Sorry, applications for these workshops have now closed.
Ensuring that young people have the right technology to support their development at home and at school can be a real challenge. Parents can find it hard to know which devices, software or apps will be most effective in supporting their young person’s education, where to go for advice and support on new products, and what to do when things go wrong.
To help shine a light on all of this, and to provide you with a range of resources around technology, VICTA has teamed up with TAVIP (the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People) to run three webinars to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2024 which is on Thursday, 16 May 2024.
We have brought together a range of experts from across the sector who are involved in supporting 11 to 18 year olds with technology. We will set out the context for technology, explain funding and support at home and in school, discuss some of the most common assistive technology devices, software and apps, and we’ll look at issues around transitions and equipping young people with the technology skills they will need in later life.
We will also be sharing a resource pack with people that attend which will include information and contact details for contributors and organisations involved with VICTA Tech Week.
Technology support in education and at home
Tuesday 14 May, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
Closing date: 8 May 2024
This session will be an opportunity to come and hear about the role and potential benefits of using technology with your child with vision impairment. Jane Sharp, Education Specialist QTVI RNIB and Caireen Sutherland, CFVI sponsor, will be talking about how and where technology fits into your child’s education. This will include reference to the Curriculum Framework for Children Young People with VI (CFVI), EHCP (education health care plans or equivalent) and crucially how to work effectively with your school and Qualified Teacher for Vision Impairment (QTVI). We will also be hearing from Lucy Winton, CYP Technology Manager at Guide Dogs about the support and technology grants which Guide Dogs offer for children and young people.
To inform the session please submit any questions you have about QTVI or habilitation support around technology.
Technology showcase
Thursday 16 May, 7.30pm to 8.30pm
Closing date: 8 May 2024
This technology showcase will run through the main types of assistive technology including braille devices and tactile skills, PC screen reader software, smartphone apps, and learning resources. We’ll also look at what technical support is available from the sector. Contributors include Jeff Bashton from TAVIP, Sydney May who is Education Technology Coordinator at Thomas Pocklington Trust, and a number of technology advisers working in the sector. People attending the webinar will also be able to apply for one of 10 free technical advice sessions funded by TAVIP as part of VICTA Tech Week.
To inform the session please let us know what devices, software or apps you would like to know more about.
If you would like to be considered for one of the free 1 hour technical advice sessions, please tell us in the session 2 box on the form below what is the most pressing issue you are currently having with technology that is impacting your young person’s education.
Managing transitions and developing technology skills for later life
Friday 17th May (1pm to 2pm)
Closing date: 8 May 2024
This session will be looking at transitions, and developing technology skills for later life, as well as a wrap-up Q&A session. We are delighted to have as a speaker Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia, a remarkable young person from the Student Voices project at Thomas Pocklington Trust, who will be sharing her own experience of using technology at different stages of her education, as well as telling us about being crowned the 2022 winner of Samsung’s tech for good competition Solve for Tomorrow. We will also be joined by a member of the transitions team at Thomas Pocklington Trust who will tell us about the support they can offer at key stages, a QTVI from RNIB, and by other contributors from earlier in the week for a final Q&A session.
To inform this session, please tell us about any questions you have about managing technology through key transitions, or about the technology skills which young people may need as they progress into higher education, work or volunteering.
