People interested in learning about orientation and mobility services offered out of Vision Australia’s Coorparoo office have been encouraged to come along to the Explorer’s Forum on Wednesday, December 4.
The Explorer’s Forum is the final Orientation and Mobility Travel Day for 2019 and is an opportunity for people to learn about the latest orientation and mobility equipment, apps and techniques as well preview the Orientation and Mobility Travel Days for 2020.
The Orientation and Mobility Travel Days are held in Brisbane City each year (with an initial Gold Coast event also conducted) and have proved to be a popular way to support people who are blind or have low vision to develop their orientation and mobility skills and also experience a range of Brisbane’s notable landmarks.
In 2019, the travel days included trips to Brisbane Airport and Springfield, as well as an opportunity to learn about Brisbane’s public transport infrastructure and explore the city by night.
Bashir Ebrahim OAM, Vision Australia orientation and mobility specialist/service development lead, said participants enjoy the days for a number of reasons.
“The Travel Days are a great opportunity for our clients to put the skills we teach them into action and also further develop them. Infrastructure like public transport plays a vital role in the lives of our clients so it’s important they know how to access it and are confident in doing so,” Mr Ebrahim OAM said.
“Along with that, the days also bring our clients together. It’s a chance for them to socialise with each other and also share the strategies and techniques they use when navigating their environments,” he said.
During the Explorer’s Forum, participants will travel to Coorparoo Square as well as trying out new equipment and techniques and anybody interested in those or the 2020 calendar is encouraged to sign-up for the day.
“This is great opportunity to potentially learn some new skills, but also find out more about what the 2020 travel days will look like and how people can get involved,” Mr Ebrahim OAM said.
“The Travel Days are funded out of participants’ National Disability Insurance Scheme or My Aged Care packages and we can also offer people advice about how they can use their packages to do that.”
To find out more about the Explorer’s Forum and other Travel Day opportunities, email bashir.ebrahim@visionaustralia.org or phone the Coorparoo office on 07 3727 2345.