Dear All,
As a totally blind person, who doesn't contribute much to list discussion,
can I just say that the 'specialist' role of SSD can be much overplayed. If
fellow students, work colleagues, others at the Uni/College or in the
circle/community of friends of an individual, are able to support that
person to learn routes which to them are important, this is, in my
experience, far preferable and of a higher quality (not to mention practical
use). This is, in my view, because such support is dedicated to that
individuals personal preferences and needs rather than following a
'proscribed' and sometimes sanitised, not to say very limited hour or two
of training, often (not always) available from the 'statutory agencies'.
The only improvement upon this arrangement that I can imagine would be for
the disabled person to be able either to use 'DSA or receive (perhaps via
SSD) direct payments, so that they can employ directly someone of their own
choosing to help them to learn the routes they want to know.
This is of course, solely a personal perspective you understand and not
intended as a contribution from or on behalf of any particular service
within any institution.
Best Wishes,
Mike Higgins,
Email [log in to unmask]
Address: 1 Portland Court, Sheffield, S6 3EW, UK.
Tel (voice and, by prior arrangement, fax): +44 (0) 114 2258676
Mobile: +44 (0) 7956 856060
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