EverAbility Group – Community Open Day
Description
In our 75 Year Anniversary, Guide Dogs WA and VisAbility are opening our doors to the community. Drop in any time between 10am and 5pm to meet our people and our dogs, try our services for yourself and learn how we support people with low or no vision to live the life they choose.
Talks and live events
Finding Our Story: how the Guide Dogs WA story began, with original “Kennel Maid” Wendy Morrow and our volunteer archivists. Main stage.
A Dog’s Life: a Guide Dog’s journey from breeding and puppyhood to being matched with a client, with live puppy and Guide Dog demos. Main stage.
Born to Guide: the many careers of our dogs, with client stories and live Assistance Dog, Guide Dog and Facility Dog demos. Main stage.
101 of Accessibility: accessible practice in the digital and physical world, plus a technology showcase. Ideal for businesses and organisations. Theatrette.
Guided tours
Go behind the scenes at our Sunbury Road dog facility. Tours leave Perron Place at 1:00pm, 1:50pm, 3:00pm and 3:50pm, with 20 places on each, so please book a tour time when you register.
All day
Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs: chat with our instructors and try a short handle walk
Assistive Technology Demo Room: try the screen reader challenge and the tactile cane path
Resource Centre: daily living aids, assistive technology and shop offers
Accessibility and Braille: audio books, Braille and tactile maps, and a Perkins Brailler
Client Services: trial equipment, try a human-guide experience and get a vision check
Community Activity Centre: client artworks for sale and class showcases
Volunteering: meet our volunteer teams and Puppy Raisers
Everyone is welcome. Entry is free, but please register so we can plan for you!
FAQs
- Are you an accessible venue?
Perron Place is wheelchair accessible, accessible parking bays (limited), accessible toilets and seating. Assistance animals are welcome.
Tell us about any access requirements when you register.
- Do you have parking available?
Please note that onsite parking at Perron Place is limited. We encourage guests to consider alternative transport options where possible. Victoria Park Station is conveniently located directly across from Perron Place.
If you require accessible parking or have any accessibility requirements for the event, please let us know when you RSVP so we can assist with arrangements.
Agenda
- 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Finding Our Story: How the Guide Dogs WA Story Began
Anna Presser in conversation with original "Kennel Maid" Wendy Morrow and our volunteer archivists Joy Northover and Debbie Cowley, about the people, memories, photographs and discoveries that brought our earliest years back to life.
- 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A Dog's Life: From puppyhood to purpose.
Follow a Guide Dog's journey from breeding and puppyhood through training to the day it is matched with a client. Karlo explains our breeding program and Emily covers puppy development and training. Live demo: our puppies with Anita, and a Guide Dog demonstration with Anne and one of our trainers.
- 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Born to Guide: Inside the extraordinary journey from puppy to partnership.
Discover the many careers of our dogs: Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs, Facility Dogs, breeding dogs and companions. Katie Crawford and Kim Ryan are joined by client Glenn [and a second client] to share their stories. Live demo: Assistance Dog task work with Aaron or Bethan, Guide Dog task work with Rochelle, an obstacle course and a Facility Dog demonstration
- 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
101 of Accessibility
David introduces accessible practice in the digital and physical world and what to consider day to day, with a showcase of historic and contemporary technology for people with low or no vision. Ideal for businesses, sponsors and organisations, and an introduction to our paid training modules.
- 1:00 pm - 4:35 pm
Guided tours
See behind the scenes at our Sunbury Road dog facility: grooming and health care, the breeding room, puppy class and a training demonstration. Tours leave from Perron Place at 1:00pm, 1:50pm, 3:00pm and 3:50pm, with 20 places on each, so please book a tour time when you register.
- 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
All Day Activites!
Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs: Chat with our instructors about eligibility, NDIS and a dog's working life, try a short handle walk, and read our client stories Assistive Technology Demo Room: See desktop video magnifiers and the difference captions and audio description make, try the screen reader challenge to find a hidden message using only a screen reader, and take on the tactile path with a cane Resource Centre: Browse daily living aids, assistive technology and shop offers, with a tour of the shop Accessibility and Braille: Explore our library's audio book devices, Braille novels, picture books and tactile maps, Braille and low vision games, and a Perkins Brailler, then translate a quote from Braille Client Services: Trial equipment including Meta smart glasses, pour a glass of water using adaptive aids, try a human-guide experience and a cane obstacle course, read a "bus number" through a monocular, have a visual acuity or colour contrast check, and find out about accessing services and support such as the Disability Support Pension Community Activity Centre: An exhibition of client artworks, all available to buy, and a showcase of what our classes are working on Volunteering: Meet our Guide Dogs, Accessibility and Braille, and Community Activity Centre teams, and hear from our Puppy Raisers
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity