Vision Australia - Silver Challenge Club

Vision Australia is a living partnership between people who are blind, sighted or have low vision, and who are united by the passion that in the future people who are blind or have low vision will have access to and fully participate in every part of life they choose. It was created in 2004 through the merger of 4 smaller blindness organisations: the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB), Vision Australia Foundation (VAF), The Royal Blind Society (RBS), The National Information Library Service (NILS). In 2006 the organisation was further expanded with the merger of the Royal Blind Foundation Queensland and in June 2008 the Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (SEDA) merged with Vision Australia.

The inclusion of guide dog services means that for the first time in the history of the blindness community of Australia, one national organisation is able to provide all the services required by the blindness and low vision community. These include employment and its needs, independent living, technical assistance such as books using cassettes or the newer ‘daisy player’ and the radio service plus a shop where independent living items can be obtained. There are also children’s and recreational services including cricket, tennis and cycling.

Roberta’s interest and involvement of some 23 years has largely been with the radio station that began broadcasting in 1982 as part of the RVIB, just off the AM band at 1629 kHz, and was operated by a volunteer staff. Transmissions changed to 1179 kHz in 1990, after 3KZ migrated to the FM band. 3RPH is also a member of Radio Print Handicapped Network and a BBC World Servicepartner station.

 It has grown from the one station in Melbourne to now include 7 other regional stations, providing a similar service that includes reading the daily papers such as The Age, Herald Sun and Financial Review and local papers. The service has a listening audience of about 240,000 clients throughout Victoria.

Our club became involved when we gave a major donation to allow audio description to be provided in theatres so clients could be told what was happening on the stage through head phones, to accompany what they were seeing.

Roberta’s enthusiasm and commitment were plainly visible throughout her presentation and there is no doubt that these qualities will bring success to her Silver Challenge project.