About Karyn Willins

I believe that Orientation and Mobility skills are an essential part of independence.

Professional Contributions and Collaboration

Karyn continues to contribute to the development of O&M practice across Australia and internationally. Her work includes:

Karyn Willins

A Career Dedicated to Independence

Karyn moved from her hometown of Melbourne to Canberra in 1988 to begin her career as an Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialist . Although she originally planned to return to Melbourne after two years, she has remained in Canberra ever since.

Throughout her career, Karyn has been committed to supporting people who are blind or have low vision to build confidence, independence, and practical mobility skills.

She has contributed to the profession through teaching and supervising new O&M students, delivering a “train the trainer” program in Fiji, and serving on the Orientation and Mobility Association of Australasia (OMAA) Practice Standards Committee.

Innovation in Practice: The Spring Loaded Cane

Karyn’s dedication to client‑centred problem‑solving led to the invention of the Spring Loaded Cane, also known as The Willins Cane, in 2009. She designed it for a client who could not use a standard long cane due to arthritis.

She presented the design at the 2010 Australian O&M Conference hosted by Guide Dogs, and again at the 2012 International Mobility Conference in Palmerston North, New Zealand .

The design was shared with O&M specialists from 14 countries — including university lecturers from the USA, British Columbia, and India — and was later published in the International Journal of Orientation and Mobility, Volume 5, Number 1 (2012).

Recent Research and Publications

In 2025, Karyn presented with colleague Mariagrazia Bellio at the OMAA Conference in Sydney on the effectiveness of the V‑Life program run by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.

Their presentation, “Blending v‑LiFE and O&M training to build self‑confidence and self‑determination for independence,” was later published in Vision Rehabilitation International, Issue 1, Volume 16 (2026) .

Confidence begins with a single step

At Karyn Willins O&M, we guide you with skill, patience, and practical mobility training that builds independence. Your journey toward safer, more confident movement starts today.