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S1: The Volunteer Annual 2025, a thank you booklet in celebration of National Volunteer Week from Vision Australia. Blindness. Low vision. Opportunity. This recording lasts for about 50 minutes. Here's what's inside. Message from the acting CEO. A message from the Vision Australia Volunteer Partnership team. The power of our volunteers and a year of impact. The Ovation Awards. Back office volunteers. Vision Australia. Audio describers. Client services. Volunteers. Fundraising volunteers. Vision Australia radio and Seeing Eye Dogs volunteers.
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S2: Message from the acting CEO. Vision Australia's mission is to support people who are blind or have low vision, and that's something we couldn't do without our amazing volunteers. Each year we're fortunate enough to be supported by thousands of people who give their time to make a difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision across Australia. I know our staff and clients are always grateful for this selfless work, but it is important we acknowledge the difference you make. This is why National Volunteer Week and the entire month of May is the time we go out of our way to say thank you to each and every one of you that comes from everyone at Vision Australia, as there is no team across our organisation that doesn't benefit from your contributions. From manning reception desks across our offices to facilitating tele link groups, bringing Vision Australia Radio to air, caring for seeing eye dog puppies or supporting our client recreation and community groups, it's truly an amazing range of skills our volunteers bring to our organization. What is also special about May is celebrating the old and new faces that make up our volunteers. Again this year, there will be many of our volunteers marking milestones of five, ten or even 20 years and more are volunteering with us at the same time. It is always so pleasing to acknowledge those who have recently joined our volunteer ranks and the ongoing Support Vision Australia, and by extension, the entire blind and low vision community, receives once again from everyone at Vision Australia. Thank you for another year of support and I hope you enjoy the Volunteer Annual, which puts the spotlight on everything our volunteers do. Yours sincerely. Justine Heath. Vision Australia acting Chief Executive Officer.
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S3: A message from the Vision Australia Volunteer Partnership team. Between us, we've had the privilege of working alongside Vision Australia volunteers for nearly 40 years and it has been an incredible adventure. Last year, as we farewelled our wonderful manager Cassie Hassell, after more than 17 years of dedicated service, we stepped into this role together to lead the program and carry forward the important work that was already underway while taking on this responsibility. We've continued coordinating our own volunteer regions because we love the work we do, both at a local level and now on a national scale. We are immensely proud of and grateful for every volunteer who gives their time, energy and passion to Vision Australia. Your dedication makes a real and lasting difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision, and we cannot thank you enough. This volunteer annual magazine is a testament to the spirit of collaboration made possible by the kind contributions of clients, volunteers and staff who come together to share their stories and experiences. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed seeing it come to life. We look forward to many more conversations, catch ups and the incredible work we will continue to do together to create a positive impact in the blind and low vision community. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Yours sincerely, Anastasia Devereaux Caputo and Pam Power. Volunteer partnerships. Leads. Volunteer partnership coordinators.
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S1: The power of our volunteers and a year of impact. Our volunteers are the heart of Vision Australia, making a meaningful difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision across Australia. Over the last 12 months, our volunteers have dedicated countless hours to the Vision Australia community, including over 13,700 back office hours, over 39,600 client services hours, over 2400 fundraising hours, over 39,200 Vision Australia radio hours, over 2,600,000. Seeing Eye Dogs hours. That's over 2,700,000. Total hours. In the past year, more than 1739 volunteers have generously contributed their time and skills across various areas of the organisation. This is just a glimpse of the incredible impact they've made. We appreciate every volunteer and the valuable contributions they make. We also would like to extend a special thank you to our long standing volunteers, whose dedication and commitment have made a lasting difference. Your continued support means so much. We have 280 volunteers who have been volunteering with us for ten or more years, 23 of whom have been volunteering for 30 years or more. The Ovation Awards. Have your say and make your vote count. The Ovation Awards is Vision Australia's workforce recognition program, acknowledging those going above and beyond to bring our values to life. Open to paid staff and volunteers, the Ovation Awards recognise our colleagues, paid and volunteer, going above and beyond to bring Vision Australia's values to life. Nominations are open all year and will be included for consideration in the season award. Autumn, winter, spring and summer closest to when they are received. The nomination process is easy and can be completed online in around ten minutes. If you know someone who deserves to be recognised, nominate them now. Aside from an award and the acclaim and acknowledgement of their peers and the organization. The winner also takes home a trophy and prize valued at up to $2,000. If you know someone who deserves to be recognized, nominate them now via the Ovation Award nomination form. Picture caption Vision Australia Ovation Award 2024 end caption. The volunteer of the Year Award 2024 and the winner was an Gourds radio volunteer, Aubrey. Last year, the annual Ovation Award Gala event lit up the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, bringing together members of the board and the leadership team, past winners, as well as nominees and nominators from 2023 for an evening of celebration, laughter and memories. Congratulations to Anne Gourds, who took out the volunteer of the Year Award 2024. With 15 years of service starting as a Vision Australia volunteer in administration. Moving to reading to tapes, then moving into radio. Anne has shown unwavering commitment to keeping all three Vision Radio on air. She not only manages the station's roster, but often steps in herself to ensure things run smoothly. Anne embodies true dedication and professionalism, making a real difference every day. Although Anne couldn't attend the gala, our Volunteer Partnerships Lead and Volunteer Partnerships Coordinator Pam Power accepted the award on Anne's behalf. Back in Albury, Anne's team surprised her with a morning tea to present her this award in person. Picture caption Anne proudly holding her special trophy. End caption. Back office volunteers at Vision Australia. We are fortunate to have volunteers supporting various departments and staff teams across the organisation, contributing to a wide range of back office roles. This includes vital assistance in areas such as our reception, where teams of reception hosts are present every business day, as well as behind the scenes roles including in data entry, research, offer support, finance, information technology, fundraising, client outreach and short term projects when needed. Staff feedback. A quote from George. We want to take a moment to acknowledge our appreciation for the incredible work our reception volunteers do. Their constant smiles and positive attitude create such a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors. They handle every question with grace and diligence, ensuring that each person who walks through our doors feels supported and valued. Without a doubt, they are an essential part of our organisation and we truly couldn't function without them. Their dedication doesn't go unnoticed and we are so grateful for the care and commitment they bring every day. End quote. Volunteer activity in audio production. Our volunteers also play an essential role in our library services, from Braille production and transcription, including music proofreaders to supporting our children's library through book production, circulation, and dispatch. Volunteers are integral to these functions. Additionally, volunteers contribute to tech related areas such as audio maintenance and fulfillment. They also assist in creating alternative formats of the written word, including audio, narration, and proofreading for our audiobooks. Below, you'll find more details on how volunteer support our audio production efforts. Over the past 12 months, volunteer narrators and proofreaders assisted in the creation of 1340 hours of audio content for our clients. This included 73 audiobooks and 90 magazines for library and 44 personal support titles for individual users. Client feedback. A quote from Joy. I just want to let you know how much I appreciate the hours of reading that. Go into the magazines every month. Oh, how I love to sit back comfortably on my couch with a cuppa and of course, something sweet to eat while I listen to the faultless reading of these mags. They are read with such expression and genuine interest in every single article. Thank you all so very much. End quote. A quote from Judith. The narrators were capable and confident. The book and their voices were a source of happiness. I feel beyond blessed for your services. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Graham. I love knowing that my voice helps make books more accessible, creating a sense of connection and inclusion. It's a privilege to share the power of storytelling and make a meaningful impact in people's lives. End quote. A quote from Marguerite. It's a crazy fun thing to do. No financial remuneration. That's the crazy part. Heaps of laughs. The fun part. When I proofread audiobooks, I embark on different adventures in the company of all sorts of authors who have put their soul on the line to tell a good yarn. Fiction or non-fiction? They are all good yarns. Priceless. And all the people at Vision Australia who enable this and the other volunteers I meet are priceless. To end quote. A quote from Andrew. What a delight it is to be a volunteer reader at Vision Australia, to be granted quiet time to read interesting texts, and to know that out there somewhere someone is going to be provoked or intrigued or entertained by the words is a good feeling. The whole atmosphere of the centre is very welcoming and if that wasn't enough, there are free biscuits, though I note none with chocolate. End quote. A quote from via. I love knowing that my voice helps make books more accessible, creating a sense of connection and inclusion. It's a privilege to share the power of storytelling and make a meaningful impact in people's lives. End quote. A quote from Effie. Volunteering brings me joy. It's the gift of giving back to the community in my role. I'm able to reach many isolated Greek people who have the opportunity to hear stories and articles read to them in their first language, in which otherwise they would struggle to locate. End quote. A quote from Bill. I appreciate the comradeship of other narrators and the exposure to a variety of often very interesting written material that I would probably not read under other circumstances. End quote. A quote from Barry. It's the old story. You start out to give and end up receiving. I get pleasure and gain knowledge from everything I read for Vision Australia, Radio and the organisation more broadly, our clients appreciation makes it extra special. End quote. A quote from Helen reading for Vision Australia is something I look forward to every week. Over the years, I've read so many interesting books and magazine articles that I never would have considered. Then there is morning tea with my fellow narrators, an erudite, humorous, terrific group. End quote. A quote from Natasha. I first started narrating at Vision Australia after being fortunate enough to have laser surgery on my eyes. I went from -10 to 2020 overnight, and volunteering at Vision Australia seemed an appropriate step. I had always loved reading to my children, but once they had enough of me doing that, it was nice to find someone else who would appreciate it. End quote. I quote from Pragati. When I was informed about the audio production work that Vision Australia provided. My first instinct was to think about myself and the wonderful growth opportunity this was for me as a voice artist, but from the moment I took on the volunteering opportunity and met the team, I almost instantly felt humbled that I had been entrusted with effectively being someone's eyes and on the other hand, the author's voice for their story. What started as a way for me to gain experience ended up being so enriching. Once I let go and started to read, I really got into it. I was taken on a journey into the author's world, and did my very best to share the same journey with the listeners. I hope I did justice to storytelling and was able to convey the emotions I experienced as a reader, so that the listeners were able to experience what the authors had intended to say. Thank you to Vision Australia for providing such a service for all parties. I am really grateful. End quote. A quote from Jude. It has been a joy to share both stories with fellow narrators and to learn from their inspiring initiatives. Becoming a volunteer with Vision Australia has sparked a deep curiosity in me, one that makes me wonder what other purposeful paths I might explore beyond my current imagination. I am profoundly grateful to Vision Australia for taking a chance on me, fostering a supportive and professional environment where I can dream bigger and contribute to its meaningful community impact. End quote. A quote from Graham recording the narrative of a variety of requested books has been a life enriching exercise, offering diverse perspectives and experiences I would not have otherwise read. Each book has opened the door to a sometimes weird and wonderful assortment of cultures and ideas, often fostering a new empathy and perspective. I can only hope that those who listen to these audiobooks enjoy them as much as I have recording them. End quote. Picture captions. Volunteer narrators Jonathan, Helen, Sharon, Bill and Dennis. This illustrious group convene on a Wednesday for morning tea in the Kooyong kitchen. These lively catch ups are affectionately known as Wednesday Waffle. Volunteer proofreader Philippa at work in one of the Kooyong studios, Philippa says I get to discover books I would not otherwise have known about. There is the feel good aspect, as well as having contributed to someone else's enlightenment and or enjoyment. End captions. Vision Australia audio describers audio description provides people who are blind or who have low vision, with an understanding of the visual aspects of a stage play. Volunteers who are highly trained vision Australia audio describers vividly and succinctly describe transitions, movements, gestures, Props, settings and costumes during pauses in on stage dialogue. Audio description is delivered live, transmitted via a discrete receiver collected as you enter the theater. Tickets to audio described by Vision Australia. Performances are purchased directly through the booking agent at the time of booking. You request the audio Description service to be allocated to your receiver. Did you know that over the past 12 months, the audio Description service at Vision Australia accumulated over 6500 volunteer hours with 148 audio described performances at over 28 theatres. An extraordinary contribution from our very skilled audio describer volunteers. Volunteer story. My name is Joe. I'm 65 years old and live between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. I've been audio describing for eight years. Our usual work involves describing ballet, opera, plays, musicals. We've also done the opening and closing ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games, Christmas windows and installations, art galleries, fashion parades, and even how to navigate around Brisbane train stations. My mother in law lost her sight due to macular degeneration and relied heavily on talking books. I quickly realised the impact it made on her quality of life. I have always loved theatre and when the opportunity arose to apply for a volunteer role with Vision Australia to audio describe live theatre, I jumped at it. The interview process involved describing a scene that Michael, manager of Audio Description Services, supplied. After passing that first test, I attended a two day workshop which refined the skills needed and answered many of my questions. The process of audio describing is very straightforward, although the ease of delivery and the very many changes with the production think Hamilton versus Sleeping Beauty makes it exciting. Our guidelines are clear. We describe for our clients the details, the costumes, the set, the lighting. We do not interpret. We do extensive notes on all of the above, including a synopsis of the show, details about the cast, and current reviews. These are sent out by Vision Australia well before the ad performance when running time allows, so clients can read and decide if this is something they would enjoy. We work in pairs. First we see the production as part of the audience. Next, we sit together, usually in a sound booth at the very back of the theatre and begin to take notes, dividing the production into 20 to 30 minute segments. We then see the production one more time, again in the sound booth, which helps us refine our notes and gets our timing right. We try very much to not talk over dialogue or singing, but sometimes this is unavoidable. On the day of the audio description. We greet the clients while they are collecting their headsets from the staff at Qpac. The staff then ensure all is working by doing a test run once the clients are seated. When the performance is finished, we go back to where the headsets are handed back to get any feedback. Good or bad is very much encouraged. Overall, audio describing has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has hopefully allowed me to make a positive impact on our clients. Picture captions. Volunteers Joe and Jane practice for sister act. Volunteer. Joe preparing for sister Act. End captions. Client feedback. A quote from Louise Sydney. It's such a fantastic service. I just love those people that describe and all that they do for us. End quote. A quote from Lisa Brisbane. What the describers do really goes a long way to make opera more accessible. Thank you. End quote. A quote from Karen Melbourne. As someone who loves the arts and with a deteriorating eye condition, I was thrilled to be able to experience audio description at the theatre for the first time. It made such a difference, especially in the darker scenes. The audio description was fabulous. End quote. A quote from Maria Sydney I attended My Fair Lady on Saturday with the audio description by Vision Australia. The show was fantastic thanks to the lovely describers from VA providing audio description throughout the show. They helped to paint a picture of the stage and allowed me to understand the visual cues given by the performers. All in all, another fantastic audio description from Vision Australia. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Pam Sydney. Preparing for audio description is a more intense way of viewing a production, in order to provide our patrons with information to expand their experience. It requires that I be aware of the critical links in the story and how the actors are directed to convey the story. I get the benefit of sharing the wonder of each production and enjoying amazing Australian talent. End quote. I quote from Jane Brisbane. As a lover of live performance, the notion of acting as a conduit between visually impaired theatre goers and their fully immersive experience had great appeal. It gives me such pleasure to dig deep into a show and provide through my voice the physical details of a sight gag, the costumes, set or lighting, as well as the nuances of facial expression and other gestures. I hope I bring their visit to a theatre to its fullest potential. End quote. I quote from Karen Sydney, I describe because I can make a difference to the experience of live theatre by patrons who are blind or have low vision. I enjoy the challenge of providing an effective description that will assist them to access the visual elements of a show that are important to their understanding and enjoyment of the theatre. End quote. Client services. Volunteers at Vision Australia. Our volunteers provide invaluable support to people who are blind or have low vision, both in person and remotely. Their contributions make a meaningful impact in countless ways helping clients stay connected, engaged, and supported in their daily lives. Many of our volunteers assist with site based day programs, ensuring clients have the support they need to fully participate. From driving clients to and from programs to assisting with scheduled activities such as crafts, art and reading, their presence is essential. Others facilitate and support community groups covering a wide range of topics, from social support to sports and recreational activities beyond group settings. Some volunteers take on peer support roles, acting as public speakers, leading telephone and quality living groups, and providing guidance to individuals at different stages of vision loss in our children and young people. Client services volunteers assist with administrative tasks, craft activities, and school holiday programs. Meanwhile, in adult client services, personal support volunteers help with reading, shopping and other daily tasks, ensuring that clients receive assistance tailored to their needs and fostering their independence from childhood to adulthood. Our volunteers play a vital role at every stage of client support. Below are some examples of how they make a difference every day. Volunteer story. Belinda began volunteering in our Bendigo Day program in client services in 2019 and quickly became a valued member of the team. Her lived experience with low vision brought a unique and insightful perspective, and the group appreciated having someone who could relate to their challenges. Belinda was always eager to help in any part of the program, demonstrating that low vision doesn't prevent her from assisting and supporting others. As time passed, a volunteer administration role became available and Belinda was quick to step forward. It wasn't long before her dedication and skills made her an integral part of the client services team. Along with her invaluable contributions, Belinda's delicious baked treats became a beloved part of the program. Adding a personal touch that further endeared her to everyone, the team quickly recognized Belinda's exceptional organizational abilities, empathy and connection with clients. Her work ethic and positive attitude led the program manager to offer her a temporary staff position, confident in her ability to make a real impact. Feedback from the team consistently praises Belinda for her dedication, organizational skills and ability to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for clients. Belinda continues to be a shining example of how lived experience can enhance both the quality of the program and the lives of those involved. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Shell Queensland volunteering is something I always like to do. Although various careers and employment situations haven't provided me with the opportunity to be able to commit to a volunteer role, after joining Vision Australia, I was provided with a perfect opportunity. I've helped older folk with reading their mail, volunteered at events and now as a tele link facilitator. To get started, I undertook the training and now facilitate a group once a fortnight. I appreciate being able to provide an opportunity for a small group of clients to join in via the phone for regular catch up. While my role is more just to address the formalities of roll call, etc., I get to experience a great bond and friendship shared by the participants. They are so supportive of each other. Have really lovely life stories to share, remembering what they all talked about last time and all while living in various parts of the country. End quote. Tele link program tele link is our virtual social program that connects like minded people across a wide range of interest areas nationally, either through telephone or video conferencing. It is a complimentary service available to Vision Australia clients aged 18 and over. Spaces on groups connected by teleconference have a limit of 12 members. Groups of clients are linked together for an hour long facilitated group session, Possession, either via the phone or through video conferencing, depending on the program. These are delivered either weekly, fortnightly or monthly. A skilled volunteer facilitates and may connect the discussion and is there to keep the conversation fun and interesting. Volunteers facilitate a diverse range of subject matter topics. Activity based and language groups, and make it possible for clients to socially engage with other like minded people. We have programs for everyone. We also deliver special topic specific interest programs in January and July each year. We sincerely thank you on behalf of the over 700 clients who participate in the over 95 tele link groups each week, fortnight and month. Volunteers play an essential role in the success of the Tele Link program at Vision Australia. 2025 marks 45 years of the tele link program and volunteers have been there since day one. Clients consistently tell us how much they value the volunteers who work in the Telelink program and express. They feel the volunteers endure a safe and welcoming environment during each session. Over the last 12 months, volunteers have provided 6276 hours facilitating and connecting Telelink groups nationally. The Telelink program prides itself on the contribution volunteers make towards ensuring their groups are inclusive and provide adults who are blind or have low vision, the opportunity to interact with others who share similar interests and linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Volunteer story. Margaret became a Vision Australia volunteer to help people. What she didn't expect was to make lifelong friends. After spending much of her career working as a teacher, Margaret joined Vision Australia in June 2023, initially to assist with one off events whilst she downsized her property portfolio and moved into her full time home on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Margaret sat across a table from the volunteer partnerships coordinator in Gosford, telling him that she had a lot going on and wasn't sure how much time she would have to commit. She had undertaken some work with children with vision loss as a teacher and found it extremely satisfying, but had retired some time ago and was unsure what she brought to the table now. Margaret wasn't sure what she wanted to do, only that she wanted to help people in her community. Fast forward to 2025, and Margaret has now assisted with many meaningful events that have greatly benefited the blind and low vision community in New South Wales. She is an active group leader across multiple groups on the Central Coast, as well as a tele link facilitator running an extremely successful weekly book club. Staff feedback. A quote from Maria Telelink, Program Coordinator. The Telelink program greatly benefits from having Margaret on board when she takes on a task. She goes all in researching everything there is to know about that topic, and our clients greatly enjoy her enthusiasm. We could use more. Margaret's end quote. A quote from Jordan, volunteer partnerships coordinator. Her personality is infectious. I know I can rely on her when I need help with anything. Margaret is the first to put her hand up, and I know I am going to get someone who will not only research and prepare for the volunteer task, but will also check in on other volunteers and myself to make sure we are not overwhelmed on the day of the activity. End quote. Client feedback. A quote from Dawn Margaret makes it her personal mission to give the very best to those she is assisting. She not only cares for their experience, but she also takes a vested interest in their long term development. She doesn't support as much as she empowers, and she manages to do this without coming across as too much of a retired teacher. Whether it be assisting our Seeing Eye Dogs team at community engagement stalls, guiding families around Sydney Zoo, partaking in sensory art and play at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, guiding people on and off sailboats in Sydney with sailability or working pit lane at the blind speed track day at Eastern Creek, Margaret thrives taking on new volunteer opportunities, working with our clients. What she does for our blind and low vision community is not a one way street though. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Margaret I came to Vision Australia at a time in my life where there was a fair bit of transition. What I found as a result were friendships that I have no doubt will last me a lifetime. People with sight loss have welcomed me into their lives and made me part of their communities, and I couldn't be more grateful for this. It's not what I had expected when I first sat down with a volunteer partnerships coordinator, but it has truly enriched my life. I love the purpose it has and the traits it has rekindled in me, that thirst for knowledge and engagement that is triggered when I prep for my tele link book club. That sense of personal satisfaction that I get every time I see someone with vision loss, enjoying something new, or the pride I feel when a community trusts me to advocate on their behalf, knowing that they are the most resilient bunch I have ever met. These are felt daily in my volunteer role, and they continue to push me to be the best I can be in both my personal and volunteer life. I have a fierce camaraderie with the Vision Australia staff I work alongside. I love being a Vision Australia volunteer. I feel they have been available whenever I have needed them. I see the amazing work they are doing and how it benefits Vision Australia clients, and I genuinely couldn't recommend the volunteer experience with Vision Australia more. End quote. Fundraising volunteers be part of our exciting events at Vision Australia. We are fortunate to host a wide range of events throughout the year, all made possible by the incredible support of our volunteers. Whether at a national level through major fundraising events or locally where specific departments hold special gatherings, our volunteers play a key role in making these events a success. From large scale fundraising efforts like Santa Fun Run, held across multiple states at Christmas to the Bendigo Easter Hunt during Easter in Victoria, our events are diverse and engaging. Each one offers unique experiences with volunteer roles ranging from events set up and pack down to greeting guests, providing guidance and orientation, assisting with registration, and offering general event support. Some of our other exciting annual local events include the Writers Festival in May, Iris Circle, Gifts in Wills, Thank You gatherings, and family days for our younger clients and their families. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible pool of event volunteers, who consistently lend their time and energy to make these events a success. Your dedication allows us to create memorable and meaningful experiences for our clients, supporters, and community. Whether you'd like to contribute once a year or get involved multiple times, there are plenty of opportunities to support these important events. If you're interested in joining our event volunteer team or helping spread the word, we'd love to hear from you. Picture caption. Vision Australia clients, staff and families at the 2024 Santa Fun Run. and caption. Vision Australia Radio Melbourne Over 120 volunteers support the Vision Australia Radio Melbourne service, delivering a wide variety of reading and specialist programs for the local community of interest and for the Vision Australia radio network. The Vision Australia Radio Melbourne service broadcasts in the Melbourne, Victoria region, providing access to news and information through local news, reading programmes and specialist programmes for Melbourne and Victoria's blind and low vision community and print disabled community. It also operates simulcast services for Warragul and Warrnambool via the Melbourne service Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne broadcasts 24 hours of local content generated by over 120 Vision Australia, Radio Melbourne Volunteers Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne maintains connections with community organisations in Melbourne and Victoria through promoting their services and organisations on air through community service announcements. Ksas interviews and outside broadcasts. Vision Australia radio Melbourne broadcast approximately 125 ksas per week locally and via networked programs that cover both local disability and not for profit organisations, including Midsummer Festival 2024 and 2025, children's ground wear at Yellow World Braille Day 2024 and 2025 World Sight Day Blind Australian of the Year awards go volunteer, Kangaroo Flats Uniting Church, World Radio Day Focus on ability short film festival, Cancer Council Victoria presentation day, International Day of People with a disability, ageing with Grace, Strength to Give and National Reconciliation Week 2024. In January 2025 Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne started the year with our Midsummer Accessibility Partnership, broadcasting live from Carnival Day, and encouraged our community to head down and enjoy other events within the festival. Aided by our audio accessible program guide produced and supplied to midsummer, we also simulcast the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam and promoted the All Abilities Day. Encouraging our blind and low vision listeners to attend this international sporting event and get involved. Picture captions Conrad Brown, manager, Vision Australia Radio and Audio Services and Vision Australia radio team and a listener's post-it note that says I love listening to Vision Australia Radio on 1170 9 a.m.. As a superfan of community radio as well. End captions regional Victoria and Albury. There are 143 registered volunteers at Vision Australia Radio Geelong, Albury, Bendigo and Shepparton who volunteer an average of over 255 hours per week. A huge thank you to volunteers John and Barry from Bendigo for their dedication to producing Inside Voice. A powerful new program sharing readings from writings by currently and previously incarcerated individuals, as well as those who have experienced detention. Your commitment to giving voice to these stories is truly commendable. We also warmly welcome our new volunteers from Geelong, Joe, Annie and Kate, who are taking on the production of Time of Your Life, a program dedicated to seniors. Your time and effort in bringing this important content to the airwaves are deeply appreciated. We also acknowledge the incredible Shepparton Radio volunteers who were nominated for the Greater Shepparton City Council Volunteer Recognition Awards, highlighting their dedication and contribution to the community. A special thank you to all who attended the awards ceremony in May 2020 for celebrating the spirit of volunteerism in Shepparton. Your hard work and commitment continue to make a meaningful impact, and we appreciate everything you do to keep Vision Australia Radio thriving in this region. We extend our deepest gratitude to Anna Marie for her outstanding dedication and tireless contributions to Vision Australia Radio in Geelong. Beyond her role as a presenter, Anna Marie takes on multiple responsibilities, including serving as an advisory committee member, presenter, trainer and mentor, even going the extra mile to produce the training manual. Anna Marie represents and advocates with passion, all while managing additional administrative tasks to help keep Geelong's airwaves running smoothly. Her commitment, leadership and generosity of spirit make a lasting impact on both the station and the wider community. Community radio thrives because of passionate volunteers like you all. Thank you for your contributions. Picture caption. Vision Australia radio news reader team certificate. End caption Adelaide there are 110 registered volunteers at Vision Australia Radio Adelaide who volunteered over 9000 hours in the last 12 months. Peter, who has been a volunteer broadcaster for almost 25 years, volunteered over 650 hours last year. Listener feedback quotes. The station continues to provide an important service and allows me to access written material when I otherwise wouldn't be able to. It gives me news and information, and also items and programs of interest which would not be available to me otherwise. The variety of programs and the quality of the presenters is excellent. I particularly like the current affairs and interview based shows. The topics are always of interest and topical. I like how there are numerous programs so I know I will find something I enjoy. I also appreciate how it shows inclusivity for people with vision loss. I also love that it is produced by volunteers. End quotes. Perth at Vision Australia, Radio Perth we are proud to have a close knit team of 69 dedicated volunteers who bring enthusiasm, commitment and a strong sense of teamwork to everything they do. Their passion for supporting our audience and mission is evident in the way they continuously seek growth, embrace feedback and challenge themselves to develop new skills, often surpassing their own expectations. We are incredibly grateful for their hard work and proud of everything we accomplish together each day. Below are just a few examples of the passion and dedication that make our volunteer team so exceptional. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Simon. I've been a volunteer program creator and presenter for about 12 months and I love it. As I've just turned 60 years old, the age where many of my peers are thinking about slowing down or retiring. Well, I've just begun the best job, and I'm looking forward to the future and am really enjoying my involvement with this new and exciting job. I'm vision impaired and have either been underemployed or unemployed for large portions of my life, and it is great to be in a role that I find so rewarding, fulfilling, and something I feel very natural at. I feel very pleased and proud that Vision Australia, Radio Perth have given me this opportunity and hope to do them proud also. Thanks and much appreciation. End quote. Quote from Geraldine. If you are thinking about volunteering, go for it. When I signed up as a volunteer with Vision Australia, I thought it would just be something useful with which to fill up a few hours each week. Instead, it has become an absorbing avenue for applying skills I thought would never be needed in retirement. I know I get much more out of my involvement with Happy Pants than I contribute, and the talented and supportive group which makes up the team ensures that participation in the program is a joy and the highlight of my week. Good friends, good company and something useful to contribute. What more could one want? End quote. I quote from Peter. After years of being a tandem pilot for blind cycling partners, my legs could no longer do the talking. Vision Australia Radio Perth gave me the opportunity to do talking of a different kind behind a microphone to a specific audience, by hopefully being an uplifting host on a local early morning news program, reading serious reports across the network, producing and presenting a weekly virtual travel and music show. I gained Structure, skills, knowledge, patience, confidence, friends and learnt to have a thick skin. My aim to inform, entertain and brighten up the days of our listeners. It is a privilege to be invited into their homes via the airwaves at this stage in my tour de life. Being a volunteer at Vision Australia is a good thing. End quote. Vision Australia, Radio Perth highlights. Happy pants. Winner of the 2024 Community Broadcasting of Australia Award for Best Program. Talks over 112 episodes produced and the program has been running for three years. One year from Melbourne, two from Perth. This half hour program promises to entertain and inspire children under ten years of age who are blind or have low vision. Tune in each week to hear immersive stories and music, learn new dance moves and fun facts about animals and the world around us. Plain sight. A program where we highlight people who are making a positive impact within their community, and more specifically, the disability sector. Shining a light on those who might be hidden in plain sight. Sights, sounds and songs. Cbaa. Nominated for Best Program and New at the 2024 Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Awards. Zigzag around the globe and discover fascinating facts and experience local culture and music at each stop. Picture caption volunteers of our Vision Australia Radio Perth team. End caption. Seeing eye dogs volunteers, Vision Australia. Seeing Eye Dogs provides tailored training and mobility aids to empower people who are blind or have low vision to move with greater freedom and confidence through a careful matching process. We pair pay our clients with a seeing eye dog that best suits their lifestyle. Ensuring they gain not only a trusted companion, but also a vital partner in independence. For those experiencing challenges in navigating their surroundings due to blindness or low vision, a seeing eye dog can be life changing, enhancing mobility, confidence, and the ability to take on new opportunities to make each partnership a success. We take great care in understanding our client's needs, ensuring that every match supports their active and independent lifestyle. Below, you'll find an inspiring story from one of our dedicated volunteer puppy carers, offering a glimpse into the incredible journey of raising and preparing future Seeing Eye dogs. Volunteer story volunteer Harriet. Being a Seeing Eye Dogs volunteer isn't just about the dogs. We make connections with each and every dog in our care, whether it's for a few days, a few months, or a few years, as well as the carers that have these dogs in their homes. Many of our carers say that caring is like a family. We meet littermates of the dogs we've raised. We share our struggles and wins with carers of other puppies and understand how each puppy is different. One of the best things about caring is the people you meet and the stories you hear. I've become walking buddies with a carer I ran into at my local beach during Covid lockdown in 2020. Since then, we've gone beyond the five kilometre radius and have gone for many coffees, attended galleries and exhibitions and walked across Melbourne with various pups we've had across a few years. I've made friends with other Seeing Eye Dogs carers from Instagram, and found we share more than just a love of dogs. I've enjoyed dinners, coffees and message exchanges with people who are blind or have low vision, who now work with dogs I've raised. Other carers have too. It's not a guarantee that you'll connect with the client. But carers have met up with handlers across Australia and bonded over shared love and appreciation of a dog. You meet amazing people across the organisation, including staff, clients and other volunteers. People with different histories and backgrounds, those who are doing uni out of high school and those who are retired grandparents. Some of them have fascinating jobs and other passions which you discover when speaking with them at a group session. Our trainers make it so easy to connect to the community through group walks. We go into the city and parks with lovely on lead walking trails for dog distraction training. Shopping centres and one of my personal favourites. The ferry trip, which along Bayside and Mornington Peninsula carers gather for group obedience and lunch after the session. We share a common passion and although we've all got different stories, we bond over these dogs and the goal of raising seeing eye dogs for people who are blind or have low vision. I take a lot of pride in what I do as a seeing eye dog volunteer, both in the successes I've seen with dogs who have graduated and in the micro-goals where each puppy grows and learns so quickly in my home. It's something really special to be part of. Picture caption volunteer Harriet with her seeing eye dog puppy in training. End caption. Thank you for reading. We hope you've enjoyed exploring the many inspiring and insightful stories of how volunteers have contributed to Vision Australia across different areas of our organisation throughout 2024 to 2025. Your dedication and impact continue to make a real difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision. If you have a story you'd like to share in a future edition of this magazine, we'd love to hear from you. Please reach out to your local volunteer Partnerships coordinator or contact the National Volunteering Partnerships Office at volunteer services at Vision Australia. Thank you for being part of our volunteer community. We look forward to sharing more stories with you next time. You have been listening to the Volunteer Annual 2025. This recording has been produced by Vision Australia in 2025. In the interests of information accessibility, care has been taken in the recording of this publication. But Vision Australia does not accept responsibility for the results of specific action taken on the basis of this recording, nor for any error or omission. This recording is copyright. No unauthorized copying, broadcasting or public performance is permitted. Your narrators were David Tredinnick, Lisa Rogers, and Elaine Carter. This concludes the recording.
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S4: Vision Australia. Blindness.
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S5: Low vision.
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S6: Opportunity.
S1: The Volunteer Annual 2025, a thank you booklet in celebration of National Volunteer Week from Vision Australia. Blindness. Low vision. Opportunity. This recording lasts for about 50 minutes. Here's what's inside. Message from the acting CEO. A message from the Vision Australia Volunteer Partnership team. The power of our volunteers and a year of impact. The Ovation Awards. Back office volunteers. Vision Australia. Audio describers. Client services. Volunteers. Fundraising volunteers. Vision Australia radio and Seeing Eye Dogs volunteers.
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S2: Message from the acting CEO. Vision Australia's mission is to support people who are blind or have low vision, and that's something we couldn't do without our amazing volunteers. Each year we're fortunate enough to be supported by thousands of people who give their time to make a difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision across Australia. I know our staff and clients are always grateful for this selfless work, but it is important we acknowledge the difference you make. This is why National Volunteer Week and the entire month of May is the time we go out of our way to say thank you to each and every one of you that comes from everyone at Vision Australia, as there is no team across our organisation that doesn't benefit from your contributions. From manning reception desks across our offices to facilitating tele link groups, bringing Vision Australia Radio to air, caring for seeing eye dog puppies or supporting our client recreation and community groups, it's truly an amazing range of skills our volunteers bring to our organization. What is also special about May is celebrating the old and new faces that make up our volunteers. Again this year, there will be many of our volunteers marking milestones of five, ten or even 20 years and more are volunteering with us at the same time. It is always so pleasing to acknowledge those who have recently joined our volunteer ranks and the ongoing Support Vision Australia, and by extension, the entire blind and low vision community, receives once again from everyone at Vision Australia. Thank you for another year of support and I hope you enjoy the Volunteer Annual, which puts the spotlight on everything our volunteers do. Yours sincerely. Justine Heath. Vision Australia acting Chief Executive Officer.
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S3: A message from the Vision Australia Volunteer Partnership team. Between us, we've had the privilege of working alongside Vision Australia volunteers for nearly 40 years and it has been an incredible adventure. Last year, as we farewelled our wonderful manager Cassie Hassell, after more than 17 years of dedicated service, we stepped into this role together to lead the program and carry forward the important work that was already underway while taking on this responsibility. We've continued coordinating our own volunteer regions because we love the work we do, both at a local level and now on a national scale. We are immensely proud of and grateful for every volunteer who gives their time, energy and passion to Vision Australia. Your dedication makes a real and lasting difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision, and we cannot thank you enough. This volunteer annual magazine is a testament to the spirit of collaboration made possible by the kind contributions of clients, volunteers and staff who come together to share their stories and experiences. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed seeing it come to life. We look forward to many more conversations, catch ups and the incredible work we will continue to do together to create a positive impact in the blind and low vision community. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Yours sincerely, Anastasia Devereaux Caputo and Pam Power. Volunteer partnerships. Leads. Volunteer partnership coordinators.
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S1: The power of our volunteers and a year of impact. Our volunteers are the heart of Vision Australia, making a meaningful difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision across Australia. Over the last 12 months, our volunteers have dedicated countless hours to the Vision Australia community, including over 13,700 back office hours, over 39,600 client services hours, over 2400 fundraising hours, over 39,200 Vision Australia radio hours, over 2,600,000. Seeing Eye Dogs hours. That's over 2,700,000. Total hours. In the past year, more than 1739 volunteers have generously contributed their time and skills across various areas of the organisation. This is just a glimpse of the incredible impact they've made. We appreciate every volunteer and the valuable contributions they make. We also would like to extend a special thank you to our long standing volunteers, whose dedication and commitment have made a lasting difference. Your continued support means so much. We have 280 volunteers who have been volunteering with us for ten or more years, 23 of whom have been volunteering for 30 years or more. The Ovation Awards. Have your say and make your vote count. The Ovation Awards is Vision Australia's workforce recognition program, acknowledging those going above and beyond to bring our values to life. Open to paid staff and volunteers, the Ovation Awards recognise our colleagues, paid and volunteer, going above and beyond to bring Vision Australia's values to life. Nominations are open all year and will be included for consideration in the season award. Autumn, winter, spring and summer closest to when they are received. The nomination process is easy and can be completed online in around ten minutes. If you know someone who deserves to be recognised, nominate them now. Aside from an award and the acclaim and acknowledgement of their peers and the organization. The winner also takes home a trophy and prize valued at up to $2,000. If you know someone who deserves to be recognized, nominate them now via the Ovation Award nomination form. Picture caption Vision Australia Ovation Award 2024 end caption. The volunteer of the Year Award 2024 and the winner was an Gourds radio volunteer, Aubrey. Last year, the annual Ovation Award Gala event lit up the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, bringing together members of the board and the leadership team, past winners, as well as nominees and nominators from 2023 for an evening of celebration, laughter and memories. Congratulations to Anne Gourds, who took out the volunteer of the Year Award 2024. With 15 years of service starting as a Vision Australia volunteer in administration. Moving to reading to tapes, then moving into radio. Anne has shown unwavering commitment to keeping all three Vision Radio on air. She not only manages the station's roster, but often steps in herself to ensure things run smoothly. Anne embodies true dedication and professionalism, making a real difference every day. Although Anne couldn't attend the gala, our Volunteer Partnerships Lead and Volunteer Partnerships Coordinator Pam Power accepted the award on Anne's behalf. Back in Albury, Anne's team surprised her with a morning tea to present her this award in person. Picture caption Anne proudly holding her special trophy. End caption. Back office volunteers at Vision Australia. We are fortunate to have volunteers supporting various departments and staff teams across the organisation, contributing to a wide range of back office roles. This includes vital assistance in areas such as our reception, where teams of reception hosts are present every business day, as well as behind the scenes roles including in data entry, research, offer support, finance, information technology, fundraising, client outreach and short term projects when needed. Staff feedback. A quote from George. We want to take a moment to acknowledge our appreciation for the incredible work our reception volunteers do. Their constant smiles and positive attitude create such a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors. They handle every question with grace and diligence, ensuring that each person who walks through our doors feels supported and valued. Without a doubt, they are an essential part of our organisation and we truly couldn't function without them. Their dedication doesn't go unnoticed and we are so grateful for the care and commitment they bring every day. End quote. Volunteer activity in audio production. Our volunteers also play an essential role in our library services, from Braille production and transcription, including music proofreaders to supporting our children's library through book production, circulation, and dispatch. Volunteers are integral to these functions. Additionally, volunteers contribute to tech related areas such as audio maintenance and fulfillment. They also assist in creating alternative formats of the written word, including audio, narration, and proofreading for our audiobooks. Below, you'll find more details on how volunteer support our audio production efforts. Over the past 12 months, volunteer narrators and proofreaders assisted in the creation of 1340 hours of audio content for our clients. This included 73 audiobooks and 90 magazines for library and 44 personal support titles for individual users. Client feedback. A quote from Joy. I just want to let you know how much I appreciate the hours of reading that. Go into the magazines every month. Oh, how I love to sit back comfortably on my couch with a cuppa and of course, something sweet to eat while I listen to the faultless reading of these mags. They are read with such expression and genuine interest in every single article. Thank you all so very much. End quote. A quote from Judith. The narrators were capable and confident. The book and their voices were a source of happiness. I feel beyond blessed for your services. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Graham. I love knowing that my voice helps make books more accessible, creating a sense of connection and inclusion. It's a privilege to share the power of storytelling and make a meaningful impact in people's lives. End quote. A quote from Marguerite. It's a crazy fun thing to do. No financial remuneration. That's the crazy part. Heaps of laughs. The fun part. When I proofread audiobooks, I embark on different adventures in the company of all sorts of authors who have put their soul on the line to tell a good yarn. Fiction or non-fiction? They are all good yarns. Priceless. And all the people at Vision Australia who enable this and the other volunteers I meet are priceless. To end quote. A quote from Andrew. What a delight it is to be a volunteer reader at Vision Australia, to be granted quiet time to read interesting texts, and to know that out there somewhere someone is going to be provoked or intrigued or entertained by the words is a good feeling. The whole atmosphere of the centre is very welcoming and if that wasn't enough, there are free biscuits, though I note none with chocolate. End quote. A quote from via. I love knowing that my voice helps make books more accessible, creating a sense of connection and inclusion. It's a privilege to share the power of storytelling and make a meaningful impact in people's lives. End quote. A quote from Effie. Volunteering brings me joy. It's the gift of giving back to the community in my role. I'm able to reach many isolated Greek people who have the opportunity to hear stories and articles read to them in their first language, in which otherwise they would struggle to locate. End quote. A quote from Bill. I appreciate the comradeship of other narrators and the exposure to a variety of often very interesting written material that I would probably not read under other circumstances. End quote. A quote from Barry. It's the old story. You start out to give and end up receiving. I get pleasure and gain knowledge from everything I read for Vision Australia, Radio and the organisation more broadly, our clients appreciation makes it extra special. End quote. A quote from Helen reading for Vision Australia is something I look forward to every week. Over the years, I've read so many interesting books and magazine articles that I never would have considered. Then there is morning tea with my fellow narrators, an erudite, humorous, terrific group. End quote. A quote from Natasha. I first started narrating at Vision Australia after being fortunate enough to have laser surgery on my eyes. I went from -10 to 2020 overnight, and volunteering at Vision Australia seemed an appropriate step. I had always loved reading to my children, but once they had enough of me doing that, it was nice to find someone else who would appreciate it. End quote. I quote from Pragati. When I was informed about the audio production work that Vision Australia provided. My first instinct was to think about myself and the wonderful growth opportunity this was for me as a voice artist, but from the moment I took on the volunteering opportunity and met the team, I almost instantly felt humbled that I had been entrusted with effectively being someone's eyes and on the other hand, the author's voice for their story. What started as a way for me to gain experience ended up being so enriching. Once I let go and started to read, I really got into it. I was taken on a journey into the author's world, and did my very best to share the same journey with the listeners. I hope I did justice to storytelling and was able to convey the emotions I experienced as a reader, so that the listeners were able to experience what the authors had intended to say. Thank you to Vision Australia for providing such a service for all parties. I am really grateful. End quote. A quote from Jude. It has been a joy to share both stories with fellow narrators and to learn from their inspiring initiatives. Becoming a volunteer with Vision Australia has sparked a deep curiosity in me, one that makes me wonder what other purposeful paths I might explore beyond my current imagination. I am profoundly grateful to Vision Australia for taking a chance on me, fostering a supportive and professional environment where I can dream bigger and contribute to its meaningful community impact. End quote. A quote from Graham recording the narrative of a variety of requested books has been a life enriching exercise, offering diverse perspectives and experiences I would not have otherwise read. Each book has opened the door to a sometimes weird and wonderful assortment of cultures and ideas, often fostering a new empathy and perspective. I can only hope that those who listen to these audiobooks enjoy them as much as I have recording them. End quote. Picture captions. Volunteer narrators Jonathan, Helen, Sharon, Bill and Dennis. This illustrious group convene on a Wednesday for morning tea in the Kooyong kitchen. These lively catch ups are affectionately known as Wednesday Waffle. Volunteer proofreader Philippa at work in one of the Kooyong studios, Philippa says I get to discover books I would not otherwise have known about. There is the feel good aspect, as well as having contributed to someone else's enlightenment and or enjoyment. End captions. Vision Australia audio describers audio description provides people who are blind or who have low vision, with an understanding of the visual aspects of a stage play. Volunteers who are highly trained vision Australia audio describers vividly and succinctly describe transitions, movements, gestures, Props, settings and costumes during pauses in on stage dialogue. Audio description is delivered live, transmitted via a discrete receiver collected as you enter the theater. Tickets to audio described by Vision Australia. Performances are purchased directly through the booking agent at the time of booking. You request the audio Description service to be allocated to your receiver. Did you know that over the past 12 months, the audio Description service at Vision Australia accumulated over 6500 volunteer hours with 148 audio described performances at over 28 theatres. An extraordinary contribution from our very skilled audio describer volunteers. Volunteer story. My name is Joe. I'm 65 years old and live between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. I've been audio describing for eight years. Our usual work involves describing ballet, opera, plays, musicals. We've also done the opening and closing ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games, Christmas windows and installations, art galleries, fashion parades, and even how to navigate around Brisbane train stations. My mother in law lost her sight due to macular degeneration and relied heavily on talking books. I quickly realised the impact it made on her quality of life. I have always loved theatre and when the opportunity arose to apply for a volunteer role with Vision Australia to audio describe live theatre, I jumped at it. The interview process involved describing a scene that Michael, manager of Audio Description Services, supplied. After passing that first test, I attended a two day workshop which refined the skills needed and answered many of my questions. The process of audio describing is very straightforward, although the ease of delivery and the very many changes with the production think Hamilton versus Sleeping Beauty makes it exciting. Our guidelines are clear. We describe for our clients the details, the costumes, the set, the lighting. We do not interpret. We do extensive notes on all of the above, including a synopsis of the show, details about the cast, and current reviews. These are sent out by Vision Australia well before the ad performance when running time allows, so clients can read and decide if this is something they would enjoy. We work in pairs. First we see the production as part of the audience. Next, we sit together, usually in a sound booth at the very back of the theatre and begin to take notes, dividing the production into 20 to 30 minute segments. We then see the production one more time, again in the sound booth, which helps us refine our notes and gets our timing right. We try very much to not talk over dialogue or singing, but sometimes this is unavoidable. On the day of the audio description. We greet the clients while they are collecting their headsets from the staff at Qpac. The staff then ensure all is working by doing a test run once the clients are seated. When the performance is finished, we go back to where the headsets are handed back to get any feedback. Good or bad is very much encouraged. Overall, audio describing has been an incredibly rewarding experience and has hopefully allowed me to make a positive impact on our clients. Picture captions. Volunteers Joe and Jane practice for sister act. Volunteer. Joe preparing for sister Act. End captions. Client feedback. A quote from Louise Sydney. It's such a fantastic service. I just love those people that describe and all that they do for us. End quote. A quote from Lisa Brisbane. What the describers do really goes a long way to make opera more accessible. Thank you. End quote. A quote from Karen Melbourne. As someone who loves the arts and with a deteriorating eye condition, I was thrilled to be able to experience audio description at the theatre for the first time. It made such a difference, especially in the darker scenes. The audio description was fabulous. End quote. A quote from Maria Sydney I attended My Fair Lady on Saturday with the audio description by Vision Australia. The show was fantastic thanks to the lovely describers from VA providing audio description throughout the show. They helped to paint a picture of the stage and allowed me to understand the visual cues given by the performers. All in all, another fantastic audio description from Vision Australia. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Pam Sydney. Preparing for audio description is a more intense way of viewing a production, in order to provide our patrons with information to expand their experience. It requires that I be aware of the critical links in the story and how the actors are directed to convey the story. I get the benefit of sharing the wonder of each production and enjoying amazing Australian talent. End quote. I quote from Jane Brisbane. As a lover of live performance, the notion of acting as a conduit between visually impaired theatre goers and their fully immersive experience had great appeal. It gives me such pleasure to dig deep into a show and provide through my voice the physical details of a sight gag, the costumes, set or lighting, as well as the nuances of facial expression and other gestures. I hope I bring their visit to a theatre to its fullest potential. End quote. I quote from Karen Sydney, I describe because I can make a difference to the experience of live theatre by patrons who are blind or have low vision. I enjoy the challenge of providing an effective description that will assist them to access the visual elements of a show that are important to their understanding and enjoyment of the theatre. End quote. Client services. Volunteers at Vision Australia. Our volunteers provide invaluable support to people who are blind or have low vision, both in person and remotely. Their contributions make a meaningful impact in countless ways helping clients stay connected, engaged, and supported in their daily lives. Many of our volunteers assist with site based day programs, ensuring clients have the support they need to fully participate. From driving clients to and from programs to assisting with scheduled activities such as crafts, art and reading, their presence is essential. Others facilitate and support community groups covering a wide range of topics, from social support to sports and recreational activities beyond group settings. Some volunteers take on peer support roles, acting as public speakers, leading telephone and quality living groups, and providing guidance to individuals at different stages of vision loss in our children and young people. Client services volunteers assist with administrative tasks, craft activities, and school holiday programs. Meanwhile, in adult client services, personal support volunteers help with reading, shopping and other daily tasks, ensuring that clients receive assistance tailored to their needs and fostering their independence from childhood to adulthood. Our volunteers play a vital role at every stage of client support. Below are some examples of how they make a difference every day. Volunteer story. Belinda began volunteering in our Bendigo Day program in client services in 2019 and quickly became a valued member of the team. Her lived experience with low vision brought a unique and insightful perspective, and the group appreciated having someone who could relate to their challenges. Belinda was always eager to help in any part of the program, demonstrating that low vision doesn't prevent her from assisting and supporting others. As time passed, a volunteer administration role became available and Belinda was quick to step forward. It wasn't long before her dedication and skills made her an integral part of the client services team. Along with her invaluable contributions, Belinda's delicious baked treats became a beloved part of the program. Adding a personal touch that further endeared her to everyone, the team quickly recognized Belinda's exceptional organizational abilities, empathy and connection with clients. Her work ethic and positive attitude led the program manager to offer her a temporary staff position, confident in her ability to make a real impact. Feedback from the team consistently praises Belinda for her dedication, organizational skills and ability to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for clients. Belinda continues to be a shining example of how lived experience can enhance both the quality of the program and the lives of those involved. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Shell Queensland volunteering is something I always like to do. Although various careers and employment situations haven't provided me with the opportunity to be able to commit to a volunteer role, after joining Vision Australia, I was provided with a perfect opportunity. I've helped older folk with reading their mail, volunteered at events and now as a tele link facilitator. To get started, I undertook the training and now facilitate a group once a fortnight. I appreciate being able to provide an opportunity for a small group of clients to join in via the phone for regular catch up. While my role is more just to address the formalities of roll call, etc., I get to experience a great bond and friendship shared by the participants. They are so supportive of each other. Have really lovely life stories to share, remembering what they all talked about last time and all while living in various parts of the country. End quote. Tele link program tele link is our virtual social program that connects like minded people across a wide range of interest areas nationally, either through telephone or video conferencing. It is a complimentary service available to Vision Australia clients aged 18 and over. Spaces on groups connected by teleconference have a limit of 12 members. Groups of clients are linked together for an hour long facilitated group session, Possession, either via the phone or through video conferencing, depending on the program. These are delivered either weekly, fortnightly or monthly. A skilled volunteer facilitates and may connect the discussion and is there to keep the conversation fun and interesting. Volunteers facilitate a diverse range of subject matter topics. Activity based and language groups, and make it possible for clients to socially engage with other like minded people. We have programs for everyone. We also deliver special topic specific interest programs in January and July each year. We sincerely thank you on behalf of the over 700 clients who participate in the over 95 tele link groups each week, fortnight and month. Volunteers play an essential role in the success of the Tele Link program at Vision Australia. 2025 marks 45 years of the tele link program and volunteers have been there since day one. Clients consistently tell us how much they value the volunteers who work in the Telelink program and express. They feel the volunteers endure a safe and welcoming environment during each session. Over the last 12 months, volunteers have provided 6276 hours facilitating and connecting Telelink groups nationally. The Telelink program prides itself on the contribution volunteers make towards ensuring their groups are inclusive and provide adults who are blind or have low vision, the opportunity to interact with others who share similar interests and linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Volunteer story. Margaret became a Vision Australia volunteer to help people. What she didn't expect was to make lifelong friends. After spending much of her career working as a teacher, Margaret joined Vision Australia in June 2023, initially to assist with one off events whilst she downsized her property portfolio and moved into her full time home on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Margaret sat across a table from the volunteer partnerships coordinator in Gosford, telling him that she had a lot going on and wasn't sure how much time she would have to commit. She had undertaken some work with children with vision loss as a teacher and found it extremely satisfying, but had retired some time ago and was unsure what she brought to the table now. Margaret wasn't sure what she wanted to do, only that she wanted to help people in her community. Fast forward to 2025, and Margaret has now assisted with many meaningful events that have greatly benefited the blind and low vision community in New South Wales. She is an active group leader across multiple groups on the Central Coast, as well as a tele link facilitator running an extremely successful weekly book club. Staff feedback. A quote from Maria Telelink, Program Coordinator. The Telelink program greatly benefits from having Margaret on board when she takes on a task. She goes all in researching everything there is to know about that topic, and our clients greatly enjoy her enthusiasm. We could use more. Margaret's end quote. A quote from Jordan, volunteer partnerships coordinator. Her personality is infectious. I know I can rely on her when I need help with anything. Margaret is the first to put her hand up, and I know I am going to get someone who will not only research and prepare for the volunteer task, but will also check in on other volunteers and myself to make sure we are not overwhelmed on the day of the activity. End quote. Client feedback. A quote from Dawn Margaret makes it her personal mission to give the very best to those she is assisting. She not only cares for their experience, but she also takes a vested interest in their long term development. She doesn't support as much as she empowers, and she manages to do this without coming across as too much of a retired teacher. Whether it be assisting our Seeing Eye Dogs team at community engagement stalls, guiding families around Sydney Zoo, partaking in sensory art and play at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, guiding people on and off sailboats in Sydney with sailability or working pit lane at the blind speed track day at Eastern Creek, Margaret thrives taking on new volunteer opportunities, working with our clients. What she does for our blind and low vision community is not a one way street though. End quote. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Margaret I came to Vision Australia at a time in my life where there was a fair bit of transition. What I found as a result were friendships that I have no doubt will last me a lifetime. People with sight loss have welcomed me into their lives and made me part of their communities, and I couldn't be more grateful for this. It's not what I had expected when I first sat down with a volunteer partnerships coordinator, but it has truly enriched my life. I love the purpose it has and the traits it has rekindled in me, that thirst for knowledge and engagement that is triggered when I prep for my tele link book club. That sense of personal satisfaction that I get every time I see someone with vision loss, enjoying something new, or the pride I feel when a community trusts me to advocate on their behalf, knowing that they are the most resilient bunch I have ever met. These are felt daily in my volunteer role, and they continue to push me to be the best I can be in both my personal and volunteer life. I have a fierce camaraderie with the Vision Australia staff I work alongside. I love being a Vision Australia volunteer. I feel they have been available whenever I have needed them. I see the amazing work they are doing and how it benefits Vision Australia clients, and I genuinely couldn't recommend the volunteer experience with Vision Australia more. End quote. Fundraising volunteers be part of our exciting events at Vision Australia. We are fortunate to host a wide range of events throughout the year, all made possible by the incredible support of our volunteers. Whether at a national level through major fundraising events or locally where specific departments hold special gatherings, our volunteers play a key role in making these events a success. From large scale fundraising efforts like Santa Fun Run, held across multiple states at Christmas to the Bendigo Easter Hunt during Easter in Victoria, our events are diverse and engaging. Each one offers unique experiences with volunteer roles ranging from events set up and pack down to greeting guests, providing guidance and orientation, assisting with registration, and offering general event support. Some of our other exciting annual local events include the Writers Festival in May, Iris Circle, Gifts in Wills, Thank You gatherings, and family days for our younger clients and their families. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible pool of event volunteers, who consistently lend their time and energy to make these events a success. Your dedication allows us to create memorable and meaningful experiences for our clients, supporters, and community. Whether you'd like to contribute once a year or get involved multiple times, there are plenty of opportunities to support these important events. If you're interested in joining our event volunteer team or helping spread the word, we'd love to hear from you. Picture caption. Vision Australia clients, staff and families at the 2024 Santa Fun Run. and caption. Vision Australia Radio Melbourne Over 120 volunteers support the Vision Australia Radio Melbourne service, delivering a wide variety of reading and specialist programs for the local community of interest and for the Vision Australia radio network. The Vision Australia Radio Melbourne service broadcasts in the Melbourne, Victoria region, providing access to news and information through local news, reading programmes and specialist programmes for Melbourne and Victoria's blind and low vision community and print disabled community. It also operates simulcast services for Warragul and Warrnambool via the Melbourne service Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne broadcasts 24 hours of local content generated by over 120 Vision Australia, Radio Melbourne Volunteers Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne maintains connections with community organisations in Melbourne and Victoria through promoting their services and organisations on air through community service announcements. Ksas interviews and outside broadcasts. Vision Australia radio Melbourne broadcast approximately 125 ksas per week locally and via networked programs that cover both local disability and not for profit organisations, including Midsummer Festival 2024 and 2025, children's ground wear at Yellow World Braille Day 2024 and 2025 World Sight Day Blind Australian of the Year awards go volunteer, Kangaroo Flats Uniting Church, World Radio Day Focus on ability short film festival, Cancer Council Victoria presentation day, International Day of People with a disability, ageing with Grace, Strength to Give and National Reconciliation Week 2024. In January 2025 Vision Australia. Radio Melbourne started the year with our Midsummer Accessibility Partnership, broadcasting live from Carnival Day, and encouraged our community to head down and enjoy other events within the festival. Aided by our audio accessible program guide produced and supplied to midsummer, we also simulcast the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam and promoted the All Abilities Day. Encouraging our blind and low vision listeners to attend this international sporting event and get involved. Picture captions Conrad Brown, manager, Vision Australia Radio and Audio Services and Vision Australia radio team and a listener's post-it note that says I love listening to Vision Australia Radio on 1170 9 a.m.. As a superfan of community radio as well. End captions regional Victoria and Albury. There are 143 registered volunteers at Vision Australia Radio Geelong, Albury, Bendigo and Shepparton who volunteer an average of over 255 hours per week. A huge thank you to volunteers John and Barry from Bendigo for their dedication to producing Inside Voice. A powerful new program sharing readings from writings by currently and previously incarcerated individuals, as well as those who have experienced detention. Your commitment to giving voice to these stories is truly commendable. We also warmly welcome our new volunteers from Geelong, Joe, Annie and Kate, who are taking on the production of Time of Your Life, a program dedicated to seniors. Your time and effort in bringing this important content to the airwaves are deeply appreciated. We also acknowledge the incredible Shepparton Radio volunteers who were nominated for the Greater Shepparton City Council Volunteer Recognition Awards, highlighting their dedication and contribution to the community. A special thank you to all who attended the awards ceremony in May 2020 for celebrating the spirit of volunteerism in Shepparton. Your hard work and commitment continue to make a meaningful impact, and we appreciate everything you do to keep Vision Australia Radio thriving in this region. We extend our deepest gratitude to Anna Marie for her outstanding dedication and tireless contributions to Vision Australia Radio in Geelong. Beyond her role as a presenter, Anna Marie takes on multiple responsibilities, including serving as an advisory committee member, presenter, trainer and mentor, even going the extra mile to produce the training manual. Anna Marie represents and advocates with passion, all while managing additional administrative tasks to help keep Geelong's airwaves running smoothly. Her commitment, leadership and generosity of spirit make a lasting impact on both the station and the wider community. Community radio thrives because of passionate volunteers like you all. Thank you for your contributions. Picture caption. Vision Australia radio news reader team certificate. End caption Adelaide there are 110 registered volunteers at Vision Australia Radio Adelaide who volunteered over 9000 hours in the last 12 months. Peter, who has been a volunteer broadcaster for almost 25 years, volunteered over 650 hours last year. Listener feedback quotes. The station continues to provide an important service and allows me to access written material when I otherwise wouldn't be able to. It gives me news and information, and also items and programs of interest which would not be available to me otherwise. The variety of programs and the quality of the presenters is excellent. I particularly like the current affairs and interview based shows. The topics are always of interest and topical. I like how there are numerous programs so I know I will find something I enjoy. I also appreciate how it shows inclusivity for people with vision loss. I also love that it is produced by volunteers. End quotes. Perth at Vision Australia, Radio Perth we are proud to have a close knit team of 69 dedicated volunteers who bring enthusiasm, commitment and a strong sense of teamwork to everything they do. Their passion for supporting our audience and mission is evident in the way they continuously seek growth, embrace feedback and challenge themselves to develop new skills, often surpassing their own expectations. We are incredibly grateful for their hard work and proud of everything we accomplish together each day. Below are just a few examples of the passion and dedication that make our volunteer team so exceptional. Volunteer feedback. A quote from Simon. I've been a volunteer program creator and presenter for about 12 months and I love it. As I've just turned 60 years old, the age where many of my peers are thinking about slowing down or retiring. Well, I've just begun the best job, and I'm looking forward to the future and am really enjoying my involvement with this new and exciting job. I'm vision impaired and have either been underemployed or unemployed for large portions of my life, and it is great to be in a role that I find so rewarding, fulfilling, and something I feel very natural at. I feel very pleased and proud that Vision Australia, Radio Perth have given me this opportunity and hope to do them proud also. Thanks and much appreciation. End quote. Quote from Geraldine. If you are thinking about volunteering, go for it. When I signed up as a volunteer with Vision Australia, I thought it would just be something useful with which to fill up a few hours each week. Instead, it has become an absorbing avenue for applying skills I thought would never be needed in retirement. I know I get much more out of my involvement with Happy Pants than I contribute, and the talented and supportive group which makes up the team ensures that participation in the program is a joy and the highlight of my week. Good friends, good company and something useful to contribute. What more could one want? End quote. I quote from Peter. After years of being a tandem pilot for blind cycling partners, my legs could no longer do the talking. Vision Australia Radio Perth gave me the opportunity to do talking of a different kind behind a microphone to a specific audience, by hopefully being an uplifting host on a local early morning news program, reading serious reports across the network, producing and presenting a weekly virtual travel and music show. I gained Structure, skills, knowledge, patience, confidence, friends and learnt to have a thick skin. My aim to inform, entertain and brighten up the days of our listeners. It is a privilege to be invited into their homes via the airwaves at this stage in my tour de life. Being a volunteer at Vision Australia is a good thing. End quote. Vision Australia, Radio Perth highlights. Happy pants. Winner of the 2024 Community Broadcasting of Australia Award for Best Program. Talks over 112 episodes produced and the program has been running for three years. One year from Melbourne, two from Perth. This half hour program promises to entertain and inspire children under ten years of age who are blind or have low vision. Tune in each week to hear immersive stories and music, learn new dance moves and fun facts about animals and the world around us. Plain sight. A program where we highlight people who are making a positive impact within their community, and more specifically, the disability sector. Shining a light on those who might be hidden in plain sight. Sights, sounds and songs. Cbaa. Nominated for Best Program and New at the 2024 Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Awards. Zigzag around the globe and discover fascinating facts and experience local culture and music at each stop. Picture caption volunteers of our Vision Australia Radio Perth team. End caption. Seeing eye dogs volunteers, Vision Australia. Seeing Eye Dogs provides tailored training and mobility aids to empower people who are blind or have low vision to move with greater freedom and confidence through a careful matching process. We pair pay our clients with a seeing eye dog that best suits their lifestyle. Ensuring they gain not only a trusted companion, but also a vital partner in independence. For those experiencing challenges in navigating their surroundings due to blindness or low vision, a seeing eye dog can be life changing, enhancing mobility, confidence, and the ability to take on new opportunities to make each partnership a success. We take great care in understanding our client's needs, ensuring that every match supports their active and independent lifestyle. Below, you'll find an inspiring story from one of our dedicated volunteer puppy carers, offering a glimpse into the incredible journey of raising and preparing future Seeing Eye dogs. Volunteer story volunteer Harriet. Being a Seeing Eye Dogs volunteer isn't just about the dogs. We make connections with each and every dog in our care, whether it's for a few days, a few months, or a few years, as well as the carers that have these dogs in their homes. Many of our carers say that caring is like a family. We meet littermates of the dogs we've raised. We share our struggles and wins with carers of other puppies and understand how each puppy is different. One of the best things about caring is the people you meet and the stories you hear. I've become walking buddies with a carer I ran into at my local beach during Covid lockdown in 2020. Since then, we've gone beyond the five kilometre radius and have gone for many coffees, attended galleries and exhibitions and walked across Melbourne with various pups we've had across a few years. I've made friends with other Seeing Eye Dogs carers from Instagram, and found we share more than just a love of dogs. I've enjoyed dinners, coffees and message exchanges with people who are blind or have low vision, who now work with dogs I've raised. Other carers have too. It's not a guarantee that you'll connect with the client. But carers have met up with handlers across Australia and bonded over shared love and appreciation of a dog. You meet amazing people across the organisation, including staff, clients and other volunteers. People with different histories and backgrounds, those who are doing uni out of high school and those who are retired grandparents. Some of them have fascinating jobs and other passions which you discover when speaking with them at a group session. Our trainers make it so easy to connect to the community through group walks. We go into the city and parks with lovely on lead walking trails for dog distraction training. Shopping centres and one of my personal favourites. The ferry trip, which along Bayside and Mornington Peninsula carers gather for group obedience and lunch after the session. We share a common passion and although we've all got different stories, we bond over these dogs and the goal of raising seeing eye dogs for people who are blind or have low vision. I take a lot of pride in what I do as a seeing eye dog volunteer, both in the successes I've seen with dogs who have graduated and in the micro-goals where each puppy grows and learns so quickly in my home. It's something really special to be part of. Picture caption volunteer Harriet with her seeing eye dog puppy in training. End caption. Thank you for reading. We hope you've enjoyed exploring the many inspiring and insightful stories of how volunteers have contributed to Vision Australia across different areas of our organisation throughout 2024 to 2025. Your dedication and impact continue to make a real difference in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision. If you have a story you'd like to share in a future edition of this magazine, we'd love to hear from you. Please reach out to your local volunteer Partnerships coordinator or contact the National Volunteering Partnerships Office at volunteer services at Vision Australia. Thank you for being part of our volunteer community. We look forward to sharing more stories with you next time. You have been listening to the Volunteer Annual 2025. This recording has been produced by Vision Australia in 2025. In the interests of information accessibility, care has been taken in the recording of this publication. But Vision Australia does not accept responsibility for the results of specific action taken on the basis of this recording, nor for any error or omission. This recording is copyright. No unauthorized copying, broadcasting or public performance is permitted. Your narrators were David Tredinnick, Lisa Rogers, and Elaine Carter. This concludes the recording.
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S4: Vision Australia. Blindness.
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S5: Low vision.
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S6: Opportunity.
