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Aug 3, 2015

Welcome to Blind Citizens Australia

Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) is the united voice of Australians who are blind or vision impaired.

Our mission is to achieve equity and equality by our empowerment, by promoting positive community attitudes, and by striving for high quality and accessible services which meet our needs.

Whether you are blind, have a vision impairment , a family member or friend of a person who is blind or vision impaired, BCA is here to assist you.

We provide information, peer support, individual and systemic advocacy, and consultancy services. Our Branches act as local lobby groups and provide opportunities for social interaction for members.

Explore our site. Learn about us. Listen to SoundAbout for profiles of people who are blind or vision impaired and those working with our community. If you are interested in audio-described TV, cinema and DVD content check out It’s Our Turn. Set your dial and tune in to our weekly radio program New Horizons. For the issues and policies that affect you, plus useful information and tips, turn to the pages of BC News or Parent News.

Welcome to BCA, the national organisation of people who are blind or vision impaired.

Contact BCA:

Toll Free:
1800 033 660

Phone:
(03) 9654 1400

Email: Blind Citizens Australia

Donate to Blind Citizens Australia by using the PayPal button below



Filed Under: About    
Jan 30, 2017

New Horizons Program 488

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week on program 488 of New Horizons, we hear from Emma Bennison, who will soon commence duties as Executive Officer with Blind Citizens Australia. She tells us of her priorities for the organisation, and about the years of leadership and experience she brings to the role.

You can use the embedded audio player above to listen or download the program.

New Horizons is available as a podcast! To manually subscribe, using your pod catcher of choice, place the following URL http://wordpress.bca.org.au/feed/ in the appropriate field to subscribe to the New Horizons program.

If you are a Vision Australia I-Access Library member, you can subscribe to New Horizons using the I-Access on line catalogue. Use the find facility within the on line catalogue with the search term “New Horizons” and you will be presented with current and past programs of New Horizons, from there you can subscribe to the podcast.

New Horizons is Blind Citizens Australia’s weekly radio program. It can be heard on RPH and community radio stations throughout Australia. Go here for Broadcast times and stations

Current and past Episodes of New Horizons can also be found on the Blind Citizens Australia audio page

And on the The Global Voice

Filed Under: Podcasts    
Jan 25, 2017

BCA SoundAbout for February is Now Available!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Dear Member

The February 2017 edition of Soundabout is now available.

You can use the audio player above to listen or download the audio.

Please note that Soundabout is also a podcast which you can subscribe to. You can do this in a couple of ways:

  • If you are a Vision Australia library client, make enquiries with them, call 1300 847 466, or
  • Using your podcatcher use the URL http://wordpress.bca.org.au/feed/ to manually search

Contents of this edition include:

  • Rikki Chaplin speaks with John Simpson for an update on BCA
  • Marian Jones speaks with Joyce Jones for an update on the Women’s Branch
  • Peter Greco speaks with Jennifer Grimwade, Australian Blindness Forum about the proposal to transition the Mobility Allowance to the NDIS
  • Marian Jones speaks with Marie Shang for an update on the Sydney Branch
  • Steve Richardson speaks with Andrew Furlong of Vision Australia about the Orbit Reader
  • Marian Jones speaks with Bev Larsson about the book she has written about her guide dog
  • Peter Greco speaks with Phia Damsma about an I-product app for children
  • Steve Richardson speaks with Dr Scott Hollier about his autobiography
  • Diary Dates and contact details

Regards

Samantha Marsh
Information and Administration Officer

Filed Under: Podcasts    
Jan 25, 2017

Announcement – A bright year ahead for Blind Citizens Australia

Following its meeting on January 19th 2017, the BCA Board has announced several exciting appointments which will ensure the organisation’s continued growth and development throughout the coming year and beyond.

  • Following a short but intensive recruitment process, Emma Bennison has been appointed to the position of BCA Executive Officer. Emma comes to BCA after four years as CEO of Arts Access Australia, the national peak body representing arts and disability. Her proven track record as a disability advocate and as a champion of leadership opportunities for people with disability will be of immense benefit to our organisation. For the last fifteen months Emma has lead BCA as its National President. The Board looks forward to working with Emma in her new role.
  • As a result of Emma’s change of role, the BCA Presidency was declared vacant and Vice President John Simpson was elected to this position on a unanimous vote of Directors. John served as BCA Executive Officer for seven years during the 1980s and 90s and has held a variety of Board positions since. He has a long and distinguished history in advocating on behalf of blind and vision impaired Australians and will bring strong governance and leadership skills to the role.
  • Dr Lynne Davis, who re-joined the BCA Board in 2015 after an absence of some years, has accepted appointment as Vice President.

As a result of two board resignations in late 2016 and the vacancy caused by Emma’s resignation as a Director, the Board also made three appointments to fill casual vacancies.

  • Fiona Woods, who served with distinction as a BCA Director in the 1990s and early 2000s was warmly welcomed back to the Board;
  • James Manders has accepted an invitation to bring his considerable financial management and corporate governance skills to the Board;
  • And, highly acclaimed Paralympian swimmer Prue Watt will strengthen the voice of younger members at the Board table.

In announcing these appointments, newly elected President John Simpson said “I am delighted to have this opportunity to lead our organisation with the support of such a strong and diverse Board of Directors”. “BCA has made great progress over the last year in restoring its position as the independent and articulate voice of blind Australians and I am confident that with Emma at the helm and the input of such a strong group of Directors, we will continue to improve our advocacy and policy representation of the needs of blind and vision impaired Australians”.

Incoming Executive Officer Emma Bennison explained: “having served as BCA President since October 2015 I am thrilled to have this further opportunity to apply my skills and experience to the operational management of our organisation.” “We have a great team of staff and volunteer members and I am delighted to lead their advocacy, policy development and information sharing work”.

John’s role as President takes effect immediately. His first major task will be to lead BCA’s annual two day board retreat, which will provide induction and governance training for Directors. It will also consider planning and priority setting for the coming year.

Emma will take up her new role in mid-February. In the meantime, she will continue to offer input to both the staff and Board.

Filed Under: Uncategorized    
Jan 23, 2017

New Horizons Program 487

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week on program 487 of New Horizons, John Simpson joins us to pass on some long awaited news about Blind Citizens Australia, and particularly its future. Find out who will be the next Executive officer, and some changes on the board.

You can use the embedded audio player above to listen or download the program.

New Horizons is available as a podcast! To manually subscribe, using your pod catcher of choice, place the following URL http://wordpress.bca.org.au/feed/ in the appropriate field to subscribe to the New Horizons program.

If you are a Vision Australia I-Access Library member, you can subscribe to New Horizons using the I-Access on line catalogue. Use the find facility within the on line catalogue with the search term “New Horizons” and you will be presented with current and past programs of New Horizons, from there you can subscribe to the podcast.

New Horizons is Blind Citizens Australia’s weekly radio program. It can be heard on RPH and community radio stations throughout Australia. Go here for Broadcast times and stations

Current and past Episodes of New Horizons can also be found on the Blind Citizens Australia audio page

And on the The Global Voice

Filed Under: Podcasts    
Jan 16, 2017

New Horizons Program 486

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week on program 486 of New Horizons, we feature the final in our series on the recently held Human Rights Oration, held last December in Melbourne. We continue the panel discussion.

You can use the embedded audio player above to listen or download the program.

New Horizons is available as a podcast! To manually subscribe, using your pod catcher of choice, place the following URL http://wordpress.bca.org.au/feed/ in the appropriate field to subscribe to the New Horizons program.

If you are a Vision Australia I-Access Library member, you can subscribe to New Horizons using the I-Access on line catalogue. Use the find facility within the on line catalogue with the search term “New Horizons” and you will be presented with current and past programs of New Horizons, from there you can subscribe to the podcast.

New Horizons is Blind Citizens Australia’s weekly radio program. It can be heard on RPH and community radio stations throughout Australia. Go here for Broadcast times and stations

Current and past Episodes of New Horizons can also be found on the Blind Citizens Australia audio page

And on the The Global Voice

Filed Under: Podcasts