A fashion course run by the Centre also teaches students some of the skills they would need to make or adapt their own clothes. Another exciting initiative, developed up by the Blind Centre Northern Ireland, offers teenagers who are blind or visually impaired, a way into the vivid and fast-moving youth culture that surrounds them. At the charity's Belfast recording studios, two separate audio tape 'magazines' are produced on a monthly basis, and distributed free of charge to visually impaired young people. The first tape, called 'Eye Hear' is produced by youngsters who attend the centre, and have visual impairments themselves. This tape provides a monthly instalment of chat, features, book reviews, interviews with local celebrities, and music quizzes.
Some features involve the listeners and invite their responses.
Each month the same group of youngsters come up with the ideas for the content of the tape. They also present the tape themselves, so they get solid media experience, while the listeners have the opportunity to become familiar with their voices and personalities. The other tape magazine comes from a slightly different angle. During the process they also add their own ideas, offering their listeners an exclusive insight into what is happening on the teen scene, and what is in vogue. If demand increases, the Centre will consider producing a new range of tapes that are along the lines of popular teen magazine titles such as More or 19.