| Description | Interview with Mr Weeks, tutor at the guide dog training centre at Cleve House, Exeter. He continues to discuss the beneficial effects on mobility of having a guide dog, the positive image of guide dogs, the way that the use of dogs force sighted people to address comments to the blind person rather than to a sighted companion, and the difficulties of engagement between blind and sighted people. He explains what he has learnt from working with blind people, attitudes of owners towards their guide dogs, the ways in which this interaction builds confidence and the strength of the relationship. He talks about the numbers of people working with guide dogs in the UK and their average age, and emphasises the importance of the family environment at the guide dog training centre (tracks 1-6).
Sound effects of unidentified woman and others working with some of the guide dogs (track 7).
Interview with Victor Horsley, a student at the pre-vocational training centre at Torquay. He talks about his work as a piano tuner and his problems with mobility, his understanding of the world around him, judging people by their voices, and his problems with orientation. He explains how better mobility has given him more confidence, enabled him to understand the shape of rooms and learn ways of navigating around outside, using the long cane and guides. He describes some of the navigation techniques he uses (tracks 8-10).
Total: 32.12 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLA KF549C0066880 |