Pacific Training Centre Division of Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind (COBD)

The Pacific Training Centre serves adults who are blind, partially sighted, and deaf-blind in Greater Victoria and those who come from other parts of BC of all ages, from young adults to seniors. The PTC provides all its services and training free of charge to people who are blind.

The ‘Blind People in Charge’ program is the only service of its kind in Western Canada that offers a regular, multi-month intensive rehabilitation program to adults who are blind or who are losing their vision; it is also the only program that uses an empowering, problem-solving model of instruction, where people who are blind are the teachers, planners, directors and administrators. Blind instructors and mentors teach non-visual independence, mobility, literacy and life skills, such as Braille, adaptive technology, cane travel, cooking, cleaning, organizational skills, home and financial management, job readiness and other important skills, and develop positive strategies for living without sight; they provide this training one-on-one and in group settings.