Blind people accept that we live in a highly visual world. While we continue to work towards the world being as accessible as it can be for us and for people with other disabilities, we recognise that we still need access to specialised services that teach us the essential skills we need to function in the world around us. The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind is the primary provider of the essential blindness-related services needed by blind people in New Zealand. As a modern disability service provider, the Foundation must not only respond to the needs and aspirations of blind people as its consumers but must also uphold the principle that it works in partnership with us to provide the services we need. That partnership with consumers is maintained through consumer organisations such as this Association.

This document was adopted by our National Conference in October 2010 and briefly lists the most important statements that capture the essence of what we expect from the Foundation. It is distilled from our various policy decisions made by our members that are reflected in our submissions to the Foundation over a number of years.

This document is not to be interpreted as a list of concerns. In fact we feel the Foundation does perform reasonably well in the majority of the identified areas. Rather, this document is intended as a check-list of the most fundamental areas in which we will be assessing the Foundation’s performance.