Type of Project: Funded project
agnes@work - Agile network for visually impaired professionals

Project agnes@work: agnes@work stands for "Agile network for visually impaired professionals - consulting and competence network in the workplace". The aim of the project is to establish a multidisciplinary support structure for blind and visually impaired working people. On the one hand, by assembling multi-professional teams of experts to provide advice and support in the workplace. On the other hand, by developing information and training as well as networking support actors such as works councils, representatives of the severely disabled, inclusion officers, health insurance funds, job centers or the German Pension Insurance. The project also aims to support and constructively accompany the German government's National Continuing Education Strategy (NWS). Initial situation: Adequate support structures are not always available to meet the needs of the estimated 60,000 blind and visually impaired professionals in Germany. Especially when it comes to questions about professional training, empowerment or psychosocial challenges. In addition, those affected usually appear in isolated cases and are therefore difficult to reach. This is where agnes@work comes in. Project goal: Project goal is the establishment of a multidisciplinary support structure for visually impaired employees. On the one hand, through multi-professional expert teams, so-called task forces, which provide targeted advice and support in the workplace; on the other hand, through information, training and networking of the agents involved, such as representatives of the severely disabled (SBV), works councils, inclusion officers, health insurance funds, job centers or German pension insurance. The project involves visually impaired people as experts in their own right. In this way, the professional participation of blind and visually impaired working people and their claims to inclusive professional development and further training are to be guaranteed, also in view of the ongoing digital transformation, which has progressed even more rapidly since the beginning of the Corona crisis. On the other hand, barrier-free and inclusive continuing education is to be strengthened. To this end, agnes@work strives to be integrated into the structures of the Federal Government's National Continuing Education Strategy (NWS). A critical-constructive monitoring of the NWS flanks the project and should ensure more consideration of the topic of accessibility. agnes@work benefits from the results of the iBoB and AKTILA-BS projects. A central iBoB component, the nationwide accessible continuing education platform https://weiterbildung.dvbs-online.de with numerous accessible educational offerings, continues to be available to interested parties. The agnes@work offer is free of charge during the entire project duration. Membership in the DVBS e.V. is not required. Partners and advisory boards: The agnes@work project partners and advisory boards cover a broad spectrum. They range from interest groups of affected persons and SBC working groups to science and self-help, Vocational Training Centres and social service providers. Infobrief We keep you up to date with our regular Infobrief.