Seven people pose together in a bright gallery space with wooden floors and white walls. Two Black women (Sharon and Kassana) kneel at the front, smiling at the camera. Sharon is wearing a white, unbuttoned shirt and a black dress and Kassana is wearing a purple suede jacket, white T-shirt with a blue print and a navy skit with tights). Other five stand behind them. Kellie holds a white cane and is wearing a white T-shirt with dark green leaf prints, blue jeans and black shoes. To the left, Tracey is standing next to her, wearing glasses, a chunky necklace, Black dress and sandals. She has a key chain hanging on her neck. Next to her, in the middle, is Kirin, who wears a bold floral dress with flowers in her hair. To the left, Emma is smiling and holding her baby bump. She is wearing a long stripy black and white dress. Furthest left, behind Sharon, stand Monika, wearing a black top, with her hair ties in a pony tail, smiling. The group appears joyful and relaxed.

Accessibility and Visual Impairment Training with Visually Impaired Creators Scotland

ByMonika Navickaitė

On July 1st, the Be United team had the privilege of taking part in an inspiring Accessibility and Visual Impairment Training session with Visually Impaired Creators Scotland, held at Fruitmarket in Edinburgh. The session was led by the brilliant Kirin Saeed and supported by the equally insightful Kellie Dingwall. It marked a valuable step in Be United’s ongoing journey to make our events, spaces, and communications more inclusive and accessible.

Both Kirin and Kellie created a warm and open space for learning, growth, and honest reflection. The training offered practical skills and deeper insights into what it means to create an environment that truly welcomes and supports people who are visually impaired.

Be United's Business Development Manager kassana Garraway (Black woman with short black curly hair, wearing a graphic white T-shirt and a navy skirt) and Media and Communications Lead Monika Navickaite ( a white woman with long brown hair with blond highlights and a black long-sleeved top) are sitting at a wooden table in a bright room with yellow chairs, mugs, and notebooks in front of them. Monika is writing and talking, while Kassana is looking attentively ahead. A large clock and a refreshment table with pastries and coffee urns are visible in the background.
Two women—Sharon Thomas, Programme and Operations Coordinator at Be United, and Tracy Morgan, Community Engagement Manager at Fruitmarket—sit at a wooden table in a bright room with yellow chairs. Both have mugs and notebooks in front of them. Sharon wears a white shirt under a black dress, while Tracy wears a black dress, chunky necklace, and glasses. They are smiling and looking slightly off-camera, likely toward the training facilitator.

What We Learned

We began by exploring self-description, learning how to describe ourselves from head to toe – from our names and hairstyles to what we were wearing. It deepened our understanding of how to make social spaces more inclusive for those who rely on audio cues.

In small groups, we shared our own experiences of working with visually impaired people. These discussions sparked powerful conversations about representation, language, and more.

We also worked through ways we can improve the accessibility of our communication, from event marketing to on-stage introductions.

One of the most practical and impactful parts of the day was guiding practice. With Kirin’s and Kellie’s help, we learned how to safely and respectfully guide someone through various real-life situations: stairs, through doors or to their seat – all the moments that can make a big difference for our attendees at Be United events.

Another key takeaway from the day was the importance of having a dedicated Access Liaison – someone who understands the access needs of disabled guests and can meaningfully connect them with the rest of the event and audience. At Be United, we aim to have an Access Liaison present at most of our events, and it was fantastic to hear how much Kirin appreciated this role in action. Her feedback confirmed how having someone in this position can truly enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of our events.

At Be United, equity is at the forefront of everything we do, and we’re proud to be committed to continuous learning and growth. This training was a meaningful reminder that accessibility is an ongoing journey — and we’re grateful for opportunities like this to deepen our understanding and strengthen our practice.

Kirin Saeed, the training facilitator, shared:

‘I was delighted to be able to facilitate an exciting practical workshop for Be United at the Fruitmarket. I felt everyone was so willing to take risks, learn, and realise the relevance of making events and promotional material accessible for visually impaired audiences. I do hope we continue this important work with artists and enable them to think about access and creativity as a package when they are writing and producing their wonderful songs. Music and visuals speak to everyone. Visually impaired people just need that little extra information about costumes, sets, lighting, to make it an even more worthwhile experience. I want to also thank all those who attended the workshop for making it such a magical and empowering experience. Here’s to the ongoing work.’

– Kirin Saeed, Founder of Visually Impaired Creators Scotland

Seven people pose together in a bright gallery space with wooden floors and white walls. Two Black women (Sharon and Kassana) kneel at the front, smiling at the camera. Sharon is wearing a white, unbuttoned shirt and a black dress and Kassana is wearing a purple suede jacket, white T-shirt with a blue print and a navy skit with tights). Other five stand behind them. Kellie holds a white cane and is wearing a white T-shirt with dark green leaf prints, blue jeans and black shoes. To the left, Tracey is standing next to her, wearing glasses, a chunky necklace, Black dress and sandals. She has a key chain hanging on her neck. Next to her, in the middle, is Kirin, who wears a bold floral dress with flowers in her hair. To the left, Emma is smiling and holding her baby bump. She is wearing a long stripy black and white dress. Furthest left, behind Sharon, stand Monika, wearing a black top, with her hair ties in a pony tail, smiling. The group appears joyful and relaxed.

Be United Operational team, Fruitmarket’s Community Engagement Manager Tracy Morgan, Kirin Saeed and Kellie Dingwall at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh.

What the Be United Team Says About the Training

A headshot of Emma Sithole, CEO and Co-founder of Be United. She is a white woman with brown hair tied in a bun, blue eyes, and a bright smile, looking directly at the camera. She wears a white linen top with sea-themed illustrations of shells and starfish and gold buttons on the shoulder. The background is a deep brown studio backdrop.

‘At Be United, we continually strive for professional development, so it was fantastic to participate in an accessibility training, delivered by Kirin Saeed of Visually Impaired Creators Scotland. It was such an informative, open and fun space where so much learning took place.

This training was the result of months of collaboration with Visually Impaired Creators Scotland and something I am so proud to be embedding into our organisation. I’d encourage other leaders to jump at the chance to have training with Kirin, your team will love it and will benefit immensely from such.’

– Emma Sithole, CEO and Co-founder of Be United

A headshot of Kassana Garraway, Be United’s Business Development Manager. She is a Black woman with short curly hair. She is wearing a white graphic T-short with a blue print and a purple suede jacket. She is looking at the camera and smiling, brightly.

‘My favourite part of the Visual Impairment Training was learning directly from people who are visually impaired. It really helped me understand, emphasise, and gain firsthand experience in how to improve the way I show up in the world – both personally and professionally – to better support those who may need it.’

– Kassana Garraway, Business Development Manager at Be United

A headshot of Monika Navickaitė, Media and Communications Lead at Be United. She's a young white woman. She has long, straight brown hair with blonde highlights. She is tilting her head to the left slightly and smiling warmly while looking directly at the camera. She's wearing a black, long-sleeved ribbed top and small silver earrings in the background. We can see the white walls and a high window behind her. It looks like a gallery space.

‘I really enjoyed my training with Kirin and Kellie. Our conversations were honest and fun, and they gave me a lot to think about. Most importantly, the training provided me with practical insights into how I can continue to improve the accessibility of our media and communications. It reaffirmed the importance of things we already aim to implement, like using alt text, but it also made me consider other elements – such as how we approach videos or in-person communications. I’m truly grateful for the day we spent together. I couldn’t have asked for a better training experience – delivered by people with both lived experience and valuable industry knowledge.’

– Monika Navickaite, Media and Communications Lead at Be United

A headshot of Sharon Thomas, Programme and Operations Coordinator at Be United. She is a mixed race woman with black curly hair. She is wearing a white shirt and a black dress. She has a very bright smile and is looking at the camera.

‘Kirin and Kellie from VICS brought such joy, humour, and care into our learning space. They were incredible facilitators, and I can’t wait to work with them again. The day of training was a powerful reminder that our commitment to learning must be active and ongoing. Continued education helps us ensure our events are welcoming, safe, and accessible to all. A love for community is a love for people – and inclusivity matters.’

– Sharon Thomas, Programme and Operations Coordinator at Be United

More about Visually Impaired Creators Scotland

VICS (Visually Impaired Creators Scotland) are an award winning group of artists who work both on their own projects and as a team to inspire, promote and encourage the work of visually impaired artists through:

– Sharing of ideas

– Collaborative performances

– Workshops

– Monthly newsletters

You can learn more about their inspiring work by visiting their website:

https://www.visuallyimpairedcreatorsscotland.co.uk/

We encourage you to support and celebrate the amazing work they do!



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