Category: Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL)

GTT Campbell River Meeting Invitation, Be My Eyes vs Aira Apps, September 20, 2018

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

 

Get Together With Technology (GTT) Campbell River

 

You are invited to the September 2018 gathering of the Campbell River GTT group, a group dedicated to the learning and sharing of information about assistive technology useful for those living with low vision, blindness or deaf-blindness.

 

Theme: Be My Eyes vs Aira Smart Glasses for Sighted Assistance

Date: Thursday, September 20, 2018

Time: 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Place: Campbell River Public Library (VIRL)

1240 Shopper’s Row, Campbell River V9W 2C8

 

First Hour:

Albert Ruel will demonstrate the Be My Eyes app for smart phones and tablets, as well as the Aira Smart Glasses for smart Pphones.  These two apps provide sighted people at the other end of your device’s camera to guide and assist you in daily tasks and activities.  In the case of Be My Eyes, the assistant is a volunteer, and Aira Agents are paid trained staff who provide the help and guidance the user might request.

Second Hour:

We will follow-up with any access to information questions people have that are related to talking books ETC.  Of course, we will also chat about any other assistive technology participants might bring up.  Tell us about the things you’ve discovered, or the issues you’re having with access to daily living and/or reading needs.

 

For more information:

Kelvin Adams @ 250-895-9835 or Albert Ruel at 250-240-2343

 

CCB Backgrounder:

 

The CCB was founded in 1944 by a coalition of blind war veterans, schools of the blind and local chapters to create a national self-governing organization. The CCB was incorporated by Letters Patent on May 10, 1950 and is a registered charity under the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

The purpose of the CCB is to give people with vision loss a distinctive and unique perspective before governments.  CCB deals with the ongoing effects of vision loss by encouraging active living and rehabilitation through peer support and social and recreational activities.

CCB promotes measures to conserve sight, create a close relationship with the sighted community and provide employment opportunities.

 

The CCB recognizes that vision loss has no boundaries with respect to gender, income, ethnicity, culture, other disabilities or age.

The CCB understands in many instances vision loss is preventable and sometimes is symptomatic of other health issues.  For the 21st century, the CCB is committed to an integrated proactive health approach for early detection to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

As the largest membership organization of the blind and partially sighted in Canada the CCB is the “Voice of the Blind™”.

 

 

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

Toll Free: 1-877-304-0968 Email: info@ccbnational.net URL: www.ccbnational.nett

 

 

GTT/NOVI Nanaimo Meeting Invitation, Be My Eyes vs Aira Apps, September 22, 2018

Get Together with Technology (GTT) Nanaimo

 

Sponsored by the Canadian Council of the Blind

Vancouver Island Regional Library, and

No Obstacles for the Vision Impaired (NOVI)

 

Please share this announcement widely to anyone you think will benefit from our collective knowledge.

 

Theme:Me My Eyes and Aira Apps for Smart Phones.

Where:

VIRL Downtown Branch, 90 Commercial St Nanaimo

Date:

September 22, 2018

Time:

10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon

 

First Hour:

Albert Ruel and Donna Hudon will lead the group through an exploration of the Be My Eyes app for smart phones and tablets and a discussion of the Aira Smart  Glasses for smart phones only These two apps provide sighted assistance/guides, with Be My Eyes offering volunteer support and Aira providing their service with paid trained personnel.

Second Hour:

During the second hour we will discuss anything else the participants want to bring up in the area of assistive technology, like “things to do” with Google Home and the potential of hosting a beginner’s Braille Course in Nanaimo.  Bring to the meeting all your other assistive technology questions, nuggets and frustrations for discussion with the group.

 

To RSVP, or for more information:

Contact Albert Ruel at 250-240-2343, or Albert.GTT@CCBNational.net.

Check for other meetings on the GTTProgram Blog:

www.GTTProgram.Wordpress.com

 

Backgrounder

 

NOVI Social and Recreational Organization, and the Get Together with Technology group come together to serve the peer mentoring, assistive technology and daily living skills development needs of Nanaimo and area residents.

 

Since 2001 the Nanaimo Organization of the Vision Impaired (NOVI) has served the social and recreational needs of Nanaimo residents, and recently this group altered its name to better reflect the dynamic nature of their brand of mutual support and forward thinking ideas and activities.  It is now known as “No Obstacles for the Vision Impaired” (NOVI), and meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the 710 Club from 1:30 until 3:30 PM.

 

Since 2013 Get Together with Technology (GTT), a program of the Canadian Council of the Blind, has been meeting monthly in Nanaimo to provide opportunities for blind and partially sighted residents to learn more about the assistive technology so prevalent in our lives as we attempt to level the playing field in education, social interaction, recreation and independent living.

 

These two groups have embarked on an amalgamation of their efforts while expanding their support to the blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted residents of the Nanaimo and Parksville areas.  In order to facilitate this collaboration GTT has moved its meetings to align with the Tuesday NOVI gatherings so the two organizations can consolidate their human resources that more and better support may be delivered.

 

  • 1st Tuesday from 1:30 until 3:30 PM, NOVI Social/recreational gathering in Nanaimo lead by Henk Pauelsen.

 

Forth Saturday from 10:00 AM until 12 Noon, GTT Nanaimo and NOVI members will meet at the Vancouver Island Regional Library, Nanaimo Downtown Branch, 90 Commercial Street to discuss access to information issues, assistive technology and anything pertaining to living with, and adjusting to vision loss.  VIRL staff also participate in these Saturday morning meetings to provide information about services and supports available through the Public Library system.

 

NOVI and GTT will retain their independent organizational structures and membership dues, however will work in collaboration on local social activities, learning independence skills and peer mentoring endeavours.

 

For more information please contact:

 

NOVI:

Henk Pauelsen at 250-586-6285 or NOVI-Group@Shaw.ca

Living Without Looking/Independent Living Skills:

Donna Hudon at 250-618-0010 or IAmDonnaHudon@Gmail.com

GTT:

Albert Ruel at 250-240-2343 or GTTWest@CCBNational.nett

 

 

GTT Duncan Meeting Invitation, Be My Eyes and Aira Smart Glasses, September 13, 2018

Get Together with Technology (GTT) Duncan

 

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind,

in Partnership with the

Vancouver Island Regional Library, N. Cowichan Branch

 

Theme: Be My Eyes and Aira Glasses for sighted assistance

Date:  September 13, 2018

Time:  4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Where: Vancouver Island Regional Library, N. Cowichan Branch

2687 James Street Duncan BC

 

First Hour:

Albert Ruel will lead a discussion around the sighted assistance available through our smart phones from the volunteers with Be My Eyes and paid staff with Aira Glasses.  We will talk about how these devices can be used to work through the upcoming provincial referendum and local elections.

Second Hour:

Bring those assistive gadgets you’re having trouble with and we’ll see if others in the group can assist in learning how to best use them.

 

For More Information:

Contact Albert Ruel at 250-240-2343, or by email at Albert.GTT@CCBNational.net

 

CCB Backgrounder:

 

The CCB was founded in 1944 by a coalition of blind war veterans, schools of the blind and local chapters to create a national self-governing organization. The CCB was incorporated by Letters Patent on May 10, 1950 and is a registered charity under the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

The purpose of the CCB is to give people with vision loss a distinctive and unique perspective before governments.  CCB deals with the ongoing effects of vision loss by encouraging active living and rehabilitation through peer support and social and recreational activities.

CCB promotes measures to conserve sight, create a close relationship with the sighted community and provide employment opportunities.

 

The CCB recognizes that vision loss has no boundaries with respect to gender, income, ethnicity, culture, other disabilities or age.

The CCB understands in many instances vision loss is preventable and sometimes is symptomatic of other health issues.  For the 21st century, the CCB is committed to an integrated proactive health approach for early detection to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

As the largest membership organization of the blind and partially sighted in Canada the CCB is the “Voice of the Blind™”.

 

 

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

Toll Free: 1-877-304-0968 Email: info@ccbnational.net URL: http://www.ccbnational.net