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: So the Blind Australian of the Year Awards demonstrate the
S3: capacity of people living with blindness to contribute powerfully to
S3: society and still live really purposeful, meaningful lives, even in
S3: our vision centric society. You know, anybody who experiences difference
S3: in a social context gets to have that narrative shifted.
S3: So that's really what this blind Australian of the Year
S3: awards seeks to disrupt.
S2: Welcome to the program. As we draw closer to the
S2: end of the year with October just around the corner,
S2: that means the Blind Australian of the Year awards are
S2: almost upon us and this year they are hosted in
S2: Brisbane on the 28th of October. And to have a
S2: chat with me today about the awards, it's my great
S2: pleasure to welcome Mary Bampton who you'll hear from very shortly.
S2: So make sure to stick around to hear that interview.
S2: And then later on in the show, after you hear
S2: from Mary Frances, Kaitlyn joins the program with a reader recommended.
S2: I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision.
S2: In late October, Brisbane will be host to one of
S2: the Knights of the Blind and Low Vision calendar, the
S2: Blind Australian of the Year Awards, hosted by Link Vision
S2: and to have a chat with me all about the awards.
S2: It's my great pleasure to welcome Engagement and Inclusion Manager
S2: from Link Vision Murray Bampton. Murray, welcome to Talking Vision.
S2: Thanks so much for your time today.
S3: Thanks so much for having me, Sam.
S2: Now firstly, Murray, what are the Blind Australian of the
S2: Year Awards?
S3: Well, the Blind Australian of the Year Awards are an
S3: annual awards program, and they actually consist of two different
S3: kinds of awards. So one is the Blind Australian of
S3: the Year award that is conferred on an individual. And
S3: the second one is the Employer of Choice Award, and
S3: that's conferred on a workplace educational, social environment who employs
S3: people living with low vision and blindness and and other
S3: disabilities and demonstrates the attributes of an inclusive workplace.
S2: Okay. And Murray, what are the Blind Australian of the
S2: Year awards all about? What's the purpose there?
S3: Yeah, great question, Sam. So the Blind Australian of the
S3: Year awards were designed to highlight what is possible in
S3: life using blindness as the conduit. They're about challenging limiting
S3: beliefs about disability and creating opportunities for people living with blindness,
S3: low vision and other disabilities. So the Blind Australian of
S3: the Year awards actively promote the contribution that over half
S3: a million people who live with low vision and blindness
S3: make to Australian society. And they do that through business, government,
S3: corporate health, education and the community sectors. So they capture
S3: the spirit of innovation, resilience and enterprise required to perform
S3: in a vision centric world. And I think anyone living
S3: with low vision or blindness really appreciates how vision centric
S3: we are.
S2: And you know, following on from that point you make
S2: there about society being quite vision centric, why centre blindness
S2: over various other disabilities? What sort of things are the
S2: awards looking to achieve from that side of things?
S3: Yeah, it's a really great point, Sam. So look, singling
S3: out blindness over any other disability, there really is, at
S3: least in a felt experience, I suppose a hierarchy of
S3: disabilities and at the top of that hierarchy sets blindness.
S3: This is a quite uncomfortable conversation for people to have
S3: at times, but this is what's been confirmed by research
S3: that blindness is recognised as the most feared of all
S3: conditions by many people in the community, even above terminal
S3: cancer and other like really, really challenging conditions to deal with.
S3: So the Blind Australian of the Year awards demonstrate the
S3: capacity of people living with blindness to contribute powerfully to
S3: society and still live really purposeful, meaningful lives, even in
S3: our vision centric society. So by highlighting innovation and the
S3: achievements of individuals living with low and no vision, we
S3: provide evidence of the capacity and contribution that all people
S3: with disability possess and demonstrate. And so that somebody with
S3: the know, quote unquote worst disability imaginable still has the
S3: capacity equal to that of able bodied persons. So we're
S3: really changing the narratives about disability because those narratives are
S3: mainly based in fear, ignorance and a lack of imagination.
S3: To be blunt about what's possible for people with really
S3: diverse life experiences and conditions. And so that is way
S3: beyond just the lived experience of low and no vision.
S3: That's even beyond the lived experience of disability. You know,
S3: anybody who experiences difference in a social context gets to
S3: have that narrative shifted. So that's really what this blind
S3: Australian of the Year awards seeks to disrupt.
S2: Yeah. Okay. No, there's a lot of important messages in
S2: there for sure, Murray because a lot of people do
S2: get quite scared if they feel they are experiencing vision
S2: loss or they're not really sure where to turn next.
S2: There are a lot of messages out there around that
S2: fear and ignorance and all that sort of thing, and
S2: people perhaps feel their lives are over if they no
S2: longer have the vision that they once did. But, you know,
S2: this is why these sort of things are so important
S2: to dispel those myths and really, you know, say to people,
S2: you can do something, you do matter. You're still so
S2: capable and can adapt and do amazing things. And so
S2: these awards really. Do a fantastic job there. Now, moving
S2: on from that, let's have a chat about the criteria
S2: for nomination for both the awards. So that's Blind Australian
S2: of the Year, which is the individual award, plus the
S2: employer of Choice Awards. So that's corporate or business or organisation.
S2: What are they sort of looking at from that side
S2: of things?
S3: No problems. So, you know, they're obviously quite distinct awards.
S3: So the Blind Australian of the Year, the individual award,
S3: you need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
S3: currently living in Australia to be eligible for nomination. The
S3: criteria are around the demonstration of the impact that that
S3: person is having in their environment. So the person needs
S3: to demonstrate excellence and high achievement in their chosen field
S3: and that can be really diverse. They might demonstrate a
S3: real contribution to community and the contribution, the impact of
S3: that contribution either has made or will continue to make
S3: a significant impact for their community. They're a person who
S3: embodies the values of the Blind Australian of the Year awards,
S3: which are many and varied, but some examples might be excellence, innovation, creativity, perseverance, courage,
S3: self determination. They're someone who demonstrates achievements that align with
S3: the blind Australian of the Year Awards mission, which is
S3: of community impact and improving inclusion within Australian workplaces and society.
S3: And they possess personal attributes that would make them an
S3: excellent ambassador of these awards. So we're really looking at
S3: character there. It's broad, purposefully, somewhat loose if you like,
S3: because we don't want to conscript nominations to fit a
S3: particular viewpoint or aspect. We've had nominations for people who
S3: have achieved incredible things academically. We've had nominations for artists, music,
S3: fine arts, we've had nominations for people who are chefs
S3: or fashion designers. So these are unusual pursuits for somebody
S3: with low or no vision. Like somebody was nominated last
S3: year from Tasmania who's extraordinary, creates beautiful furniture, you know,
S3: So there's a whole range as well as people that
S3: are out there doing amazing advocacy work, particularly in digital mediums.
S3: So yeah, community engagement, there's a whole raft of areas
S3: of life that people can excel in and and we
S3: would frankly love to hear about them all.
S2: Yes. Now, you know, there's a lot of amazing categories
S2: in there and a lot of really incredible criteria for
S2: people to really get excited around, you know, perhaps nominating
S2: someone that they do know who would be perfect and,
S2: you know, really deserving of such an award like this.
S2: So how can people nominate, for example, an individual for
S2: Blind Australian of the Year? Or perhaps I want to
S2: nominate someone for employer of choice. What's the best way
S2: for them to do that?
S3: Well, so I'm the best way is actually to go
S3: to the Blind Australian of the Year website, which is
S3: W-w-what Blind Australian of the Year comma you and click
S3: on the Nominate tab. It's a simple online form that's
S3: available for both the individual and the employer of Choice Awards.
S3: We recommend that people draft up their nomination pitch in
S3: a word document, for example, or something similar, and then
S3: cut and paste the pitch into the online form so
S3: that way you can massage, you know, your words, make
S3: sure it's the correct length of around 750 words. Edit
S3: Where necessary. Workshop it, if you like, with the nominee,
S3: the person that you're wanting to nominate. These are all
S3: really great strategies for creating an excellent nomination because the
S3: reality is that the panel members that will be judging
S3: all of our nominations received and they look at every
S3: single nomination received, they have to go on only what
S3: is written in that nomination. So it needs to be
S3: as comprehensive and as descriptive as possible to introduce the
S3: panel to this phenomenal person so that they can have
S3: an understanding of what this person is about, what they've achieved,
S3: what they are looking to achieve and to consider. How
S3: would receiving the Blind Australian of the Year award help
S3: them to create even more impact? Like we really want
S3: to see that their receipt of the award will make
S3: a difference for their life in the future. So we'd
S3: really like to hear that. So those are all the
S3: things that we'd love. See included in the nomination. So
S3: it really does require quite a bit of work. And
S3: we really acknowledge our nominators for the effort that's required
S3: to put in a really good nomination.
S2: And nominations do close quite soon. Marie So people should
S2: absolutely get around it sooner rather than later if they
S2: haven't done so already. So what day and time in
S2: particular do those nominations closed for people out there?
S3: Awesome, Sam. So the nominations closed at 11:59 p.m. so
S3: nearly midnight on Sunday, the 1st of October. So that's
S3: next Sunday. I'm aware that it's a really big weekend
S3: for footy fans and it's also a long weekend. So
S3: we really implore people to, you know, take a little
S3: bit of time and get those nominations in.
S2: I'm Sam Kelly and you're listening to Talking Vision on
S2: Vision Australia Radio, Associated Stations of Air and the Community
S2: Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed the first half of
S2: that interview with Murray Bampton from Linc Vision talking to
S2: me all about the upcoming Blind Australian of the Year
S2: awards taking place in Brisbane. Now please enjoy the second
S2: half of my interview with Murray as we chat about
S2: the Employer of Choice Award. So we've had a chat
S2: about the criteria and the nomination process for the individual award,
S2: The Blind Australian of the Year. But what about the
S2: Employer of Choice Award? What some the nomination process and
S2: the criteria around that one.
S3: Nomination process is exactly the same. You just go to
S3: the same spot and you just pick the link that
S3: works for you. Like if you want, it'll say employer
S3: of choice or blind Australian of the Year individual. Okay,
S3: so you go into the same tab on our website.
S2: Perfect.
S3: And in terms of employers of choice, these can be
S3: any Australian businesses, corporations, government departments, education facilities or community
S3: organisations that employ people with low or no vision. An
S3: organisation who demonstrates leadership as an inclusive employer might be
S3: one that has these following attributes. So they have a
S3: diverse workforce, including current employees with low or no vision.
S3: They provide tools and resources that accommodate the person's particular
S3: needs in relation to their disability. They have created a
S3: culture of teamwork and valuing every person's contribution they value
S3: and promote collaboration, innovation and flexibility. They provide a voice
S3: for all members of their workforce, including those with a
S3: lived experience of disability. And they foster engagement between all
S3: members of their workforce, including between management and workers. They
S3: provide a purposeful pathway for growth and advancement of all employees,
S3: including those with the lived experience of disability, which is
S3: really important because what we do know about employment of
S3: people with disability is that often they're at the lowest
S3: levels with very little career progression opportunities. So we're really
S3: wanting to disrupt that pattern. So the organisation or employer
S3: provides a positive workplace. It's a place where people actually
S3: want to go to work.
S2: Yeah, no, we had absolutely no, we've had somebody on
S2: the show, I think you've mentioned very briefly made reference
S2: to Craig Shanahan, the blind chef who was also star
S2: of one of the Big Visions books and, you know,
S2: doing an amazing job there and getting a really incredible
S2: message across to kids across the country who are blind
S2: or have low vision. So great to have some involvement there.
S2: And and he was absolutely over the moon to receive
S2: that Employer of choice award when that did come across
S2: at the time.
S3: Absolutely. Absolutely. And he's been just an amazing champion for
S3: inclusive employment and for letting both organisations and individuals see
S3: what is possible. So it's one thing to like know or,
S3: you know, like have some sort of cognitive understanding, like,
S3: you know, like there's all this research that says if
S3: you have a diverse workforce and by diversity we mean
S3: inclusive of people with the lived experience of disability, that
S3: there's better business outcomes. It affects the bottom line. They
S3: make more money. This is a good thing in business.
S2: Yes, certainly.
S3: Is. So Craig has been an extraordinary champion of what's possible,
S3: you know.
S2: I'm sure has been. Now, how can people access tickets
S2: to the Blind Australian of the Year Awards gala dinner,
S2: which is taking place on Saturday, the 28th of October
S2: at the Pullman Hotel at King George Square in Brisbane.
S2: People might be listening to this and thinking, Wow, this
S2: sounds incredible. I'd love to head along. How can they
S2: do that?
S3: Oh, we would love them to head along. It'll be
S3: a night to remember. So the tickets are available from
S3: the Blind Australian of the Year website. There is a
S3: tickets tab. If you click there, it'll take you through
S3: to a shopping cart. Now there is a drop down
S3: menu in the shopping cart and all of this is
S3: accessible and if there's any challenges with using any of
S3: the technology, people are free to ring me or email
S3: me direct. That's no problem as well. But in the
S3: shopping cart, there are a range of specific ticket types
S3: that can be accessed from a dropdown menu. So guests
S3: who live with low or no vision and their companions,
S3: should they choose to bring someone, have their ticket prices.
S3: Sad eyes. So they're about half price. So be sure
S3: to choose the correct ticket type is is the first thing. Yes.
S3: There's also early bird prices that are currently available for
S3: general entry tickets. So it's going to be a great night.
S3: We've got award winning artist Blind Ambition and Steve Sparrow
S3: playing like providing the entertainment for the evening along with
S3: a three course dinner, drinks and other forms of entertainment
S3: for everyone. So it's a fully inclusive event and it's
S3: an evening gala like no other. So there may be
S3: a few surprises for people.
S2: Yes, super exciting. And something else that's quite exciting is
S2: the Community Inclusion Expo, which is going on from 3
S2: to 6 p.m. on the same day at the same location.
S2: So tell us a bit about that finally before we
S2: wrap up.
S3: Thanks, Sam. Yeah, I'd love to. So this is the
S3: first year that we've incorporated a fully fledged expo as
S3: part of the Blind Australian of the Year program. So
S3: we dipped our toe in the water last year and
S3: it was really well received. So the purpose of the Expo,
S3: there's three key reasons for doing it. The first is
S3: to provide opportunities for people living with blindness and low
S3: vision to access new information, products and resources to find
S3: out about services and expand their capacity to live really
S3: full lives through engagement with the trade exhibitors. And we've
S3: got a really broad, really diverse range of exhibitors, so
S3: we've got warmly nourished. So Pat is a chef and
S3: specialises in working with people who are losing their sight
S3: or who are blind to be safe and competent in
S3: the kitchen and to prepare their own nourishing meals. She'll
S3: be there. We'll have personal trainers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists will
S3: have people who can demonstrate the latest in assistive technologies.
S3: So there's going to be such an incredibly broad range
S3: of people there that can support people living with low
S3: and low vision and other disabilities to live really full
S3: and healthy lives. So the second point is that we're
S3: there to educate interested community members, health and education professionals
S3: and trainees by exposing them to a range of resources
S3: and professional networking opportunities. So this equips them to work
S3: more effectively with people living with blindness and low vision.
S3: And the flow on effect of that, of course, is
S3: that they'll be more effective at working with all people,
S3: presenting with a whole range of conditions. As a former nurse,
S3: you know, I think things like this are phenomenally valuable
S3: and we're really wanting to engage, particularly our undergrads. So
S3: I'll be engaging with the TAFEs and universities in the
S3: surrounding areas to make this opportunity available for undergrad teachers
S3: and nurses and other allied health professionals. So that's the
S3: second purpose of the Expo. And the third is to
S3: enable cross-sectoral connections. So resource sharing, collaboration between our trade exhibitors.
S3: So you could consider that sort of business to business interactions,
S3: because all of us, it's really unbelievably valuable to know
S3: what others are doing and looking at ways in which
S3: we can collaborate or refer so that we're making it
S3: easier for people who are accessing our services to get
S3: everything that they need. So that's the point of the
S3: Community Inclusion Expo, and we'd love to see the expo
S3: well attended.
S2: Oh well, no, it sounds like there's going to be
S2: some incredible things going on on the 28th of October
S2: up in Brisbane. So a lot of exciting things for
S2: people to head along and check out for sure. Thank
S2: you so much, Murray. I've been speaking today with Murray Bampton,
S2: engagement and Inclusion Manager from Link Vision, the organisation which
S2: is hosting the Blind Australian of the Year Awards in 2023. Murray,
S2: thank you so much for your time today and all
S2: the best for the upcoming awards.
S3: Thank you so much, Sam, and we look forward to
S3: seeing lots of beautiful people there at the Expo and
S3: at the gala and I really look forward to being
S3: flooded with an influx of nominations this week. So thank
S3: you so much.
S2: And now here's Francis Kelland with a reader recommended.
S4: This is Before I Forget, and it's by Christine Bryden.
S4: When she was just 46, Christine Bryden, science adviser to
S4: the prime minister and a single mother of three daughters,
S4: was diagnosed with younger onset dementia. Doctors told her to
S4: get her affairs in order as she would soon be
S4: incapable of doing so. 20 years later, she is still thriving,
S4: still working hard to rewire her brain even as it
S4: loses its function. The unusually slow progress of her condition
S4: puts Christine in a unique position to describe the lived
S4: experience of dementia, a condition affecting tens of millions of
S4: people worldwide. In this revealing memoir, she looks back on
S4: her life in an effort to understand how her brain,
S4: once her greatest asset, now her greatest challenge, works now.
S4: She shares what it's like to start grasping for words
S4: that used to come easily to be exhausted from visiting
S4: a new place, to suddenly realize you don't remember how
S4: to drive, to challenge every day the stereotype of the
S4: empty shell. Brave and inspiring. This is Christine's legacy for
S4: people with dementia and those who care about them. Let's
S4: hear a sample of Before I Forget by Christine Bryden
S4: with Sarah Minns. It's narrated by Jackie Halliday.
S5: There's a clear dichotomy to my adult life, and it
S5: is divided by the moment. Doctor told me I had dementia.
S5: Before that day, I was a whip smart, multitasking scientist
S5: on a clear career trajectory that seemed sky high. I
S5: was also a dedicated mother, aware of all that was
S5: going on in my children's lives, spending all my spare
S5: time with them, talking, reading, sitting with them. As soon
S5: as I was told that my brain had a degenerative,
S5: incurable disease, I felt exiled from my former self in life.
S5: In 1995. My divorce from a long, unhappy marriage has
S5: just been finalized. My two youngest daughters, then aged 14
S5: and nine, and I had spent the weekend moving into
S5: our new home, a house in Canberra we had just bought.
S5: My eldest daughter, aged 20, was in Sydney University. I
S5: was finally out of a marriage that had caused me
S5: a great deal of pain, humiliation and self-doubt over many years.
S5: I held a senior job in the public service. I
S5: was the first Assistant Secretary in the department of the
S5: Prime Minister and Cabinet, heading up a division and advising
S5: the Prime Minister on science and technology. I could hold
S5: so much in my head. At the same time I
S5: could juggle multiple tasks. I was highly organized and you
S5: only had to tell me something once and I'd hold
S5: on to that piece of information forever. I was also,
S5: it should be noted, a little bit dismissive of people
S5: who weren't as capable as me. I had no idea
S5: that fast thinking creativity and super memory were not usual.
S5: It's strange, but I barely recognise the woman I'm writing about.
S5: It certainly doesn't feel like me. I feel as though
S5: I'm talking about someone I used to know. A long
S5: lost sister or friend who used to be a big
S5: part of my life, but whom I can now only
S5: vaguely identify with. But for the previous year or so,
S5: something hadn't been right. I was having trouble coping at work.
S5: A few things were slipping through my hitherto vice like
S5: brain and I was suffering from crippling migraines that would
S5: last for days, sometimes occurring up to once a week.
S5: I had put it all down to stress and had
S5: continued to cope with the help of my wonderful personal
S5: assistant and some strong pain medication.
S4: That was a sample of Before I Forget by Christine Bryden.
S4: Christine is Christine. Cristina Brighton is b. R. Y. D. N. B. R. Y. D. E. N.
S4: Written in conjunction with Sarah Minns. That book goes for
S4: six hours and 45 minutes.
S2: And that's all we have time for today. You've been
S2: listening to Talking Vision. Talking Vision is a production of
S2: Vision Australia Radio. Thanks to all involved with putting the
S2: show together. And remember, we love your feedback and comments,
S2: so please do get in touch on Talking vision at
S2: Vision australia.org. That's talking vision all one word at Vision australia.org.
S2: But until next week it's Sam Colley saying bye for now.
S1: You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during
S1: business hours on one 308 4746. That's one 308 474
S1: W6 or by visiting Vision australia.org that's Vision australia.org.