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“Life is Miles better with my
guide dog” – Clonmany man
11.10.17
DONEGAL man Kevin Kelly
is among those asking employers to give "equal
opportunity" to people with vision loss.
He joined Irish Guide Dogs for World Sight Day
tomorrow, in reminding employers of the wealth of
talent available to them from within the sight-loss
and blind community.
Advocacy and communications manager for the Asthma
Society, Kevin Kelly said his guide dog Miles was a
"very welcome addition to the team" when he first
began his career as a researcher with the Newstalk
breakfast team.
After Newstalk, the corridors of Leinster House
beckoned as Kevin took up a position as a
parliamentary assistant. “Leinster House was another
environment in which Miles thrived in moving from
guide dog extraordinaire to parliamentary pooch," he
said |
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Kevin Kelly with his guide dog Miles. |
The 30-year old
Clonmany man's philosophy in life is “get up and get
on”.
Despite losing his sight in his teens, Kevin left
his home in Donegal to study in Dublin.
His first year in university, studying journalism in
DCU, was difficult as he was not familiar with his
surroundings. But this all changed when he got
Miles, now aged 11.
“I could not have had the career I have enjoyed were
it not for my guide dog. He gives me confidence and
independence,” he added.
There are a number of support services available to
employers seeking guidance in this area including
the National Disability Authority, the Department of
Social Protection and IBEC. Irish Guide Dogs have
also produced an information pack for employers with
practical advice on employing someone who is blind
or vision-impaired.
To show your support for Irish Guide Dogs you can go
to
www.guidedogs.ie to for information on employing
people with vision impairment, please contact Lean
Kennedy at
lkennedy@guidedogs.ie . |
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