1 My Guide volunteer training The My Guide training programme has been developed by Guide Dogs, in collaboration with its partners. However, the delivery of the training is the responsibility of the trainer or organisation providing the training. Developed in partnership

2 Course objectives  To practise and improve sighted guide skills  To develop the communication skills needed to be a My Guide volunteer  To understand the risks and benefits of delivering the My Guide service as a volunteer  To learn how to support service users and create activity plans

3 Programme  Introductions and welcome  Recap of basic sighted guide techniques  Eye conditions  Communication awareness and training  Boundaries and safeguarding  Creating independence, not supporting dependence  Arranging your practice

4 What is a My Guide volunteer?  A volunteer who provides a sighted guide service for an agreed period to enhance the service user’s independence through getting out and about  Requires learning, assessment and practice at Levels 1 and 2

5 Other modules and roles Community Sighted Guide  Requires learning at Level 1  A Community Sighted Guide confidently and effectively provides safe sighted guide assistance in public My Guide Practitioner  Requires learning, assessment and practice at Levels 1, 2 and 3  Provides training and support to Community Sighted Guide and My Guide volunteers

6 Guidelines to help the course run smoothly  Mobile phones off or on silent please  We all agree for only one person to speak at a time  Relax!  Say what you think  Be respectful at all times

7 Introductions Tell us:  Your name  The experience you have of sighted guiding  What you want to achieve today

Approaching someone and setting off  Introduce yourself and offer help  Ask where the person wants to go  Stand by their side and let them hold your arm above the elbow  You start walking and they will follow about half a step behind  If they have a guide dog, approach from the opposite side 8

In a narrow space or busy area  Walk in single file  Straighten your arm and move it to the middle of your back  The person will step in behind you  Slow your pace a little 9

Crossing a road  Say if the kerb is a step up or step down  Pause before you take the step so that the person can get ready  Describe to the person where they are 10

Going up or down stairs or steps  Say if the steps go up or down  The person’s free hand should be on the side of the handrail  Going up – pause for the person to find the bottom step then move off. They will follow one step below you  Going down - let them find the handrail and first step down before moving off. They will follow one step behind  Say when you have reached the top or the bottom and pause 11

Getting through doorways  Say whether the door opens towards or away from you and to the left or the right  Open the door with your guiding arm  As you walk through, the person you’re guiding should hold it open before following you through 12

Taking a seat  Describe the type of seat, whether it has arms, and if there’s a table in front  Put your guiding hand on the back of the chair, and allow the person to slide their arm down to find it  In a row of seats, side step along the row until the person is in front of their seat with the backs of their knees touching it. They will then sit down 13

Getting into a car  Say if the car is facing left or right  Open the car door and place your guiding hand on it. The person you’re guiding can slide their hand down your arm to hold the door  Then place your guiding hand on the top of the door frame. The person you’re guiding will slide their other hand down your arm and get in the car 14

Leaving or finishing assistance  Always check with the person you’re guiding that they know where they are before you leave them  Tell the person clearly that you will be leaving them now  Leave them in a safe place, away from danger 15

Tips for other situations 16

How to guide a person with a guide dog  A guide dog owner will show they need help by laying the handle of the harness on the dog’s back  Approach from the opposite side to the dog  Talk to the person, not the dog  Never take the lead or harness handle  Guide the person as you would anyone else 17

Toilets  Use your guiding hand on the handle of the door to the toilet  The person you are guiding will slide their hand down your arm to find the door handle  Agree with the person whether you will wait for them outside or if you are leaving 18

Getting on or off a bus or train  Tell the person you are guiding how high any steps are and if there is a gap between the train and the platform  Guide the person as you step on or off, walking in front  Walk down aisles in single file 19

Being person-centred  These tips are the best practice for sighted guides  Always use these techniques as a starting point, but be prepared to alter them depending on the particular requirements of the person you support  As long as you and the person you guide are safe, it’s ok to vary these tips 20

Safety Tips Things to consider:  The person may have a medical condition  Try to avoid unfamiliar or unknown surroundings that could cause either of you to feel uncomfortable, threatened or concerned  Be aware of other people coming into contact with either of you, causing a collision or being aggressive or violent  Make sure you’re aware of what to do in the event of a fire, incident or other emergency situation 21

Safety Tips Further things to consider:  Avoid lifting or restraining the person so you don’t get hurt  Look out for objects/people and avoid tripping or slipping  Think about the weather conditions e.g. ice, snow, extreme heat, and how this could affect your journey 22

Eye conditions 1  Age-related Macular Degeneration – a problem with cells in the part of the eye called the macular, causing a loss of central vision  Diabetic Retinopathy – damage to the blood vessels in the eye. The blood vessels bleed and can cause blurred vision or patches of obscured vision  Cataracts – Many different causes. Clouding of the lens occurs that can cause blurred or misty vision. The person may be dazzled by light 23

Eye conditions 2  Glaucoma – blockages cause pressure in the eye to increase, damaging the optic nerve. It can develop slowly and left untreated can cause a loss of peripheral vision.  Retinitis Pigmentosa – hereditary disorder making it difficult to see in poor light. It can cause a reduction of the visual field (tunnel vision) 24

25 Communication awareness  Barriers to communication  Are there any barriers which blind and partially sighted people may experience?  Visual cues

26 Easy communication  Ask for understanding if you’re nervous  Be honest and respectful in your questions  Immediacy is best. Say right away when you think there is a problem  It’s ok to ask for advice  Don’t be overly descriptive  If in doubt, ask  Be specific and clear

27 Problem solving by being person-centred  Ask the person you are supporting if they mind explaining how much vision they have. This will help you respond appropriately  Tailor your communication so you are able to meet the individual’s needs – everyone is different  Learn to recognise signs of anxiety. If in doubt, ask for feedback, so that you can best support the service user  Always communicate with honesty and respect

28 Entering a room  When you enter a room, tell the person you are there  Either sit where you can be seen, let the person know where you are sitting or ask where to sit

29 Safeguarding and Boundaries

30 Setting boundaries as a My Guide volunteer  Always agree the boundaries of your relationship at the first meeting  Agree the length of time you will be involved  Agree the goals the person wants to achieve  Decide how you will both know when the goals have been met

31 ‘It’s my role to...’  Be your sighted guide for “x” number of weeks  Increase your independence  Help you feel confident about getting out and about  Direct you to other organisations that might be able to help you  To identify people who could be trained to help you continue your journey to independence

32 Creating independence Volunteer recruited for the My Guide programme: Induction, CRB check My Guide training Service user signs up for the My Guide programme: Completes Matching form 32 Volunteer is matched to service user

Activity plan created and carried out over an agreed period of time Service user increases independence and confidence. Volunteer starts looking at next steps, including identifying potential sighted guides amongst family, friends, etc On completion of activity plan, a co-ordinator helps service user and volunteer review their My Guide partnership. 33 Service user moves on with the support of local services, family and friends Volunteer is available for their next match Volunteer matching

34 Summary points from discussion  The person you support might have been isolated and alone for some time  The volunteer might be the first helpful person in their life for a long time  Do you want to do for or with?  You must believe in the person’s potential

35 Activity plans  Are clear about roles and boundaries  Help people set goals and identify what they want to achieve  Need creative and imaginative planners (i.e. you!) to help the person you support set goals  Describe how you will both meet the goals  Help you think about what’s worked and what hasn’t worked

36 Tips for activity planning  Listen without judgement  The goals must be relevant  You may need short and long term goals  “I don’t...” is not the same as “I can’t...”  Plan an exit strategy, e.g. who will be the people that you organise to have sighted guide training, to support the person in the long term?

37 Goals What do you (the service user) want to achieve using your My Guide volunteer ? For example:  Independently travel to a particular place?  Improved confidence in independent travel?  Discover more about your local community?  Meet more people?

Finishing the service  It should never come as a surprise to the person you support that this is your last session  A good finish relies on a good beginning  Encourage the person to see how far they have come  Organise for their family, friends and community members to have sighted guide training 38

Finishing the service 39  Make sure you have been able to refer them to helpful services where appropriate. This is more than just leaving phone numbers with people. It might be making sure that a person in the local sight loss organisation has called as they’d promised or that social services have followed up an enquiry

40 Next steps  To become a My Guide volunteer you must complete the online assessed learning – available to download once you are registered (there is optional information on this site if you want to know more about this subject)  Please let your trainer know if you are interested in becoming a My Guide Practitioner  Your host organisation is responsible for supporting you in your volunteering role

41 Online learning You will find the learning space online at:

42 Please complete your feedback forms before you go Thank you