Resource Centre on the horizon
Dear Friends
We are happy to share our future vision with you and how it is becoming a reality.
As an organisation, we have a responsibility to raise awareness about the incredible skills of people with visual impairments – so that they can receive recognition for these skills, but also to ensure that opportunities can be unlocked whereby people with disabilities can enjoy full citizenship and integration in our society. At Innovation, we believe that we need to be the change we want to see – providing services to people with disabilities is not the same as working with people with visual disabilities to create a better future where people have the opportunity to live out their full potential.
We are so excited for the opportunity to establish a resource centre – the Innovation Resource Centre – a place where people with visual impairments and those who are deafblind are empowered to receive training, but more so, the opportunity to conduct the training themselves. This computer training, training to deafblind people through technology, as well as training in alternative communication methods will promote comfortable and effective communication between deafblind people and staff.
The last component of the resource centre is a Barista Training Centre. We are in the process of establishing a partnership with Joseph Matheatau, South Africa’s first blind barista. Over the next year, through a variety of accredited training courses and an international SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) exam, he will become the first person with a visual impairment to be internationally accredited as a Barista Trainer. We are incredibly proud of the distinction he achieved after his first exam. His perseverance and the enthusiasm with which he tackles this process are an inspiration to all!
Stephné Botha – CEO
