Ten New Internships Open for Blind and Partially Sighted Jobseekers to Get Set Progress

Ten new paid internship roles have just opened for blind and partially sighted jobseekers to Get Set Progress.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is collaborating with Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) again to create the new opportunities for blind and partially sighted people to find employment through TPT’s Get Set Progress Internship programme.

TPT has run a programme of paid internships since 2015. Last month, October 2023, nine new internships were up for grabs and will start in the coming weeks, as a further ten places are added to the 2024 programme. The previous cohort, launched in January 2023, appointed 23 interns in organisations across the Sight Loss Sector and has been hugely successful.

The latest ten exciting opportunities are based all over the country from Scotland to Southend and Leeds to London. The new internships, open for applications from blind and partially sighted candidates* from today until 5pm Monday 11 December.  Links to all roles are on the Get Set Progress internships page on TPT’s website and include:

• Communications and Administration Intern – Blatchington Court Trust
• Communications Intern – Bradbury Fields
• Marketing and Admin Intern – Focus Birmingham
• Junior Fundraising Copywriter intern- Macular Society
• Administration Assistant Intern – General Optical Council
• Theatre Trainee Intern – Leeds Playhouse
• People and Culture Admin Intern – Migrant Help
• Administration Support Intern – General Optical Council
• Customer Engagement Intern – RealSam Ltd
• Research Intern – Retina UK
• Sight Support Intern –Seescape
• Administration Support Intern – Southend in Sight

 

Josh Feehan, TPT’s Head of Internships, said: “On the back of a hugely successful year with the Get Set Progress programme, I am delighted to be announcing a further ten roles to this year’s intake. Witnessing the positive impact the programme is having on both the blind and partially sighted interns and the organisations involved is amazing. The programme continues to go from strength to strength.”

“Our internships scheme helps blind and partially sighted people to get that first rung on the career ladder.  And we know it works.  85% of interns have gone on to secure employment within six months.”

The scheme contributes up to 50% of the funding for the posts and TPT supports the interns and partner organisations throughout the nine-month placements.

Martin O’ Kane, Head of Employment at RNIB, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Get Set Progress Programme for a second year following the success this year. We are committed to helping blind and partially sighted people into employment and this programme continues to deliver just that.”

“Internships are a great way of enabling people to try out different roles and also to educate employers around how to support staff with sight loss. We are urging people to apply for these roles.”

If you are interested in any of the opportunities please get in touch with the organisations directly or if you have a general query about the programme contact the Internships team at: internships@pocklington.org.uk.

*These posts have a Genuine Occupational Requirement that the successful applicants be a blind or partially sighted person in line with The Equality Act 2010.