Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) is the national representative organisation of people who are blind or vision impaired. BCA is governed and managed by people with lived experience of vision loss. At least 75% of employees and 100% of the board are people who are blind or vision impaired.
As the only disability led organisation within Australia that represents the blind and vision impaired community, BCA knows first-hand the impact and phases of a person’s disability journey and how to present this information in an accessible, real time, tailored and positive manner in order to remove barriers for people who are blind or vision impaired to access mainstream services.
For over 40 years BCA has provided information, peer support, individual and systemic advocacy and public policy initiatives to its members and the wider community. The organisation also has a proud record in leading single and cross disability research and policy related projects in areas such as telecommunications, Disability Standards and International Capacity Building. To learn more about our history follow this link.
Our mission is “to achieve equity and equality by our empowerment, by promoting positive community attitudes, and by striving for high quality and accessible services which meet our needs”.
Inform. BCA’s publication, Blind Citizens News, delivers articles that are informed, intriguing and involved, providing relevant and interesting content. Our weekly radio program, New Horizons, is available via the Radio for Print Handicapped (RPH) network and podcast, providing regular updates on issues that are of interest to people who are blind or vision impaired. Our podcasts include personal stories and demonstrate diversity within our community.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of BCA’s commitment to its members. Whether it’s braille, large print, audio CD, email or data disc, BCA has a format to meet everyone’s needs – that is accessible independently.
Connect. Peer support opportunities are created through BCA’s local and special interest branches, state and national conventions and associated email lists and teleconferences. These avenues provide members with opportunities to speak openly and honestly about barriers they may be facing and to have a voice regarding the issues that affect them.
Empower. At the core of BCA’s mission, is equality through empowerment. This mission is supported by the promotion of positive community attitudes in relation to people who are blind or vision impaired, and striving for high quality and accessible services. BCA advocates for systemic change through campaigns and by providing advice to government, corporations and the community. It also provides individual advocacy, advice and support to members who face discrimination due to blindness or vision impairment. With a focus on issues that impact on the individual because of their blindness/vision impairment, BCA works both directly and through specialist community advocates, to resolve issues in a constructive and educative manner and draws on more formal processes where a mutually agreeable solution cannot be found.
As the national voice of people who are blind or vision impaired BCA has a seat on many government, commercial and community sector advisory bodies including the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and First Peoples Disability Network. We have relationships governed under a Memorandum of Understanding with Vision Australia as well as a number of the Guide Dogs organisations across Australia.
Governance and Development
- Board of Directors
- Board and Committees Code of conduct (Word doc)
- BCA Constitution (Word doc)
- BCA Strategic Plan 2017-2020 (Word doc)
- Annual and Financial Reports
- National Policy Council
- National Policy Council By-Laws (Word doc)
Information on Branches and State Divisions
Feedback to Blind Citizens Australia
We are always looking for improvement in what we do, and would appreciate your input.
If you would like to provide feedback to BCA, please take a few minutes to fill out our feedback form.
BCA Complaints Policy
If you would like information on our complaint process, our document BCA Complaints Policy (Word doc) will assist.
Becoming a Member of BCA
If you would like to learn more about becoming a member of BCA, including the advantages of membership, please visit our membership page.