On this week’s special International Women’s Day episode of Talking Vision, Ria Andriani has a chat with blind climate activist, journalist and disability advocate Aine Kelly-Costello about ways in which climate action can be made more accessible for people with disability, what people can do to bring change and encouraging people who are blind or have low vision to demand more from governments and organisations regarding not only the environment but also accessibility and the rights of people with disabilities. If you'd like to hear more from Aine, you can read her thesis here.

Then later in the show Tess Herbert catches up with Grace Fowler, creator of craft beer Nas XPA in collaboration with ABC disability affairs reporter Nas Campanella for International Women’s Day. Tess Herbert recently caught up with Grace to talk about the ways in which Akasha and Reckless have made the packaging accessible for customers who are blind or have low vision, including a QR code with an audio description of the can read by Nas herself.

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Helen chats with Queensland-based student and Vision Australia bursary recipient Layla who is entering her 2nd year of uni studying a bachelor of business online through Deakin University in Melbourne.

Then later on in the program Stella catches up with Hobart-based seeing eye dog owner Jen. Jen is taking part in this year’s Bay of Fires walk with her Seeing Eye Dog Nelly in November, which is now open for registrations to raise vital funds for Seeing Eye Dogs.

And finally this week Helen joins Sam on the show to chat about this month’s issue of For Your Information or FYI for short.

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On the show this week Sam has a quick chat with chief operating officer of the attorney-general’s department Cameron Gifford about the new digital statutory declaration form made accessible for users who are blind or have low vision, which is available on their website to download.

Then later on in the show you'll hear from deputy chair of Vision Australia and member of the federal government’s aged care council of elders, Bill Jolley, about the highlights from the first meeting, what he’s looking forward to in his time with the council and more.

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Vision Australia Radio presenter and audio describer John Westland joins Sam on this week’s program to celebrate World Radio Day which recently took place on Sunday the 13th of February, inaugurated by UNESCO in 2011 to commemorate the importance of radio as the medium reaching the widest audience in the world.

Then later on in the show Tess Herbert catches up with Sarah Bloedorn from the library to chat all about Library Lovers Day, find out about some upcoming events at the Vision Australia library and share some Valentine’s Day book recommendations. 

And finally this week we wrap up with a little bit of news and information.

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This week on Talking Vision, Sam catches up with Jenine from Aira to find out more about how they can help during the pandemic.

Then Helen Velissaris catches up with engineer and board game creator Aaron Titilius to chat about Torkings, an accessible board game for players who are blind or have low vision quite similar to Connect 4.

And finally this week Sam has a quick chat with Vision Australia CEO Ron Hooton about the organisation’s plans to improve the lives of older Australians who are blind or have low vision in 2022.

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This week on Talking Vision Sam speaks with executive director of customer operations at Transport for NSW, Lewis Clark, about the new Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme smartcards and a pair of upcoming information sessions Transport for NSW will be running with Vision Australia.

Then later on in the show, Stella is on the program chatting with Maud Rowell, one of three winners of the 2021 Holman Prize, and Lee Kumutat from Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired about the prize and how you can enter.

Then finally we wrap up the show this week with some news and information.

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This week on Talking Vision Sam speaks with Vision Australia Career Start coordinator Melissa Rattle about the Career Start program for 2022, which is very shortly opening for applications on the 1st of February.

Then later in the show Sam catches up with director and past president of Blind Citizens Australia John Simpson to look back over his time with BCA and what he’s excited about for 2022.

And finally to wrap up this week Helen Velissaris has a chat with Sarah from the shop about some handy new gadgets for students heading back to school or uni in the next few weeks.

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Tess Herbert catches up this week with organiser and coordinator Tina Brunet and past model Peggy Soo to talk about This Is Me, an annual fashion event which features women from diverse backgrounds.

The event seeks to empower women to overcome the various obstacles or challenges in their lives which have impacted on their self-esteem and self-worth, including women who are blind or have low vision or women with disability more broadly.

As mentioned Peggy is a past participant of This Is Me, who has low vision. Peggy took part in the 2020 event as a model, and she shared her experiences with Tess. That conversation with Tina and Peggy kicks off the show this week, and then we finish up with some news and information.

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Blind Citizens Australia is undergoing a couple of leadership changes with new faces stepping up in the roles of president and CEO, and Sam recently had the opportunity to welcome incoming CEO Sally Aurisch to the program to talk about her new role.

Then later in the show, Sam chats with Vision Australia Radio manager Conrad Browne and broadcast technician Dale Simpson, winners of the awards for station leadership and excellence in technical services at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia awards last month.

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Welcome to this special World Braille Day episode of Talking Vision, to start off this week you'll hear a small excerpt from a piece of music called “Follow Me”, a favourite of listeners from past years which comes to us from the annual braille music camp, taking place in Mittagong in New South Wales for both young students and seasoned veterans of braille music alike across Australia.

We have an all-braille program lined up today in celebration of World Braille Day, which marks the anniversary of the birth of the inventor of braille, Louis Braille, every 4th of January.

You may remember back in 2020 Stella Glorie caught up with Jordie Howell and Micala Schmidt to talk all things braille music, that interview is coming up later in the show, but first Sam catches up with avid braille reader Tess Herbert, who talks about the highlights and challenges of reading as someone who is totally blind, and to finish up today we feature another popular favourite song from the annual Braille Music Camp, "How Lovely are the Messengers".

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