THE Royal Society for the Blind (RSB) and Canberra Blind Society (CBS) have formally announced their partnership.

The RSB in association with the CBS have come together to deliver an increased range of services to people who are blind or vision impaired.

CBS has been a major provider of services in the ACT for 55 years, and with the RSB’s long history of 130 years, both partners will now work together as RSB | CBS to offer a broader range of blindness services in 2014 and beyond.

The new partnership will also enable both organisations to work more effectively under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Aged Care Reform, to ensure people who are blind or vision impaired in the ACT secure adequate long-term funding support under these new schemes.

To meet increasing client needs in the ACT, the RSB | CBS office has welcomed an Occupational Therapist, a Counsellor, Adaptive Technology Specialist, Recreation Leisure and Volunteer Coordinator and a Fundraising and Public Relations Officer to the team, supported by Coordinator ACT, Deb Quinnell.