Aim:
Through guide dogs at different stages of their lives, participants will be able to experience firsthand some of the accessibility challenges faced by blind users, learn about the complex process behind each assistance dog, and meet the people who make their work possible. To this end, they will have the opportunity to complete a mobility course, interact with the dogs, and talk with users and their families.
This meeting seeks to generate understanding, empathy and awareness about the social importance of assistance dogs, as well as to highlight that these animals are not only a support tool, but life companions, and that each stage of their journey requires the collective commitment of society.
Description:
The workshop will consist of four activities. The first will be a brief information session about the activity itself and its objectives. In the second, after a demonstration of how to use the white cane, participants will walk through a mobility circuit with special paving while blindfolded. The third activity will involve assisting a user with a dog through a course of everyday obstacles. In the fourth and final activity, participants will have the opportunity to interact with the dogs (puppies and working dogs), speak with the parent trainers, and with the participants. This will be the best opportunity to resolve any questions that may have arisen during the experience.