S1: From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's
S1: your host Sam Colley.
S2: Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And
S2: for the next half hour, we talk matters of blindness
S2: and low vision.
S3: The first time I went to an audio described event
S3: was to Phantom of the opera. And it was a
S3: long time ago. A very long time ago. I really
S3: liked it so much. I was sitting in my seat
S3: crying because it was such a good experience. I don't
S3: cry every time I die now, but I do believe
S3: that a good audio description adds so much to an
S3: event for those of us who can't see.
S2: Welcome to the program! This week we hear from a
S2: couple of audio description users who have a lot of
S2: positive things to say about the audio description at the
S2: Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight after attending the 2023 iteration,
S2: and you'll hear from them very shortly, so make sure
S2: to stick around to hear from Janine and Michael. Then
S2: after you hear from Janine and Michael. I'm joined by
S2: Keith Mcvilly, who's here to tell us all about an
S2: upcoming consultation, which is taking place over the next week
S2: and a half, for people to have their say about
S2: disability registration standards. I hope you enjoy this week's episode
S2: of Talking Vision. Starting off the show this week, I
S2: speak with a couple of Carols by Candlelight. Attendees who
S2: headed along to last year's carols with their own audio
S2: description devices for them to follow along in real time
S2: with the event as it played out. Their names are
S2: Janine Sardo and Michael Jaynes and they join me now. Janine. Michael,
S2: welcome to Talking Vision. Thanks so much for your time.
S4: Thank you Sam. Thank you.
S2: Janine, I'd love to start with you and get your
S2: experience with audio description at the carols in 2023. So
S2: what was that like to be at the ball with them?
S2: The audio description.
S3: Was really quite exciting for me to be at the bowl. Um,
S3: we had very good seats up near the front, very
S3: near the front. So Michael and I and some other
S3: people actually met in the city, and Michael knew the
S3: way to the bowl, so that was all fine. We
S3: were instructed where to get our audio description receivers and
S3: that all went well. Then we made our way down
S3: to the front, to the seats and they were such
S3: good seats, which was really good. You felt really close
S3: and really a part of the event.
S2: Okay. And Michael, what was your experience like?
S4: Yes. This is the first time I've been to Carol's
S4: or had been to Carol's. I'd watched it on telly
S4: for 50 plus years, so I was quite excited and curious.
S4: And as Janine said, our seats were right at the front,
S4: so there was some toing and froing of camera people
S4: and so forth, which occasionally jumped across in front of us.
S4: But generally it was a wonderful experience of being so
S4: close and so much in what was going on. And
S4: it was The concerts are great on telly, but nothing
S4: beats being there in person. So it was, it was
S4: really exciting from that point of view. We were very fortunate.
S4: It poured rain, our seats were under cover, but it
S4: started just after we got there and it concluded just
S4: before we left. But I certainly feel for the people
S4: sitting further back who would have got very, very wet.
S4: And I commend them for their courage in sticking it out.
S4: But it was a wonderful concert with great performers, so
S4: I enjoyed it immensely.
S2: I'm keen to get your review or your feedback or
S2: whatever word you feel appropriate as to the audio description
S2: itself on the night. And Janine, what did you sort
S2: of enjoy the most from that side of things while
S2: you're at the carols.
S3: Having the blanks filled in of what was happening that
S3: you couldn't hear, and at some stages the music was
S3: it was an overpoweringly loud, but it was loud. But
S3: there were lots of things happening as well that the
S3: audio describer told us about. And it's just good to
S3: know about these things and just have some more information.
S3: So I listened to the audio description all the way
S3: through the concert, which was really good. And as well
S3: as Michael said, there were backstage or front stage things
S3: happening that wouldn't have gone through the television or didn't
S3: get mentioned on the audio description either. But, you know,
S3: that was quite interesting to see how they put together
S3: the show a bit, because there was talking a bit
S3: to the acts and stuff like that, but everything that
S3: could have been described was described very well, I thought.
S2: And Michael, what were your thoughts on that and your
S2: experiences as, you know, somebody with, um, quite a bit
S2: of vision. There's still and I can relate to this
S2: as someone in the similar boat, quite a few details
S2: that you miss out on because they're quite small or
S2: they're over in the corner of the screen, or you
S2: can't quite make them out as well as possible, but
S2: the audio description, I guess, fills in the gaps, as
S2: Janine says, in that way.
S4: Yes. Um, so you are correct. I do have what
S4: I consider fairly useful low vision. So I am legally blind.
S4: And my overall use of audio description, which I've only
S4: used a few times, but I've used it at musicals
S4: and plays and at carols. So it's sort of different
S4: types of events, is that if I'm sitting in the
S4: first few rows of any concert or event, I think
S4: I've got a reasonably good grasp of what is going on,
S4: but it just adds those extra little bits. You know,
S4: someone's moved from here. The set has changed. These people
S4: are moving around as they sing those sorts of things
S4: that you may get most of, but you just probably
S4: don't know what you're missing out on until those gaps
S4: are filled in.
S2: That's it. And especially when there's things like text or
S2: numbers or signs or anything like that, that's the big
S2: part where you need a bit more assistance with those
S2: sort of things. So I think that's where audio description
S2: comes into its own for me personally. But as we've said,
S2: it's quite different for everyone and it is very important
S2: to have these sorts of things at live events. So, Janine,
S2: I'll come back to you and just get your perspective
S2: on why having audio description at live events like the
S2: carols is so important.
S3: Well, it just tells us the things that we don't
S3: know if you can't see them. I couldn't see the stage.
S3: And so it told me a lot about what was
S3: happening on the stage. And also it just really makes
S3: the event much more accessible. And I do tell this story.
S3: The first time I went to an audio described event
S3: was to Phantom of the opera, and it was a
S3: long time ago, a very long time ago, and I
S3: really loved it so much. I was sitting in my
S3: seat crying because it was such a good experience. So, uh,
S3: I don't cry every time I die now. But I
S3: do believe that a good audio description adds so much
S3: to an event for those of us who can't see
S3: it or can't see it very well.
S2: And Michael, what's your perspective? What do you think it
S2: is so important for not only yourself and Jeanine, but
S2: so many other people out there in the blind and
S2: low vision community who do head along to live events
S2: like it's not just the carols, but the theater. As
S2: Jeanine mentioned there.
S4: I'm only an occasional attender of events, but the thing
S4: I would say, Sam. And yes, it is getting away
S4: slightly from carols, but the same sort of principles apply.
S4: I remember going to see Come From Away a year
S4: or two ago, where there were very basic sets, but
S4: the sets shifted multiple times during the show, and a
S4: lot of that was done with, I think, trick lighting
S4: and photography and similar things. The fact that the audio
S4: describer was able to say, well, the shift is just
S4: automatically and seamlessly shifted from sitting in a cafe to
S4: being on an airplane. It really just helps set the
S4: scene a bit more than you would get otherwise. And
S4: the other one I would mention is I saw and
S4: I forget the name of the play, which is terrible.
S4: Melbourne Theatre Company with Justine Clarke doing Julia Gillard. I
S4: think it may have been just called Julia, and that
S4: was only two people on stage for the whole performance,
S4: but there were quite a few little props used and
S4: to be able to get the audio describer to say, well,
S4: you know, now there's item X on the stage or
S4: she's doing this or has picked up this really added
S4: to the experience where you may may lose that at
S4: other times at that performance. The seats I was in
S4: weren't near the front. They were probably two thirds of
S4: the way back in the theatre. So adding that little
S4: bit of extra really, really just added something to what
S4: you would have got otherwise.
S2: It's really interesting to hear that you've had those experiences
S2: with theatre, but as we know, there's quite a few
S2: more things appearing on TV these days. And, you know,
S2: have you both been enjoying TV shows with audio description on,
S2: you know, channels like ABC and SBS but also, you know,
S2: streaming platforms now have it as well, don't they?
S3: I only enjoy it on ABC and SBS don't do
S3: any streaming. Oh yes, I have a couple of Netflix
S3: at friends places and I really do like it for
S3: the theater. I have done it in cinemas and that
S3: could make the difference whether I go to the cinema
S3: or not. Having audio description I'm a very big fan
S3: of audio description in the cinema.
S2: Michael, what about you? Do you, um, watch a few
S2: things on TV?
S4: With experience of using it myself. But from the interactions
S4: and discussions I've had with other blind and vision impaired people,
S4: it is obviously a really, really important thing to allow
S4: blind and vision impaired people to participate in all aspects
S4: of media, So it's not arguable. It's a given that
S4: these services must be provided to allow the same, well,
S4: close to the same access to all sorts of visual performances.
S2: And I guess that's where Vision Australia comes in with
S2: their involvement with the audio description, doing all that work
S2: in the background to make it a seamless experience for
S2: the audience. You know, things like ensuring the audio description
S2: signals clear and it's got good coverage across the bowl
S2: regardless of your seat position, because you want to make
S2: sure that no matter where you are, you do get
S2: great coverage, even if you're further back and hopefully not
S2: in the rain. But sometimes those things do happen. But
S2: I understand that this year, the way that they have
S2: set it up, you can tick a box to say, oh,
S2: you know, yes, I require an audio description device. And
S2: so when you show up at the bowl, they show
S2: you over to the booth where the devices are available,
S2: and people can get set up that way. How has
S2: that sort of thing for you? Last year, Jeanine and Michael,
S2: what was the situation there? How did you sort of
S2: go about getting your audio description device, and was that
S2: quite seamless?
S3: Yes, for me it was, yes. And I think for Michael,
S3: I was probably with him. Yes. They as soon as
S3: we came in, we said we've got to get our
S3: audio description receivers. And we were shown exactly where to go.
S3: And it was all very, very well organized, I thought.
S2: Michael, did you have the same experience?
S4: Yes. I would agree with Jeanine. We, as I said,
S4: we'd met up with always. Jeanine said we'd met up
S4: before a group of us. But as soon as we
S4: got to the entry to the bowl, we said, this
S4: is what we need to do. And one of the
S4: staff or volunteers on the front gate at the bowl
S4: bone showed us to the store or caravan where we
S4: needed to pick up our AV receivers, and that was
S4: all pretty seamless. And then we trotted off to our
S4: seats and just remembered to deliver them back at the end,
S4: because I don't think it would have gone down that
S4: well if we forgot to give them back.
S2: Certainly not. But, um, it is easy to pick up
S2: an audio description receiver on the way in. And as
S2: of this year, and I'm sure it was the same
S2: in past years as well. A similar situation at some
S2: on the left, past the main gates at the cloakroom,
S2: and the audio description team have also ensured that all
S2: of the ground staff at the front of House of
S2: the carols are aware of where the ad receivers are,
S2: should any audience members make an enquiry. And just to
S2: wrap up some info for how to book for tickets
S2: this year with audio description if people out there are
S2: interested in heading along to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
S2: You can get a live audio description of what's happening
S2: on the stage. It's delivered through receivers that we've discussed previously,
S2: so these can be booked at the time of purchasing
S2: tickets by following the prompt on the Ticketek webpage or
S2: over the phone at one 301 3300. That's one 301 3300.
S2: Now it's free of charge and it can be booked
S2: when you're ordering your tickets under audio Description receiver. If
S2: you also would love to listen to the radio, you
S2: maybe can't get to the bowl or you can't get
S2: to a TV, but you'd love to listen on Virgin
S2: Australia Radio. You can absolutely do that. We'll be providing
S2: a separate commentary of the night's events alongside audio description
S2: for those listening at home, the audio description commentary will
S2: extend further to painting a picture of what's happening in
S2: the space and how attendees are reacting to performances on stage. Now.
S2: That program will air live across the Vision Australia radio
S2: network from 8 p.m. in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and regional Victoria,
S2: but you can also access it on the Vision Australia
S2: Radio website at VA radio.org that's VA radio.org or through
S2: the Vision Australia library. I've been speaking today with Michael
S2: and Janine. Attendees of the 2023 audio described Vision Australia
S2: Carols by Candlelight at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, sharing
S2: their experiences with audio description at the Bowl and looking
S2: forward to another Carols by Candlelight in just a few
S2: weeks time. Thank you so much for your time today.
S2: Great to chat with you both.
S4: Thank you Sam.
S2: I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on
S2: Vision Australia Radio. Associated stations of Reading Radio and the
S2: Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there
S2: with Janine and Michael. If you missed any part of
S2: that conversation or you'd love to hear it again. Talking
S2: vision is available on the Vision Australia Radio website. Just
S2: head to RVA radio.org. That's RVA radio.org to check it
S2: out there. Or you can find the program on the
S2: podcast app of your choice or through the Vision Australia
S2: a library coming up now. I speak with Keith Mcvilly,
S2: member of the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria, who
S2: are currently conducting public consultation on disability registration standards, which
S2: will finish on the 13th of December. So to have
S2: a chat all about this, I'm very pleased to be
S2: joined by Keith right now. Keith, welcome to Talking Vision.
S2: Thanks very much for your time.
S5: Thanks very much for the invitation to come on, Sam.
S2: Firstly, Keith, could you tell us a little bit about
S2: the commission and the board and their role in assisting
S2: the disability sector in Victoria?
S5: Yes. So the Victorian Disability Workers Commission and the Victorian
S5: Disability Workers Registration Board is a first of its kind
S5: in Australia, and it was set up under the 2018
S5: Safeguarding Act here in Victoria, and it's designed to provide
S5: a mechanism to register those providing support to people with disability.
S2: Okay. And Keith, what is Victorian disability worker registration.
S5: Right. So the registration scheme, it's a voluntary scheme at
S5: the moment. And it offers an opportunity for the disability
S5: workforce to measure themselves against a set of standards to
S5: be registered. And through that registration, be able to communicate
S5: to people with disability as their clients that they are
S5: a person who is knowledgeable in the field and who
S5: is going to practice safely.
S2: Mhm. Okay. And Keith, does this consultation and these standards
S2: have anything to do with NDIS registration by any chance?
S5: No. Our scheme is quite independent of the NDIS. It
S5: relates only to the workforce here in Victoria. Mind you
S5: are based on a recent study at RMIT. We've got
S5: over 155,000 plus disability workers working across Victoria every day,
S5: and our scheme applies only to Victoria.
S2: And why are you conducting a public consultation on these
S2: standards for disability worker registration?
S5: Yes. Well, the Act of Parliament under which the scheme
S5: operates enables us to set standards of practice. And soon
S5: after the scheme was established across 2019 and 2020, we
S5: entered into a process of establishing some standards for registration,
S5: and we feel that the time is now, right after
S5: 3 or 4 years, to go back to the community
S5: and to ask people with disabilities, their families and indeed
S5: disability workers. Whether these standards are the right standards, whether
S5: they're clear about what the standards are and whether there
S5: are any other standards of practice that we should be
S5: setting to ensure that people with disabilities can be confident
S5: that they have a safe workforce.
S2: Certainly. And if people are interested in having their say
S2: about the registration standards themselves, what do they need to
S2: know about the standards before they perhaps jump in and
S2: give their feedback?
S5: Yeah, well, at the moment we have three standards that
S5: anybody registering as a disability worker needs to be measured against.
S5: The first of those standards is a criminal history check.
S5: And this is very similar to the NDIS criminal history check.
S5: And that's really about making sure that we have safe
S5: practitioners in our workforce. The second standard is a standard
S5: around English language proficiency, and that's about ensuring that our
S5: workforce can read the documentation that they need to read,
S5: that they can communicate with their colleagues and with other
S5: people across the sector. And the third standard, which is
S5: the most recent standard that we set up, is a
S5: continuing professional development requirement. And at the moment, that is
S5: set at ten hours of continuing professional development in any
S5: one year period.
S2: And Keith, let's just dig down into why this consultation
S2: is so important and what benefit it can serve for
S2: both the Commission and the wider disability community.
S5: Well, the Commission and the Registration Board is there to
S5: serve people with disabilities and to ensure that they are
S5: receiving competent and safe services, and we really want to
S5: hear from people with disabilities about the standards that they
S5: expect of their workforce. We want to know what people
S5: with disabilities are expecting of their workers, and that will
S5: be the basis of setting the standards. And I suppose
S5: on the other side of the coin, we want to
S5: hear from the disability workforce to know what standards are
S5: important to them as a group of professionals in our
S5: community and what they would like they and their colleagues
S5: to be measured against when it comes to safe and
S5: competent service provision.
S2: And how can people participate and provide feedback in this consultation?
S5: Right. Well, there are a number of options. Of course,
S5: there is the detail on the Victorian Disability Worker registration website,
S5: and you can get to that website at the dwc.vic.gov noew.
S5: And that will take you to the home page and
S5: you'll find the consultation material on the website. You can
S5: email in comments to consultation at DWC dot vicovu. Or
S5: please feel free to pick up the phone and phone
S5: the board on Melbourne 95951044.
S2: And just a couple of final details. Keith when does
S2: the consultation close?
S5: So the consultation will close on the 13th of December,
S5: which will allow us some time over the Christmas period
S5: to go through the material, and then we hope to
S5: have the results.
S6: Of.
S5: The.
S6: Consultation.
S5: Up on the website early in the new year, and
S5: any change to the standards that come out of the
S5: consultation will be in place for the next round of
S5: registrations late in 2025.
S2: After the consultation period does close, what are the next steps?
S5: Right, so the next steps will be for the Commission
S5: and the board to review the suggestions that people have made.
S5: And then we will fold those suggestions into a revision
S5: of the existing standards. If people are looking to additional
S5: standards to be set, we will certainly be considering setting
S5: additional standards, and then we will publish those standards on
S5: the website so they're clear for everybody to see. And
S5: those standards will then come into play for the next
S5: round of registrations in September 2025.
S2: Well, I've been speaking today with Keith Mcvilly, board member
S2: of the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria, who are
S2: currently conducting public consultation on disability registration standards. And this
S2: is wrapping up on the 13th of December. So you've
S2: still got quite a bit of time out there to
S2: have your say. So get in touch with the YWCA
S2: and give your feedback. Okay. Thank you so much for
S2: your time today. Great to catch up with you.
S5: Thanks a lot, Sam, for your interest. And I'd really
S5: encourage people to check out the standards on the website
S5: and to get their feedback in. This is really all
S5: about making sure that people with disabilities are receiving safe
S5: and responsible services.
S2: And that's all the time we have for today. You've
S2: been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision
S2: Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the
S2: show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you.
S2: So please get in touch any time on our email
S2: at Talking Vision. At Vision australia.org that's talking vision all
S2: one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's
S2: Sam Colley saying bye for now.
S1: You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
S1: business hours on one 308 474, double six. That's 1300 847 406
S1: or by visiting Vision australia.org. That's Vision australia.org.