Paws for empowerment

Human connection

Wang Jingyu finds the active involvement of young people in aiding the visually impaired quite impressive. He notes that most employees at the Dalian center are under 40 years old, with those aged 26 to 30 constituting 40 percent of the staff.

Additionally, college and high school students visit the center annually to learn about guide dogs and participate in volunteer work.

"Young people are readily embracing and gaining a deeper understanding of minority groups like visually impaired individuals," he said. "These individuals are often overlooked, not because of lack of ability, but due to difficulties in traveling and limited opportunities."

Sun regularly shares her life with foster puppies on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to raise awareness about guide dogs. Some of her followers have even adopted retired guide dogs.

Xu is also actively working to create opportunities for visually impaired individuals. As a public welfare advocate, she co-founded a platform with her friends that offers free assistance services. This platform provides lessons in various skills, such as dubbing, Braille, music, cooking, and computer and internet communication. These lessons are tailored for the visually impaired and are taught by young volunteers.

"Some people hold the stereotype that visually impaired individuals are only suited for massage work," Xu said. "But that's not true. They have a multitude of potential, and I'm dedicated to being a bridge, opening doors for them."

Contact the writer at mengwenjie@i21st.cn

What can you do?

Xu Jian shared some advice on interacting with visually impaired individuals and guide dogs at work.

Four "don'ts"

Do not call out to, touch, feed, or obstruct guide dogs while they are on duty.

One question

If you'd like to help, please ask first and communicate clearly. Do not touch or pull the visually impaired person directly.

Correct posture for assistance

. When guiding individuals with guide dogs, stand in front of the guide dog's left side to lead.

. When assisting individuals using canes, stand in front of their left side and guide them forward by offering your elbow.