Advocacy

Action to create change

Advocacy means taking action to create change. It helps people to find their voice either individually or collectively.

At Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind we support our Clients in all three areas of advocacy: Self-advocacy, Individual advocacy and Collective/Systems advocacy.

Self-advocacy

We support our Clients to advocate for themselves by providing them with the tools they need to speak for themselves, primarily providing up-to-date information in areas such as understanding your needs, knowing your rights and responsibilities, and communicating these to others.

Individual Advocacy

A lot of the advocacy work that we do in Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is individual advocacy where we speak with permission, on behalf of another person or group of people. It usually involves an access issue which is resolved by education and provision of information about the work our Dogs do and the rights of our Clients.

Collective or Systems Advocacy

We make submissions on policies and laws that impact our Clients in a range of areas including transport and planning. 

Advocacy and Policy Officer

Contact our Advocacy and Policy Officer, Lean Kennedy if you have any questions: lkennedy@guidedogs.ie

Similarly, if your business needs advice on accessibility issues, we are here to help.