Welcome to the latest installment of the OzFree Update!
As some of you may or may not know, I am involved with the RVIB (Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind) and the NILS (National Information and Library Service), in their "Talking Newspaper" program.
59 local community newspapers representing communities right across metropolitan and rural Victoria are regularly read onto tape for those with a print disability. Newspapers include the Leader Group of papers, the Independent, and newspapers in Italian, Dutch, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Cambodian languages.
There are also "Talking Newspaper" programs in other states/territories.
The service is FREE to those with a "print disability". "Print Disability" includes:
* people whose physical capabilities make it difficult for them to turn newspaper pages eg. Arthritis sufferers etc,
* people with learning or reading difficulties eg. dyslexia, illiteracy etc,
* people with eyesight difficulties eg. blindness etc.
In the case of weekly newspapers (with which I have the most experience), the newspapers are recorded onto a Master tape, copied and mailed directly to the subscribers' homes by Volunteers, FREE of charge.
When the recipient is finished with the tapes, they simply pop them back into the padded satchel provided and return them, postage paid (ie. FREE) to the Talking Newspaper service.
If this is something which interests you, or which you feel would benefit other members of your family, friends or community (eg. nursing homes), please EMAIL ME at:
ozfree@gmail.com for further information.
This is NOT a "freebie" for everyone, so PLEASE do not abuse this service -- it is *strictly* for those with a PRINT DISABILITY, as mentioned above. It is a volunteer program with limited funds -- we seek to reach as many of the needy as we can. Because funds are an issue, we cannot afford advertising and rely on word-of-mouth to let people know about us - hence this e-mail from me.
Kind regards,
OzFree.