site.btaChair of National Library for the Blind: Unemployment among Visually Impaired Remains High

Visually impaired people who speak English are four times more likely to find a job, said National Library for the Blind “Louis Braille" Chair Yordan Mladenov at a press conference on Wednesday in the BTA National Press Club marking International White Cane Safety Day. Mladenov drew attention to the problem of unemployment among visually impaired people, with only 15% of them finding work.

He added that, once they have demonstrated their skills and qualifications, they are offered an employment contract. At the press conference, young people who are completely visually impaired talked about their success in the job market. They revealed that the secret to their success is their qualifications and their desire to integrate.

The National Library for the Blind is organizing a project called "One More Step to the Big Goal", which aims to teach English. Mladenov told BTA that the library has already published Braille textbooks for learning English and is now preparing a textbook, workbook, tests and audio materials. The aim is to create a comprehensive set of Braille teaching materials for learning English, enabling visually impaired individuals to monitor their progress. Additionally, a course is being run at the community centre for visually impaired individuals looking to improve their English.

Mladenov also noted the difficulties visually impaired people face when getting around the capital city of Sofia, which has few tactile guidelines for the blind. One example is the central pedestrian zone on Vitosha Boulevard. with there being no tactile guide lines that play a significant role in orientation for visually impaired people. Currently, only the Vardar and Slivnitsa metro stations have such a guide line in the middle of the platform. When it is missing, people must rely on the tactile lines at the edge of the platform to orient themselves. 

On November 4, Hall 11 of the National Palace of Culture will host a concert by blind people from the community centre and other groups and performers, including Mihaela Fileva and Mimi Ivanova. The aim is to raise funds for the renovation of the concert hall at the Louis Braille School for Blind Children in the capital. Mladenov added that the most urgent issue at present is to install heating in the hall.