UBL Update July 2026
Dear Members and Supporters,
Welcome to the latest update from United Blind Leaders. It's been another busy and exciting period as we continue building a stronger voice for blind and vision impaired leadership across Australia and internationally.
United Blind Leaders registered as an Australian charity
We are delighted to announce that United Blind Leaders has now been officially registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
This is a significant milestone in the development of our organisation and recognises the important work UBL is undertaking to promote blind leadership, influence policy, and advocate for greater representation of blind and vision impaired people in decision-making roles.
Our next priority is securing Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. Achieving DGR endorsement will enable tax-deductible donations to be made to United Blind Leaders, helping us expand our work and create new opportunities to develop blind leadership throughout Australia and internationally.
While the process is ongoing, we are optimistic about the future and will continue to keep members and supporters informed of our progress.
Webinar showcases landmark leadership research
United Blind Leaders recently welcomed members and supporters to the official launch of its landmark research report examining the representation of blind and vision impaired people in leadership across Australia's blindness sector. You can listen to a recording of the webinar or read a transcript here.
The webinar marked an important milestone in UBL's advocacy for greater representation, recognising that blind people should not only receive services but also play a central role in leading the organisations that shape those services.
The evening also included an exciting announcement from Vaughn Benison, who introduced the forthcoming United Blind Leaders Podcast. Launching in the coming months, the fortnightly podcast will feature conversations with blind leaders from Australia and around the world, explore different approaches to leadership, showcase UBL webinars and highlight research and innovation that strengthens blind leadership.
A full recap of the webinar, along with information about the research findings and UBL's next steps, is now available on our website.
Vale Elise Lonsdale
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Elise Lonsdale, a valued supporter of United Blind Leaders and a respected member of Australia's blind and vision impaired community.
Elise was an enthusiastic supporter of UBL from our early days, generously sharing her knowledge, encouragement and commitment to strengthening blind leadership. Her belief in the importance of blind people leading the organisations and decisions that affect our lives reflected the values at the heart of United Blind Leaders.
The board was greatly honoured to ratify Elise’s membership to United Blind Leaders Ltd at our last meeting. We extend our sincere condolences to Elise's family, friends and colleagues. She will be greatly missed, and we thank her for the contribution she made to our organisation and to the broader blindness community.
Become a UBL member
If you have not yet become a member of United Blind Leaders, we'd love to welcome you.
Membership is free and is one of the most important ways you can support our work. A growing membership strengthens our voice when advocating with governments, service providers and other stakeholders, and demonstrates the broad community support behind our mission.
You can complete our online membership form here.
Stay connected
There is plenty happening over the coming months, including the launch of the United Blind Leaders Podcast, our next webinar, continued advocacy arising from our leadership research, and further work towards achieving DGR status.
Thank you for your continued support. Together we are building a future where blind and vision impaired people are recognised not only as participants, but as leaders, experts and agents of change
Warm regards,
United Blind Leaders Ltd.
Join our mailing list here.