IT Home Visiting Service
Royal National Institute of the Blind
I.T. Home Visiting Service
The I.T. Home Visiting Service is supported by volunteers and provides assistance to blind and partially sighted computer users, within their homes. The services we provide can include assistance with setting up a new computer, troubleshooting hardware and software as well as advice on the suitability of older computers to support speech packages.
How does the Service work?
Members who require assistance with their computer should contact Volunteer Development & Operations on 0845 604 2341. Our friendly staff will conduct a search to find a volunteer who lives locally to you, we will then pass your contact details onto the volunteer who in turn will contact you to arrange a convenient time to visit your home.
Guidelines for Using the Service
These guidelines must be adhered to when requesting volunteer support from RNIB.
- Clients are permitted to use this service if their computer is only for personal use and not for training, business use or under warranty.
- All contact with the I.T. Home Visiting Service Volunteers (this includes requests for assistance) must be channelled through RNIB (on the 0845 number given above). Clients are not permitted to contact volunteers directly unless their express permission has been sought.
- Volunteer Development & Operations will endeavour to locate the assistance of a volunteer within 5 working days. This is a voluntary service and as such, we cannot guarantee volunteers can be found on every occasion, although non-provision of help is rare.
- When requesting assistance, clients are only permitted to make one request for computer assistance within a 5-day period and only once. This avoids multiple colleagues working on the same enquiry, preventing assistance being sought for other clients.
- If a client has made a request for assistance and has not heard anything after 5 working days, it is acceptable for the client to contact Volunteer Development & Operations for an update. Telephone calls during the 5 working day period will not mean volunteer assistance is found any quicker.
- Clients are not required to reimburse volunteers for their time or travelling. Clients wishing to assist this service financially are requested to make donations payable to RNIB and these will be most gratefully received.
- If parts are required for a client’s personal computer and a volunteer has been asked to assist with the purchases, please ensure Volunteer Development & Operations is informed. This will help avoid any misunderstandings, which may occur at a later stage.
- RNIB endeavour to maintain a high standard of expertise with the volunteers we recruit. The level of expertise depends on the individual and the work they encounter. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to always have a suitable volunteer if your computer problem is highly specialised.
- If at any time RNIB feel a client is taking advantage of the service we are entitled to review whether we feel this service is appropriate to the needs of the client. We expect our staff and volunteers to be treated with respect. Aggressive behaviour is not accepted and appropriate action will be taken.
- Clients of the RNIB Computer Service are required to adhere to RNIB guidelines. We reserve the right to withdraw a client at any time, if we feel these guidelines have not been adhered to.
Remember: The I.T. Home Visiting Service operates with the assistance of people who have given their time, energy and experience voluntarily to RNIB. Where possible our volunteers will endeavour to assist clients as soon as they can. Clients are encouraged to be patient during this process.
You can contact the RNIB I.T. Home Visiting Service using the contact details above. Any questions or feedback you may have relating to the service are more than welcome.
In the unlikely event you should have cause to complain about the service received, please call Volunteer Development & Operations to discuss further.