I have been a member of this group since 2002 and have been working in the sector since 2006. Most of you know the work that I have done and some of you know about the work that I am going to take up. Very often, I have come across questions relating to what a total blind or low visioned person can do or cannot do. It is very easy if employers believe that the visually challenged can do all jobs but the reality is that NGOs and prospective employees need to show the prospective employers a list of people doing the same work In hindsight we have always found that it was always best to answer my giving examples. Most of you will agree with me that this information is critical. Recently there were 2 similar questions on the list about lecturers and especially lecturers in architecture and the question of how many people working for SBI.Such questions keep coming up from time to time.
Two years ago, xrcvc started collecting information for a database of visually challenged people who are employed. Initially it was handled by volunteers.Some of you replied and sent your completed forms. a lot of you could not be reached. I thought that a comprehensive database was a supur idea and therefore I took it up. It was a challenge. I first had a volunteer Meetul help with the emails but she soon got tired of reminding and cajoling. even then I continued to plod along. For the last 3 months Zainab a young assistant has been doing all the work. She sends you the database form in exel and word and she telephones you if she has your phone number. She then feeds your information on to the master database. She also needs to update the information that she already has. She ultimately spends several hours of her day and my resources doing this work and XRCVC will be compensating her for the same. She is off to the US in one months time so now I dont have the luxury of sending you reminder after reminder. Although we have received a lot of co-operation from some of you, others have had to be reminded thrice. It seems that a lot of you are comfortable giving the information for the database on the telephone but are not comfortable and do not have the time to reply to a Word/Excel file. Some of you do not realise that you have an obligation to your successors who can use your hardwork, your pitfalls, your successes and your experiences. its very easy for me to have said that I can buy any book that I want abroad so i wont work on the copyright issue or that I have no problems with my share trading so I wont bother about working on the circular from NSDL or that I have a bank account with all facilities so I wont work on the Banks issue. Why did I need to spend hours on working with RBI and IBA for no benefit to me personally. The guidelines for scribes have taken away hours and maybe months from my life even though I will never personallly benefit from them. I thought it was my duty to do what was right and what was required. I am therefore requesting you to do your little bit and be part of this database. We need your details. I have heard an excuse that you need permission from your employer but what permission do you require to give your name, age and some basic details. You need not give any answer to the pros and cons question. If you would still prefer to answer on the telephone, please send me your phone number. I am, for the last time, copying the questions here. Kindly complete the form and ask your friends who are not part of this group to do the same and mail it back to me at kanchandatab...@gmail.com. I finally apolagise for such a long mail and for harassing you with a questionaire and for making you do some hard work. thank you Kanchan XRCVC EMPLOYMENT DATABASE A)Personal Name: Year of Birth: Sex: Type of Visual Impairment (Total/ Partial/ None): Nature of Visual Impairment (From Birth/ Late; if late, in what year): Cause of Visual Impairment: B)Contact Details Address (Complete with the Pin code): Residence: Office: Telephone Res.: Mobile: Off.: Email: C)Professional Qualification (with specialization): College/ Institute: Year of Graduation: Profession: Professional History (list of past work assignments): Current Employer: Current Designation: Nature of employment (Self- employed/ private/ government): Income (optional): Fringe Benefits (optional): D)Remarks (Please enter your opinions of the advantages and disadvantages of your workplace) Pros: Cons: Instances of specific modifications made for effective integration into work environment and processes (additions or changes): Thank you for your valuable contribution! To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in