Executive View
Page 4
Notes from the Chair
It is with a heavy heart that I record the tragic death of Dr Russell Smith and his wife Marian D'Eve in a Canterbury plane accident on Sunday 7 August. Dr Smith's death is a devastating loss to the world's blind, deafblind and vision-impaired community who have joined the digital age as a direct result of Russell's brilliant ingenuity, deep insight and profound humanity. The Foundation extends its sincere sympathy to the families, and to HumanWare staff.
By the time you read this, the general election campaigns will have been going on for an "eternity", and you will be within one or two weeks of casting your vote.
Foundation members may or may not be interested in politics. But members are absolutely interested in the services provided by the Foundation and benefits paid by Government.
Approximately one-third of our annual operating budget comes from government contracts for provision of specific services, so it's essential that we maintain good relations with leaders in Government, Opposition parties, and all relevant ministries. That means being on Parliament's doorstep making sound arguments based on accurate information.
The blind community is painfully aware that there are unique "costs of blindness". Quantifying these costs and all their variables, makes putting a man on the moon look easy. There is no definitive research on it anywhere in the world, so in 2003, the Foundation commissioned a cost of blindness study in New Zealand. This has been a marathon effort and once finalised we will be using this information as strategically as possible to impress upon government and the general public that blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people - and their whanau - are held back by unique costs.
This information is especially important at a time when the Labour Government is moving toward a Single Core Benefit.
Whilst Foundation staff and the Board are actively working to protect the interests of all who are so burdened, you should not rely solely on our efforts to protect your rights! Whether you are a "political person" or not, I urge you to vote, even though voting is not yet as accessible as it should be.
As I was told long ago by someone I respected, "if you don't vote, don't complain!" So exercise your rights in the general elections and don't forget to vote in our upcoming elections for Directors of the Foundation.
Don McKenzie
Page 5
Chief Executive's view
I love a challenge, and that's one of the main reasons I love my job. And with the start of our new financial year (July 2005), the Foundation is facing another year of challenge to find creative ways to meet increasing demands for services with limited resources.
This year's Business Plan calls for us to devote more time to addressing waiting lists and delivering improved services to older members especially in peer support, reducing isolation, and helping members remain in their homes. We cannot expect funding levels to increase significantly in the foreseeable future.
Another big challenge is to meet the increasing demand for guide dogs. We have to find $1.6million from sponsorships and grants for improvements at the Guide Dog centre - including a new breeding centre and animal hospital.
A huge challenge facing every blindness organisation is moving into the digital age. I'm pleased to report that we will soon begin receiving the first of some 3,000 digital masters of "tried, true, and new" books purchased from the Royal National Institute of the Blind. Some will be copied onto cassettes, the rest will be available when suitable digital technology is found.
The last challenge I'll mention concerns volunteers, the special people who support members in a myriad of ways. We're conducting a comprehensive review to ensure that our volunteer services are the best they can be and that we can continue attracting committed volunteers.
Every growing organisation experiences change. In July, Divisional Manager of Adaptive Living, Paul Hooper, moved on to a senior management position with Presbyterian Support Otago. Paul made a huge contribution to the Foundation over the past 12 years and we wish him all the best.
On a fresh note, I would like to welcome Helen McKenzie to our Senior Management team. Helen joined us on 1 August as our new Divisional Manager of Adaptive Living.
And, on behalf of myself and everyone at the Foundation, I must note the tragic deaths of Dr Russell Smith and his wife Marian D'Eve and offer again our sincere condolences to their family. Dr Smith was a remarkable, international figure who made a unique contribution to the blindness community. Marian was an early childhood education specialist. They will be enormously missed.
Paula Daye