In this story we hear from Alejandro, who attended NCW until July 2025 (alongside his mother Gigi), who explains to us how a work experience opportunity at Japan House had a profound impact on his life aspirations.
The journey to NCW
It’s fair to say that NCW wasn’t even on the radar for Alejando when he approached the end of his time in primary school, which he said provided him with everything he needed. After beginning his schooling in the US, Alejandro and his family moved to London, where was given the support of a Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment – or QTVI.
“My experience at primary school was perfect to be honest. I had a QTVI who would provide me with all the stuff that I needed, and in an accessible format,” says Alejandro. “I was with my peers 80% of the time and my QTVI for the rest of the time.”
Sadly though, things did not feel so accessible when they began to explore secondary schools, as Gigi explains: “I was shocked at how schools could seemingly discriminate against children with vision impairments. We must have visited about 10 schools in our area, but as soon as they discovered Alejandro was VI and a braillist, it was like the door shut.”
It was at this point that Annette, Alejandro’s QTVI at primary school, recommended that they visit NCW.
Adjusting to life in a residential school
Alejandro has no qualms about saying that moving from his home in London to a school two and a half hours away was far from ideal. “I was very sad being away from home, and in a place so far away,” says Alejandro.
The initial few months were difficult for the whole family, explains Gigi, but what made a difference was the set-up in Alejandro’s house, and in particular the houseparents who help ensure the transition from home life to residential life is a smooth one for the student and their family.
“The way the houses were set up eventually made it feel like a family away from home for Alejandro,” says Gigi. “And after it felt like having the doors closed to us in secondary school, the houseparents opened them again by being so welcoming and transparent with us. They would also allow us to call in and come visit Alejandro as much as we wanted. All of this made such a difference, and we learned to trust having our son in the care of others.”
Alejandro adds that being surrounded by a community of other vision impaired students made a huge difference to his experience too. “Because all the students were vision impaired, it made it easier for me to connect with them. It wasn’t like at primary school where I was the only VI student there.”
Work experience provides Alejandro with valuable tools for university
Following his love of all things Japanese, Alejandro secured a work experience role at London cultural centre Japan House, and in turn becoming their first ever visually impaired work placement in 2024.
The role had a significant impact on both Alejandro and Japan House. “My work experience placement at Japan House gave me a lot of confidence, which I’ve taken into university,” says Alejandro. “For example, I’ve learned to advocate for myself – whether that means ordering equipment, making sure that my devices and the spaces are accessible, or explain what I need and don’t need. I was also the first vision-impaired person to work at Japan House.”
Alejandro’s time at Japan House helped to cement what he wanted to do after leaving NCW, and this year he has just started a degree in Japanese Studies at Birkbeck, University of London. It was also inspiring to hear that he is the first person with VI and a braillist to be studying this subject at Birkbeck.
Alejandro’s time at Japan House also had an impact on the team there, as Ria Macha, Head of Visitor Experience & Event Operations, explains: “Our experience with Alejandro has since become part of our ongoing operations, equipping us not only to better support visually impaired employees, but also to enrich the overall visitor experience at our venue. Our collaboration with Alejandro directly enhanced our customer service and tour provision for visually impaired visitors.”
Looking further ahead, Alejandro tells us that he’s clear on where his life path is heading. “I know for a fact that I now want to do something Japanese related in life, and that I eventually want to live and work in Japan,” he says.
Gigi adds that the experience should be a lesson for employers, who she believes could do more to look beyond someone’s vision impaired diagnosis. “Alejandro’s time at Japan House has already changed how they do things there, and for me this proves what can happen when you focus on a young person’s abilities – in this case a love and passion for the Japanese language and culture. When you focus on their abilities, you can open up new ways for your company to grow, while providing a valuable opportunity for that young person.”
