Submission to Manukau City Council on the draft Long Term Council Community Plan
Summary
The brief written submission sought to keep blindness-related matters in the Council's view including accessibility of public transport, design, audit of housing stock, employment issues and the Foundation’s role and services. Martine Abel spoke to Councillors about issues faced by blind and vision-impaired people day-to-day.
Full text of submission
Submission to the Manukau City draft Long Term Council Community Plan from the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
10 May 2006
The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (the Foundation) is a disability support service constituted under the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Act 2002. It is the primary provider of habilitation and rehabilitation services to over 11,500 blind, deafblind and vision-impaired New Zealanders. More than two-thirds of those members are over the age of 65.
The Foundation's vision is that blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people have the same opportunities and choices as other citizens to participate fully in society. Our mission is to remove the barriers faced by individuals and to promote their participation in all aspects of life.
Services we provide include specialist assessments, orientation and mobility training for adults and children, communication and adaptive technology instruction, guide dog services, talking book and braille library services, instruction in the skills of adaptive daily living, and vocational services. We operate services specific to the needs of Māori and of Pacific Island communities. Each year thousands of volunteers give direct support to Foundation members and contribute to the Foundation’s work in general. We provide advice and training on access and disability issues to a wide range of public and private organisations.
Within its business and strategic planning the Foundation is committed to continuous improvement in service delivery. This includes researching the needs of older members and further refining its service delivery to meet those needs.
The Foundation wishes to ensure that the particular needs of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired individuals in the community are met. Specifically, the Foundation wants to reinforce those environmental factors which increase the independence and autonomy of blind and vision-impaired individuals.
Accountability to members
Members of the Foundation are blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people who choose to register with the Foundation to receive its services. Foundation members directly elect the Board of Directors and can participate in consultations around strategic and business planning. As an organisation which is accountable to its membership, the Foundation encourages member feedback, supports a network of Community Committees at the local level, and works in partnership with nine consumer organisations that undertake a range of advocacy activities.
Submission to the draft Manukau City Council Long Term Council Community Plan
The Foundation has already made a submission to the draft Flat Bush Community Plan. In that submission we noted that we were pleased that the Council recognised the potential for physical and social barriers to “disable” people by affecting mobility, access and participation. We noted that the Council intended to use universal design principles and best practice on access for disabled people especially in the town centre and major leisure, cultural and community facilities. The Foundation recommends that the same concepts be incorporated in the Long Term Council Community Plan.
We acknowledge the positive recognition of people with disabilities in the draft Long Term Council Community Plan, for example through the stated intention to “ensure public transport infrastructure is designed and built to enable disabled people to easily and safely access public transport services”. We note that for blind and vision-impaired people this requires talking destination announcements and effective and safe network integration.
We note that the Council anticipates effects from the aging population trend. One of the effects of aging is likely to be an increase of blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people in the community. Planning strategies to keep people independent within the community are important and achieved through a range of factors, in addition to housing for the elderly.
The Council indicates that Council housing stock for the elderly will be improved. We recommend that an audit of the housing stock for blind and visually impaired people be undertaken and steps taken to remedy any matters identified through the audit. We also recommend that the Council incorporate the "Accessible Manukau" guide as a key reference document in all planning and development projects and that Barrier-free auditors/disabled people including blind people are involved in both design aspects and review of projects. To complement this, the Council could provide Disability Awareness and Access training for all Council staff to increase their level of understanding around disability issues.
In addition to improvements to Council controlled housing stock, other factors need to be considered. This includes planting design and schemes that minimise obstacles (avoiding plants that develop rooting systems that could cause a hazard and overhanging plants which interfere with the unobstructed movement of the blind or vision-impaired pedestrian.) The Foundation can advise on creating accessible environments that are safe for its members to navigate.
Employment is a significant factor for maintaining independence within the Community and for inclusion. The Foundation suggests that consideration be given in the plan to how blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people can be involved in employment within Manukau City. This includes training, employment awareness and mentoring opportunities. The Council can be a role model for other organisations by providing employment opportunities for blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people in the community.
In summary, the Foundation recommends that particular attention be taken in design and community development that will enhance the inclusion, autonomy and independence of the blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people within the community.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss matters raised in our submission. Our contact for this purpose is:
Ruth Bijl
Manager Research and Planning
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Private Bag 99941
Newmarket
AUCKLAND
09 355 6894
027 542 3523
rbijl@rnzfb.org.nz
Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the draft Manukau City Long Term Council Community Plan. The Foundation would welcome the opportunity to speak to this submission.
Paula Daye
Chief Executive Officer