It was a great honour this week to be made a Vice-President of the disability charity Special Effect, which aims to use advanced technology to adapt video games to enhance the quality of life for people with physical disabilities.
Special Effect visit disabled people to find out exactly what they want to play, and what they need to play it. They then match, modify or create equipment to lend to them, and give support so they can get the best out of it. Regardless of a person’s disability, there is never a situation that is too challenging for the tech specialists at Special Effect. One particularly memorable example was Becky, a young physically disabled girl who is able to play Minecraft by using just her eyes.
What’s more, as a person’s disability changes over time, Special Effects go back again and again to make sure that those who they support get a chance to keep playing to the very best of their abilities. Fundamentally, Special Effect don’t charge for anything - the aim is simply to do whatever it takes to raise the quality of life for disabled people.
As a huge fan of video games myself, I am delighted to be part of an organisation like Special Effect which is helping to break down barriers and provide these opportunities for everybody. Furthermore, I was very proud to welcome the Prime Minister along with representatives from the games industry this week, to open the new Special Effect Games Room which will allow more disabled people to enjoy video games.
Elsewhere it was down to me to present this week’s latest employment stats to the national media – a daunting task but thankfully it was good news as the employment rate has hit yet another record high. In the face of significant turbulence in the global economy, I was delighted to give the news that more people than ever have the security of a job and a rising pay packet.
The figures show a record number of people in work, youth unemployment at its lowest in a decade and crucially the claimant count at its lowest in four decades. With the number of workless households at its lowest ever, our economic and welfare reforms are delivering more security and providing opportunities that give families the best chance in life.
And here in Swindon we are doing our bit as next week we will see Swindon Borough Council hold its JobFest event which has invited every local young person who is currently still claiming Job Seekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance, as well as those who are currently not in education, employment or training.
With a record numbers of job vacancies and rising wages, we have never had a better opportunity to help people into work.
