K Milner
Vision Australia Foundation, Peer Program, Victoria, Australia
This paper aims to demonstrate the outstanding benefits of teleconferencing as a medium in training peer workers across the state of Victoria. Findings illustrate positive outcomes for the client, peer worker, organisation and the community.
The Vision Australia Foundation Peer Program has been acknowledged as a 'best practice' model to train people with low vision to support others new to their sight loss. This 'self directed' mode of learning facilitates the process of people with vision impairment sharing their knowledge, experience and skills in helping others. Being vision impaired, peers are able to identify the needs of people experiencing vision loss and work together to learn effective strategies to support others.
Research has shown the benefits of teleconferencing in providing social connectedness, support and counselling. The use of the teleconferencing medium has many advantages including access for people living in rural areas who are isolated by distance. It is cost and time efficient and focused on meeting both training and group process outcomes.
Vision Australia Foundation has been able to combine the success of the best practice model of Peer Training with the success of the teleconferencing medium to train peer workers statewide. Vision Australia foundation have demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of teleconferencing in educating and training peer workers. As a result there are several advantages for clients, families, the organisation and community.
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