A group of four young women, including two RSBC representatives wearing lanyards, at a residential trip. They're standing in front of goalposts and smiling at the camera happily.

More than just a residential: how RSBC trips create lasting friendships

In 2011, the UN General Assembly decided that 30th July would become the International Day of Friendship – but RSBC’s been helping to foster friendships for the children and young people it supports for much longer than that.


The blockers to friendship for blind children

It’s sad but true - it’s more challenging for blind and partially sighted young people to make friends, and keep them.

There are many reasons why that’s the case. Being unable to see social cues such as facial expressions, a lack of self-confidence or self-esteem, fear of being judged or viewed as ‘different,’ inadequate inclusion activity in schools, difficulty in getting around physical spaces…these are just some examples on a very long list. The result is that children and young people with vision impairments are more socially isolated and can find interactions with other people more difficult, and that has an impact on their mental and physical wellbeing.

We know that socialising, sharing experiences and feelings, and having a good time with friends are all crucial for boosting our mood and providing feelings of security and empathy. That’s why it’s so important that vision impaired young people have opportunities to form connections and build relationships.

Breaking down the barriers

We believe that children and young people with vision impairments deserve to have the same opportunities to make friends as their sighted peers, and we want to remove the obstacles they face.

That’s why RSBC’s Services team operates a full schedule of activities for children and young people up to the age of 25, in-person and online. We’re working hard to make sure they can share fun together, find emotional support and feel included and connected.

And we’ve found that one of the most successful ways of achieving that is to hold residential trips in locations across England and Wales, where young people can bond and make good friends for life. They’re an opportunity for young people from every corner of England and Wales to meet up and build firm bonds as they take part in fun and exciting sports and activities together.

We hold two residentials each year during school holidays, and they bring together children and young people who otherwise probably wouldn’t have met. Taking part in activities like climbing, acoustic shooting and judo, eating pizza, and just generally hanging out together – they’re the perfect recipe for getting to know new people and forming those all-important friendship bonds.

Making friends for life

And it’s an approach that’s working! Just look at what some of our young people have had to say about their RSBC residential visits:

“I had fun making new friends! It was nice doing things I don’t normally do.”

“This trip made me feel normal, not different for having a VI.”

“I liked going on the water rafting!  And I had fun meeting new people.”

“I loved the climbing. Meeting new people was great, especially VI people.”

“The bond we share will never be broken."

 “It's like we are all best friends."

 

Here to support children and young people with vision impairment

Everyone needs friends to talk to and laugh with. That’s why RSBC delivers a wide range of events for blind and partially sighted young people and their families, including our ever-popular residentials, in-person events at our Life Without Limits Centre in London, and lots of online groups like Audio Book Club, Boys’ Crew, Sisterhood and Virtual Gaming Club. Find out more about the activities we have planned at https://www.rsbc.org.uk/pages/activities-and-events

 

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