We’ve flagged up the issue before about the problems that can arise when someone offers assistance to a disabled person who doesn’t really need it, and we’re pleased to hear about an initiative, backed by a local authority, which aims to do something about it.
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has been awarded a grant by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to develop a service, known as My Guide, which brings together people living with sight loss and trained, sighted-guide volunteers.
The grant will also fund the organisation during the next 18 months of as many as 10 training events which are designed to raise awareness among the wider community of how to help – and how not to help – people who have a visual impairment.
The sessions will engage partners, community residents and business owners to raise awareness of isolation among people with sight loss and to foster caring communities where residents are informed about how they can help to promote and connect local services to their neighbours.
The questions to ask yourself are whether you have an older neighbour or family member with a visual impairment who you would like to be able to support more?
Or have you ever wondered how people living with sight loss deal with everyday tasks? Do you have any burning questions about sight-loss that you have been too embarrassed to ask? Have you ever wanted to offer assistance to a person with sight loss but not known how?
Guests will be invited to spend two hours finding out how people experience some of the most common eye-conditions. The presenters will aim to dispel some myths about what it means to be registered as sight-impaired, provide people with a safe space to ask questions and teach them how to safely guide a person with sight-loss without compromising their dignity or independence.
The organisers promise refreshments, fun, and hopefully some useful information. For details of the first session – at Cottingham Civic Hall at 1pm on Saturday 21 October 2017 – and for information about the subsequent events contact Guide Dogs on 0118 983 8753 or email hull@guidedogs.org.uk
October 7th 2017
