.
And being able to, uh, get.
Familiar with the.
Technology to, uh, use.
Computer more productively.
With the vision loss. Yeah. And also, that was causing some ongoing.
Issues.
On placement.
As well, where my.
Vision was sort of.
Unstable.
Did you come across any assistive technology that had been that you found quite helpful, that you perhaps weren't aware of before, during.
The program, we, uh, we used the Jaws program, the text to speech and using the computer. So that's another one that we use on the windows systems. Unfortunately, some programs that I need to use that doesn't really work well with. And so that was a bit of a challenge as well.
Yeah. Right. Hopefully there's some developments there in the accessibility gets a little bit better on those programs that you need. And maybe Vision Australia can support you in some of that. What challenges did you face and how did you manage them?
Ironically, the biggest challenge that I had, especially during the first week, week and a half of my placement, was the transportation system was completely in disarray. Mhm. So that made getting anywhere difficult. Um, and very expensive. I've got support work. Uh, gave me a hand through all of that. Thankfully, I didn't have any major issues with assistive technology. Um, I had a couple of issues with a few things like Salesforce, but that's just you've just got to try
and find similar ways to do the same thing. And sometimes that means going to a teammate and man going, can you do this particular thing for me? Because I literally cannot do it.
Yeah, that's worth remembering, isn't it? Because even your sighted co-workers will sometimes not be capable, or perhaps something might not be accessible to them, and they need to lend on some help from you?
Yeah, exactly.
So I guess that's what a team is, isn't it? Really? Yeah.
And that's as I said before, that's the thing I think I found the most interesting and the experience was something I've not had before was the fact of, you know, each of us in the team had different strengths. Pretty much everyone in the group came to me for assistive technology help. At some point, I went to them for visual help at some point.
All right, I'm going to work down my list and we'll go back to Carl. Carl, I'd like to know perhaps the the main skill that you think you're walking away with after this exercise and after the the weeks of training, you feel like you're a little bit more confident again.
Exactly right. So it does. I was going to say that was one of the skills is, um, is it fully defining of confidence in all manner of things with regards to, interacting with people and things with the vision loss.
Thanks, Carl. Yeah. Great answer to a pretty sloppy question that I presented to you. Well done.
Nice.
Okay. Michael, what sort of skills do you feel like you're walking away with?
I think it's just a realization that the skills you have are transferable though your training. You know, not in the industry that you're that you're in. You sort of have that. It's sort of a bit, um, a bit wary of that when you go to a new place. Yeah.
And if you're coming with the business initially, you're sort of that with the assistive technology, and the guys are using Jaws as a whole new world I've never seen before, but just, um, just being mesmerized by hearing these voices going on the wall now and then, um, and wondering how they, you know, that would have been good auctioneers or something, but just a little bit. All the shortcut keys, which I never heard of. And now we learn about those and they come in handy. So just just picking
up what you need. Yeah. Transferable skills, but also picking up new skills on the way. You know. And you can always teach an old dog new tricks or the thing which is good.
I've been interviewing folk on Vision Australia radio for some time about their vision loss journeys and the anxiety that was there for people that lose vision later in life, and the situations where career paths have to change because of that low vision diagnosis. The interesting thing about that is the anxiety that's there about, you know, what your
skills will be and what will be transferable. I guess I'd like to know from people in the group if anyone's experienced vision loss later in life and and had to go through that process of re-evaluating the skills you have and, and the concern you've had about perhaps how they will translate to something else. Has there been any sort of positive experiences there where you've gone? You know what?
I've actually got some pretty decent skills here, and I might have been in this industry, but I've got every confidence that I'm going to be able to use these somewhere else.
Yeah.
Absolutely. I just lost my vision many years ago. I was completely, 100% now. And when I was working in the mines and when I first started lost my vision, I thought it was the end of my life. I thought I would never come back and find a job or anything like that. When I got here, I got advisors and I got counselling from people, and then they started giving me good, positive talks and debates about, you know, people like me. They they have their they have my name.
Why not? You can do it. So that motivated me to go. You know, I thought, okay, so I can I can start again. So that actually motivated me to think positive. And here I am. When I read the email about this career program, I thought, I think is the time I have to reach out and just get out and experience and get some skills training and just start again to find a job.
Fantastic. You must have some pretty unique skills, having worked in that industry, that will translate to many other industries. So it's going to be exciting to keep tabs on you and hear what's next for you.
I'm Sam Coley and you're listening to Talking vision on Vision Australia Radio, associated stations of Reading Radio and the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed part one of Jason's conversation today with the five graduates from the Career Visions program at Vision Australia. If you missed any part of that conversation today between Jason and the participants, the full interview is available as a podcast on our Interview
Highlights feed, which you can access through VA radio.org. That's v e radio all one word.org, but you can also find the program on the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia library. And now back to part two of Jason's conversation as he chats with Sarah.
Sarah. What sort of skills do you think you're walking away with?
A few. Mostly it's been things that I already may have had but have been expanded on. So the one that stands out for me is probably my interpersonal skills. I've always been pretty outgoing and I can chat with people that I'm working with, but I'm also really introverted, so just walking up to people and making friends is not really my forte. Yeah. Um, but as Harmony likes
to do, throw me in the deep end. Uh, we had a networking event, so that's exactly what I had to go do and walk up to people I never met before and just strike up conversation and try and make. Yeah, it was super scary. Um, but it really helped a lot, and I feel. Yeah. Much more confident now in just walking up to people and being like, hi, we're going to be friends. Um.
And my girlfriend's friends.
Well.
You've joined Harmony's social butterfly network.
That's right.
Exactly, exactly. Yeah. So I feel.
Good or bad.
Or good or bad? Michael.
Michael, how about yourself?
You have these skills, but you don't know how they're going to transfer to a new place. But. But when they do, you go, well, that's been great. Yeah. So, um, it's good to have that. Um, the more you use the skill, you know, and you use another skill, the more clients you have that go. Well, I'm here in Australia. I'm doing something I haven't done before. I go this new place where I got, you know, my place and, and and and you know that those skills will work
there as well. And then you pick up something new there as well. So it's just the, as I say, using the skills you've had and improving on them and pick up new skills. So it's it's good. It just gives you that confidence.
So I might ask Carl the next question if you're ready. Carl, what do you think is next for you.
Machine learning. Um, which many people call artificial intelligence these days. It's it's growing quite significantly and it's changing every day. There's new software and new models, new technology coming out. Um, so I've been very active in that space, and I'm looking for opportunities around the place to, to help give value in that space.
That sounds great. Uh, there's quite a bit of anxiety around our eye and its impact on humanity. Are you optimistic or concerned more than anything else changes.
What those changes are, we don't really know yet. You can probably imagine, similar to the Industrial Revolution and other changes in history, where there's been massive shifts in the way people work and how they interact with the internet. Because we're going into a new phase of interacting with the internet now as well. Mhm. With agency, what are the things that. Yeah, it could be positive. It could also be very negative but it's like a tool. Um it's like a knife. Some people use it for bad.
We use it for good.
Carl I'm looking forward to you being Vision Australia Radio's in-house eye specialist.
Oh. Thank you.
Michael, how about yourself? What's coming up for you? I've been fortunate.
Enough. Through this course, we're encouraged to apply for a, um, some disability awareness of work course through the Brisbane City Council, and I was lucky enough to get a position there. So I'm doing another part time job, 16 week program with Brisbane.
City Council.
In the.
Olympics area. They feel like.
It's going to be happening in 2042 or something. So anyway, so if it goes tits up, it's my fault. There we go. Yeah. Yeah, it feels.
Very far away, but in reality, it's probably only a few weeks away that the world is spinning quicker and quicker, I think. I feel like I've been neglecting Serena a little bit. Serena, what's next for you? Oh, there's.
A few things we are looking at. Potentially having me train the next, uh, cohort coming through career visions. Um, because I am a nerd at heart. I love computers and electronics. I've been a screen reader user for, uh, 25, 30 years, I think. I just haven't got the certs at the moment, but we're looking into that. Yeah. And I've also applied to things like Apple. Um, because again, accessibility for them is a huge thing. They need more of us in there because we're the only ones that
can really advise them. You know what's good, what's bad, what's not wearing. Having one of us on the sales floor is also useful for those people with vision impairments are coming and going. Hey, how can I use technology?
Absolutely. And hopefully some feedback before the system upgrades.
Yeah.
Fantastic. Sarah.
I was actually lucky enough to get two jobs. One as a service support officer in the children and Young people team here at VA, and then one as an administration assistant in the redress team at Micah Projects, where I did my placement. So I just plan on fully enjoying those.
Amazing. You guys are kicking goals, Samson.
I'm actually, uh, what I'm thinking now is just wanting to do a bit more training on my skills, like, uh, computer job skills, you know? And then I wanted to do another, uh, set three course again at type. So that's what I'm looking at. And probably look at a part time job somewhere. Yeah. I just wanted to learn more skills on the jobs because.
I just got.
Introduced to jobs 2 to 3 years ago, and it's actually interesting to learn more in terms about speech freedom on the same side.
Oh sounds great. And I think that's the thing we always talk about, isn't it, Harmony that everyone's on their own career path journey. And it doesn't matter what you're aiming for, as long as it's meaningful. And it's something that you'd like to do with your time. And, um, and, you know, there's a reason to get up each day, then that's really what's most important, isn't it?
Agreed.
And just to notice that no one said that they were going to come.
For my job. So I'm quite disappointed.
That.
You're in safe hands just for now, Harmony.
So, I mean, you know.
Uh, I might mix it up a bit and go for your job, and you can do interviews on the radio. Well, finally, I think I might ask each of you if you've got any, um, supportive words that you might be able to pass on to the next generation of folk that think they'll apply for the program if it is to happen. Uh, Carl, did you want to get started with that one? Yeah, you.
Get the opportunity to just make a go of that. Um, it's a great opportunity, and you get a lot of skills. So it's it's it's well worth doing because it's going to get you from a place that you work to a better place.
Well, said Serena.
In many of our cases, we are coming from, you know, no real work experience. Um, and this gives you a starter to work with. And you can, you know, build from here on. But this is a really good starting point to work with to, to get yourself familiar with the working environment.
Amazing.
Michael Austin. Uh, just you're never too old. Just went home and wrote both off. Made this me aware of the program. I was going to be an intern at the age of 60 and they went, yeah, so that's good. So you're never too old. And as I said, your skills are transferable. Go for it.
Absolutely. And your other life skills obviously add to what you can offer to a new team at a workplace as well. So I absolutely agree. Never too late to start. Uh, Sarah.
Just to add a little bit to what Karl and Serena already very eloquently put is that you may come into this thinking, oh, it's not going to teach me anything new. And it may not teach you anything new, but you will definitely expand on your skills and have a lot of new experiences and things like that. And I think also don't come into it with a certain
destination in mind. Just go with the flow, see where this leads you, because it might be somewhere completely different than what you thought it would be.
Sam said. Do you have any advice for the next round of participants?
Yeah, uh, it is a great, great program. When the opportunity comes to take it, one thing I'd like to say is that and that's I think I didn't mention before, but I still applied for some jobs out there. But if I don't get any, I don't get a job. I would like to do volunteer job. So volunteering is a very good skill where you can learn how to work and you can learn more skills and gain experience that.
You're not wrong. Sometimes those volunteer opportunities do lead to paid work as well. And you've all got some radio skills now. So Sam said, you either want to get in touch with us at Vision Australia Radio, or perhaps for RBA in Brisbane and see what volunteer roles are available because I think you'd all do a bang up job. You know, this started as a radio interview, everyone, but I think it was perhaps Harmony's cheeky way of bringing
us all together for a networking opportunity. But it's been a wonderful, uh, opportunity to have a chat to you all and learn about your involvement and what's coming up. Finally, Harmony, can I just ask you, can we expect the programme to return in 2025?
Yeah. If you can.
Convince the funders to.
Uh, approve my application, um, then did. Most definitely. So, um, so if we, um, received the funding because it is an annual funding, I will be running two intakes next year over 2526, which is a big expansion from only six per year to 12 per year. And looking at other innovations within the programme, potentially hybrid delivery with people in regional locations, if that is going to come together, um, next year and run it a little bit more expanded
so that we can include more people in Queensland. But if not, um, the.
Program will.
Kick off on the 7th of April and run until April 2026.
Yeah, right. Well, I don't carry. Unfortunately, I don't carry around a rubber stamp, but I think it seems like a no brainer to me to to approve funding for another round. Everyone's had some meaningful experiences and it's going to be great to see what's next. Harmony. How will our listeners be able to keep tabs on if another
program is delivered? I mean, we'll obviously have you back on radio to to have a chat about it, but I guess, can people just go to the Vision Australia website type career Visions and they'll hopefully find what they're looking for?
Yeah. So, um, at this point in time, um, a recruitment will start mid January until the end of February. And yes, there'll be an expression of interest on the Vision Australia website. Vision Australia. Org or people can start to send me their expressions of interest. Now I'm more than open to getting people who they're keen to get on board and they can email me harmony h a r m o n I e dot downs d o
w n e s at Vision region australia.org. So if anyone out there is super keen to find out more about what the work skills traineeship involves as an earn to learn model has an idea of where they would like to have a host placement, because I'm also talking to lots of hosts to and basically just wants to connect with peers, develop some new skills, get out into the workforce has that will and motivation to move beyond where they are now. Then I want to hear from you.
Sounds great. Samson, Sarah, Serena, Michael especially Carl. Thank you so much for joining us today and making this a very exciting podcast. And I've learnt a lot and I wish you all well, and I do hope you stay in touch with us and remember our email radio at Vision Australia. Org if you've got anything to share about your career path journey going forward, we'd love to have you back on the radio to chat about it and harmony of course. Thank you so much for being with
us today. Harmony downs, Employment consultant with Vision Australia's Service Excellence and compliance team.
And that's all the time we have for today. You've been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you. So please get in touch any time on our email at Talking Vision. At Vision australia.org that's talking vision all one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's Sam Colley saying bye for now.
You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during business hours on 1300 847 406. That's 1300 847 406 or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision australia.org.