Receiving a sight loss diagnosis in childhood can be tough, often leading to isolation, disengagement, and low confidence. Many visually impaired (VI) children have never met another person like them, and schools may struggle to provide the right support. This can affect their mental health, self-esteem, and aspirations, with blind young people twice as likely to be ‘NEET’ (not in education, employment, or training) as their sighted peers.
LOOK combats isolation and boosts confidence by connecting VI young people and their families with mentors who have lived experience of sight loss. Our mentors empower them to overcome challenges, stay engaged in education, and build independence for the future. We also provide our mentors with training and opportunities to enhance their own employability. As the UK’s only VI mentoring service, we believe that with the right support, every VI child can thrive.
One donation twice the impact
LOOK is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2024 and we need your support. The Big Give Christmas Challenge kicks off at 12 pm on the 3rd of December to the 10th of December at 12 pm, so mark your calendars! From that moment, the LOOK Big Give donation button will be live, offering you the opportunity to double your impact and bring hope to even more families this Christmas.
Every pound you give will be matched by our generous Big Give champion, ShareGift, meaning your support can help twice as many blind and partially sighted young people access life-changing programmes like peer mentoring, community events, and family support groups.
Together, we can create a brighter future—thank you for making a difference.
Meet LOOK Mentee Christina.
Christina is 15 years old. She lost her sight very suddenly, during the pandemic. Christina’s experience in mainstream school has been challenging as she has struggled to find the right support to help her learn how to use the assistive technology she needs after her change in vision. This impacted her confidence and ability to participate in class with her peers. Her family felt lost and didn’t know where to turn for help.
LOOK connected Christina with a local VI mentor, offering her the face-to-face support she needed to build skills and confidence in using accessible technology.
With her mentor’s help, Christina can now make calls, send messages, and navigate her phone independently. Small steps like these have been life-changing. From leading dances at a ceilidh event to speaking in front of 300 people at the Hay Festival, Christina’s journey has been truly transformative. She’s now preparing to attend the Royal National College for the Blind in 2025!
Christina’s story shows just how crucial LOOK’s support can be, this is where you can make a real difference.
We understand that a sight loss diagnosis can be devastating, often leaving children and young people feeling isolated. LOOK offers a lifeline, guiding them through the challenges of sight loss and connecting them with a supportive community of visually impaired peers, showing they are not alone.
With your help, LOOK can ensure more blind and partially sighted young people are empowered to overcome challenges, realise their potential and thrive in a world where they are valued, included, and equipped for success.
A donation of just £80 with Gift Aid and with The BigGive match funding becomes £200. This is enough to train a new visually impaired LOOK mentor who, by sharing their own lived experiences, can provide valuable guidance and make a real difference in the lives of visually impaired young people facing similar challenges. Every donation, no matter the size, will help make a difference.
Have you met LOOK Mentor Karlena? She shares with us her experience of sight loss and the impact LOOK has had on her life.
The BigGive Christmas Challenge goes live in…
To find out more about our pioneering peer mentoring programme, click here.