CNIB (Help someone with sight loss one-on-one in your community!)

• Background/police check required
• Appropriate for volunteers aged between 18 and 55
• Appropriate for volunteers aged 55 and over
• Training or orientation required

People with sight loss live independent lives every day. However, sometimes it’s easier to have someone help with certain sighted tasks. Our Vision Mate program aims to meet this need. Vision Mates are trained, sighted volunteers who are matched one-on-one with a person with sight loss. You meet for a couple of hours a week at a time that works for both you and your match in their home or another suitable place. Activities that you and your match do together are based on the needs of the person with sight loss, but may include things like reading books or newspapers, organizing things around the home, going for walks around the community, or assisting with errands. You effectively act like the person’s eyes; observing and describing what is required to empower the person to accomplish the tasks at hand. The relationship between vision mate and match often transitions from “helper-helpee” to “friends” and for this reason their age, gender, interests, and travel distance play a role in making the match. We aim to match people for a minimum of six months, though there is no maximum time for a match to continue and ideally it will continue for years to come.   Once You’re Onboarded: Matches are made based on location, match preferences, what you’d like to help with, and interests. Before committing, you will be provided with information about the individual you are being matched with. Once you and they have confirmed interest in being matched together, you will be provided their phone number to get started!