News Archive
2008
September
Education Project
Although the past focus of Aid For the Blind has been predominantly on supporting adults, particularly in relation to their accommodation needs, we recognise that enabling people who have a vision impairment to fulfill their potential requires concerted efforts and appropriate support from many angles, from a very young age.With this in mind, Aid For the Blind is developing a new program to be known as VIPER (Vision ImPaired Education Resource). The VIPER concept recognises that for most V.I. children the combined development of Braille and computer skills from a very young age is critical.
Aid For the Blind believes that access to learning opportunities to develop optimal literacy skills is a basic right for any young child. For V.I. children, fulfilling this right is dependent upon the availability of educational support and technology, including access to technology within homes, schools, tertiary institutions, workplaces, libraries etc. These are the types of issues that the VIPER program is seeking to contribute to.
February
Aid
For the Blind is planning to construct six new units on the adjacent
block of land at 57 Wilkins Street West, Fairfield. The house on street
frontage is heritage listed and we are enthusiastically engaged in
maintaining this heritage and painting and refurbishing the interior of
the house. It will be available for tenancy also.
At the rear of the house will be the new construction and, as we have a waiting list this accommodation is urgently needed. We hope to be able to offer a place where vision impaired and totally blind persons can gain their independence for living alone, maybe continue their studies with the help of a new computer studio we would like to install, and just have a very nice place to live.
The Board has commenced a fund raising effort to raise the money for the construction, a target of $1,000,000. We will prepare and submit submission to suitable organisations, engage the local newspaper for publicity and use the internet free charity sites for both promotion and donations, and work through contacts and members to be better known in the community.
2007
February
- Accommodation extension proposal
- In order to establish a website for community organisation 'Aid
for the Blind', Griffith University undertook consultation and research
to determine the needs of the organisation as well as the needs of their
clients.
Through various activities including workshops, seminars, interviews and research, the collective understanding of web accessibility issues was improved, assisting in the development of a website suitable for vision impaired and blind clients as well as the general public.
While the internet is everywhere, a website can be almost static in terms of promoting organisational presence or identity, and associated marketing activities can supplement the website. In a collaborative project with Queensland College of Arts, second and third year Design students were invited to create a new logo and a new name for Aid for the Blind. A competition was held and the winning entries from each category were combined to create a new identity and brand: Sixth Sense - Independence for the Blind.
Currently a transitional phase is underway which will see the introduction of the new name and logo, with opportunity for public feedback in the online discussion groups. For enquiries please contact us.
-
New Research to help blind and vision impaired.
A new Griffith University research project aims to develop better education mechanisms for blind and vision impaired people.
Find out more about this research at Griffith News (new window).
2006
December
- Launch of the Aid for the Blind website