Talking Vision

The Disrupting Sighted Ableism series is holding its third and final session at the Arts Centre in Melbourne on June 25, and we're joined by Lauren Hayes and Micaela Schmidt to tell us about the panel discussion they'll be running on the day. Then later in the show, Bill Jolley celebrated six months in his role as chair of the Vision Australia board, and he joined Sam this week to have a look back over the past six months and what he's looking forward to in the rest of 2024 and beyond.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we pay tribute to braille music pioneer Dorothy Hamilton OAM, who sadly passed away recently at the age of 97. Dorothy appeared several times over the years on Talking Vision, and today you'll hear from three different people who caught up with her for an interview. We begin with Glen Morrow, producer and presenter of Meet Dorothy Hamilton, a half hour documentary which originally aired on Talking Vision in September 2015. You'll also hear from Stella as she speaks with Dorothy for World Braille Day in 2018. Then finally this week Tess Herbert, a former student of Dorothy's at the annual braille music camp in Mittagong, caught up with her to celebrate her lifetime achievement award from Vision Australia, received at the 2021 Vision Australia Annual General Meeting.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming up on 8 June the Vision Australia Open Day is taking place at the Coorparoo office in Brisbane. Hear from Courtney McKee, Anish Chamoli, Mel Bligh and Donna Dyson as they catch up with Sam to speak about the day. Then later in the show, we celebrate National Volunteer Week as Sam is joined by Barry Leviny, long time volunteer for Vision Australia including his role as co-host of The Uncertainty Principle on Vision Australia Radio for the past 14 years.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Global Accessibility Awareness Day on Thursday May 16, and to celebrate Sam catches up with two guests with a deep involvement in the accessibility sector. Kicking off the show this week you'll hear from Dr Scott Hollier, the founder and CEO of the Centre for Accessibility Australia, who is here to speak about artificial intelligence and its benefits and drawbacks for the sector. Then later in the show Polly Goodwin makes her return to Talking Vision to tell us all about her collaboration with Dr Xiaochun Zhang from University College London, AD4Games, which they recently presented at a workshop in Japan.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is joined this week by three participants in the Career Visions program, Sarah McKaskill, Serena O'Brien and Michael Backstrom, alongside program coordinator Harmonie Downes. They speak about their experiences in the program and how it can help Brisbane-based job seekers who are blind or have low vision. Then later on this week we hear from Blind Citizens Australia CEO Deb Deshayes, who has recently reached six months in the role. Sam caught up with her to take a look back over some of the highlights from the first six months.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kicking off the show this week Sam catches up with Vision Australia marketing lead Chris Edkins. Chris is one of the minds behind the Pupil Project, a series of five videos highlighting the everyday experiences of people with low vision. Then after we hear from Chris, Sam is joined by Australian Disability Network CEO Corene Strauss. Corene is here to tell us about the upcoming ADN awards night and Impact Conference, taking place over 8 and 9 May in Melbourne.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming up on May 9 the Department of Transport and Planning is holding a Try Before You Ride event at Southern Cross station in Melourne, and Sam caught up with customer relations and disability advocate Fiona Demark to find out all about it. Later on the show this week we celebrate International Guide Dog Day on Wednesday April 24 as Sam speaks with Harriet Moffat, Seeing Eye Dogs community engagement coordinator and host of the Seeing Eye Dogs Show on Vision Australia Radio.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reading Writing Hotline recently turned 30 and to celebrate Sam is joined by the manager of the Hotline, Vanessa Iles. Vanessa tells us all about the work the Hotline has been doing over the past 30 years, and the ways in which they have helped members of the blind and low vision community to access the literacy and numeracy resources they need. Then later in the show, Sam speaks to artistic director of the Melbourne Writers' Festival, Michaela McGuire. Michaela tells us all about the upcoming festival taking place between 6 and 12 May, including a double header taking place at Vision Australia in Kooyong on the evening of Friday May 10.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head over to Adelaide this week to speak with Sam Rickard and Lizzie Eastham from Studio 1 on Vision Australia Radio Adelaide, as they tell us all about how they're going on their 100K Your Way challenge over the month of April. Later in the show Frances is back with a Reader Recommended, and we finish up with some news and information.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is joined by Vision Australia Radio Perth volunteer Kate Leaversuch, who is taking part in the 100K Your Way challenge over the month of April to raise funds for Vision Australia Radio. Then later on this week Stella catches up with Telelink coordinator Maria Markou who gives us some updates on the latest things happening in the world of Telelink, including some new language groups and volunteer opportunities. Finally on the show Frances is back with a Reader Recommended, and we wrap up with a bit of news and information.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is joined by William Chen, developer of the Theia mobile healthcare app which brings Covid RAT tests to users who are blind or have low vision, in a way they can access the information and results they need in a way that's safe, private and independent. We'll also hear from Steph from the Comms team to give us the latest news and events happening that Vision Australia is involved with around the country right now and into the month of April. Then finally this week we finish up with a bit of news and information about some upcoming events taking place at the Vision Australia Library as part of the Melbourne Writer's Festival in May.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week features the second of our interviews with paraclimbers heading to the IFSC World Cups starting in May in Salt Lake City. Sam catches up with Jason Whiter, a climber with very low vision in his right eye who joined the show alongside his coach and sighted guide Ben Dalby. Later on in the program, Leeanne from the Library is back to tell us about some upcoming events in the Vision Australia Library, and we take a look back over the most popular reads of 2023. Finally this week the 100k Your Way fundraising campaign is ramping up, Sam speaks to Vision Australia Radio's Jason Gipps to tell us all about the campaign and how people can get involved to raise vital funds for Vision Australia over the month of April.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam speaks to Sarah Larcombe from the Australian Paraclimbing team, as part of a two part series featuring paraclimbers from the team before they head to the IFSC Paraclimbing World Cups in Salt Lake City in May. We also hear from Vision Australia's business lead for home care packages, Meghan Hird, as Stella catches up with her to find out all about the home care packages Vision Australia can offer for older Australians who are blind or have low vision. And finally this week, to mark World Glaucoma Week taking place from 10 to 16 March, we feature Sam's interview with ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist Dr Nathan Kerr, who provides an update on the prevention and treatment of glaucoma.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is joined by Antony Rako, a singer with very low vision who also writes, produces, mixes and promotes his own songs by himself under the name Tony Lowkey. After  After we hear from Antony, Vision Australia manager of audio description services Michael Ward is back on the show to tell us all about the latest audio described offerings. Then to wrap up this week Frances joins the show with a Reader Recommended, and we finish with some news and information.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trek for Vision is under way in just over a week's time and heading over to New Zealand for the week is Vision Australia Parramatta's Karen Pritchard, who is out to prove that blindness or low vision is no obstacle to tackling hiking trails in Australia or around the world. We also head back to Perth to chat with Kerry Fasolo and Sandra Martin, volunteers on The Digest, a show broadcasting from Vision Australia Perth across the network which has recently changed things up a bit, and is always looking for more people to put their hand up and get involved.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Variety Braille Music Camp is coming up in April, and to tell us more about it Sam is joined by camp organiser Lee Strickland whose business, Dotted Beats, has partnered with Variety in Queensland to help bring the camp to life. You'll also hear from the Happy Pants team in Perth, they're seeking new volunteers for people to get involved with the show so if you're interested feel free to get in touch today.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011, World Radio Day takes place on 13 February every year to shine a spotlight on radio as a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity. In this spirit this week we hear from three people with a love for radio: Kath Letch from Australia, Camuran Albanoi from Albania and Jambay Tshering from Bhutan.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Radio Day is just around the corner on 13 February, and we have another voice from the sector this week as Sam catches up with Chris Corcoran from Reading Radio in Brisbane. Later in the show, you'll hear from Sam Foulkes joining the show all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio. Sam is head of braille production at Clovernook, an organisation which is hosting the Ohio Braille Challenge in a couple of weeks time. And finally this week, Santiago Velasquez is back to tell us about Hailo, a new app set to roll out for bus passengers who are blind or have low vision to help them get around their network much more easily and reliably.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam is joined by Madhuka de Silva, whose PhD research at Monash University is looking into the ways that assistive technology can make dance more accessible and inclusive for people who are blind or have low vision. We also hear from employment consultant Harmonie Downes who tells us about Career Visions, a five month traineeship program run in partnership with the QLD government, and Steph from the media team joins the show to give us a wrap up of the big things going on at Vision Australia over the holiday break.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a special Midsumma Festival edition of Talking Vision this week as we share a highlight package of the interviews from Carnival Day on Sunday 21 January. We start off with Sam and Tess speaking with Karan Nagrani, blindness and low vision ambassador for Midsumma. Later on in the show Sam and Tess are back again with Nilgun Guven from Vitae Vertias who joined them to speak about the latest audio description services available for the festival. And finally to wrap up, Sam and Yvette catch up with Lena Molnar from Women with Disabilities Victoria, who are committed to providing a more safe and inclusive state for women with a disability.Support this Vision Australia Radio program: https://www.visionaustralia.org/donate?src=radio&type=0&_ga=2.182040610.46191917.1644183916-1718358749.1627963141See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.