Tour guides refuse to let disabilities isolate them

DUBAI // Emiratis with special needs will double as tour guides today during a bus tour of the city's landmarks.

The group, of about five people, has spent days researching landmarks for their live commentary on the bus, said Theresa McCulloch, an employment facilitator at the Community Development Authority (CDA), which helped organise the event in collaboration with the All 4 Down Syndrome support group.

"It will show that they are just as capable and knowledgeable as people without disabilities," said Ms McCulloch.

Many Emirati youngsters with special needs are employed in the aviation, hotel or oil sector through the CDA. The group on the Big Bus tour will address about 30 young adults with disabilities and another 30 without disabilities, who have been recruited from Dubai schools and colleges as volunteers.

"We're educating two lots of people and opening doors for each of them," Ms McCulloch said.

"The teenagers who don't have a disability will see the differences in culture and nationalities on the bus. It will be a mixed bag for sure. The plus side for the young adults with a disability is that they get to be away from their parents and out with people their own age in a social setting. This is something they don't normally get to do."

Those on the bus with special needs include teenagers with autism, Down syndrome, learning difficulties and hearing impairments. "We want to promote the reality that people with disabilities can become productive members of society given a chance," said Ms McCulloch. "Just because a person is labelled with a disability, doesn't mean that she can't do research.

"The CDA is saying let's get them out of homes and get them into jobs."

The CDA hopes that greater awareness will help employers to look past disabilities. It also aims to encourage families to believe in the young.

Social outings for people with disabilities promote independence, said Avani Shah, who has an 18-year-old daughter with Down syndrome.

"When these children are younger, other kids do play with them, but once they get older they realise they are different and move away," said Mrs Shah. "My daughter looks forward to social outings and trips. It's a huge learning process for the volunteers also because we take so many things for granted.

"But when you interact with people with special needs, you learn tolerance and learn to value what you have in life."

Many teenagers with disabilities attend special centres where they learn skill sets. But as they grow older - unless they find employment - their world shrinks to just their immediate family.

"It's so important that they have a group of friends like everyone else so they don't feel isolated as they grow up," said Sally Pearson, a Briton who runs Teen Scheme, which organises outings for 80 teenagers with disabilities. Her son, 24, has Down syndrome.

rtalwar@thenational.ae