Orientation and Mobility - Guide Dogs Queensland

Navigate your world safely and independently

Orientation and Mobility training is all about helping you to build your ability by enhancing your mobility skills.

Image of a woman walking with her cane next to a Guide Dogs Queensland instructor

Gain the practical skills you need

Mobility is part of every single aspect of life and can easily be taken for granted. From being able to get on a train to travel to work each day to simply being able to walk to the end of your driveway, there is nothing we do that doesn’t involve some element of orientation and mobility. We’re here to help you maintain these skills when you lose your vision.

What is Orientation and Mobility?

Our Orientation and Mobility programs are based around knowing where you are, where you want to go and how to get there. Often a starting point for people experiencing vision loss, this service is available to you throughout your whole life and can be easily adapted as your needs change.

Who can access this training?

Image of a Guide Dogs Queensland instructor teaching a young boy to use his rainbow cane

Anyone, any age, any stage

Whether you have recently lost your vision or have had low sight for as long as you can remember, Orientation and Mobility training can help you.

During your first program, your instructor will teach you the basics you need to travel safely and independently. Once you’ve done this, you can contact us at any time throughout your life for assistance if you need to refresh your skills or learn any new travel routes.

If your vision changes over time, we can also work with you to help you adapt the skills and equipment you have already, or practice any other skills you might not have needed to use previously.

You can access our Orientation and Mobility service on its own, or in combination with other complementary programs like Counselling or Occupational Therapy.

Image of a man sitting with his cane outside a council building

How are the programs delivered?

All our Orientation and Mobility programs are built specifically around individual needs, with each program personalised for every client. Depending on the level of assistance you require, you might:

Receive support within your home
Participate in lessons in your local community
Undertake training with your family or co-workers
Or take part in a group program held onsite at our Training Centre in Brisbane.

What skills could I gain?

Undertaking Orientation and Mobility training will help you to master the concepts and abilities you need to be able to move through your environment safely and confidently, which is crucial to maximising your independence. It can help you with things like:

Getting around your community safely

Navigating through both familiar and new environments

Catching public transport

Using aids to increase your mobility

Maintaining your hobbies and activities

Increasing your independence and confidence

Linda’s story

“You wouldn’t think that such a simple thing like a cane could make such a difference, but it’s given me a lot of the freedom I thought I’d lost. I allowed my world to shrink and the cane’s opened it up again.”

Linda

Meet the Orientation and Mobility Team

Our Orientation and Mobility Specialists will assess how your level of vision affects your mobility and then help you find the way ahead.

How an Orientation and Mobility Specialist can help you

We will work with you to develop your own training goals, including getting around your home environment and local community in addition to any other places you may want to access.

Once you’ve set goals with your instructor, you will start a program that is tailored for you to ensure you can achieve the things you want to. Depending on your needs, this could involve anything from learning how to get out to your clothesline to navigating around a busy city centre.

Your instructor can also recommend what will be the most appropriate and useful mobility aid for you. You can read more about the mobility aids available to you here.

Image of two people with canes walking along a path next to two Guide Dogs Queensland instructors

We’re here to help you achieve the things you want to, like teaching you the skills you to need to get around your home and community safely and independently.

Natalie, Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Guide Dogs Queensland

Learn more about your funding options

You may be able to access funding and assistance through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to help cover the cost of support and training programs.

Learn more

Image of a woman cuddling her black Guide Dog

Learn more about your funding options

You may be able to access funding and assistance through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to help cover the cost of support and training programs.

Learn more