ABN 47 125 036 857

ABF STRATEGIC PLAN

2015 – 2018

OUR PURPOSE

To operate as a partnership between consumers and service providers in representing the issues for people who are blind or vision impaired.

OUR MISSION

To ensure equity in access to the community for people who are blind or vision impaired.

OUR VALUES

We believe that:

  1. People who are blind or vision impaired must have full access as citizens of Australia.
  2. People who are blind or vision impaired are involved in the decisions and choices that affect them.
  3. Blindness organisationsprovide quality supports to people who are blind or vision impaired along a continuum of care in ways that are efficient and effective.

OUR GOALS

Goal 1 / Encourage exchange of information between ABF Members and Associates and key stakeholders.
Goal 2 / Participate in government policy development and law reform and advocate for people who are blind or vision impaired.
Goal 3 / Enable blindness sector representation both nationally and internationally.
Goal 4 / Encourage and promote the development and equity of the level of services throughout Australasia.
Goal 5 / Enable Australia to facilitate its membership of the World Blind Union.
Goal 6 / Increase membershipof ABF and encourage full membership.

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

In developing this Strategic Plan, ABF took account of the environment in which it operates and its impact on ABF’s mission and work.

In particular,

  • ABF Members have an expanding and ageing client group
  • changing environment with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, aged care reforms and incorporation of aged care into health portfolio
  • separation of people acquiring a disability over the age of 65 years into the generic aged care sector
  • changing political environment – change in ministerial portfolios in 2015, election year in 2016.

An analysis of ABF’s strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats in this environment is outlined below.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

  • membership of the majority of major blindness organisations in Australia
  • Australia’s membership of the WBU
  • recognition as the peak body of the blindness sector by the Commonwealth Government
  • potential to improve awareness of blindness/vision impairment in the current political climate
  • ability to disseminate international, national and local information particularly with regard to blindness issues
  • staff based in Canberra
  • BCA is a contributing member of ABF
  • close connection between ABF work and the lived experience of people who are blind or vision impaired
  • knowledge base of membership.

Weaknesses

  • recent loss of members
  • current difficulty attracting new members (as full financial members)
  • reliance on a singlePolicy Officer
  • presence of a number of organisations representing the sector.

Opportunities

  • attract new Members and Associates, including full financial Members
  • engage new potential supporters (but not financial members)
  • work with other peak bodies
  • seek program funding for and collaboration on research projects and policy development
  • knowledge-transfer to and from other countries via World Blind Union.
  • membership to participate more in ABF work
  • National Disability Insurance Scheme
  • aged care reforms
  • incorporation of aged care into health portfolio.

Threats

  • lack of consistent message across Australia
  • separation of disability and ageing under the NDIS
  • generic nature of NDIS (favouring people with intellectual and physical disabilities)
  • increasingly competitive environment for service providers in blindness sector
  • Vision2020 positioning itself as the peak body in the blindness sector.

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OPERATIONAL PLAN

GOAL 1: ENCOURAGE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN MEMBERS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Continue biannual Member Forums /
  • survey members for areas of interest and suggestions, encourage feedback on each Forum
  • research appropriate topics and speakers
  • encourage participation of Members and Associates through promotion of Agenda
  • arrange the 2016 ABF Member Forum – March and October
  • arrange 2016 ABF AGM to coincide with Member Forum
/ Policy Advisor / October and April of each year (after each Forum)
March & October 2016
October 2016
Communicate with ABF Membership and key stakeholders /
  • redesign ABF website to be a resource and tool for information for Members and Stakeholders
  • continue to circulate all relevant information and updates on topics of interest to ABF Membership
  • increase use of media releases – establish circulation lists
  • send links to new information or media releases on website via email and/or Twitter
  • reinstate ‘ABF Update’ – newsletter in updated form – via email, on website and/or via Twitter
  • key stakeholders include federal and state governments; other disability and advocacy organisations; commercial entities; and international bodies such as the World Blind Union.
/ Policy Advisor, external consultant / Website launch – January 2016
2016
2016
Provide additional Member Forums on topical issues as required /
  • monitor and recommend to the Board opportunities for future topical member forums.
/ Policy Advisor / Ongoing

GOAL 2: PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND LAW REFORM AND ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH BLINDNESS OR VISION IMPAIRMENT

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Contribute to federal government policy development and law reform /
  • coordinate and prepare ABF’s submissions and responses to federal government consultations regarding issues of interest to ABF Membership
  • consult with ABF Members on submissions and consultations when possible
/ Board, Policy Advisor, Membership / Ongoing
Advocate for people with blindness or vision impairment /
  • ensure the specialist needs of people who are blind or vision impairedare included in current and future disability services and aged care programs
  • seek ABF involvement in any NDIS, Aged Care and Health committees
  • lobby Department of Health to ensure the needs of people who are blind or vision impairedwho acquire their disability over the age of 65 years are incorporated into the Aged Care System
  • lobby for consideration of early intervention within future ‘disability services’
  • lobby for NDIS acceptance of specialist assessment
  • lobby for inclusion in ILC allocations (program funding)
/ Board, Policy Advisor, Membership / Ongoing
Monitor and update ABF policies /
  • review ABF policies and committee structures regularly to ensure they are up-to-date
  • make updated policies available on website
  • take action to implement each policy – implement and monitor action plans for each ABF policy
  • monitor and review policies and action plans annually
/ Board, Policy Advisor
Policy Advisor / January 2016
January 2016
March 2016
Every January
Monitor compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities /
  • obtain member feedback and encourage involvement on any forums, groups or committees.
  • accumulate member feedback on UN Convention compliance.
  • report breaches to ABF Board.
/ Policy Advisor
Board, Policy Advisor / Ongoing

GOAL 3: ENABLE BLINDNESS SECTOR REPRESENTATION BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Represent ABF Membership in Federal sphere /
  • meet with Federal Government ministers and departments to advocate and influence on behalf of ABF Members
  • contribute to government consultation processes in a timely manner
/ Board, Policy Advisor, Membership / Ongoing
Continue to have input into National Disability Services submissions /
  • continue to seek Member feedback on specific issues raised by NDS
  • represent ABF policies to NDS Committees, management, staff
/ Policy Advisor
Policy Advisor, Board / Ongoing
Identify and work with other organisations as appropriate /
  • identify other organisations and committees nationally and internationally for ABF representation
  • create a strategy to optimise involvement
  • liaise as appropriate
/ Board, Policy Advisor, Membership / Ongoing
Provide leadership in the blindness sector /
  • support best practice with accessibility of all information and communication with ABF
  • ensure all information available in alternate formats for people who are blind or vision impaired
/ Policy Advisor, Membership / Ongoing

GOAL 4: ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THROUGHOUT AUSTRALASIA

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Ensure development and equity of services in blindness sector /
  • promote services of blindness agencies in discussions and consultations with key stakeholders
  • lobby for development and equity in government programs such as NDIS and aged care
  • lobby for development and equity in business and community initiatives in the blindness sector
/ Policy Advisor, Board / Ongoing
Assist in research activities /
  • collaborate with other organisations, such as National Disability Services, on specific research projects
  • support and encourage participation in Members’ research projects and activities
  • encourage dissemination of information on research activities.
/ Board, Policy Advisor
Board, Policy Advisor / Ongoing
Ongoing
Form ad hoc ABF committees to enable targeted Member consultation /
  • form committees on an ad hoc basis for Member consultation on particular issues arising out of submissions and consultation processes
/ Policy Advisor, Members / Ongoing

GOAL 5: ENABLE AUSTRALIA TO FACILITATE ITS MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORLD BLIND UNION

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Implement election procedures identified in ABF’s WBU Policy /
  • monitor compliance
  • elect WBU delegate for next quadrennium
/ Board, Policy Advisor / Ongoing
September 2016
Encourage individual organisations to participate in WBU Committees and Subcommittees /
  • ABF to maintain with contact WBU Secretariat to ensure all requests for Committee representatives are sent to the Policy Advisor and circulated to all ABF Members.
  • review level of participation in Committees and Subcommittees.
  • encourage member participation in general and regional assemblies.
/ Board, Policy Advisor
Board / Ongoing
Exchange information between WBU and Asia Pacific representatives /
  • contact WBU and Asia Pacific Presidents and other office holders to ensure that ABF receives information on ongoing developments.
  • seek feedback from Australia’s representatives on Committees, Executive etc.
  • WBU delegates to promote greater awareness and information sharing
  • ABF to circulate any relevant information, including ABF updates to WBU
/ Policy Advisor
WBU Delegates
WBU Delegates
Policy Advisor / Ongoing
Provide Australian reports to both the General and Regional Assemblies /
  • seek information and prepare reports
  • circulate reports to ABF Members
/ WBU Delegates / After each meeting of Assemblies

GOAL 6: INCREASE MEMBERSHIP OF ABF AND ENCOURAGE FULL MEMBERSHIP

Strategy / Action / Responsibility / Actions completed
Recruit new members /
  • follow up with members that have not renewed their membership and invite other organisations to become members
  • actively identify and recruit new organisations with an interest in blindness or vision impairment
/ Chair, Board
Board, Policy Advisor / Ongoing
Seek program funding /
  • evaluate opportunities for obtaining funding for specific projects, particularly in relation to research and policy development
/ Board,
Policy Advisor / Ongoing

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