• Helping the community to remove barriers to participation
• Lobbying tips
• Submissions in preparation
• Seeing Justice Done

Helping the community to remove barriers to participation

The RNZFB aims to educate central and local government, businesses and community organisations about the challenges blind, deafblind and vision-impaired citizens face in a visual world. These agencies can advance the vision of a "non-disabling society".

See the New Zealand Disability Strategy for objectives and actions to achieve them.

Submissions are made by the RNZFB on matters that particularly affect blind, deafblind or vision-impaired people. The RNZFB comments on research needs, proposals for changes to legislation and social policy. Some submissions are on the current or proposed activities of local authorities (district health boards and councils).

The RNZFB seeks to ensure that its submissions represent the experiences and views of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people and their families, friends and other support people.

The RNZFB sometimes makes joint submissions with other groups, e.g. blindness consumer organisations that have an interest in advocacy.

Lobbying tips

Here are a few key points for RNZFB Community Committees and individuals who undertake lobbying at the local level.

• Have a clear goal in mind. Be selective: "What are the one or two points we need to get across?"
• Be sure of your facts and ensure they are are up to date. Consult others: Foundation members, staff, and local experts. Blind, deafblind and vision-impaired individuals are the experts in their own experience.
• Remember that lobbying works best when it is relationship-focused. Seek to inform the person or group you are approaching. Avoid confrontation.
• Use plain language. Be to the point. Expect questions and listen carefully to them. If you are making a verbal submission, your preparation might include some question and answer role play.
• Use local examples to explain themes.
• Be careful to respect privacy. Think about consistency with the Foundation's key messages.
• Leave follow up information and contact details.

For assistance with particular lobbying exercises, please email:submissions.

Submissions in preparation

To offer input, please email:submissions.

Follow this link to summaries of comments made by the RNZFB: recent submissions.

Seeing Justice Done

The RNZFB has produced a booklet called Seeing Justice Done which sets out the legal rights of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people.