A dog leash or white stick in hand can transform the life of a blind or vision-impaired person.
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Some Canberrans got a small taste of just how life-changing supports for people with a disability can be in a blindfold challenge on Wednesday.
The National Disability Service and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT wanted to highlight how the right services can help a person with a disability live as independently as possible - and the importance of signing up to the NDIS trial if eligible.
National Disability Services ACT manager Stephen Fox said it was a "huge challenge" to keep the 5000-plus Canberrans who access supports informed of changes. He hoped the blindfold challenge would raise awareness of a conference later this month, the NDIS: Change, Challenge and Choice Conference, to keep them up-to-date with the ACT rollout.
"We want to publicise the importance and possibility of inclusion of people with disability in the community," he said. "One key driver for inclusion is the NDIS. Many ACT residents are still unsure and unclear about what the NDIS is, how it will impact on them and how they can engage with it."
Shadow Disability Minister Andrew Wall and others taking on the challenge walked through Civic blindfolded and with the assistance of a long white cane or a guide dog. They were supervised by an experienced orientation and mobility instructor.
Cook resident John Barlow and his 2½-year-old guide dog, Jazzy, were there.
Mr Barlow, who has had Jazzy for just under 10 months, said the more information the better to ensure people with a disabilitygot the right help.
"Even though I know and have heard about things, it will help me when I go next year to be assessed," he said.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT acting regional manager Karyn Willins encouraged blind or vision-impaired Canberrans who met the NDIS eligibility criteria to apply for funding to access the service.
"This will enable us to continue to provide high-quality services free-of-charge to people who don't meet the eligibility criteria, which is the majority of our clients given vision loss is a largely age-related disability," she said.
The NDIS: Change, Challenge and Choice Conference is from March 23-24 at the National Convention Centre.
For more information, see ndis-conference.com.au
