The jobs that blind people can do

Press, 15 December 1983, Page 3

The jobs that blind people can do

Not many panel beaters would admit to having problems getting rid of hailstone marks on a vehicle’s bodywork. But then not many panel beaters are blind or only partially sighted. Stuart Dunstan (above) believes he is the only New Zealand panel beater to fall into this category. Stuart, aged 19, has been employed by Amuri Motors for the last 16 months as a panel beater. Until he was 10 he had perfect sight, but since then cataracts have interfered with his vision to

the point where he is completely blind in the right eye and has only limited vision in the left. Stuart says he has very few problems doing his job, which the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind helped him to find. He does have difficulties repairing bailstone marks, lining up mudflaps and getting rub strips on the body work in line. Formerly a pupil at Rangiora High School, Stuart comes from Waikuku Beach. Since he started his job he has been living at the

foundation’s hostel on Bristol Street and walking to work each day. He goes home to his family at weekends. Stuart is one of the luckier people to come to the attention of the foundation. Its placement officer, Mr Colin Hanson, says that it is difficult to place blind or partially sighted people in employment, with many employers being put off at the outset and not even giving the candidates the chance of job experience. “Most employers are terrified of a white cane. It

is off-putting,” he says. But he adds that “once a disabled person is employed they have good stickability.” “Most people are not aware of the jobs that blind people can do. They can do clerical jobs, assembly work, computer programming, word processing and be telephone operators,” Mr Hanson said. The foundation can give training for people on the job and provide adapting equipment where it is necessary, so that the jobs

do not mean any extra cost to the employer. At the moment there are 48 blind people looking for jobs in Christchurch and many more throughout the South Island. There are about 98 blind and partially sighted people already in jobs in Christchurch, some of whom hold very responsible positions. Mr Hanson will be campaigning in the New Year to try to make more employers aware and prepared to take these people on to their staffs.