- Provide a network for service providers working in the field of lifelong learning with and on behalf of people with visual impairments.
- Provide a European forum for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and experience of the members of this network.
- Promote and influence good practice in the field of services for people with vision impairment.
- Jointly to conduct and support research, training and dissemination of evidence based learning directed towards improving access to lifelong learning and other services for people with visual impairments.
- Share expertise and experience in a peer reviewed setting in order to promote the development of services and the accompanying best practices, thereby minimising duplication of resource expenditure on service development.
Activities Description:
General Meetings
During our annual General Meetings we have time to share broad information about the everyday work of the network, inform members about running and future projects, present our financial report and reflect on current problems and news. Usually, ENVITER General Meetings are hosted by one of our members, have a duration of 3 days and include not only a “formal” meeting day (like in any other association) but also promoting a Conference Day and a day dedicated to presenting and developing projects or workshops. And there is always also some time to get social… Because experiencing and getting to know our different members and cultures is also an important part of the network “business”.
Blue Sky Meetings
Time to get together and actively participate in the development of our network. This is the opportunity for Members to bring their ideas for Project Proposals which could be developed for really constructive workshops, during the Blue-Sky Meeting or later. In theory, a Blue-Sky Meeting is a form of brainstorming during which participants are encouraged to let their imagination run free, with no barriers (cost, time, etc) to the ideas that can be put forward. For us, is an excellent way to start developing our work and facilitate the contribution of everyone involved.
Webinars
Yes, CoVid 19 pandemic forced us to stay apart for 2 years, but it also presented some new opportunities and developments for our network. And the webinars, promoted with internal or external collaborators of our members, open to the hole network, are events that we wish to keep on going. Just present your idea and set a date. Usually developed using the video communication software Zoom, they have a duration of 1 to 2 hours, are open to the participation of all collaborators of our members and other professionals or interested participants.
Projects Update
Time to meet online and update all our members about what is going on with our ongoing projects, applications and ideas.
Training Events
Once a year, our member’s professionals meet for, during 2 to 3 days, have a training experience usually focusing on content about new and innovative methodologies, practices and tools that often resulte from our projects. It is a perfect time to exchange ideas, train our professionals, create some links between them and develop smaller internal networks of specific professionals working in the same areas.
Board Meetings
Usually once a month, our Board meets virtually or physically to keep our network going.
ENVITER is managed by a Board of between four and eight members, elected by the ENVITER General Meeting and chosen from within active members of the Network.
Current Members of the Board are:
- President: Elena Weber (Istituto Rittmeyer, Trieste, Italy) – president@enviter.eu
- Vice-President: Inge Jansen (BFW Düren, Germany)
- Secretary/Treasurer: Philippe Belseur (VYV3 Pays de la Loire, Angers, France)
Board Members:
- Adoriano Corradetti (Unione Italiana Ciechi, Ascoli Piceno, Italy)
- Aukje Snijders (Royal Dutch Visio, The Netherlands)
- Elmar Fürst (Hilfsgemeinschaft, Vienna, Austria)
- Ivana Rotim (Center for Education and Rehabilitation «Vinko Bek», Zagreb, Croatia)
- Peter Verstraten (Robert Coppes Stichting, Vught, The Netherlands)
All activities of the network and the Board are supported by a Coordinator and a Communications Officer
Current Coordinator: Agnes Somorjai (School for the Blind, Budapest, Hungary) – coordinator@enviter.eu
Communications Officer: Vera Rapagão (CONVIDA, Lisbon, Portugal) – communication@enviter.eu
We look forward to exploring with you the benefits that ENVITER can bring to you and your organisation and that you can bring to ENVITER, to the point where you will want to make a formal Application for Membership.
The Application for Membership form that you can download below or submit online using this Google Form gives you the opportunity for describing your organisation.
Your Application will then be considered by the Board of ENVITER and we hope that the result will be that we will welcome you as a Member, taking a full part in our discussions and activities.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Eyes to the future
Workers from Europe join in ENVITER
For low vision people and those who are blind
Trying to make this world a bit brighter
With eyes to the future, equality in mindListening to voices of others who know
Experience and practice to eagerly share
That’s how professionals step by step grow
Then – added with love – how they provide care
Peter Verstraten (7 February 2024)
Official Papers: