Building awareness, growing inclusion: How Each strengthened their support for staff with Vision Impairment

Creating inclusive workplaces starts with giving employers the right tools and practical guidance. CVGT Employment partners with organisations to build their confidence in supporting people with disability, including helping them access funded training and workplace adjustments.

Each is a not for profit organisation providing mental health, disability and aged care services across more than 50 locations in Australia. As part of their commitment to creating a supportive workplace, Each recently partnered with CVGT Employment to strengthen their understanding of how to best support two Each team members with vision impairment.

CVGT Employer Engagement Specialist Rebecca Webbern coordinated a tailored Disability Awareness Training session delivered by Kaye Jones from Guide Dogs Victoria. The session helped the Boronia team build practical skills and awareness so they could provide consistent and informed support for their colleagues.

CVGT Employment also assisted Each to access full funding for the training through JobAccess, the Australian Government program that helps employers make workplaces safer and more accessible for staff with disability, injury or health condition.

What the training involved

The session at Each focused on improving understanding of vision impairment and strengthening workplace capability around accessibility and inclusive practice. Over two hours, participants explored:

• reasonable adjustments for employees with no vision
• accessibility considerations across different work areas
• how inclusion aligns with people practices and workplace safety
• guided blindfold activities to understand orientation and mobility
• communication and guiding techniques
• how to identify and address barriers in the workplace

Rebecca explained that these components were chosen to help the team reflect on their processes, environments and adjustment requirements while aligning with people and culture, workplace health and safety and inclusion principles.

Insights from the attendees

The hands-on elements of the training had a powerful impact. Staff navigated the workplace without vision while guided by a colleague, and many described the experience as eye opening.

One participant shared a moment of realisation:

Putting myself in their shoes was so helpful. The activities were great and taught me things I would not have thought of. I now know what kinds of adjustments can make a real difference.

Others highlighted how practical and engaging the session felt:

An incredibly valuable session that provided practical, trustworthy knowledge we can use in the workplace and in everyday life.

Others spoke about their deeper understanding of meaningful support:

It was an invaluable session that highlighted how much effort a person with vision impairment must put in just to get to work, let alone do their job. It really opened my eyes to what meaningful support looks like.

Together, these reflections show how the training built empathy, awareness and confidence across the team.

CVGT Employment’s role in supporting employers

CVGT Employment partners with businesses to make inclusive employment easier and fully supported.

Through the Inclusive Employment Australia program, CVGT Employment provides free support to help employers attract, recruit and retain employees with disability, injury, or health condition.

This includes guidance on inclusive hiring practices, assistance with interviews and onboarding, workplace adjustments, training for staff, help to create accessible roles, support to access wage subsidies and ongoing post placement support to ensure long term success.

This also includes helping employers access JobAccess funding for disability awareness training, workplace assessments, equipment and reasonable adjustments.

Together, these services give employers practical, coordinated guidance from recruitment through to retention, helping them build workplaces where every employee can thrive.

Why more employers should follow Each’s example of inclusion in action

Employers that invest in inclusion build stronger teams, better workplace culture and more confident staff. Each has demonstrated leadership by proactively strengthening their capability to support workers with vision impairment.

Their internal questionnaire, distributed after the session, indicates staff gained meaningful insights and feel more equipped to support colleagues. This approach has already helped create a more consistent and informed practice across the organisation.

Each’s commitment is a strong example of how practical training and employer support can build safer, more respectful and inclusive workplaces.

Ready to become an inclusive employer?

CVGT Employment welcomes the opportunity to support more employers who want to build inclusive, confident and well-equipped workplaces.

If your business is seeking guidance, funded training or assistance with workplace adjustments, CVGT Employment can help you navigate the process and implement practical solutions.

For employers committed to creating accessible and supportive workplaces, now is an ideal time to partner with CVGT Employment.

With CVGT as a partner and organisations like Each leading the way, inclusive employment proves that when opportunity is designed well, everyone benefits.