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Community Resource Worker

Our nationwide network of community resource workers are the frontline staff who provide a range of services to people with vision impairments, supporting practical, emotional and social needs. The community resource worker is generally the key NCBI contact.

How it works

Your local community resource worker serves as a gateway to the range of NCBI services and other activities that are available to people who are blind or have impaired vision. If you would like to talk to somebody about how your sight loss is affecting your life or would like to find out more about NCBI’s services, contact us and arrange to meet the community resource worker for your area.

During the first meeting the community resource worker begins an assessment by talking to you and/or your family about your current situation, how sight loss is affecting your day-to-day life and what you would like to change, as well as your hopes and goals for the future. The impact of sight loss is explored at both practical and emotional level.

The community resource worker may be able to answer some of the questions you may have regarding your vision impairment and what it means for you. Community resource workers offer information regarding services or activities in the local area that might be useful or interesting and can assist you to make contact with them as required.

Advocacy

Our community resource workers advocate on behalf of people who are blind or vision impaired. They work with local authorities and service providers towards making our environment more accessible [ 1 ] to people who experience sight loss. This includes both physical access, such as audible signals at traffic lights, street furniture is well laid out in contrasting colour to the surrounding area and well marked steps and curb edges and access to information in appropriate formats.

Information and advice

Community resource workers provide information and advice on eye conditions [ 2 ], government benefits and entitlements [ 3 ], and choosing aids and appliances. [ 4 ].

Through your local community resource worker, you can also benefit from training in independent living skills, which covers a range of skills including personal care, tasks around the house and mobility training [ 5 ]. We can also provide support to the families of children with vision impairments, as well as to carers of people with vision loss.