Outlook summer 2012
The magazine of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
About Outlook
Outlook is available in print, online, via email, and in audio and braille.
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ISSN: 1177-052X (Print)
Copyright Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind 2011.
All Rights Reserved.
Cover credit: Christchurch Central Development
Omissions and Alterations
All images have been omitted from this copy of Outlook Summer 2012. Image
captions have been left in.
On the Cover
Christchurch: Building an accessible city
A vision for employment
Entertainment for one and all
Creating an accessible world
Feedback on our Services
The RNZFB is committed to providing high quality services to all its members
and clients.
To provide feedback on our services, please contact Catherine Rae,
Quality Improvement Manager, at feedback@rnzfb.org.nz or
C/- Private Bag 99941, Newmarket, Auckland.
Contents
Message from the editor – Page 3
Out and about with Sandra – Page 4
Board news – Page 6
News – Page 8
Feature – Page 12
Our people – Page 17
Lifestyle – Page 21
Engagement – Page 27
Technology – Page 29
Page 3
Message from the editor
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the Summer edition of Outlook magazine. The theme for this
magazine is creating an accessible world. The Christchurch rebuild is a huge
opportunity for New Zealand and for the RNZFB to lead the way in
accessibility by working with other disability organisations and government
agencies to create the world’s most accessible city.
But creating an accessible world is not just about getting the built environment
right, it is about access to education and employment, access to travel and
entertainment, and access to information. To fulfil the RNZFB’s vision of
empowering our members to have the same opportunities and choices as
everyone else means achieving accessibility in all its forms, and requires
knowledge, courage and determination.
We hope you enjoy this magazine and that it inspires you to continue to strive
for an accessible and inclusive world. We always love to hear what our
readers think of Outlook – this edition our feedback comes from a member in
Levin.
If you have any contributions or feedback, please email us at
comms@rnzfb.org.nz or call us on 0800 24 33 33 and ask for Comms.
On behalf of the RNZFB we would like to wish you a really happy holiday and
hope you enjoy the chance to spend some quality time with your family and
friends this festive season!
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Best wishes
Katie, Emma, Rosalyn, Kerry and Mandy
The Communications Team
Box:
Hi Outlook team
Outlook magazine and the way it is produced is indicative of the positive
approach the Foundation is now taking towards communicating with members
and supporters.
Each issue is a pleasure to read – thank you to the team for your hard work!
Allen Little
End of Box
Page 4
Out and about with Sandra
Message from the Chief Executive
Hello all. At the time of writing this we’ve just concluded a very
successful Blind Week and Eye Trek fundraising walk. I look forward to
updating you on the financial results of those events in the New Year.
Photograph: Sandra Budd with a RNZFB puppy in training.
Speaking of success, we are extremely proud of the achievements of the New
Zealand Paralympics Team who competed in London in August. Did you
know six of our members took part and eight of the 17 medals brought home
by the Kiwi team were won by them! A special mention must go to swimmer
Mary Fisher who won four of those medals in her Paralympics debut. In fact,
we recognised Mary, alongside fellow swimmer Daniel Sharp and cyclist
Phillipa Gray by jointly awarding them the Chair's award for 2012. What was
especially exciting is the high profile the Paralympics achieved in mainstream
media this year. For the first time, New Zealand’s success led the news. Not
the sports news, but the national news. It just goes to show how far we’ve
come.
We've also come a long way this year in our engagement with members. I
believe member participation in our property redevelopment projects
highlights this improved way of working. The renovation of Awhina House in
Auckland and Braille House in
Page 5
Wellington incorporate member groups as part of the project team and
steering committee, and that close working relationship has been very
advantageous to the process. The aim of both of these property
improvements will result in better access to member services and will open
our offices up more to the public.
We’ve also focused attention this year on ensuring the needs of members are
being heard in the right places. The first example is our on-going work to
make submissions to local and central government. We’ve completed a
significant amount of submissions over the year, ranging from the built
environment to public transport and access to information. We are attending
submission hearings wherever possible, and as a result we are raising the
RNZFB’s profile as experts in the sight loss field by putting ourselves in front
of the decision makers.
Another advocacy channel, and a role I’m proud to play, is on the Disability
Strategic Advisory Group (DSAG) in Auckland. This group provides strategic
advice to the Auckland Council, and the Mayor, on the interests and concerns
of people with disabilities. The group also advises on accessible and inclusive
engagement practices. My role is not as a formal representative of the RNZFB
– DSAG were looking to fill particular skill sets; mine being strategy and
governance, but it is encouraging to see the wealth of RNZFB members
already on this group, like former Board Chair Don McKenzie, Clive Lansink
from Blind Citizen’s NZ, Ezekiel Robson and Terry Kingi (who undertook the
SEED leadership programme last year).
I’m really pleased to break for the Christmas holidays knowing we’ve had an
outstanding year on so many fronts. I wish you all a happy season and I look
forward to being in touch again in 2013.
Warmest regards,
Sandra Budd
Chief Executive
Page 6
Board news
Message from the Chair
Photograph: Rick Hoskin, Board Chair.
Accessibility has an array of meanings to every one of us. For some it
means information can easily be procured; for others it's the ease of
finding their way around in their local community; or perhaps being
familiar with an internet banking website or an ATM machine; and yet for
others it might be the ability to provide feedback through established
channels of communication. These are just four examples of
accessibility amongst dozens. Whatever interpretation one may choose,
it amounts to making it simple to do or easy to get. These issues don’t
only affect the blind and low vision world. Older, hard-of-hearing and
physically disabled people all have accessibility concerns and surely
every member of society wants easy access if possible.
When buildings, road junctions, technology, or policies have been in place a
long time, the barriers to easy access can seem insurmountable. Annoyance
and dissatisfaction become the overwhelming state of mind and can spoil
attempts to open doors. However, if or when we are starting anew, we have
the opportunity to put in place the easy or simple options at the outset.
The rebuild of Christchurch offers numerous opportunities to generate simple
ways of doing things. I have
Page 7
heard many comments from those involved, those who are palpably
connected to the city. Some are still traumatised, unable to come to terms
with the loss of those things that were cherished and familiar. Others have an
almost blasé attitude, taking it all in their stride. Some want things returned to
exactly what they were, while others are looking forward to modern buildings,
innovative traffic systems and cutting-edge technology. Wherever on the
spectrum one sits, there is no point judging, no value in assessing who’s right
or wrong. All perspectives are allowed, and so long as one realises that his
opinion is a part of the big picture, it’s possible to move forward.
The picture I have painted of accessibility is fitting of where the RNZFB
currently sits. The engagement roadshow now completed, there are screeds
of opinions and perspectives as to how the organisation should move forward.
The information we have received enables us to greatly improve access to
information and educate people on how to get it, make channels of
communication for feedback simple to use, put people in touch with each
other and enable the Board to be more available to those they represent.
At the recent RNZFB Board elections the members have elected Carolyn
Weston and Peter Hoskin as new Board Directors. I wish them well in their
efforts to improve the quality of life for New Zealanders who are blind or have
low vision. I also thank this year's two retiring Directors Jillian Mills and Daniel
Kerr.
Rick Hoskin
Board Chair
Photograph: Board members, past and present, at the AGM.
Page 8
News
News in brief
Blind Week success!
A big thank you to all of our members, supporters, volunteers and staff
who participated in raising awareness and funds for Blind Week 2012 in
October.
Whether you shook a bucket for a street collection in your local area or
cooked up some treats for our Bake a Difference campaign, it all helps to
ensure New Zealanders who are blind or have low vision enjoy the same
opportunities as everyone else. Thank you!
EyeTrek
Over the weekend of 3 and 4 November more than 150 eye health
professionals from across New Zealand donned their walking boots to
trek parts of the Te Araroa walkway in order to raise money for the
RNZFB’s digital library.
The funds raised through EyeTrek Te Araroa will allow us to purchase many
more books to keep up with demand and ensure that our members can
access reading material as sighted people do. A big thank you to all who were
involved, be it trekking, volunteering or donating to the cause – a fantastic
team effort!
Pounding the pavement
Member Rhonda Comins, recently ran the Auckland quarter marathon in
order to raise funds for Blind Week.
This goal requires some decent training for anyone starting from scratch, but
Rhonda put in the extra miles: “I have Retinitis Pigmentosa, so I had never
run before – I didn’t think it would be possible! But by building my fitness at
the gym and running with a guide, I’m starting to realise the possibilities,” she
says.
Along with sighted guide RNZFB Recreation Advisor Fiona Heenan, Rhonda
managed to complete her
Page 9
quarter marathon in just over one hour. She’s now looking forward to
completing a triathlon and maybe the half marathon next year …
Go Rhonda!
Photograph: Rhonda and her sighted guide, RNZFB Recreation Advisor
Fiona Heenan.
Box:
Attitude Awards finalists
The Attitude Awards is a celebration of the achievements of people who live
with disability, and a chance to acknowledge International Day of Persons
with Disabilities. The RNZFB was extremely well represented in this year’s
awards, which took place on 29 November, with six of our inspiring members
nominated for the various categories.
Youth Category
Amanda Cameron from Wellington and Hannah Averill from Gisborne.
Making a Difference Category
Volunteer and RNZFB member Nola Burgess from Gisborne and Minnie
Baragwanath from Auckland.
Arts Category
Chantal Rayner-Burt from Auckland.
Courage in Sport Category
Neelu Memon from Wellington.
End of Box
Page 10
Census 2013
The 2013 Census will be taking place on Tuesday, 5 March. Statistics
New Zealand has been working with the RNZFB to make it as easy as
possible for people who are blind or have low vision to take part, such
as enabling people to complete the census forms online.
In the weeks leading up to 5 March, RNZFB members will receive the census
questions and guidance notes in their preferred format, including braille, audio
and e-text. At the same time, Statistics NZ collectors will visit every household
in New Zealand to deliver paper forms allocated to every individual, as well as
one dwelling form and the additional Internet Access Codes for those who
would like to complete the census online.
“Statistics NZ has worked with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the
Blind to test the online census forms to ensure they’re compatible with screenreaders,” says 2013 Census General Manager, Carol Slappendel.
“We’re asking RNZFB members to clearly identify themselves as such when
the census collector comes to their door, even if they intend to complete the
online form. This will allow the collector to offer the appropriate assistance to
them,” says Carol.
Statistics NZ census collectors will be advised how they can make
participation in the census easier for people who are blind or have low vision.
From 11 February 2013, the 0800 CENSUS (0800 236 787) helpline will be
operating and further information on the census will be on TIS. Visit
www.census.govt.nz to find out more. www.rnzfb.org.nz
Page 11
Olivia meets the Silver Ferns
Ten-year-old member Olivia Wickens had the opportunity to meet her
sporting heroes when she was chosen to be ball girl for the Silver Ferns’
Quad Series game against England on 25 October.
Olivia, who has albinism, plays netball for the year six Wadestown Tornados.
As a keen netballer, Olivia had an incredible time meeting the Silver Ferns at
their training session the day before the big game, and chatted to her
favourite players Irene van Dyk and Casey Williams. She even had a behindthe-scenes tour of their post training routine!
When asked what was her favourite part of being the ball girl at the Quad
Series game, Olivia said: “Everything was just so awesome! If I had to pick
out one thing it would be taking the team their protein shakes after the game
and walking with Irene van Dyk around the court!”
Olivia was also allowed to keep the match ball which was signed by the whole
team.
Olivia likes playing netball because she enjoys the opportunity to represent
her school and contribute as part of a team. “My motto is give everything a
go,” says Olivia. And her energy and enthusiasm for netball is testament to
this motto.
The RNZFB is the charity partner of Netball New Zealand this year and we’d
like to thank the Silver Ferns for their incredible support and for giving Olivia
such a fantastic experience!
Photograph: Olivia with Irene van Dyk and Casey Williams.
Page 12
Feature
Christchurch: Creating the world’s most
accessible city
By Katie Miller
There is no doubt that the earthquakes affected everyone who lives and
works in Christchurch – but how do they affect those who are blind or
have low vision? What opportunities are there through the rebuild of
Christchurch to create the world’s most accessible city?
Ruth Jones chairs the Earthquake Disability Leadership Group which gives
people with disabilities a voice within the rebuild and recovery of Christchurch,
enabling them to speak directly to ministers, to the Christchurch Earthquake
Recovery Authority and to the Central City Development Unit. Ruth believes
that the recovery stage is almost the hardest part – she says after the initial
support following the disasters, communities have now begun to retract, just
when their voices need to be heard the most.
“Christchurch has the potential to be a world-class example of a great city; of
an accessible city,” says Ruth.
“It is important that Christchurch is rebuilt in an accessible way, so that
everyone can participate in this awesome new city of ours, whether you’re
using a mobility scooter, or if you’re blind or have low vision, even if you’re
pushing a pram. We can future-proof the city by making sure it is accessible
for everyone now.”
The RNZFB, along with organisations like Be. Institute, the BarrierFree Trust
and the Disabled
Page 13
Persons Assembly, are heavily involved in advising agencies such as
Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council and the Stronger
Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) on the accessibility of
public transport and the built environment.
Box:
“The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes struck one
of New Zealand’s oldest cities, a community
with deep ties to the land, the environment
and each other…
Some questioned whether central
Christchurch could ever be the same again. It
won’t be. It will be even better.”
Quote from the Christchurch
Central Recovery Plan.
End of Box
SCIRT’s remit from the Council is to replace what has been damaged by the
earthquakes. However, this does not mean replacing Victorian pipes with
Victorian pipes, it means replacing them with a durable alternative. In the
same way, using advice from the RNZFB, SCIRT can look to make "common
sense" improvements that ensure the long term accessibility of Christchurch.
This could be ensuring that curbing is lowered in the appropriate place, that
road crossings are intuitive, or that pedestrians and cyclists can co-exist
safely.
Carina Duke, RNZFB Practice Advisor, has spent time advising SCIRT’s
management on accessibility issues and their delivery teams on the
importance of providing accessible alternative routes when working on quake
damaged areas. This means ensuring people who are blind or have low vision
have a safe path to navigate when footpaths are being repaired or when
temporary bus stops are established by making sure alternative routes do not
Page 14
include dangerous road crossings or avoidable hazards, such as signage on
the footpath.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to get it right so that the infrastructure, public
transport, and the built environment is usable for everyone,” says Carina. “It is
important for the RNZFB to be a leading advocate for our clients, to ensure
we represent our members and advise government agencies to develop
sustainably and accessibly.”
RNZFB member Neelu Memon has been advocating for an accessible
Christchurch since February 2011 and currently has an internship with MP
Mojo Mathers. This enables her to continue raising public awareness of
accessibility issues.
“Making Christchurch truly accessible will encourage everyone, including
those with disabilities, to get out and get involved. The more visible people
with disabilities are within society, the more their presence is normalised and
their needs are considered, resulting in a more cohesive community,” says
Neelu.
With this kind of cohesive future in mind, Canterbury University’s
postgraduate course in planning and design for sustainable transport includes
a presentation from the local RNZFB Orientation and Mobility team to ensure
students are aware of how people with disabilities interact with their
environment. This encourages future planners and designers to create
accessible pedestrian environments and spaces.
By continuing to ensure that the voices of those who are blind and have low
vision are heard by the decision makers, the RNZFB and our members are
participating in creating what aims to be the world’s most accessible city.
Photoghraph: Access Focus Group chaired by Ruth Jones.
Page 15
A vision for employment
By Emma Edgar
Photograph: RNZFB member Maria Williams using computer technology in
her job as MSD Regional Disability Advisor.
One in five New Zealanders have some form of disability. Like all other
Kiwis, their skills, experience and educational qualifications are widely
varied, but they tend to be an underutilised talent pool. Research shows
that there is a huge opportunity for employers, in terms of tapping into
this community’s talents in a skills-short market, and more effectively
providing products and services to support employment opportunities
for disabled people.
Increasingly, employers are being asked to celebrate diversity and
acknowledge the negative impact that a traditionally disabling environment
has had. Recognising that the real barriers for disabled people are attitudinal,
organisational, and the physical environment, has enabled employers to think
differently about potential workers who are blind or have low vision, opening
up the workplace to their abilities and talents.
Page 16
This is certainly true for people of working age that are blind or have low
vision, who with the right training and access to technology are able to
achieve as much, if not more than their sighted counterparts. In fact, with the
right support there are extremely few jobs that they cannot excel at.
Furthermore, research shows that people with disabilities have an above
average attendance, a more positive attitude, and increased job retention.
Many of our members are testament to this and are engaged in meaningful,
long-term employment. One of those is Maria Williams who works as a
Regional Disability Advisor at the Ministry of Social Development. When
asked what recommendations she would give to other job seekers in the
same position as her, Maria says, “I think it is advantageous for vision
impaired jobseekers to have the skills to access as many formats as possible,
for example, the ability to use electronic media and braille”. She goes on to
say that the support available from the RNZFB has been instrumental in
enabling her to gain and retain employment. “Services such as adaptive
technology courses to teach proficiency in using computers with assistive
software, O&M instruction to learn how to move safely around the office
environment, and employment assistance to apply for software upgrades and
training, have all been invaluable to me.”
Some employers may believe that employing someone who is blind or has
low vision would be a costly exercise and could be disruptive to the business.
Thomas Bryan, Head of Support Services at the RNZFB, is keen to dispel this
myth.
“The RNZFB can offer employers help and advice on how best to enable
those who are blind or have low vision in the workplace. And there is financial
support available through various government agencies for employees who
require special equipment or services to help them do their job,” says
Thomas.
The tide it seems is beginning to turn with better access than ever to the tools
and support that blind and low vision workers need in order to realise equal
opportunities in the workplace.
Page 17
Our People
Fishing for gold
By Rosalyn Macdonald
For Mary Fisher, the supple lapping of the water as she glides for glory
is an amazing feeling that she describes as “just like freedom”.
Photograph: Mary Fisher with staff at her university wearing her medals.
The 19-year-old swimmer from Wellington recently returned from the London
Paralympics with four well-earned medals, including one gold, two silvers, and
a bronze. If that’s not enough, her winning time in the S11 200 individual
medley on the final day of competition saw her break the world record by two
seconds. She didn’t even know she’d won the race until she got out of the
pool.
“It’s a bit funny because the Paralympic staff can’t tell you straight away.
When I did find out it was such a surreal feeling, I just couldn’t believe it!” says
Mary.
Despite being submerged in the pool, Mary could still hear the 17,000 people
cheering her on. “The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Every single
session was packed – seriously, the public made the Paralympics. The day
before my
Page 18
first race I watched the heats from the stands and it was the loudest cheering
I’d ever experienced. When it came to my own races I was buzzing,” Mary
says.
Born without an iris, Mary competes in the totally blind classification, and
wears darkened goggles to block out the little light perception she has. She
also relies on people to let her know when she’s approaching the wall of the
pool with a tap to the head.
Since returning home, Mary’s been astounded by the New Zealand support.
Her medals have been living in her backpack so she can show anyone who
asks. “The medals are really cool as they’re tactile and have braille on them,”
Mary says.
It’s obvious that being blind hasn’t stopped her in the pool, or anywhere else
in life. Mary is flatting with friends in Wellington and studying psychology and
English papers at Massey University.
“One of the tricky things about having no sight is being independent. Going to
uni and flatting has been a huge learning curve for me; I was pretty nervous to
begin with. But I’ve spent a lot of time on my O&M and other daily life skills,
and it’s a great experience to indulge in student life.”
RNZFB Child and Family Social Worker and Counsellor, Gary Veenstra, has
had the privilege of supporting Mary at different stages through her life. “Mary
continues to set her goals and work towards them with determination and
clear focus. She lives by the moral that she is equal to others in the world and
that’s why she makes such a great role model. She’s a shining example of
how limited vision doesn’t need to stand in the way of huge success”.
In her own words: “Being blind doesn’t define me. Sure, it takes a little longer
to do some things but not to swim a race!”
We would like to acknowledge the fantastic efforts of all our members
who participated in the Paralympics. These include Daniel Holt, Aine
Kelly-Costello, Tim Prendergast, Daniel Sharp (who won a silver medal
for swimming) and Phillipa Gray (who won a gold, silver and bronze in
cycling).
Page 19
Finding a cure
By Rosalyn Macdonald
When I first met Stacey D’Mello, a young scientist, she invited me into
her laboratory, opened up the fridge to reveal rows of bottles and petri
dishes, and with gloved hands placed a small vial of pink fluid under the
microscope. “Do you want to see what a melanoma cell looks like?” she
asked.
Photograph: Stacey D’Mello in the lab.
The 24-year-old has a form of macular degeneration, but that didn’t prevent
her from pursuing a career in science. She’s completing her PHD in molecular
medicine with the University of Auckland in the hope that one day she’ll help
cure skin cancer.
Stacey is looking at a gene that encodes a glutamate receptor in melanoma
cells of New Zealand
Page 20
patients with melanoma to see if there’s a correlation with this mutated gene.
“Since New Zealand has the highest rate of mortalities and incidents of
melanoma in the world, I knew this would be a great project,” she says.
Stacey is very short-sighted and has blurred central vision. She says life with
a vision impairment can be challenging, but if you’re organised and armed
with the right tools, the possibilities open up.
“It’s your independence that’s sometimes impaired. Like I’m often relying on
someone to give me a ride, or asking people which bus is mine. Because I
wasn’t able to see the board or read small print, having access to information
at university was a little tricky at times. I’d often ask for lecture notes ahead of
time but sometimes that was against department policy. When I was able to
have notes or even a note taker, I saw a big improvement in my grades.”
The RNZFB provided Stacey with a monocular to see the classroom board
and other details like street names and bus numbers. She also received
funding from the RNZFB’s Oppenheim Trust towards her studies and a laptop
complete with zoom text. But the RNZFB’s not the only organisation to
recognise her potential.
“I’ve also been incredibly lucky to receive several scholarships. My first year
of uni was funded by Owen Glenn and last year I got scholarships from the
Auckland Medical Research Foundation and the Cancer Society of New
Zealand. It’s really made a difference in being able to achieve my goals.”
Stacey’s come a long way. She was 13 when she moved here with her family
from India. In her home country she was first told that because of her eye
condition, she wouldn’t go very far.
“It was such an old-fashioned way of thinking. I knew I had the potential to
achieve; I just needed the support to do it. And I’ve really had some amazing
support in New Zealand. I’m so grateful to my family, the RNZFB, the
university and everyone else. Since New Zealand has given me so much I am
determined to give back. And I hope to do that through my research.”
Page 21
Lifestyle
Book corner
Footsteps through the Fog
Written by the late Margaret Mahy with illustrations by Gavin Bishop,
Footsteps through the Fog follows Anthea, a child who is blind, and tells of her
adventures with her brothers and sisters on a foggy day. When the visibility
worsens Anthea uses her senses of smell, hearing and touch to lead her
siblings home safely, showing that, “seeing is only one way of getting to know
the world around us”.
Available to buy in bookshops now, it would make a great Christmas present
for low vision and sighted children alike. Even better, the royalties from book
sales are generously being donated to the RNZFB.
Box:
To win Footsteps through the Fog in both print and a format of your choice,
leave a message on TIS, option 3,4,9 or email comms@rnzfb.org.nz with your
name and phone number by 31 January 2013.
End of Box
Strawberries with the Fuhrer
Helga Tiscenko is an 83-year old member from Timaru who came to New
Zealand with her Russian husband in 1951. In 1947, in her native Germany,
her father Hermann Hofle was executed for war crimes arising from his role as
a Nazi General, and particularly for his part in suppressing the Slovak partisan
uprising.
In 2000, Helga released her memoirs, Strawberries with the Fuhrer, which
was also made into a documentary. In loving detail, she paints a vivid picture
of her childhood in pre-war Germany and then tells of her experiences during
the war and the final days of the Third Reich from a perspective that has not
often been explored.
Page 22
Entertainment for one and all
Audio description is increasingly being used to enhance access to
cinema, theatre, DVDs, exhibits at museums and galleries, and even
architecture and historical sites for people who are blind or have low
vision.
So what is audio description? It refers to an additional narrative track of visual
media for consumers who have a sight impairment. Visual media includes
television, film, dance, theatre, opera, and visual art. It works by using a
narrator who talks through the presentation, describing what is happening on
the screen or stage during the natural pauses in the speech or audio, and
sometimes during dialogue if deemed necessary. The technique is similar to
that of an old style radio play.
Across New Zealand we are seeing an increasing amount of theatre shows
including audio described performances and touch tours, such as big stage
productions like Jersey Boys and Mary Poppins.
Photograph: A scene from Jersey Boys. Photo: Jeff Busby.
Page 23
One member who has embraced accessible theatre is Mary Schnackenberg.
“I have found every audio described performance very enjoyable indeed. I
have been pleasantly surprised about what I have learned, quite apart from
the enjoyment of going to a public function and being told exactly what is
happening. I would previously never have paid to go to an opera, but I
thoroughly enjoyed The Bartered Bride. I now know that my theory about
opera is true – it is as much a visual entertainment as it is about singers and
an orchestra. With the visuals described, the plot of the opera came alive.
Quite unexpectedly I learned about acrobats and what they get up to during
the second half of The Bartered Bride.”
Touch Tours are often part of an audio described performance. “The various
costumes cast members wear have been shown to us by actors and dancers
who have grasped the chance to explain something of what they do with great
vigour,” says Mary.
The move to digital cinema has been a major change to the film industry
across the world and with it the advance in technology has brought improved
accessibility. This is great news for people with hearing or sight challenges for
whom cinema is not the out-of-bounds social activity of the past, but is now a
very exciting, welcoming and accessible day or night out with family and
friends. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet for audio described cinema
in New Zealand, but watch this space.
NZ On Air provides audio description for shows aired on TV ONE, TV2 and
TV ONE plus 1. All SKY customers now have access to TVNZ audio
description when viewing TV ONE and TV2 although currently need to select
the Italian language option when enabling audio description on the decoder.
If you want to know more, or perhaps share your experiences of audio
described entertainment with other members, then please email us at
comms@rnzfb.org.nz or check out our website www.rnzfb.org.nz/audiodescription
Page 24
A zoo visit with a difference
By Rosalyn Macdonald
Photograph: Jeffrey and Burma.
Eight children who are blind and have low vision had the special
experience of attending a Touch Tour at Auckland Zoo in celebration of
Blind Week, during October.
The children had a busy schedule of activities on the day. Their first stop was
a “touch table” where they were able to feel different animal furs and skins.
They also had the opportunity to hold some baby guinea pigs and pet the
Zoo’s resident pigs. The highlight of the day was a much-anticipated
interaction with Burma the elephant, where the children were able to feed her
some fruit and pat her.
Jeffrey Barnett got up early to travel from Whangarei with his mum and
couldn’t wait to meet Burma. “Burma tickled my stomach when she tried to
grab the apple. I didn’t expect it but it was a good surprise!” Jeffrey says.
RNZFB Child and Family Social Worker and Counsellor, Gaewyn Harvey,
said the visit was a great learning opportunity for the children to get a mental
image through touch.
This was the first time the RNZFB and Auckland Zoo have organised an event
like this. We are looking forward to future events to give more children and
adults the chance to get up close and personal with the animals.
Page 25
Independent travel easier than ever before
Photograph: Caroline describing the landscape to Marlon on a Traveleyes
trip.
Members from Manukau South Blind Sport Group recently returned from
a holiday in Europe. Travelling with Contiki they visited Belgium, Italy,
the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Austria and Germany in just 12
days.
Donna McCaskill, trip organiser and participant, said it was truly an amazing
experience.
“Our group really appreciated the lengths Contiki undertook to ensure we
were catered for, such as organising tandem bikes and matching us to sighted
people so we could all take part in a cycle tour.”
Another tour operator offering tailored holidays for vision impaired travellers is
Traveleyes. Traveleyes provides multi-sensory group holidays for both blind
and sighted travellers who want to enjoy independent travel without always
having to be accompanied by family members or friends.
Each holiday has blind and sighted people, none of whom have met before.
Blind travellers experience newfound independence. Sighted travellers, who
require no previous experience of blindness, get a price discount for their
verbal descriptions of the sights.
A customer says, “I am so happy that I can explore the world independently,
and through the presence of guides and their descriptions, know I’m able to
appreciate the sights to the full”.
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Christmas recipe: Slice of spice
From That Blind Woman, RNZFB member Julie Woods
In my first five years as a blind person, I grilled, dropped, burnt, and practically
destroyed every Christmas cake I made. I gave up baking Christmas cakes
until this one came into my life three years ago. It’s a Judith Cullen recipe that
I love for many reasons; it’s small, it features Chinese five spice and, most
importantly, it’s got chocolate! If there’s something you don’t like in it, simply
replace it with something you do.
Ingredients
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100g each of: pitted prunes, raisins, dried figs, dried apricots, roasted,
unsalted almonds, dark chocolate, dried citrus peel and glace ginger
3 quarters of a cup of flour
3 eggs, whisked
1 tsp of Chinese five spice powder
Method
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Preheat oven to 160˚C.
Chop all fruit roughly to the size of an almond.
Add ingredients together and mix well.
Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Spoon mix in and press down with back of spoon or hands.
Cover with a sheet of baking paper (stops the top going crisp) and bake for
45 - 50 minutes or until firm to touch.
Cool in the tin.
Wrap until ready to serve. It can keep up to a month.
Photograph: Delicious Christmas cake.
Page 27
Engagement
Engagement roadshow themes
In July and August this year 508 members, volunteers and support
people attended 17 engagement roadshow events in 16 locations across
the country.
As a member-led organisation, enabling you, our members, to get a say in
how the organisation moves forward is key. The roadshow marked an
important step in living member-led principles where we have extensively
sought members’ views on how the RNZFB can best engage with them.
The feedback gathered from the roadshow has been clustered together into
themes, and these themes have been weighted according to those which
attracted the most comments. By analysing the information, we are able to
build a detailed understanding of what members and volunteers shared with
us during the roadshow and find ways to convert this feedback into actions.
By weighting these themes, we are also able to prioritise actions based on
what you have indicated as important.
Planning processes are now being undertaken at every level of the
organisation, including the Board, Executive team, and other staff in order to
identify and implement actions and improvements. It is intended for every
single employee to access the feedback and information, and hear what
members and volunteers have said.
We look forward to sharing some of the plans and outcomes as these
develop, so you can be assured of our commitment to improving the way we
engage.
Photograph: Wellington Roadshow facilitators and attendees.
Page 28
Here is a taster of the roadshow themes …
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The most prevalent theme to come out of the roadshow was access to
information; making sure members and volunteers are kept informed about
the full range of services that we provide, as well as any new
developments in technology, equipment or organisational changes.
Providing a consistent and high standard of customer service is also
extremely important for our members. The initial contact and service
provision for new members should be the platform on which to build on
going member contact with us, to create a feeling of belonging.
Being part of a member-led organisation means you should have your
voice heard. This includes engagement on major changes and decisions
that affect the organisation as well as individual members.
Another strong theme from the roadshow was the importance of peer
support and opportunities to have contact with other members who have
similar interests. This was particularly important for those who might
otherwise feel isolated or alienated such as young people or the elderly.
Photograph: From left: Wellington member Irene Twist with volunteers Claire
Bognuda and Rayna Taylor.
Box:
Want to know more?
The full findings from the roadshow, including the theme analysis and initial
ideas for areas of improvement, are now available for everyone to access.
You can find the information on our website at
www.rnzfb.org.nz/roadshowfindings and on TIS option 3, 6, 6.
If you have any feedback, or if you require the information in another
accessible format, we encourage you to contact engage@rnzfb.org.nz or call
0800 24 33 33 and ask for Lyn Burns.
End of Box
Page 30
Technology
TIS a wonderful service …
The Telephone Information Service or TIS, provides RNZFB members
with an easy-to-use means of independently reading newspapers,
announcements and new information. Bulletins or recorded information
are narrated on to TIS by mostly volunteer narrators and are available
for you to listen to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Wellington member and regular TIS user, Shaun Johnson says, “TIS is a
speedy, effective way of accessing public, Foundation or Blind Citizens NZ
information and updates. There is also free access to directory services which
is very handy and a pay-for service elsewhere.”
TIS content is wide and varied and includes articles from local newspapers,
such as the bereavement notices, radio and television listings, as well as lists
of the latest books and magazines added to the RNZFB Library.
When you dial into TIS, the first thing you will hear is a welcome message.
Following this a menu of choices called the main menu. By using the keys on
the telephone you can choose which piece of information you wish to listen to.
Each bulletin is named and then the required key to access it is announced.
Menus are read out three times.
For copyright reasons, members wanting to access TV and radio schedules or
directory services will need to obtain a user number by contacting RNZFB
Information and Advice on 0800 24 33 33, option 1.
Page 30
Equipment
Pocket-sized talking calculator
This eight-digit talking calculator will do all standard functions, including
percentages. It features round rubber buttons, a three-way volume control
with "off", "low" and "high", and a non-speaking clock. It has a half inch LCD
display and uses two AAA batteries.
Member price: $34
Large print 2013 calendar
This A4-size calendar is spiral bound. It shows one week per page in large
bold text with plenty of space to write appointments.
Member price: $15
New Year giveaway!
To enter the draw to win this wooden tactile set of tic tac toe, email
comms@rnzfb.org.nz, or leave a message with your name and phone number
on TIS option 3, 4, 9 by 31 January, 2013.
Page 31
Previous competition winners.
Congratulations to the Winter Outlook 2012 competition winners. Ray Elliott
won the Seinnheiser headphones and Imogen Cullen won a copy of the
children’s book Colour the Stars
Equipment display days
The RNZFB holds regular equipment display days across the country to
introduce members and the community to specialist equipment and services
for people who are blind or have low vision. To view the equipment display
days schedule visit www.rnzfb.org.nz/memberevents
For more information and to find out when an equipment display is happening
near you, please contact your local office or phone 0800 24 33 33, option 4.
Christmas closure dates
The RNZFB will officially close for business at midday on Friday 21
December, 2012 and will reopen 8.30am, Monday 14 January, 2013.
Our Equipment Shop will also be closed during this time. For delivery of
goods prior to Christmas, please place your order before 5pm, Monday 17
December, 2012.
Our library will reopen on Tuesday 8 January, 2013. For extra books over the
holiday period, please contact the library before 14 December, 2012.
Back Cover
Will you help me?
We urgently need coordinators and collectors for Red Puppy Appeal
Call 0800 120 254 or register at redpuppy.org.nz
Red Puppy Appeal - Supporting guide dogs
5 - 6 April 2013
End of Outlook Summer 2013