BCA update

Speaker 1 00:27

Hello, welcome to this week's episode of New Horizons. I'm Vaughn Benison. Thanks for joining us. It's always good at the start of a new year to catch up with Blind Citizens Australia and find out some of the things that will be happening throughout the year to watch out for and also what's been happening over the Christmas New Year break.

This week we speak with Helen Ferris. Helen has been a board member of Blind Citizens Australia for some time and is now Vice President. Helen, thanks once again for joining us. Welcome back.

Speaker 2 00:54

Thanks for it, it's nice to be back.

Speaker 1 00:56

You had a multi-day board meeting recently.

Speaker 2 01:00

Yes, we did Vaughan. We had an in -person board meeting the weekend for last and it was really just a chance for everyone to get together. We've had a few new board members joining us after the end of last year. So we were just conscious too that a lot of people had never met each other in person and we thought it was important to offer a space to do that, but also to just to build and consolidate the skills of the board and ensure that we really are ready for another busy year.

Speaker 1 01:35

And what were some of the key outcomes from that meeting that might be interesting for our listeners?

Speaker 2 01:41

Yeah. So I guess there was a lot of sessions just around the responsibilities of directors. So we had conversations to make sure that everybody was up to speed with directors' responsibilities in terms of governance and that we were aware of what was expected us around finances. That's quite a significant issue for a board such as for non -profit organisations such as ours. We talked a little bit about the work of committees that are that's coming up this year. So the National Policy Council, which listeners are probably aware of and the work that they're doing to plan for the year.

And I'll be focusing I guess on some of the issues that we're all very familiar with, audio description, emergency preparedness, but you know some other plans that they're making. We talked a bit about the celebrations that are coming up in 2025 for BCA's 50th and the committees that have been convened to work on that. And we're hoping to you know put out a lot more communication about that as the year goes on. Just staying in touch with their members really.

Speaker 1 03:01

And speaking of committees, I noticed in the member update last week the announcement of the cessation of the BCA Engage Committee, is there a process that is put in place to make sure that that engagement continues and is broadened?

Speaker 2 03:17

Yes, yes. So we're going to just reshuffle the way we do that firstly just through reviewing the communications tools that BCA uses to make sure that they're what members actually want and are finding useful, but also whether we're using them in the best way possible to share information with members and to interact with members. So we're always open for feedback about those if anyone would like to share some. And I guess we are thinking through my role this year as Vice President, I'll be supporting BCA's existing committees, but also jumping in to do some member engagement things such as well this New Horizons and other opportunities that emerge over the year.

Speaker 1 04:08

Let's talk a little bit about that role as vice president. Stephen Belbin was vice president during 2023. Obviously, there's there's shuffles that happen in any board. But let's talk a little bit about some of those board portfolios. Who's responsible for what?

Speaker 2 04:25

Yes, so Francois Jacobs, the chair of the National Policy Council. So I think listeners are really familiar with the policy work that happens at BCA. We've had policy connect events and we've, last year, were quite heavily involved in the consultation around the NDIS review. So I imagine that that will continue to be a focus of work as that all happens and emerges and government moves on the recommendations. There is also some work being done on communications and Robin McKenzie will be, you know, overseeing some of that work supported by members of the board and staff and some other members too.

There are also a couple of committees to do with BCA's 50th birthday celebrations. So I believe there's a programming committee and celebrations committee and there's some work being done on the logistics of that because we'd like to have a convention style event next year.

Speaker 1 05:37

Well, Helen, you'll be well aware that there's lots of events that happen. And we see in the Member Update, BCA Inform events and trivia. Just tell us a little bit about some of those events. Let's start with the BCA Inform events.

Speaker 2 05:50

Yes. Yeah, thanks Vaughan. BCA inform events are very popular because they offer a space for members to talk to each other and to BCA about issues that are topical in the moment. So last year we had a lot of informed sessions around NDIS because that was all happening. And I imagine that as government tries to determine what they'll do about the recommendations made, there'll be other sessions on that, I would suspect, but also, you know, other issues to do with living our daily lives as people who are blind and vision impaired.

So I invite members to stay in touch with the events calendar that is on BCA's website or the member update, which members receive by email. And register for BCA inform because the more members who take part, the more, you know, we hear from you and that's really what we want.

Speaker 1 06:48

Let's digress for a second and talk a little bit about that because many of our listeners won't actually be members of Blind Citizens Australia. What are the advantages of being a member, do you think?

Speaker 2 06:58

I think there are three advantages. The first one is having access to the information that BCA releases to members. So that is the member update, which is a weekly email that members receive to, I guess let people know about the events that BCA is running and there might be a BCA informed session, which is a discussion around an issue that's relevant to blind and vision impaired people that the staff convene. It might be events that branches are running and being a member also entitles you to join the activities of a branch that's local to you. Membership also means access to peer support from other BCA members across Australia.

And there are different ways that that happens through branches that are geographically based or that might be based on a particular interest. So for example, for members who identify as women, there's a national branch for women. But there are also peer support groups that have been running for the last couple of years. On particular topics, there might be leisure topics. I think there's one for gardening, there's one for music, there's one about travel. And they're advertised in member update and they're held once a month at different times. And members are very much encouraged to take part in those. There are also opportunities to get involved in the advocacy and policy work that BCA does.

So quite often, as there were last year, there are concentrations on areas of policy which affect our lives. They could be about, for example, NDIS. If people are users of NDIS, they would like to be. They might be about how to access the local community as pedestrians, as users of financial services and often BCA requests input from our members so that when we make submissions to government or represent members, we're doing so, knowing about what members are wanting and needing from services and the community. So that'd be the main advantages as well as being able to have a say directly what BCA does.

Speaker 1 09:22

And how do you become a member?

Speaker 2 09:24

It's quite easy to become a member, either fully completing an online form on the website if people have access to that and the technology to do so, or even just calling BCA and the staff are really happy to support people through that process.

Speaker 1 09:41

And now back to some of the events that happen throughout the year. One of the events that's frequently mentioned in the member update is the BCATrivia. Have you been a part of that?

Speaker 2 09:51

Yep, I've been a part of that off and on and that's still going along this year. Saturday evening at 8pm, there's a different presenter each week and so there are different types of questions. So sometimes there are questions on sport which I don't take part in because you know it's not my strength but the ones that I've taken part in include questions around Australia Trivia and lots of other things. So each presenter has a particular style. So Trivia is held every Saturday evening, 8pm and we're always welcoming of new people. It's a really friendly group and everyone has a good time so join us.

Speaker 1 10:32

And I've been a couple of times, I can attest to the fact that it is, it is really interesting. BCA is frequently looking for new presenters for the trivia sessions too. Are you aware of whether that's still something that people can get involved in?

Speaker 2 10:45

Yeah, I'm sure if people contacted the BCA office and offered themselves as a presenter, you'll be very warmly welcomed. Each new presenter brings something new, so it's great to have so much variety and skill.

Speaker 1 11:01

Let's talk briefly about the Peer Connect groups. There are a number of those and they have interesting names like Guitar Group and Gardening and things like that. What are the Peer Connect groups and how can people get involved in them?

Speaker 2 11:13

So again, people can just get involved through accessing the information in member update that they're sent or by contacting the BCA office. The peer connect groups are an informal way for people to get together and talk about particular topics of interest and they're not meant to be heavy policy focus things because we understand that that doesn't appeal to everyone all the time, but it's just a way for BCA to reach out to members and offer a chance for people to speak together, have a bit of fun, share a common interest and just meet other members too who have similar interests because we're a national membership organisation, people don't really get the chance to interact with each other unless you're part of a local branch.

So it's just something that we brought in, I guess, around the time of COVID and continued on because it was so popular and people really enjoy, people tell us they enjoy meeting other people, talking things through in a friendly social way and benefiting from one of BCA's activities which we've done from very early stages which is peer support, bringing people together.

Speaker 1 12:31

And that is really important, of course. And hence, I guess, the name Peer Connect Group. Are there other ways that people can get involved with Blind Citizens Australia or get peer support opportunities?

Speaker 2 12:42

Yes, well as I mentioned earlier on there are local branches across Australia so depending on where you live there's likely to be a branch that's close to you and they often have either in person events or online meetings and each branch has particular ways of doing things. So again the member update newsletter that's issued weekly can give information about that and the BCA office can also put people in touch with branch presidents. There are also opportunities to get together through member events like BCA inform as I said and using some of our communication tools. We're always looking for people to speak on New Horizons, share any insights or tips with BCA staff and we can often share those things around.

Speaker 1 13:44

Well, Helen, thanks once again for joining us on the program. And I know we'll be speaking to you again throughout the year. So best of luck.

Speaker 2 13:53

Thank you, it's been great to be on and I look forward to speaking again.

Speaker 1 13:55

Helen Ferris, their Blind Citizens Australia Vice President. If you'd like to get in touch with BCA, you can call 1 -800 -033 -660 -1800 -033 -660, or you can email bcaatbca .org .au, always happy to hear interesting ideas for the program, new dot horizons at bca .org .au is the email address. I'm Vaughan Benison, I'll talk to you again next week.