This year’s BCA convention will be held at the Bankstown Sports club in Sydney on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October. The theme for convention is “Embracing Change”, so take a sneak peek at some of the sessions we have planned below:
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National Disability Insurance Scheme
Q&A Take 2: Two Years On
Join Federal Discrimination Commission and BCA member, Graeme Innes, and see what NDIS will look like for people with disability, how a person can manage their plan and package of funding, the choices that may be available, and how people over the age of 65 and people who do not qualify will receive the assistance that they need. This will be a no holds barred discussion and is one not to miss! Come along with your own questions and get ready for a true Q&A style discussion that is sure to be energetic, informative and in, true BCA style, ranging in opinions!
Echolocation: Seeing with Sound (concurrent)
Have you heard about people who are blind who can easily avoid obstacles without contacting them with their cane? What about people that can determine what and where objects are in an unfamiliar environment without having to physically touch them? This is all made possible through echolocation: a technique which involves using echoes to determine where things are in space. Come along to this session, learn how echolocation works and find out how you can develop or enhance your own skills in this area.
Living with Vision and Hearing Loss (Concurrent)
A panel of speakers recount their experiences of living with vision and hearing loss and will invite questions and discussion from the floor.
Advocacy: How to walk the walk and talk the talk
This session is designed to provide you with some key foundation skills to negotiate effectively in order to achieve your advocacy goals. You will learn from some experts as well as from each other’s successes.
Branches: Where to now?
Local branches have Been integral to the ‘life’ of BCA as a forum for contributing to policy development and social engagement. However, with the busy lives people now lead, technological developments and new modes of communication, are Branches still relevant to BCA? This session explores and seeks the input of members on the future of BCA’s Branches and options for reform.
Accessible Recreation (concurrent)
Why limit yourself to playing adapted blind sport when you could be participating in a wide range of sport and recreational activities in your local community with sighted friends and family? In this session, you’ll find out about a range of activities suitable for people with varying levels of vision. The session will include the opportunity to test out some equipment and share your own inclusive sport and recreational experiences.
Accessible First Aid (concurrent)
Have you ever thought how helpless you would be in a situation where a friend, loved one, child or a stranger might need your help? First Aid must be accessible to all in the community, not just for people who are sighted. With knowledge, you can do the basics to provide practical assistance to keep a person alive until professional medical assistance arrives. Come and hear how you can enhance your knowledge with simple, hands-on guidelines. This session will also provide strategies on how to advocate for your needs when using services in a medical centre or hospital. Gain strategies on how to best present yourself to ensure that the information given to you is provided in the most appropriate manner for you to understand.
Networking in Social Situations
This session will look at the challenges people who are blind or vision impaired face when networking in a sighted world and when interacting with peers in noisy situations. Hear from presenters who network as part of their professional roles and explore techniques for communicating in noisy social situations. Don’t forget to bring your own tips on how you manage in noisy environments.
BCA: Have Your Say
This session will provide attendees with an opportunity to air their views about the future of Blind Citizens Australia.
That’s a brief summary, but you can access a full copy of the draft program from our website at
Ready to register?
Here’s all the information you’ll need:
Full registration is available for $185.00 per person. This Includes all sessions, lunch and refreshments on both days and a three course convention dinner on the Saturday night.