Blind Low Vision NZ Strategic Plan: 2024-2028

Delivered through our Values

This strategy will be delivered through our Values: Person-centered, Collaborative, Adaptable, and Accountable. 

Our objectives: the 2024-2028 focus

Support Services

Expand and refine our support services to effectively meet the unique needs of individuals who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision.

Education and Training

Deliver impactful training programs, equipping clients, as well as their families and support networks, with the skills and knowledge for enhanced independence and community inclusion.

Collaboration and Partnerships

Proactively collaborate with external stakeholders and clients, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment and involving those we serve in decisions that affect them.

Policy advocacy

Campaign for policies and practices in our communities that foster accessibility and inclusion for individuals who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision, aiming for tangible improvements in their daily lives.

Awareness and future-focus

Increase awareness about vision health and proactively communicate, ensuring support is within reach for New Zealanders at all stages of their lives.

Strategic Plan Questions and Answers

Following the release of the Strategic Plan for 2024-2028, clients and stakeholders were asked to meet the Board and Chief Executive on Zoom, Friday 5 July 2024 at 11:00am, to discuss it and ask any questions. This section, also available as a Word document, provides responses and comments from the Board and Chief Executive to the questions we received.

Priority: Educate and train: Training clients with practical and essential skills for daily life.

Question 1

To implement the RNZFB Strategic Plan 24-28 Priority to educate and train, what Board policy is in place to provide a clear framework for the Chief Executive to ensure:

• services are led by client needs;
• the development and implementation of services, programmes, and activities are co-designed with clients;
• delivery of services is professional and within established guidelines’;
• delivery of services is by staff with appropriate qualifications;
• services are delivered within set waiting times;
• services are effective and efficient (efficacious);
• services satisfy the identified need; and
• management has the framework to report meaningfully to Board and clients.

Answered by John Billings

The following Board policies are in place:

• 2.1.1 Implications of Blindness
• 2.1.2 Blindness Tenets
• 6.7.2.1 Children
• 6.7.2.2 Tangata Whenua
• 6.7.2.3 Other Minority Groups
• 6.7.2.4 Volunteers
• 6.7.2.6 Consultation with Users of Services
• 6.7.2.7 Community Participation
• 6.7.2.8 Communications, Preferred Formats and Service of Documents
• 6.7.2.9 “Plain English”

In addition, the Board, through its Client Services Committee, is developing a policy that sets clear expectations regarding services, which should be adopted by the Board at the Board meeting on 6 July. The Client Services Committee has opened discussions with consumer organisations to explore mechanisms such as a client reference group, for clients and consumer organisations to directly influence the design of our services.

Financial Sustainability

Question 2

Noting Foundation Villages Limited’s expected on-going losses until the completion of the retirement village, what does the Board’s Strategic Plan 24-28 have in place to ensure RNZFB has oversight of Foundation Villages Limited’s ability to return a profit to Foundation Properties Limited, and consequently support Blind Low Vision NZ services?

Answered by Richard Patete

The Board is cognisant the Retirement Village is a critical component to the RNZFB’s long term financial sustainability and fully understands that there are no cash returns expected from the Retirement Village during this strategic planning period (FY25- FY28). The Board has however ensured that FPL will increase the dividend to the shareholder above the amount received during the last strategic planning period to support Blind Low Vision NZ services.

Performance and Accountability

Question 3

When the Board adopts too few high-level KPI, the Board will fail to understand the operation’s performance. In order for a lay Board, such as RNZFB, to be fully informed about the operation, in Strategic Plan 24-28, what formal Board policy, specific to performance and accountability, is in place to assist management to report KPIs with appropriate detail?

Answered by Andrea Midgen

The strategic plan cascades down to an annual Operational plan and both Board and operational KPI’s. These documents are approved by the Board. The Board will be closely monitoring the organisation’s performance under the approved operations plan.

Incorporated Society

Question 4

Noting, our RNZFB constitutional rules for election of directors in the main engenders populist outcomes, which results in an undeniable lack of experience, knowledge, skill, and expertise for the majority of RNZFB directors.

In the new Strategic Plan:

• what new initiative has the Board taken to ensure the current RNZFB electoral system encourages participation commensurate with quality governance outcomes?
• what provision has the Board made for a professional assessment of the RNZFB’s governance model to evaluate if an Incorporated society remains the best entity to take RNZFB forward?
• what provision does Strategic Plan 24-28 include to investigate if Blind Low Vision NZ ‘the service wing’ should sit under a different governance model which in turn sits under RNZFB?

Answered by Judy Small

These are governance related questions and are considered by the Governance Committee with recommendations to the Board. It should be noted that the current Constitution is founded on the principle of self-determination of blind people, but planning has commenced for an overall external review of the constitution which will consider matters such as the above points. This review will include extensive consultation with members. Should this review recommend any change to the way the Board is formed, this will be put to members for approval.

Training and Accessibility

Question 5

I am excited about the focus on essential skills and knowledge for clients and staff. However, shouldn’t we also provide opportunities and access to updated expert skill development for staff who are delivering rehabilitation services to clients? What’s the plan for professional development from expert sources and not from the internal training department?

Answered by Andrea Midgen

This is an area of priority and focus for Client Services in the upcoming financial year and there will be more detail coming out in the near future.

Question 6

Training that we do also involves the people who work with our clients, so perhaps this group could be added to the Strategic Plan too?

Answered by Andrea Midgen

Training (including CPD) is a priority this year for staff working directly with clients and is tied back to our focus on retention of staff.

Empowering Independence

Facilitate community connection, ensuring holistic support to encourage our clients to be confident, autonomous members of the community.

Question 7

How do we go about doing this in Christchurch?

Answered by Andrea Midgen

We need to do this across the country and there are several initiatives underway with the rollout of the Volunteer strategy, the work we do every day in client services and also the initiatives in the Policy and Advocacy team to bring about systemic change.

Question 8

Could we have a group that gets together at the Blind Society where we can discuss (our problems) to one another about this type of thing? Suggestion: Maybe once a month, chaired by a volunteer or someone from the blind society at the blind society?

Answered by Andrea Midgen

There are a number of peer support groups available, please call the Contact Centre on 0800 24 33 33 and they will be able to help.

Culture: Te Tiriti

Question 9

There was no mention of Te Tiriti in the Strategic Plan. What was the reason for this? How will Blind Low Vision NZ carry on its relationship with Māori clients and local Iwi and hapu?

Answered by Donna McCaskill

Our treaty obligations are expressed in the organisation’s constitution and therefore enshrined in that document. We continue to work with Kapo Māori Aotearoa (KMA) in provision of service for Māori clients and engage with them regularly. In addition there is the Board Policy 3.2 Te Tangata Whenua Cultural Policy. The Board is currently reviewing this policy and will soon be inviting input on this from clients and stakeholders.