Category: the Rant Board
Canadians will probably know a lot about this one. The CNIB! Sorry, Cam. I stole your idea. I've been trying to contact the main office in Toronto for almost a year about a theory exam in braille music, and I get nothing. No Email response, no phone call, no response of any kind! If you are an organization who is supposed to better the lives of blind and visually impaired people across the country, maybe you should, I don't know, communicate with them. I'm really sick of not being able to get something done just because of their so-called service. Anyway, that's my rant, people. Have fun.
Jessica
I've had that before. They return my phone calls pretty well. That's weird that they wouldn't call back.
Yeh, I get the impression from some of my Canadian friends that the services for the blind aren't great there, although maybe it's a hit-or-miss thing as it is here. Something needs to be done.
Yeah. Here's what really gets me. They don't return my phone calls or my Emails, but then they call me saying that I haven't returned something like five books. I can't remember what the exact number was, but it was a lot, and remember personally taking them to the post office to return them. Maybe they didn't get them. There could have been a problem at the post office, which does happen quite a lot, but I know I sent them. So if they can call people to let them know that a book hasn't been returned, why can't they return our calls?
Because they call you when they need something, not when you do. *Rueful smile*
That's very true. lol.
Oh, I consider the CNIB quite useless now, sadly. I remember getting talking and braille books from them as a child, and I do use their digital library, but they're otherwise nonexistent for me. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with them. Are you a student? if so, is it possible to get the test transcribed through your school's accessibility service? I also believe that W. Ross does music braille testing, though I can't be quoted on that one. Still though, I'd be pretty angry as well; they've been closing down offices all over the place. Here where I live, you can only visit the CNIB "by appointment".
Aren't there alternative organisations? If not, create a properly-constituted, user-led organisation that rivals the CNIB and do better than they do. Don't just do that for yourselves, do it for everybody else who is blind in Canada or your local area.
oh, I'm sure she'll get right on that. And then she'll get her test too!
There are a few organizations besides the CNIB, but they deal with specific things, like equipment, and they don't provide any other services. There are a few people who work individually as mobility instructers, but Canada seems to think that the CNIB have everything under control. I really think people need to start speaking out about this if we want to have our voices heard.
Then go for it. Get a group of people together, come up with a plan, and give 'em hell!
Becky
I've been thinking of doing that. I'm sorry, because I've said nothing about this in months, but just last week, I got a call from them about college. BTW, I started this about three months ago. I wanted to go to a private college in one of the bigger cities to study massage therapy, but the people at the college wouldn't accept me unless I had a full-time attendant. So, I called the CNIB asking if there was anything they could do about it. Well, the lady told me she was going on vacation, but she was coming back in a couple of weeks. When she hadn't called back by two weeks ago, I called again, and very politely left a voicemail that said that I wasn't trying to be rude, but it has been over two months. She called me back two days later and said that she wasn't allowed to work in my area and that she was sorry that I didn't understand that earlier. What! I didn't understand that earlier? She said she would help me out earlier, and then she had the nerve to tell me that I was the one who didn't understand. anyway, I asked her if she had made any progress with the college, and she told me that they didn't want me, and why am I trying to get in if they don't want me. Well, this is a clear act of discrimination. There is no reason why I shouldn't be allowed to go there just because they're too cheap to have some sort of services for people with disabilities. I have half a mind to take this one to court. The CNIB is supposed to fight for our rights, and not sit on their asses all day and do goodness knows what, and the college is supposed to accept anyone regardless of age, gender, status, and disability, as long as they meet the requirements. Well, I read through those, and being sighted is not one of them.
Wow, and I thought I was having trouble receiving services. i'm sorry you're going through this.
Thanks. Well, I'm not the only one, apparently. I've heard complaints from a few people that the CNIB never responds to their phone messages or Emails.
this is horrible. i agree, someone needs to lead and start a better organization. I thought that things were bad here? Well, seems like you guys have it worse. In the meantime, i"d speak about it if i were you. Can you go to the news stations? Can you talk to the editors of papers. I'd be doing everything if it were me.
Oh believe me! I'm going to. they've pissed me off for the last time!
Hi there! I think it has to do with the province and what resources they have. I have had amazing experience with Sudbury and Winnipeg. Extremely more helpful than stupid voc rehab in the U.S in my opinion. The government seems to stay out of blind people's business and lives more in Canada than the States.
I do not live in Canada but I will say that we, as the blind, seem to always get screwed by such organizations one way or another.
I will say that I do appreciate their training program for daily living skills and mobility, but their career services are awful, in my experience.
I have had great luck with them, on the whole. They are great for DLS, and they are great for mobility from what I have heard from others. Their digital library is a great tool as well. As for career placement for blind people, is there such a thing as a good one? LOL
True, Darren. Lol!