News
From disconnect to friendship through Connections Services and D&D.
Feeling isolated or disconnected from family and friends is a frequent story we hear from people with low vision or blindness. Yet when Cathryn and Michael connected through Connections Services in a game of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) their initial feelings of disconnection made way for a new friendship.
Cathryn and Michael had known about and played D&D before, but struggled to find options that were more accessible and inclusive of their respective vision conditions. When they joined in on a game run by Client Connections Specialist, Brendan, on Zoom, they loved it! Cathryn was concerned her technological skills might not allow her to access the information she needed to play effectively. She was also worried she couldn’t connect with other people with similar lived experience. However, upon joining the first game, she met Michael, who she later discovered was her neighbour who lived only 15 minutes away!
A friendship developed, and they now catch up regularly. Michael (in his 30s) is teaching Cathryn (in her 50s) how to use her new computer. Cathryn had been using low vision supports on her computer since the 80s, but with Michael’s expertise, D&D has become more accessible for her, and more fun to play. At first Cathryn said, “with my low vision and memory issues I could never run anything like a Dungeons and Dragons game.” But now that she’s connected with Michael, she’s able to access information more quickly, allowing her to run the D&D meetups. Other game participants are delighted and have said, “Cathryn is really good at it”!
Cathryn and Michael would never have met if it wasn’t for Guide Dogs’ dedication to using Assistive Technology to facilitate connection and peer support. Both Cathryn and Michael are now playing D&D with other people all over NSW and the ACT. With that, they’re feeling more connected and supported than ever, as they’ve made new friends through their shared passion for Dungeons and Dragons.
