In 2017 RWPN launched a mentoring scheme for members.  We recognised that Vision Rehabilitation Workers are often lone workers, professionally isolated or sometimes feel stuck-in-a-rut and that a 1-to-1 relationship with a peer could provide valuable support and re-establish confidence.  We trained 20 Vision Rehab. Workers to be mentors and in doing so aim to develop the skills of longer-established workers. Being mentored is also evidence of CPD.

RWPN runs training courses in areas of practice where we have identified a gap in training provision. The training that we run covers subjects are rarely run by other organisations.  We have run Orientation & Mobility and smart phone technology courses around the UK. In 2019 we launched a low vision course tailored for Vision Rehab Workers. In 2020 we partnered with other organisation to offer free training by video on technology and low vision. 

The annual seminar is run in conjunction with Birmingham City University. It is the focal point of the year for the profession and every year around 120 Rehab. Workers meet to catch up on research and practice developments. Members are entitled to a greatly reduced entrance rate. In 2018 we held our first Scotland-focused rehab. conference and the second took place in 2019.

• Special Interest Groups

RWPN has set up a number of Special Interest Groups on this website.  These are open to members only and are intended to be a resource of more detailed information about particular areas of practice, including areas of research, areas of practice that are more complex and ways of posting and sharing what members are up to. They make a good resource for CPD too.  Special interest groups currently open are: Orientation & Mobility, Low Vision, Deafblindness, Learning Disability/Acquired Brain Injury, Children and Dementia.

•  Job Adverts

We send out job adverts to members on a regular basis.

•  Support for Visually Impaired Rehabilitation Workers

In 2017 we are establishing peer mentoring support for visually impaired workers and advice related to working with support workers and working with Access to Work.  

•     Employment Relations Advice

Advice and support for members on issues in the workplace is available via phone and email from specialists within RWPN.

Ensuring the Future of Qualification Training

A healthy professional workforce requires that those entering it and those already working in it are trained to a broadly defined range of competencies.   RWPN has played a pivotal role in the government's Trailblazer Apprenticeship Scheme in England: working with employers in the sector, RWPN helped to define the apprenticeship standard and has been approved to become the end-point assessor organisation for this programme.  In addition RWPN is actively involved with the universities that train Vision Rehabilitation Workers in England and Scotland.

RWPN Campaigning, Influencing and Promoting

Raising the profile of visual impairment rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Workers is the prime objective of RWPN.  The lack of statutory professional registration status across all four countries of the UK continues to be an issue RWPN is committed to changing.  We continue to make representation to national governments and Care Councils about the need to protect blind and partially sighted people through a register of practising professionals – a system that already applies to other, similar, professions such as Social Work and Occupational Therapy.

We are working with organisations such as ADASS (The Association of Directors of Adult Social Care) and Skills for Care to raise the profile of vision rehabilitation and the need to ensure the number of professionals meets the needs of the population.