Guide Dogs Queensland- Sunshine Coast

Guide Dogs Queensland provide independence, freedom and mobility.

Our Mission

Through partnership with our stakeholders, Guide Dogs Queensland will provide services which reduce the disadvantage of vision impairment. Our services will assist our clients to achieve their optimal level of mobility.

Our values

Guide Dogs Queensland:

·         Values the individual, believes in equal rights of all to realise their potential and encourages each to achieve it;

·         Believes in countering vision impairment by appropriate practical action, person to person;

·         Values and respects cultural diversity;

·         Wishes to be accountable, responsible and transparent at all levels;

·         Values the mutual respect among all involved;

·         Respects the dignity and privacy of all;

·         Welcomes technological advances in overcoming the problems of blindness;

·         Challenges discrimination and prejudice and supports equal opportunity and social justice.

Our accreditation

Guide Dogs Queensland is a member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) that formed in 1989 as a result of meetings held over several years with international Guide Dogs schools. Membership of the IGDF enables Guide Dog organisations around the world to unite as a community dedicated to meeting the mobility needs of blind and vision impaired citizens.

In order to maintain membership, individual schools are assessed for accreditation every five years by way of a comprehensive evaluation process. This ensures operational standards are upheld and improved. GDQ underwent its five-year IGDF assessment in 2011 and was commended for the excellent service it provides.

Who we are

Established in 1960, Guide Dogs Queensland helps to equip, empower and educate Queenslanders who are blind or vision impaired, of all ages, with a range of orientation and mobility services.

With less than seven per cent Government funding for some specific rehabilitation services, and none for our Guide Dogs, we rely on the generosity of individuals, puppy sponsors, corporate support and people who leave a bequest in their Will to fund our vital work.

All services, including our Guide Dogs are offered free of charge. We are best known for our icon – the Guide Dog, however, this service is just a small part of what we do. Our services include:

·         Guide Dog training and placement;

·         White Cane training;

·         Electronic Travel Aid training;

·         Community and professional education workshops;

·         Special mobility programs for children; and

·         Counselling by our own staff psychologists.

·         Services are delivered in the community and through residential programs during which clients learn new skills and live on- 
           site in our Client Residence.

Guide Dogs Queensland is the only service provider in Queensland that offers this complete range of rehabilitation services, and we have seven regional offices in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Toowoomba and on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Thousands of Queenslanders with little or no vision turn to us each year seeking our support, training and resources. We aim to keep people independent and mobile at home, in the community and at work.

Ultimately, we help people overcome the disadvantage of vision loss to live full and independent lives.