RNIB is passionate about creating widespread and lasting change for blind and partially sighted people. In 2009 we ran our most ambitious and comprehensive consultation yet on RNIB's future strategic direction for the five years covering 2009 to 2014.
It's been fantastic to see so many service users, members and partner organisations getting involved and giving their views. With over 700 suggestions, we can be confident that we have listened to the people involved with RNIB to make sure we have the right focus for the future. Thank you to everyone who gave their feedback.
The feedback was enormously valuable in shaping our plans, helping inform the final version of the strategy which RNIB's Board agreed at their 3 July meeting. It is because of this honest feedback that we feel we have a balanced and demanding strategy to take forward RNIB's ambition to make a real difference for blind and partially sighted people, as well as those at risk of losing their sight.
RNIB's agreed strategy 2009 to 2014
The strategy has three clear three priorities:
1. Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily
2. Supporting independent living
3. Creating an inclusive society.
These three priorities will be delivered through 11 ambitious goals where we intend to have the greatest positive impact on blind and partially sighted people's lives. These are:
Priority 1: Stopping people losing their sight unnecessarily
Goal 1: People most at risk have reduced rates of avoidable sight loss.
Goal 2: People diagnosed with sight-threatening conditions have the opportunity to receive proven and timely treatments.
Priority 2: Supporting independent living
Goal 3: Emotional and practical support is available for everyone losing their sight.
Goal 4: Blind and partially sighted people have access to person-centred support that assists independence.
Goal 5: Blind and partially sighted people in education achieve the same level and range of opportunities, and achieve the same outcomes as their sighted peers.
Goal 6: Blind and partially sighted people retain and gain employment.
Goal 7: Blind and partially sighted children and adults with additional complex needs maximise their potential.
Priority 3: Creating an inclusive society
Goal 8: More people are able to make journeys safely and independently.
Goal 9: More people can independently access books, magazines, newspapers, television and radio.
Goal 10: More people achieve independence through ICT and mobile technologies.
Goal 11: More people shop independently and have personal control of their money.
The strategy is underpinned by six organisational commitments that describe our guiding ethos when delivering our work. These outline our commitment to putting the customer at the heart of RNIB's work, working with partners to create lasting change, mobilising volunteers, the importance of peer support, changing public attitudes towards sight loss and reaching out to all blind and partially sighted people.
We believe that collectively the priorities, goals and organisational commitments will make the UK a better place for blind and partially sighted people, help combat needless sight-loss and promote and increase choice and independence.
Changes to the strategy following consultation
As a result of the consultation feedback we made a number of important changes to the strategy, which in brief are:
-
We added six commitments that describe how we are going to implement our priorities and goals - these outline our guiding ethos when delivering our work.
-
We removed the goal "to enable blind and partially sighted people to learn from and support each other" and made this a commitment. The consultation feedback told us that peer support should underpin all of the goals, describing the way we want to work. This means we now have eleven goals where previously there were twelve.
-
A number of the goals were re-worded to be clearer about their purpose or about the group of people that they were aimed at.
-
We re-ordered our three priority areas to create a logical flow through the sight loss journey.
Download RNIB Strategy 2009 to 2014 (Word, 130KB)
Contact us
If you have any questions or wish to request a copy of the strategy, please contact a member of the consultation team:
-
Telephone: 020 7391 2214
-
Email: TheFuture@rnib.org.uk
-
Write to: Your Views Count, RNIB, 105 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NE