Blind since birth, a Te Puke woman is expressing the need for more social outlets for young adults in the community.

Jesse, aged 25, says her blindness does impact her social life, and she's experienced social difficulties since she was a school kid.

'It's affected my social life because people are very wary about hanging out with blind people,” says Jesse.

'Even in school I used to get people come up and say: ‘Oh, why are you hanging out with the blind kid?'”

'If you get seen to be hanging out with the blind kid, then you get laughed at.”

Unfortunately, since leaving high school, Jesse, now in her mid-twenties, says her situation has worsened 'because I don't have any friends”.

Inclusive fun

Feeling like there is something missing in the community for people that find social situations difficult, Jesse says it would be kind of nice to have a service 'that takes you out and does things”.

She believes there are services like this through the local mental health group but says: 'It would be beneficial to have it outside of mental health”.

'Something to have a sense of belonging, have fun, go out and do things with people.”

Jesse says having something to look forward to would be extremely beneficial to overall her wellbeing.

Asked what kind of values would be important in such a social group that she envisions within the community, Jesse says: 'Just diversity”.

'It shouldn't matter how you are, and what abilities you do or don't have; something sort of all inclusive.”

Music lovers

A creative connoisseur, Jesse loves singing, acting, 'anything musical” and also plays the flute!

With plenty of choirs around Te Puke for older residents, Jesse thinks one for young people would be great.

'It would be really nice to have a young person's choir because that would be something anyone, whether they're disabled or not, can still join, sing and have fun.

'That would be a big thing.”

Jesse wants people to know that when it comes to blindness: 'You're still a person, you still feel things, and you still hear things”.

'We still want to hang out with people. We just can't see – that's all that's wrong.”

If you're keen to get involved in a social outlet with Jesse, reach out to her by emailing: robby.jess@icloud.com