Come on a journey back in time.

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Come on a journey back in time.

• Did you know Vision Australia has over 400
  collective years of making a difference to the
  lives of Australians who are blind or vision
  impaired?

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Weve come so far..

• Vision Australia formed in 2004 following the
  merge of Royal Blind Society (RBS), Royal
  Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB) and
  Vision Australia Foundation (VAF)

Together, we have achieved many of the most
significant milestones in the history of
Australians who are blind or vision impaired.
This presentation celebrates our successes as
we look towards our shared future.
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What was it like to be blind in 1800?

• Being blind or vision impaired in the 1800s was
  very difficult. Many people lived in absolute
  poverty.

There were no employment services, voting rights,
libraries or schools and discrimination was
rife. It took the blindness community and
organisations such as ours to fight to achieve
these fundamental rights and services.
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No vision, no vote, no way!
In the 1800s voting was only available for people
who could write with a pen. This deprived people
who were blind or vision impaired of one of the
most basic human rights.
We were pivotal in achieving the first voting
rights for Australians who were blind in 1902
through the Association for the Advancement of
the Blind, later named VAF. Initially confined to
federal elections, state rights soon followed.
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Leading Australia and the world
Our predecessors also played a significant role
in

• Abolishing a discriminatory 400 pound bond to
  travel interstate. Previously people who were
  blind faced humiliating scenes at border
  crossings.

• Introducing a pension and travel concessions for
  people who were blind or vision impaired.
• Obtaining free postage of braille, a world first!

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The first education services

• It wasnt only rights that were non-existent.
  Until the late 1800s Australian children who were
  blind had no access to education.

In 1866, we pioneered the nations first schools
for children who were blind through the Victorian
Asylum and School for the Blind (later RVIB). In
1898, the Sydney Industrial Blind Institution
(renamed RBS) began home teaching of braille
across NSW.
Today services focus on greater integration
although specialised teaching is still available.
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Getting a job

• Another major challenge faced by people who were
  blind in the 1800s was lack of employment,
  generating poverty and preventing independence.

Australias first vocational training for people
with a vision impairment started with basket and
mat making at RVIB in 1867. In 1880 training
began in Sydney through RBS.
Now we provide assistance to enable people with a
vision impairment to work in fields they choose.
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Providing homes
Many Australians who were blind were homeless in
the 1800s. Circumstances were desperate.
VAF established the first home in Melbourne in
1909. Regional homes and services soon followed.
From the late 1800s, RBS and RVIB supplied
accommodation for some workers at their factories
in Sydney and Melbourne.

• Times have changed. Our modern philosophy is to
  equip people to live independently in their own
  homes, while providing training and advice to
  nursing homes and hostels.

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Access to books
Few braille materials were available in the 1800s.
This prevented Australias first blind tertiary
student, Tilly Aston, from completing her
university studies. Frustrated but determined,
Tilly established Australias first braille
library in Melbourne in 1894 through the
Victorian Association of Braille Writers (later
part of VAF).
In 1905, RBS founded a braille library in Sydney.
Twenty years later, RVIB opened another library
in Melbourne. In 2000 the libraries of RBS and
RVIB merged to form our National Information and
Library Service (NILS). VAF library joined in
2003.
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Moving with the times
Initially braille was produced using a hand frame
and stylus. Using this method it took half an
hour to write one page.
Braille typewriters, introduced in 1892, were
much faster.
Production speeds increased dramatically with the
invention of the first braille printing press by
Minnie Crabb, Chief Librarian of the Braille
Library (later VAF) in 1934.
In 1981, RBS pioneered the first computer
production of braille in Australia. Then in 1990,
volunteer Betty Smith worked with RBS to develop
the worlds first computerised braille production
of text combined with scientific and mathematic
symbols.
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Introducing talking books
The first talking book machines were imported by
RVIB in 1934.
In the early days these were very chunky and
difficult to transport.
The Blind Book Society, later an auxiliary of
RBS, opened the first recording studios for
Australian literature in 1954. In 1960, RBS and
RVIB united to set up studios for copying
imported talking books.
In 1996, VAF created Australias first talking
book on CD, Elizabeth Jolleys The Orchard
Thieves. In future our books will be produced
using a digital format that revolutionises
indexes and searches.
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Lets play..
Our organisation has also been innovative in
creating recreational opportunities for clients.
Blind cricket began in Australia. The first
interstate match was played in 1928 with money
for the ground raised through VAF. The game is
now played internationally.

• Today our organisation equips people who are
  vision impaired to pursue their recreational
  interests. These can range from art to
  mountaineering and water skiing.

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A ground-breaking visit

• Deaf, blind and non-verbal, American Helen Keller
  fiercely advocated greater rights, respect and
  understanding for people with disabilities.

In 1948, she visited Australia for six months at
the invitation of RBS, touring schools, nursing
homes and libraries for people with vision
impairment across NSW and Victoria.
Helen shocked her hosts when she said that
services for blind Australians were substandard.
Her comments led to a shift away from a
charitable model to one of empowerment and
independence, reflected in our current mission
and vision.
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Rising to meet the need
As peoples needs changed with the times, we were
ready to respond.
Australias first low vision clinic was founded
in Melbourne in 1972 by VAF. In 1977, RBS
established the first low vision clinics in NSW.
In 1924 RBS transmitted the first national
broadcast of concerts and speeches by people who
were blind. Then in 1981, 3RPH became the first
radio station in Australia for people unable to
read standard print. VAF assumed management of
the station in 1983.
We have also pioneered the production of talking
newspapers, starting at RVIB in 1983.
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Spreading out...
Ensuring that services were not limited
geographically was a priority from the very early
days
The first contact with many regions was through
the choir, orchestra and band of RVIB, which was
touring as early as 1873. Concerts were an
excellent way of raising funds and providing
publicity.

• Regional auxiliaries were formed from the 1920s
  to raise funds and community support for locally
  based services. In Geelong, world renowned
  cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman was a keen supporter!

All of our organisations have played a vital role
in the regional expansion of our services. Today
Vision Australia has branches across ACT, NSW and
Victoria.
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Making it all possible
Over the years we have had to be innovative and
creative in how we raise funds to support our
services.
VAF began holding concerts in 1913. These proved
to be very popular.

• The White Ball, later known as the Black and
  White Ball, has been a highlight of Sydneys
  social calendar since 1937, and a fundraising
  success for RBS.

Carols by Candlelight began in 1938 and in 1949
RVIB became one of its main benefactors. Twenty
years later RVIB took over its management. Today
Carols is one of the most watched TV programs of
the Christmas season.
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A common purpose
Throughout our history, the desire to make a
positive difference to the lives of Australians
who are blind or vision impaired has been
fundamental to us all. This has been despite many
changes in our philosophies, services and names.
Until 1891 Royal Victorian Institute for the
Blind was named the Victorian Asylum and School
for the Blind. At the time, asylum meant a safe
house or place of refuge.

• Royal Blind Society of NSW was first called the
  Industrial Blind Institution. It later became the
  Sydney Industrial Blind Institution and the Royal
  Sydney Industrial Blind Institution.

Prior to 1999, Vision Australia Foundation was
known as both the Association for the Advancement
for the Blind and the Association for the Blind.
The Braille and Talking Book Library merged with
VAF in 1990. It had also been known as the
Braille Library and the Victorian Association of
Braille Writers.
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Looking back, moving forward

• Throughout our long history, we have consistently
  worked towards greater independence and equality
  for people with a vision impairment.

Its time to reflect proudly on our successes as
we enter a new era of achievement and
collaboration as Vision Australia.
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Creating history today

• Our history of achievement continues today.
  Recently we have championed

• E-voting for people who are blind or vision
  impaired to vote independently.
• Photo ID cards for non drivers.
• Digitisation of library books.
• Early literacy programs like the Feelix
  pre-school library and Dots for Tots.
• Phone access to the news through Todays News
  Now.

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A brighter future

• Combining our skills and resources means we can
  make more of a difference than ever before.

Vision Australia is now the largest blindness
organisation in Australia with a base of 38,000
clients, 965 staff and 3,260 volunteers. Were
ready to step into a future that is full of
possibilities.