A career planning and employment resource for people who are blind or partially sighted

Friends & Family

People need a support network throughout their lives and, for most individuals, friends and family members make up a significant portion of that network. With regard to career planning and employment, it’s critical to consider the process people go through as they grow up and decide what to do with their lives: what roles they will play in school, work, and in the community. It’s important to understand that the career development process begins at birth and continues into adulthood.

For people who are blind or partially sighted, one of the most important things for family and friends to remember is that the person you care about may miss incidental information (information gathered through vision by casual observation). The child or adult whom you care about will need to know what you see and how you interpret what you see so that he or she can make sense of the fast-paced and visually challenging world in which we live. 

In this section, you can read about the Career Development Process which explains the career planning and skill development people undergo as they mature. Also, read about how to support your family member or friend by choosing one of the following articles: Using this website to help a child or adolescent or Using this website to help an adult friend or relative.

You may also find it helpful to review the critical knowledge and skills that children, youth, and adults who are blind or partially sighted need to acquire by grade level: pre-school, primary, secondary, or post-secondary, which is all included in the Learning and Education section. There are also useful links to additional information listed in the Friends and Family Resources section.​​​​​​

Friends & Family Resources

Find useful links to organizations, programs, directories, and more.

Read more
​​​​​