Released on September 24, 2019
Today, Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison announced funding to provide better access to specialized services that will help Saskatchewan residents who are blind or partially sighted prepare for, secure and maintain employment.The Government of Saskatchewan is providing Vision Loss Rehabilitation Saskatchewan (VLRS), a sister organization of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), with $291,000 in funding for programming that supports clients with visual impairments who require skill development.
“Investing in this service supports Saskatchewan’s goal of being the best place in Canada for people who experience disabilities, including vision impairment, to live and work,” Harrison said. “Through partnerships with organizations like the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Saskatchewan, we are helping hundreds of people access meaningful career training and employment.”
“For many people, vision loss rehabilitation is the gateway to a future filled with possibility,” VLRS Executive Director Dan Vodon said. “These services provide the essential skills to succeed at school, pursue a rewarding career and fully engage in all aspects of life. In so doing, we empower people of all ages to pursue and achieve their ambitions. We are excited for the opportunity to change what it is to be blind through innovative programs and powerful advocacy to enable Canadians impacted by blindness to live the lives they choose.”
VLRS provides services to Saskatchewan residents who are at least 16 years of age and who register with the organization as a client requiring assistance to reduce the impact of their disability in order to participate in education or employment.
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For more information, contact:
Deb Young
Immigration and Career Training
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4765
Email: deb.young@gov.sk.ca