Engaging blind and partially sighted stakeholders in transformational change.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Non-profit organizations in the disability sector face expectations to involve stakeholders with disabilities in strategic planning.
• Organizational and systemic transformation requires inclusive engagement strategies.
• The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) initiated a strategic plan focused on transforming vision healthcare and rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the multi-year process used by the CNIB to engage stakeholders with disabilities.
• To share key success factors and learnings from this engagement process.
• To advocate for a more holistic model of vision healthcare and rehabilitation through collaborative efforts.

Main Methods:

• Conducting early-stage consultations with diverse interest groups, including blind and partially sighted stakeholders.
• Facilitating collaborative strategy development sessions.
• Engaging in political advocacy to support the proposed model.

Main Results:

• The CNIB successfully engaged blind and partially sighted stakeholders alongside other interest groups.
• A collaborative process was established for developing a holistic vision healthcare and rehabilitation model.
• Key success factors and learnings were identified for effective stakeholder engagement.

Conclusions:

• Meaningful and mutually beneficial engagement with stakeholders with disabilities is achievable and essential for strategic transformation.
• The CNIB's process provides a model for other non-profit organizations in the disability sector.
• Advocacy efforts informed by stakeholder input can drive systemic change in healthcare and rehabilitation services.