The AEBC logo. For a full description that opens in a new window, hit enter. Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians 2004 AEBC Annual General Meeting organizers Beryl Williams, Judy Prociuk and Robin East, Saskatoon.
      
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Survey September 09, 2010

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Membership Survey Results

Total Survey Responses:
49
  • Question One: Member Demographics and Other Information
    • Submission Format
      By Mail:
      14
      By Email:
      35
      Other:
      0
    • Sex
      Female:
      29
      Male:
      20
    • Age Category
      18-45:
      15
      45-65:
      25
      65+:
      9
    • Chapter Involvement
      Belong to Chapter:
      33
      Member at Large:
      13
      No Answer:
      3
    • Membership Type
      Active Member:
      38
      Supporting Member:
      8
      No Answer:
      3
    • Years been Member
      1 year:
      14
      2-4 years:
      14
      5+ years:
      21
  • Question Two: Where did you hear about the NFB:AE?
    a. From friend or acquaintance:
    31
    b. From our publication:
    5
    c. From website:
    3
    d. From a heath care or service agency staff person:
    2
    e. Other (see below):
    7
    f. No Answer or don’t know:
    1
    Specifications of ‘other’:
    • - From radio
    • - Founding member with husband
    • - Attended presentation by John Rae at Balance
    • - Rehab teacher of blind training course
    • - Direct contact from existing member
    • - Saw display at the mall
    • - I would not join while it was going to the NFB. Somehow I found the Digimax listserve with Beryl, John, Bob Fenton, etc., and decided to join.
    • - I read the CBM at the Ottawa CNIB Rehab. building
  • Question Three: What was the main reason for joining NFBA:E?
    Note: Many respondents chose more than one reason
    a. Participation in an organization of blind persons:
    18
    b. Fellowship and peer support:
    4
    c. Opportunities to improve the public’s understanding of blind persons and their needs as well as talents:
    14
    d. To learn more about national, regional and local issues affecting blind persons:
    8
    e. To join with others to participate in collective action:
    17
    f. Other:
    8
    Specifications of ‘other’:
    • - All of the above: 4
    • Curiosity 1
    • - To advocate, get support/advice for advocating to gain power through group advocacy
    • - To provide English-speaking Quebeccers an opportunity to participate and have a voice in a national movement.
    • - I joined as a sighted person, a parent of a child who is blind. I wanted to get to know blind adults and gain their
      • perspectives and understanding.
    • - I am learning a lot.
  • Question Four: Do you feel that our organization is meeting your expectations and that you have a voice in our projects, tasks and undertakings?
    Yes:
    38
    No:
    8
    No answer:
    3
    Written responses:
    • - Don’t know yet
    • - The chapter in Vancouver doesn’t do anything about advocacy, nor is it very active, disappointing. The organization listserve should be focused in advocacy and info. Now the info is fine, but still could be more, no organized advocacy, I think it could be. Plus a motivational type atmosphere could be generated on the list. Currently it has lack of focus.
    • - I would like to see some concrete steps taken to improve access to commercially available books, easier access to election material and ballots, greater availability of accessible ATMs, etc. The leadership could approach government and industry people to set up meetings where accessibility issues can be discussed at length. Writing letters is an ineffective advocacy strategy.
    • - Attendance and fellowship appear to be insufficient.
    • - I’d be interested in assisting with issues involving assistive technology.
    • - The organization is spinning its wheels. Employees should be charged with projects that result in tangible resources for members. Preparing policies and wasting time with organizational differences is not useful. Time wasted on things like name change could have been better spent preparing publications like parenting blind children, alternate format resources, guide to post-secondary education, financial aid directories, info on low-vision driving, e-advocacy resources, technical aids directory. While the CBM is a great publication, it doesn’t cut it. I’m tired of reading short pieces of information re-printed from other sources. I want the NFB:AE to begin developing original, complete and useful resources that can be seen as the creations of the NFB:AE. Also, please stop referring to NFB:AE as “our organization” as if it belongs to the board. The NFB:AE belongs to its members.
  • Question Five: Publications of the NFB:AE
    • Do you read the CBM
      Yes:
      28
      Sometimes:
      17
      Never:
      2
      No response:
      2
    • Do you read the activities reports?
      Yes:
      34
      Sometimes:
      11
      Never:
      2
      No response:
      2
  • Question Six: Do you participate on our listserve?
    Yes:
    21
    No:
    26
    No answer:
    2
    Comments:
    • - Didn’t know it existed
  • Question Seven: Resolutions and AGM
    • Do you vote in our AGM?
      Yes:
      28
      No:
      21
    • If yes, do you vote…?
      In person:
      12
      By proxy:
      7
      Both (present if possible, proxy if not):
      9
  • Question Eight: Are you interested in joining a committee, task group or board?
    Yes:
    12
    No:
    31
    Already on committees, etc.:
    6
  • Question Nine: Contact Information
    I have compiled this information in a separate document.
  • Question Ten: Of all the issues you are facing as a fellow blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted person, which do you feel is the most important?
    Some people picked more than two, and some only picked one.
    a. Informing the public of our abilities:
    15
    b. Educational opportunities for blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted people:
    5
    c. Employment opportunities for blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted people:
    12
    d. Financial security:
    6
    e. National availability of adaptive technologies and training:
    12
    f. Fighting discrimination:
    6
    g. Access to information:
    14
    h. Increasing access to regular products:
    10
    i. Improving transportation:
    4
    j. Other:
    2
    ‘Other’:
    • - Equitable legislative protection across the country for people with guide dogs
    • - I don’t face these challenges personally, but because my daughter requires an advocate I face these challenges with her. There are many issues that need to be addressed. Parents of children who are blind need more role models and the benefits of getting to know blind adults has been so valuable. I’d like to see some attention given to parents and children.
    • - I would add intervention for deaf-blind adults especially acquired deaf-blindness, in terms of access to information.
  • Question Eleven: Increasing Membership and Creating Awareness Comments
    Respondents who commented:
    39
    Respondents who did not comment:
    10
    Comments:
    • - Every year challenge each current member to recruit one new member. Put on an event or activity of general interest to all blind people (maybe general public too) and use it as an opportunity to do some low-key awareness about the organization and a very soft sell membership drive, with an emphasis on fun.
    • - Outreach to more blind and vision impaired persons
    • - Change name of organization, take every possible step to notify blindness community of name change; distance ourselves in the kindest way possible from unpopular policies adopted by the NFB; organize speakers’ bureau of members
    • Create stronger linkages with post secondary institutions, disability programs, student-run disability related organizations. Perhaps recruit some volunteers with an emphasis on employment experience. They may begin to like to work and stay members. Post messages on phone newslines such as BALANCE about the upcoming events and advocacy challenges of the NFB:AE. Make linkages with disability pension plans (WSIB, ODSP, CPP) to encourage people who are blind and visually impaired to join. This is an excellent way for them to get involved and gain some career experience by volunteering.
    • Provide them with an option to sit on a committee of their choice. Perhaps the NFB:AE could develop new committees if there is an expressed interest in other areas. For example, access to print material at post secondary institutions, media campaign (building awareness and public profile and experience talking to media), building a library of human rights cases and legal papers in relation to people who are blind and who have low vision, etc.
    • Through our website and the CBM. I would also like us to develop a mascot, like Elmer the Safety Elephant and start teaching kids at an early age all about blindness. We could develop books, go to schools and teach them that blindness isn’t the end of the world.
    • - Offer a program/service/product that is of value to potential or current members on a regular basis. Currently, NFB:AE membership is only required to be a mentor, but not to be a mentee, scholarship applicant/recipient, CBM reader, listserve subscriber. The most common question I get when encouraging others to join is “what do I get if I become a member?” For many, contributing in terms of a membership fee, voice, etc., for advocacy reasons does not pay off in a short-term, tangible, personal way. They can get the CBMN, scholarship, mentorship and listserve without being members. And NFB:AE’s advocacy goes on regardless of whether they can join or not. Offer practical, tangible benefits of membership, i.e. merchandise, discounts, prizes, etc. Implement membership recruitment campaigns with prizes/rewards. Work as closely as possible with other groups/agencies of/for the blind, i.e. on projects, presentations to their members, articles in their publications, letters to their members/clients etc. Increase on-air presence (such as through PSA’s) on voice print, national radio. Letters/articles in national newspapers. For instance, when briefs, meetings, etc are taking place, send a letter or article to inform the public and those with vision loss about the issue. Advocacy efforts will not interest many who are blind unless the issues/efforts become visible
    • - Direct benefit to the membership.
    • - Talking about NFB:AE to friends and colleagues.
    • - I think the name change will help but I believe personal contact is one way. Once people see something is being done that benefits them, they will join. People have to see a personal benefit before they will join.
    • - Convince more existing members to talk one to one with their blind and sighted friends and acquaintances and try to start a local chapter.
    • - Submit an article or informational blurb to the CNIB Visions magazine/tape, which goes out to many blind persons
    • Possibly having one of the NFB’s members be interviewed on CBC. This is a hard question due to many blind people being quite isolated from sources of information such as newspapers. My last idea is possibly getting a list of CNIB members and then mailing blind people tapes containing information about the NFB:AE.
    • - Judy in our area is excellent
    • - More publicity
    • - Pay more attention to senior’s issues (twice)
    • - Circulate a survey which addresses an issue pertaining to blind and partially sighted persons, such as the recent Assistive Devices one. This is a positive means of outreach to blind and partially sighted people and can let them know more about the NFB:AE. Perhaps at the end of the survey each person could be asked if she/he would like more information on the work of the NFB:AE.
    • - We need to place ads in regular print and broadcast media to invite persons who are blind, partially sighted or deaf-blind to join our organization. We need to put up the money to do this.
    • - I feel that if all the organizations for the blind deaf blind and partially sighted people work together, we would accomplish the things we need. If organizations continually go off in all directions we will never achieve anything. The old saying is true “United we stand, divided we fall”
    • - I am finding that the National Assistive Devices survey is definitely getting the word out so maybe conducting another survey on access to products or information. A lot of work but has its paybacks.
    • I think the website will do a lot of advertising for us now, but I also think we need to get the word out there - tell people what we have done and what our goals for the future are. We need to put more information out in the mainstream media.
    • PSAs with a description of the NFB:AE and its mission as well as how to get a hold of a copy of the CBM. Doing this may help people see what the NFB:AE’s activities are, as well as allowing people to learn more about the organization.
    • Do work that is tangible and meaningful to people who are visually impaired. People do not join an inactive organization.
    • Disability-challenged speakers, discussion groups, public forums, held locally
    • The same way I heard about this organization – word of mouth.
    • Word of mouth. People who are already members speaking to friends, etc.
    • Apply for grants to fund a week long workshop for families who have children who are blind or visually impaired. I’d like to see this organization bring together some of its members at this workshop and begin making the connections with parents. The planning of such a workshop has already been laid out. It is just a matter of a willingness of this organization to embrace such an idea and taking the steps of making it a reality. This workshop is about education, awareness, connecting and mentoring. It is about embracing parents and letting them know the possibilities. I totally believe that this will bring members into the organization.
    • Through ongoing articles in various publications of newsletters and magazines. Not just a one time event but ongoing is the key. Doing small studies where you are asking the potential member questions, gets people thinking and can motivate them. So after answering a few questions, do you wish to be involved? Does not have to be complicated studies, the key is to communicate with people, get them thinking and try and involve those who respond. Advertise AGM conference well in advance with reasons to become a member to attend.
    • Person to person and national listserves
    • A regular ad in CNIB’s vision magazine
    • Promote the organization in school through the aid of vision teachers
    • Radio public service and interview opportunities; community video exposure
  • Question Twelve: Are you interested in starting a chapter in your area?
    Yes:
    0
    Maybe:
    3
    No:
    4
    There is already a chapter in my area:
    42


Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
PO Box 20262, RPO town Centre Kelowna, BC V1Y 9H2
Toll Free: 1-800-561-4774
E-Mail: info@blindcanadians.ca

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