Local Programs & Services
The following programs and services are available in Newfoundland & Labrador. For more information on the range of programs and services offered across the country, see the national Programs and Services section.
Local Services:
Counselling: CNIB’s counselors are on hand to provide support to people and their families as they adjust to vision loss, or the combined loss of hearing and sight.
Independent Living: CNIB offers life-skills training to help manage the essentials of daily living, with an emphasis on maintaining independence – from safe and effective methods of cooking and doing household tasks such as laundry and cleanup, to communications skills, personal care and banking.
Orientation and mobility: CNIB specialists provide instruction on how to move safely around the home, workplace, school and community.
Registration and Referral: This is the first point of contact for anyone wishing to access CNIB programs and services. Our specialist work closely with each individual to identify needs and goals, and make referrals to appropriate resources – either within CNIB or with community agencies.
Consumer Products and Assistive Technology: We offer a wide variety of products from accessible computer programs to household aids and your favourite board games. The Assistive Technology Specialist can provide assessments, recommendations and product demonstrations to help you choose the items that are right for you.
Low Vision Services: Most people visiting CNIB have some vision. CNIB specialists provide functional assessments of visual abilities, information and training in the use of low vision devices, and instruction on how to maximize residual vision.
Child and Family Services Intervention: Parents are often shocked and confused upon learning their child has vision loss. Our child and family counselors provide the support and guidance parents need to help their children receive the education and skills that many sighted people take for granted. From birth, and throughout childhood, CNIB offers support and suggestions for activities that will prove both stimulating and educational for the child. We focus on abilities, not disabilities.
Local Programs:
Atlantic Connections Online
CNIB along with the National Office of Learning and Literacy, Resources Development Canada is providing a wide variety of learning and mentoring programs for individuals living with vision loss in the Atlantic provinces.
These programs use a customised online voice/text conferencing technology and can be accessed from any computer having the Windows 98 (or above) operating system, a soundcard, microphone, speakers or headset and a connection to the Internet. Program schedule and contacts.
Peer Support Groups
You are not alone. CNIB currently has peer support groups meeting on a regular basis. This is an opportunity for you to meet with other people who are living with the same challenges and successes that you are. For more information on Peer Group meetings in your area, please contact the CNIB office in your community or call 1-800-563-2642.
Braille Mentoring Program
This is a program in which experienced braille readers mentor those who are learning to read braille or have not used it for some time and want to regain the skill. Contact the CNIB office in your community for more details or call 1-800-563–2642.
Send Us Your Feedback
CNIB is committed to research, public education and the vision health of all Canadians. Do you feel there is a need for a support group for working-age CNIB consumers? Do you have suggestions for topics of discussion? Would you be interested being a group facilitator? If such a group were available, would you attend on a regular basis? Please let us know by contacting us.