Hello, my name is Kaya. I am the chair-person and social media ambassador for the youth forum.

My passion is to support and inspire young visually impaired people to move forward and lead happy and rewarding lives.  As a visually impaired person myself, I completely understand the challenges that young VI people experience in life. Our disability does not define who we are as individuals.  We can all lead fulfilling and wonderful lives.

It’s me, Bilal!

I love anime, gaming and music. I have been with RSBC for many years and I chose to join the youth forum as a way to give back and help blind and visually impaired people like myself to make life easier and more accessible.  The youth forum isn’t just a group of people talking about different issues, it’s more of a community that wants to help and support people with similar backgrounds and experiences to live a more limitless life.  There are many different issues that effect people in different ways and For blind and partially sighted people the issues can effect them more severely.  At the end of the day, we are all people who have different needs and that’s what makes us human beings.

My name is Camille Holder, I joined the youth forum two years ago at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, and I have really enjoyed being part of it since.

I first heard about RSBC and the youth forum thanks to my specialist teacher Aimee.  I joined at a difficult time, when I felt very isolated and could not see my friends.  This society was appealing to me because I wanted to make a difference and be part of a community.  I quickly felt that our voices were being heard and that together we were understood.  Some values that I align myself with are kindness, helpfulness and organisation.  I have recently graduated from a supported internship and in my spare time I like to write books for children.  Through the youth forum I have learnt several new skills, such as how to speak up for myself and how to express my feelings and emotions, as well as asking for help when needed.  Most of all, I now feel that I am not alone!

Hi, I’m Rufus and I’m from East Dulwich, South London.

I’m about to start an internship with Guys and St Thomas’ Hospital, working as a patient access coordinator.  In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music, going for walks, seeing friends and meals out.  I decided to join the youth forum because I enjoy the RSBC activities and wanted to give back to it.  I enjoy the youth forum meetings, especially the pizza!

My name is Rona Smith and I am completely blind.

I really like helping others and I am passionate about making everyday objects —  such as menus in restaurants — accessible to blind people, so that they can maintain their independence.  I am currently volunteering monthly for my local theatre.  I really feel that I can make a difference and improve the lives of VI young people around the UK.  I want to make society more inclusive for VI young people like myself and smash down the barriers that affect us day to day.  This should help us maintain our independence in the long-term.

My name is Ikra and I live in Bradford.

I have an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. I have a cataract in my right eye and I had one removed from my left eye.

My hobbies are going to the gym, where I do weight training and boxing.  I also like shopping and building big constructions from Lego.  I am hoping to build the Old Trafford Stadium from Lego soon, as I am a big football fan.  My teams are Man United and Bradford City.  I am a member of the RSBC youth forum because I want to build more awareness about vision impairment and make the world more accessible for VI people.  This is why I am also a mentor for Look UK, an ambassador with Bradford for Everyone, and have worked with the National Development Team for Inclusion.

Hey! My name is Lauren and I am blind.

I am studying health and social in college but in my free time I like to play video games, play with makeup and experiment with new looks and advocate for equal opportunities and accessibility for the sight impaired.

As a young blind woman, I aspire to help advocate for the rights of sight impaired people and for those who do not have a voice. I also like to educate people about living with a visual impairment, challenge misconceptions and raise awareness of sight impairment. I am a massive advocate for self care as a sight impaired person and showing what it may look like. I want every visually impaired person to know that they do have a place that they belong and that they deserve to have the same opportunities as our sighted counterparts , whether that be through education, workplaces or the community.

Hello, my name is Mohammed.

I am a university student studying a degree in Digital Education. As a fully blind person who has used technology extensively, I hope to make a positive contribution to the forum through the knowledge I’ve acquired during my studies. I believe technology is truly empowering for people with disabilities, and we should make the most of it to help each other overcome challenges.

I am also interested in helping to make the internet an accessible facility for all, by bringing to attention accessibility issues when accessing services or websites.

My name is Alyssia, and I am registered severely sight impaired. I can see light and colour and use a cane to navigate.

In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music, singing and creative writing. I also do judo.

I joined the youth forum, because I want to make a difference in the lives of young people with a vision impairment. I am passionate about making the world more accessible, to ensure that blind and vision impaired people can live an independent and fulfilling life. I am also passionate about mental health, And I believe that discussions need to be had about mental health for VI young people.

I’m Zenny and I’ve been a part of the youth forum for a couple of years now.

I joined because I strongly believe that there is no-one better to truly represent and educate others on blindness than those of us who’re blind.  Outside of the forum, I work within the entertainment industry, specifically voice acting, singing and song-writing.  I’ve done some modelling in the past as well.  I’m also hoping to start a small vocal coaching business.  I’m very excited for the future of the forum; we’ve got some great ideas and plans in the works.