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Member Update

Wednesday 30th April

Dear Members,

We’re excited to launch our new Employment Peer Connect Group – a friendly and supportive space where job seekers can come together to share stories, tackle challenges, and swap helpful tips and resources. Whether you’re searching for a job, getting ready for interviews, or exploring new career options, this group offers a valuable chance to connect with others on a similar path. The group will meet regularly on the first Monday of each month at 7:30pm AEST, with our first session kicking off next Monday, 5th May at 7:30pm AEST. Zoom details are available in the Peer Connect section below.

Also, don’t miss our upcoming BCA Inform session next Tuesday, where we’ll dive deeper into this important topic with a fantastic lineup of special guests. To register visit the Humanitix website.

A reminder, you can also read this update on BCA’s website.

What’s Coming Up at BCA?

Plan ahead using our monthly calendar – the events calendar for May is available on our website, or you can access the calendar via audio by phoning 1800 033 660 and following the prompts.

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please feel free to contact us on events@bca.org.au or call 1800 033 660.

Trivia

Saturday, 3rd May at 8:00pm AEST.

Are you interested in expanding your general knowledge in an easy going and fun atmosphere? If so, join this week’s trivia for an enjoyable night of team competition.

Please be aware that, to ensure the smooth operation of the game, Trivia will be limited to 25 players. To give everyone an opportunity, the Zoom waiting room will open to admit people who sign in from 7:45pm Sydney time and closes at 8:00pm.

BCA Inform – Employment

Tuesday, 6th May from 7:30pm to 9:00pm AEST.

Have you encountered challenges along your employment journey? Discussing employment is crucial for individuals who are blind or vision impaired, as it raises awareness, strengthens advocacy, and fosters inclusive workplace practices.

As part of BCA’s Eye to the Future project, we warmly invite you to join us for an engaging discussion on employment. Together, we will explore the evolution of the project and its current areas of focus. The session will feature guest speakers who will participate in a panel discussion, sharing their experiences and insights gained along the way. This event offers a valuable opportunity to ask employment related questions and contribute your perspectives.

To register for the event please visit the Humanitix website.

If you have any questions or if you require assistance registering, please feel free to contact us at events@bca.org.au or call 1800 033 660.

Introducing the Art Appreciation Peer Connect Group

Friday, 9th May at 11:00am AEST.

Do you enjoy discussing different styles of art, exploring critiques of art, reading writings from curators, and sharing online resources to expand your understanding of art? Then join the Art Appreciation Peer Connect Group – a space to connect, exchange ideas, and deepen your appreciation for arts in an inclusive and engaging way. This group will meet regularly on the second Friday of each month at 11:00am AEST. Join us for the launch of the group on Friday, 9th May at 11:00am AEST.

2025 BCA National Convention

Friday, 13th June to Sunday, 15th June 2025.

Be part of this exciting event and register now for the 2025 BCA National Convention. To explore the latest program updates, discover our Buddy Program, and learn about financial assistance options, visit 2025 BCA National Convention.

Register to reserve your place today for an unforgettable experience! Secure your spot 

Peer Connect Groups

The Peer Connect groups meeting in the next week are listed below. You can also find out more about all our peer connect groups, including session times and other details on the BCA Website.

Employment Group

Monday 5th May at 7:30pm AEST.

Are you actively seeking employment or looking to navigate the job market? Join our new Employment Peer Connect Group – a supportive space where job seekers can come together to share experiences, discuss challenges, and exchange valuable tips and resources. Whether you’re job hunting, navigating interviews, or exploring career opportunities, this group offers a chance to connect with others on a similar journey.

Book Club

Wednesday, 7th May at 7:00pm AEDT.

In this meeting, the group will discuss two books: “You Called an Ambulance for What?” by Tim Booth and “Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars” by Kate Greene available from the Vision Australia library. This group is open to all readers, whether you’ve just embarked on your reading journey or have been immersed in books for many years you are welcome to come along. You will have the chance to discuss books, exchange ideas, and broaden your horizons through the magic of storytelling.

BCA Updates

Update from the CEO

Dear members,

Last week, we paused to commemorate ANZAC Day – a time to honour the courage, sacrifice and service of Australia’s veterans and service personnel, including those who returned home with permanent injuries or acquired disabilities.

At Blind Citizens Australia, we recognise the contributions of Australians who are blind or vision impaired who have served our country, and we reflect on the ongoing need to build a society that fully includes and supports all veterans.

In other news, we recently received an important update from the federal government in response to ongoing advocacy around the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) List and the future of aged care support programs.

We are pleased to share that several critical items have now been reclassified as inclusions in the AT-HM List under the Support at Home model. These include:

  • Guide and symbol canes (and related accessories)
  • Tactile and visual orientation materials
  • Manual Braille writing equipment
  • Portable note-taking equipment
  • Tactile and visual output displays
  • Assistive products for training in the use of tactile symbols other than Braille
  • Screen magnification software
  • Image-enlarging systems
  • Assistive products for adjusting field of vision

These changes are the result of continued advocacy by our sector to ensure Australians who are blind or vision impaired have access to the essential tools they need to live independently and with dignity. They reflect the collaborative efforts of Blind Citizens Australia, Vision 2020 Australia, and other organisations across the blindness sector working together to secure meaningful improvements. We’ll continue to engage with government and sector partners to monitor progress and advocate for further change where it’s needed most.

An updated AT-HM List will be published soon on the Department of Health and Aged Care website, and we’ll continue to monitor further developments in this space.

And finally, as we approach the final days of the 2025 Federal Election, many organisations have developed platforms or key election asks that will form the basis of ongoing political engagement in the next term of Parliament, regardless of which Party forms government. BCA has worked with Deaf Australia, Deafblind Australia and Deafness Forum Australia on a Statement of Asks that relate directly to the specific concerns of people with sensory disabilities ( people who are D/deaf*, Deafblind, Blind/low vision, and those with hearing loss). In particular, we will be focusing on reform to voting systems to fund, develop and implement Technology Assisted Voting; and on legislative reform to ensure Audio Description becomes engrained as part of Australia’s media environment. You can read our Statement of Asks via a Word Document or a PDF.

In addition, we support the election statements and platforms that have been prepared by our friends and allies across the sector, including:

We encourage all those voting in this election to consider which parties or candidates will best fight for these issues.

Callout for Volunteers at the 2025 Convention

BCA is excited to be celebrating 50 years of advocacy, connection and community at our 50th Anniversary Convention, taking place in Melbourne from Friday, 13th June to Sunday, 15th June 2025 at the Novotel Glen Waverley.

To help make this important event a success, we are now accepting applications for volunteers to assist across the weekend.

Volunteers are essential in supporting our members – who experience a range of vision conditions – to move around the venue, access sessions and facilities, and feel welcome and included throughout the event. Tasks may include:

  • Guiding attendees to their seats or breakout rooms
  • Assisting during meal breaks
  • Helping attendees locate bathrooms or water bowls for guide dogs
  • Supporting members with orientation at the start and end of each day
  • General assistance for those navigating the venue

Volunteer Shifts (you can nominate one or more):

  • Friday: 2:00pm – 5:30pm and/or 5:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Saturday: 8:00am – 11:30am, 11:00am – 2:30pm, 2:00pm – 5:30pm
  • Sunday: 8:00am – 11:30am, 11:00am – 2:30pm, 2:00pm – 5:30pm

A volunteer induction session will be held prior to the convention (time and date to be confirmed). This will include information on blindness awareness, how to appropriately assist with orientation and mobility needs, and guidance on your role and responsibilities during the event.

Please note:

  • All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older
  • You must have a current Police Check to participate

If you’re interested in being part of this special celebration and supporting our vibrant community, we’d love to hear from you. To apply, please fill in our registration form.

The deadline for registrations is Friday, 30th May.

Policy, Advocacy & Representation

Policy Update - Jackson Reynolds-Ryan

This week, I attended the Disability Justice Australia (DJA) Strategic Planning Workshop. DJA is funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS) under the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) to provide Individual and Legal Advocacy, Systemic Advocacy and NDIS Appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). This workshop was intended to help inform the next phase of DJA’s strategic planning, including a plan to extend services from Victoria to become a nationwide advocacy organisation.

Advocacy Update – Martin Stewart

A prominent case we closed this month involved our client being refused access to a gymnasium due to her requirement to move about with her dog guide/mobility aid. The management stated that her dog would affect the safety of their other patrons. After some negotiations, which included our sending of the legislation that governs this space, the decision was reversed with management now operating in accordance with the relevant state and federal legislation.

Around the Branches

Tasmania Branch April Update and 2025 Calendar of Events

The Tasmania Branch recently published its April update which includes an events calendar for 2025, a call for expressions of interest to join a drumming circle in Hobart and an update on recent advocacy.

You can read the update on the Branch webpage via the BCA website.

News From Outside BCA

National

Qantas Carer Concession Card – People with Disability Australia (PWDA)

If you require assistance while travelling and are accompanied by a carer, you may be eligible for reduced fares for both passengers when travelling on Qantas flights within Australia, and overseas flights departing from Australia, provided that you hold:

  • a current Australian Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) with blind entitlement, or
  • a current travel pass for Pension with Vision Impaired issued by an Australian state or territory authority.

Details regarding Qantas Carer Concession Card applications, renewals and available discounts for eligible travellers can be found on the People with Disability Australia (PWDA)  website, by calling 1800 422 015 (toll free within Australia) or by emailing qccc@pwd.org.au

National Care and Support Sector Conference 2025

Friday, 25th July from 7:30am to 5:00pm AWST.

We are excited to invite you to the National Care and Support Sector Conference, a pivotal event that brings together five key care sectors – Disability, Aged Care, Mental Health, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), and Veterans’ Care. This conference will serve as a national platform for discussing the shared challenges and opportunities across these rapidly reforming sectors.

The insights gathered from this conference will contribute to shaping the future reforms, ensuring that the voices of sector leaders, providers, and individuals with lived experience are heard at the highest levels of policy-making.

Join us online or in-Person (State Reception Centre, 60 Fraser Avenue Kings Park, WA 6005)

For more information or to book your ticket visit the event page.

Engaging children, a free online learning pathway – Emerging Minds

Engaging children as partners in practice helps ensure children’s voices, experiences and knowledge are valued in practice settings. Collaboration between practitioners and children lays a solid foundation for responding to child mental health concerns.

As experts in their own lives, children have unique and valuable insights, knowledge and skills to contribute to the decisions in their own lives. Yet many practitioners, particularly those working in adult-focused services, lack confidence when it comes to collaborating with children in the therapeutic space.

Emerging Minds has developed the Engaging children online learning pathway to help professionals to feel more comfortable engaging children as partners in your practice. Created for practitioners working with parents and/or children, the pathway includes seven courses that cover core principles and skills to meaningfully and collaboratively engage children as partners in practice.

Find out more on the Emerging Minds website.

New South Wales

Help Bring Braille Typewriters to Students in Remote Mongolia

On behalf of a group of blind or vision impaired students in Uvs Province, a remote and under-resourced region in western Mongolia a request has come through – the urgent need for Braille Typewriters.

These essential tools play a vital role in both education and everyday communication. Among the residents are bright, school-aged children who are especially eager to learn English as a second language, despite the limited resources available to them.

To support their learning and independence, we are seeking donations of one or more Braille typewriters – new or used – that can be sent to these students. A contribution like this would make a lasting difference in their lives, helping to open doors through literacy, communication, and education.

If you’re based in Sydney and would like to donate a braille typewriter, please contact Nasanjargal on 0451726002 or email mglbusinewsgroup@gmail.com

Audio-described Tour – Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)

Saturday, 17th May from 10:30am to 12:30pm AEST.

We are delighted to announce that the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is holding an Audio Described Tour and Object Handing session.

Please join MCA Artist Educators Lisa and Giselle for this Audio Described Tour and Object Handling session and learn more about two of our commissioned artworks around the building Kate Newby: Hours in the Wind and Lucy Simpson: Holding Ground.

This event is tailored for adults who are blind or have low vision and will be followed by an object handling and art-making session. Refreshments provided.

Please make a booking to secure your space as capacity is limited. To book contact us at +61 2 9245 2400 or email: access@mca.com.au.

For more information, please visit the event page.

Victoria

Make your own piece of porcelain – Design by Touch Ceramics

Design by Touch Ceramics is a workshop led by Melbourne artist Kristin Burgham. At each workshop, participants will design and make their own unique clay vessel up to 30cm tall, using specially made interlocking plaster moulds. This functional or decorative vessel will be kiln-fired after the workshop, creating a porcelain object for you to keep.

Dates: Friday, 16th May, Saturday, 17th May and Sunday, 18th May (during Melbourne Design Week 2025)

Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: Gasworks Arts Park, Albert Park

Cost: $75

Discount (50% off) for people who are blind or vision impaired. Code: DTBMDW

You can learn more and book your ticket via the Eventbrite event page.

Support our work

By donating to BCA, you contribute to important programs and services that empower our community. Every dollar goes a long way in helping us achieve our purpose and enhancing the lives of those we serve.

Donate to BCA

Supporter Highlights: Sharing heartfelt message from our generous donors, highlighting why they support BCA and how they’d like their contributions to make a difference.

“Keep proceeding to empower those who require assistance, you are amazing people, God bless you all.”

“Stay blessed for the good work. I would also like to volunteer sometime if possible.”

Have you got something to contribute?

If you have something you would like included in the Member Update, please send it to memberupdate@bca.org.au or call us on 1800 033 660. Items received by 12:00pm Monday will be considered for publishing in the Wednesday update.

Blind Citizens Australia

Email: bca@bca.org.au

Website: www.bca.org.au

ABN: 90 006 985 226

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